If you remember the August 27, 1980 bombing of Harvey's casino at South Lake Tahoe, well, you're old, for one thing. And that's alright, because apparently your memory is still good.
If you don't remember something that happened 30+ years ago, or are too young to know about it - you can check out this little clip from the FBI. Harvey's Bombed
The story is pretty crazy, but so was the bomber, John Birges. His business was failing, he owed Harvey's casino a hunk of cash from markers (chips given at the gambling tables for a signed check) he lost gambling, and he figured he could talk a few friends (including his girlfriend and his two sons) into joining him in his extortion attempt.
He was right, they all joined him. In the wee hours of the morning they rolled a heavily secured bomb of their own design and making into the business offices of the casino. No one stopped them. They were dressed as workers and the bomb had an IBM logo-ed cover over it.
The bombers promised that in exchange for $3 million in cash from casino owner Harvey Gross, they would provide detailed instructions to safely disarm the device and move it out of the casino. They lied.
The FBI was called in, they were stumped, and eventually the bomb went off. The force of the sticks of dynamite blew much of the bottom floors of the casino and hotel into useless kindling and the entire hotel had to be rebuilt.
Phillip L. Sublett has compiled an amazing amount of information about the bombing and his website is fascinating. Take a peek, you won't believe what happened.
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