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Before the casinos -

Southern Nevada, where the city of Las Vegas is found, may seem like an inhospitable desert, but it has been home to humans for a long time. Petroglyphs show signs of human presence in the area more than 10,000 years ago. Members of the Paiute tribe inhabited the region as far back as 700 CE.

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European explorers -

The area was first discovered by Europeans when Antonio Armijo’s expedition group came across the Las Vegas Valley in 1830. He was on a mission to create a trade route between Mexico and California at the time. Rafael Rivera, another member of the group, gave the area the name “Las Vegas,” which means “the meadows.”

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Mormon settlers -

A group of Mormons tried unsuccessfully to create a settlement there in 1855, and the land was eventually taken over by an industrious rancher named Octavius D. Gass. He owned almost the entire Las Vegas Valley up until 1881 and is remembered by some as the “father of Las Vegas.”

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Arrival of the railroad -

A small settlement developed in Las Vegas over the following decades. In 1905, the railroad arrived, connecting the small city to the country’s main rail network and encouraging further development.

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The new "Wild West" - In 1905, the residents of Las Vegas took a vote and decided to become an officially incorporated city. However, a large contingency voted against this change, giving it a reputation as a city that still had “Wild West” leanings. This was part of the attraction for enterprising mobsters.

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Divorce destination -

Another attractive characteristic of Las Vegas was the availability of speedy divorces. From the early 1900s, it was known as a place where couples could go to get their divorces handled quickly thanks to Nevada’s loose marriage laws. The flip side of this, i.e. quick marriages, would also prove to be a big draw in the future!

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Prohibition -

Gambling was banned in Nevada in 1909, and Prohibition was introduced nationwide in 1920. Rather than reducing the town’s appeal, it offered the perfect opportunity for illegal underground casinos and speakeasies to spring up.

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Jim Ferguson moves in -

One of the first gangsters to set up shop in Las Vegas was a man named Jim Ferguson. Ferguson reportedly met a woman named Vera Magness who wanted to set up her own brothel, so he took her to Las Vegas where they both began running successful illegal businesses in prostitution, bootlegging, and gambling.

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A big year for Vegas -

In 1931, the ban on gambling was lifted, and the construction of the Hoover Dam, located just outside of Las Vegas, began. This massive project brought thousands of workers to the area, all seeking refreshment and entertainment. Fremont Street was the only paved street in Las Vegas, and it was quickly filled with small casinos, showgirls venues, and eventually, legal bars.

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Up in lights -

The dam was completed in 1936, and the hydroelectric power it generated was used to light the very first flashing signs of Las Vegas’ casinos.

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El Rancho -

A casino called El Rancho was the first such establishment to be built on Highway 91, a location that would come to be known as the Las Vegas Strip. Like many casinos, it ended up under mob ownership a few years down the line.

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Bugsy Siegel and his vision -

Jim Ferguson may have been the first mob boss of Las Vegas, but it was Bugsy Siegel who envisioned the Las Vegas we see today. Siegel was a New York mobster working for the famous Meyer Lansky, who sent him to the West Coast in the 1940s to expand their gambling business. Siegel reportedly dreamt of setting up a gambling oasis in the desert near Las Angeles, which eventually led him to Las Vegas.

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A dream realized -

In 1946, Siegel opened the Flamingo casino with investment from Lansky (reportedly drug money he had generated from Mexico). It was the first resort-style casino that offered a luxury experience worthy of Hollywood’s elite.

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The Flamingo -

The Flamingo was just the third casino on the Las Vegas Strip. The high-class joint welcomed dozens of celebrities to its opening night and consistently booked the best talent to perform in its lounge.

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Following suit -

The mid-1940s saw the beginning of the mob’s 50-year hold on Las Vegas, as many different organized crime organizations began building following the trend.

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Siegel's murder -

Although Siegel’s vision for the city was fulfilled, he didn’t live to see it. Siegel was gunned down in his Beverly Hills home on June 20, 1947. It’s believed that the hit was ordered by his business partner, Meyer Lansky (pictured). The original budget for the Flamingo was US$1.5 million, but it ended up costing $6 million, likely because Siegel was skimming funds and having his girlfriend, Virginia Hill, deposit the money in European bank accounts.

