Tag Archives: Bugsy

The Mob, the El Cortez, and the Flamingo

This gallery contains 11 photos.

Gambling was legalized in Nevada in 1931.  The first legal gambling clubs in Las Vegas were simply business as usual, with back room gambling relocated to the front room facing Fremont Street.  Locals were the main market, although other clubs, … Continue reading

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Family Feud: Havana vs. Las Vegas in the 1950s. Part 1

This gallery contains 11 photos.

Before Castro’s revolution, Havana and Las Vegas were rivals for the title of “Monte Carlo of the Americas.” Cuba was exotic, tropical, wild, and close by.  Las Vegas was dry, dusty and remote.  In Cuba, the mob invested heavily in … Continue reading

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