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The Mafia And The Building Of Las Vegas
March 11, 2015 @ 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Registration required; contact the organizer.Fabulous Las Vegas has gone through several fascinating eras! It was a desert town that grew when the railroads came through.To accommodate the railroad workers, a wide open culture of brothels, saloons and gambling developed in the dusty desert outpost.
In the 1940s, Bugsy Siegel convinced the Mafia leaders of New York City that the obscure Nevada city would be the perfect spot to build a fabulous a resort and casino that would serve two important purposes for La Casa Nostra – it would make huge amounts of money and it would serve as a clearinghouse to launder money made in illegal activities. The fantastic Flamingo
hotel was the result. It opened the door to the transformation of Las Vegas and shifting alliances, strategies and leadership in the Mob.
We will explore the colorful personalities (including the Frank Sinatra and his cronies, the Rat Pack) , strategic alliances and unexpected twists and turns that allowed the Mob to make Las Vegas a mecca for entertainment
gambling and adult fun – until the law caught up with them.