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Military boom -

The Nevada desert was a popular spot for military activities, which naturally saw a boom from World War II through to the Cold War. This gave Las Vegas a boost in footfall for several decades. More than 100 nuclear bombs were detonated at the famed Nevada Test Site between 1951 and 1963, and Las Vegas visitors would often see mushroom clouds from their hotel windows.

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Chicago arrives in Las Vegas -

In the 1950s, the infamous organized crime group known as the Chicago Outfit started opening casinos in Las Vegas. They opened some of the most famous Vegas classics, including the Stardust, the Desert Inn, and the Riviera. Another Chicago-based organization opened the Hacienda, Sahara, and Fremont casinos in the 1960s.

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Famous guests -

The Stardust in particular was a famous hangout for the Rat Pack, including Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr., all of whom were either rumored or confirmed to have connections with the mob.

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A growing metropolis -

By 1954, Las Vegas was attracting more than eight million tourists per year, drawn in by the affordable opulence and incredible music acts like Elvis Presley and Liberace.

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Mr. Las Vegas -

There are countless stories that show just how deeply connected the city of Las Vegas is to the mob. A gangster called Moe Dalitz took over the Desert Inn in 1950, and became so instrumental in building the city up to its current state that he became known as "Mr. Las Vegas."

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Las Vegas' Robin Hood -

In addition to running casinos, Dalitz also helped to fund what is now the University of Nevada, as well as raising US$ 1 million from the Teamsters to build the Sunrise Hospital, and contributing to many charitable causes. In 1976, this particular mobster was named Humanitarian of the Year!

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Jimmy Hoffa and Caesars Palace -

Another famous gangster with connections to Las Vegas was Jimmy Hoffa, the infamous labor union leader of the Teamsters who was deeply involved in organized crime. Under Hoffa’s leadership, the Teamsters invested in several Las Vegas casinos through their pension funds.

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Jimmy Hoffa and Caesars Palace -

The biggest casino they invested in was Caesars Palace, which is still perhaps the most iconic casino in Las Vegas. Interestingly, another famous gangster called Frank Rosenthal was the pit boss at Caesars. Rosenthal is portrayed by Robert De Niro in the Martin Scorsese film ‘The Irishman’ (2019), in which Jimmy Hoffa is played by Al Pacino.

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Tony the Ant -

Another notorious Las Vegas gangster was Anthony Spilotro, nicknamed Tony the Ant by the press. Spilotro was a member of the Chicago Outfit gang and arrived in Vegas in 1971. According to the Los Angeles Times, there were more Mafia-style murders in the city during the first three years after his arrival than in the previous 25 years combined.

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Tony the Ant -

Spilotro was perhaps the last person in Las Vegas you’d want to meet on a bad day. He was the inspiration for Joe Pesci’s character in the 1995 Scorsese movie ‘Casino.’ Spilotro was killed in 1986, allegedly for running his own rackets without paying the bosses and having an affair with Frank Rosenthal’s wife.

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The turning of Frank Cullotta -

The 1980s saw a decline in the mob’s hold over Las Vegas. This was partly brought on by the turning of Frank Cullotta. Cullotta worked with Anthony Spilotro, forming a burglary crew known as the Hole in the Wall Gang. He was arrested in 1981 and flipped by the FBI, becoming an informant against his associates.

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The turning of Frank Cullotta -

Cullotta personally confessed to over 300 crimes and informed on the likes of Anthony Spilotro (pictured in court) as well as several other powerful mob bosses. His testimony led to the arrest of many important Las Vegas figures, contributing to the dwindling presence of organized crime in the city.

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Enter Howard Hughes and the mega-casino -

Another contributing fact was the arrival of heavy-hitting investors like Howard Hughes. Hughes took interest in Las Vegas in the 1960s, buying up casinos like the Desert Inn. Businessmen like Hughes took the casinos out of the hands of the mob and began turning them into corporate conglomerates. In 1989, the city’s first mega-resort was opened in the form of the Mirage.

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Las Vegas today -

The version of Las Vegas created by the likes of Howard Hughes is the one we know today. While it still earns the nickname “Sin City” for a multitude of reasons, organized crime is no longer top of the list.

Sources: (History) (Biometrica) (National Crime Syndicate) (Far & Wide)

See also: Who are the most infamous mobsters and gangsters?

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