Sinatra. Talent asks. Owners decide.
The house always wins, and so did Frank. He took a piece of a Vegas hotel instead of a fee, and ended up on the other side of the table.
THE GIST ON SINATRA: "Talent asks. Owners decide"
How did Sinatra end up owning a Vegas hotel?
Vegas in the 50s was a strip of casinos fighting for the same gamblers. The Sands was two years old and the men who ran it were, let's just say, very well known to the FBI. They needed a draw.
Frank, with a career dip and a divorce from Ava Gardner, needed a job. So they booked him into the Copa Room and, instead of a fee, gave him a piece of the place.
What does paying in points mean?
Points are a way of paying without spending cash. The more Frank played, the more points he got. While every other headliner in Vegas cashed a cheque, Frank's share of the building kept growing.
By 1962 he owned 9%, the biggest single owner after the men who ran it.
What did ownership change?
He wasn't a headliner making requests any more. He was an owner making decisions. In 1960 he put himself and his Rat Pack mates Dino and Sammy on the same bill for four weeks, and 34,000 people turned up, which had never been done.
They even forced the Sands to let Black performers stay in the hotel they were headlining, in a town that had them sleeping on the other side of the tracks.
Who does the same today?
For 100 years, showbiz ran on one rule: talent asks, owners decide. Frank got to the other side of the table while still being talent.
Look what's happened since. Taylor Swift has re-recorded six albums for control. Rihanna built a cosmetics company so a label could never tell her what to do again. All to command, not ask. Which are you doing?
Would you take ownership over a bigger fee?
Your take. One tap, then see how everyone else voted.
Quick answers
How did Sinatra get a share of the Sands?
Instead of a fee for playing the Copa Room, the hotel gave him points, a piece of the place.
How much did he own?
By 1962 he owned 9%, the biggest single owner after the men who ran it.
What did he do with it?
He put the Rat Pack on one bill for four weeks, drew 34,000 people, and forced the Sands to let Black performers stay in the hotel.
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