Yelverton and his wife stated that they had been sold a five-percent interest in the Landmark in 1979, but that the document was never filed with the county recorder's office. In August 1983, the Yelvertons filed a state suit to prevent the sale to Morris, stating that they would not be compensated for their interest if the sale proceeded. At the time, Gary Yelverton was the Landmark's casino manager. The Nevada Gaming Control Board delayed approval of Morris' purchase until his offer could be updated to include what Zula Wolfram owed to Summa. Morris purchased the Landmark for $18.7 million, and took over ownership on October 30, 1983. The struggling resort had a profitable first month under its new management. Morris worked 18 hours a day to ensure the Landmark's success. He said the Landmark had "never really been given a fair chance," citing the absence of "on-hands management on a day-in, day-out basis" as one reason for its lack of success. Morris also believed that previous operators tried to make the Landmark "do something it was not meant to do" by competing with "superstar productions," whereas he believed the resort's location made it more ideal for serving attendees of the Las Vegas Convention Center.