Morris Shenker through Continental Connector owned it through the late 1960's into the 1980's - Continental Connector was the major owner and the minority owner was M R Investments (Major Riddle - Former trucking company owner with Teamster connections) The chairman of Continental Connector was Morris Shenker - he was also a lawyer that represented Mob interests. In 1983 there was a sale agreement to sell the Dunes Clifford Perlman (of Caesars World) - who ran it for a while; the sale fell through and it reverted back to Shenker and Riddle. Shenker filed bankruptcy in 1984, M R Investements also filed bankruptcy. Eventually sold to a Japanese investor for $155 million, who could not make a go of it - and then sold off to Steve Wynn.

Major Riddle also owned a few other casinos, he liked the name Silver. Silver Nugget, Silver City, Silverbird, Holiday International.