High Stakes: 2inside the New Las Vegas

Las Vegas altering itself into a Disneyland of ``family entertainment'' is the subject of this smarmy book by the author of Without Mercy: Obsession and Murder Under the Influence . Leading the transformation, according to Provost, is Circus Circus Enterprises, with its vast hotels boasting round-the-clock entertainment for children and adults alike, convenience stores and cheap food, as well as slot machines and gaming tables. The hero of the book is Glenn Schaeffer, the ``number two man'' at CCE, whom the author interviewed about management policies, costs and profits. Provost, whose enthusiasm for the ``new'' Las Vegas reads like a flack's hype, suggests that if gambling is ``a product to be purchased, then Las Vegas today produces the best and least expensive version of that product in the history of the world.'' Rich in self-serving quotes from Schaeffer (who graduated from the Iowa Writers' Workshop) and colleagues, the book divests this resort city of its color. (Apr.)