The Tyrant Billionaire-Chapter 591 Opening Of Caesar’s Palace and The Venetian

"You’re seeking a partnership? I think that’s possible, but not just for the Las Vegas hotel. Hardy Group hopes to acquire shares in Hilton Hotels, making us true partners," Hardy said.

"How many shares would you want, Mr. Hardy?" Conrad Hilton hesitated. Selling shares wasn’t out of the question, but he wanted to retain his majority status. If Hardy Group became the controlling shareholder, the Hilton family would be relegated to mere employees.

"Thirty percent. Any less would be meaningless," Hardy replied.

The figure startled Conrad Hilton. "Mr. Hardy, even the Hilton family only holds 42% of the shares."

"Then discuss it with the other shareholders, and sell to me proportionally. With ample capital, Hilton Hotels could acquire more hotels and grow faster. What do you think?" Hardy said to him.

Capital is always the greatest lure for entrepreneurs.

An entrepreneur’s ambitions only grow with time; they want their business to be the leader, the best in the industry.

Growing step-by-step was too slow.

The quickest path is through acquisitions, which require plenty of capital.

Hardy had Wells Fargo, Bank of America behind him, and HSBC in Hong Kong—ample funding.

The money Hardy would use to buy shares was only part of the deal. More importantly, partnering with Hardy Group would make it easier to secure future loans.

Conrad did some quick calculations.

If Hardy obtained 30% of the shares, his own stake would be diluted to 29.4%, making it lower than Hardy Group’s 30%, effectively positioning Hardy Group as the largest shareholder.

"Mr. Hardy, I’ll need to consider the matter of the shares," Conrad Hilton replied.

"No problem," Hardy said casually, taking a puff of his cigar.

"By the way, how many hotels does Hilton have now?" Hardy asked offhandedly.

"We have 28 hotels—in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Dallas, and internationally in London, Paris, and Rome, with plans for a new hotel in Milan," Conrad Hilton said with a hint of pride. It was the result of 30 years of hard work, nearly one new hotel every year.

Hardy nodded, smiling faintly. "I have friends in those cities and countries. If Hilton Group needs any assistance, just let me know."

Conrad Hilton took his leave, but sitting in the car, he couldn’t shake the feeling that Hardy’s final words were less an offer of help than a warning.

A warning of what?

Hardy’s "friends" in those cities could easily disrupt Hilton Hotels. Were they politicians, gangsters, or both? If they really took action against Hilton, it would spell disaster.

After returning, Conrad Hilton discussed the proposal with the other shareholders. Bringing Hardy in as a major shareholder offered significant benefits for Hilton Hotels. Selling his own shares was out of the question, as Hardy was asking for too much. Ultimately, they decided to issue new shares, diluting everyone’s stakes proportionally.

The day before Hardy’s Grand Hotel opened, Hardy Group and Hilton Hotels reached an acquisition agreement. Hardy Group acquired new shares in Hilton for $48 million, raising Hardy Group’s stake in Hilton to 30%.

With this transaction completed, Hardy Group instantly became the largest shareholder in Hilton Hotels, relegating the Hilton family to second place.

At the same time,

Hilton Hotels announced plans to build a Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas.

They also prepared to acquire Statler Hotels of America, renowned as the "Hotel Emperor of the World" with ten first-class hotels. This acquisition would become the largest real estate deal in U.S. history.

Of course, even with Hardy’s $48 million investment, Hilton still didn’t have enough capital, but they planned to secure a loan from Wells Fargo, which Hardy had already approved.

This is the advantage of having big capital backing—it makes accessing funds much easier.

Hardy’s acquisition of Hilton was far from exploitative.

It was merely business. In the world of commerce, negotiations can be even more intense than warfare. Hardy’s approach to Hilton was already quite gentle.

In addition to the acquisition, Hilton Hotels enjoyed another benefit: a surge in stock value. With Hardy as a powerful new shareholder, investors grew more confident in Hilton Hotels. After the announcement, Hilton’s stock price rose significantly.

With the stock price increase,

The shareholders net worth rose as well—a positive outcome for them.

...

August 5.

Today, Las Vegas was blessed with clear skies and mild weather.

Starting two days ago, flights arriving at and departing from Las Vegas airport have been nonstop. Yesterday, countless officials, businesspeople, and actors arrived, nearly four or five thousand in total, filling the city’s newest hotels.

Last night, these guests held a grand party at Caesar’s Palace Hotel, a sort of soft launch for the casino.

All of them came in honor of Hardy.

Hardy personally welcomed everyone, greeting each friend. Remembering the names and faces of thousands of people was possible only because of Hardy’s photographic memory since his rebirth. Otherwise, the task of memorizing so many names would have been overwhelming.

Today marked the official opening day.

Both Caesar’s Palace and The Venetian were opening simultaneously, so the main venue was set between the two hotels. The turnout was estimated at over 100,000 people due to a free, open-air concert featuring major stars, which attracted a massive audience.

Some people even flew in from out of town just for the event.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony was scheduled for the evening.

On stage, Marilyn Monroe sang first, followed by Ava Gardner. The crowd, numbering in the tens of thousands, danced to the music.

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It was like a grand carnival.

At precisely 8:08 p.m.,

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Eighteen cannon shots sounded in celebration.

Hardy, alongside the Governor of Nevada, the Mayor of Las Vegas, Mr. Giannini, president of Bank of America, and various shareholders, cut the ribbon.

A loud round of applause filled the air.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony was brief, lasting only a few minutes, as the crowd was here for fun, not for speeches.

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As the ribbon-cutting concluded,

Caesar’s Palace and The Venetian lit up, followed by a grand display of fireworks that illuminated the night sky.

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