I get what you mean and even agree to an extent, but there's a lotta holes in the desert occupied by folks who might slightly disagree.

 

Steve Schirripa did a good podcast with Rogan, where they talked a fair bit about the old Vegas

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Was disappointed that it only ran 90 minutes, as I could listen to those two all night.

 

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Ah, put up yer dukes!

 

Most of these guys were criminals - no doubt about that. I'm not glorifying the violence, but there was certainly a "benefit" to enjoy as a result of that perception, given that a lot of petty crime, (theft, assault, fraud, etc.) was kept to a minimum by the fear of mob retaliation - real or imagined.
Spilatro, in many ways, ruined that for the mob.

And, sure - there's exaggerated "glorification" of the mob days.
What's telling about that is when you ask yourself why that glorification has happened!
Too many of us miss the good things that those days provided. IT was easy enough to turn a blind-eye to the skimming & internal squabbles...even the corruption involved with gaming licenses and "ownership".
It was easy to take the position of, "So long as my $5 & $10 bets continue to get me comped rooms, meals, cigarettes, shows & "professional" treatment from the property's staff, I don't really care about the seedier side of who is running things."

My understanding is that the only thing tourist-gamblers ever had to worry about was cheating. So long as you played the game straight, you were safe.
I'd take those conditions today in a heartbeat.

As for those who occupy holes in the dessert? It wasn't because they were squeaky-clean themselves, that's for sure.

 

Well stated TopCard... I agree. I suppose I took too much license suggesting people who felt the adverse effects of organized crime at the time are buried in the desert. Some may be, but there's no question others endured different lives because of the criminal influence the mob brought to Las Vegas, particularly in the Spilatro period, which you specifically exempted in your original post.

This passage (see below) from a 2008 Las Vegas Sun capture some of my sentiment. The heyday of organized crime's influence in Las Vegas deserves it's place in the history books. No doubt Las Vegas would not be what it is without it... BUT, while the causal gambler and part-time visitor saw one thing, I'm told elected and civic leaders dealt with something very different. A great deal of extortion, intimidation and I'm told at the time "more" went on during this period. Harry Reid is certainly the most noted member of the Gamming Commission to have reported death-threats, but other notable Nevadan's who served on the Gaming Control Board, Clark County Commission and even the Chamber of Commerce (yes I know a fella almost 90 who was very active in the Las Vegas' business community back in the day owning the Rolls Royce dealership) have reported a great deal of unseemly behavior that had tremendous effect on their lives and decisions. In many instances, mob members didn't care to play by the "rules" and were heavy-handed in their struggle to control the things important to them. I have a friend who is the son of the Governor who was in office in the late 50's. My friend is older than me, but was still just a kid then and told me many of these figures were ruthless in their pursuit of a foothold in Las Vegas, not just with each other, but with community leaders as well and the town endured the environment. The now famous and portrayed in Casino bombing of Lefty's Eldorado occurred at the Tony Roma's on Sahara (just east of the Strip) and though only one other person was injured, it could've been much worse. It could've been a family getting out of a car next to it.

Corruption spread to elected officials (Operation Yobo), including, long-time Clark County Sherriff, Ralph Lamb's bother Floyd, then a powerful State Senator and several others. Though rightly held accountable for their own actions, in my opinion (and those of others) these representatives became a product of the environment to an extent. Hell, just in the early 2000's (Operation G-Sting) convicted 3 Clark County Commissioners and several other elected officials for their involvement with Crazy Horse Strip Club, Michael Galardi, with known mob ties. Once again, I'm not stating these people were victims of the mob... they were weak public servants that succumbed to an influence that exists in many parts of the county, but has/had deep roots in Las Vegas for sure. This type of activity is NOT limited to Las Vegas or Nevada either.

I am SURE there are those on this board will take issue with the comments I've raised above, but they're meant only as an indicator of an influence that created much of what is Las Vegas and NOT meant to suggest this kind of activity doesn't occur elsewhere.

"Love ’em or hate ’em, mobsters played a major role in Las Vegas’ rise to becoming a renowned tourist destination, although they took more from the town through casino skimming and money laundering schemes than they gave to the region’s growth and the community’s welfare.

In its heyday from about 1950 to the early 1980s, the mob controlled every Strip resort that was worth controlling, stealing untold millions of dollars in tax revenues that could have paid for schools, roads and other public services.

Mobsters found easy ways to take control of some casinos in Las Vegas. Billy Wilkerson, whose dream of an exotic gambling resort became the Flamingo, needed help from mob bosses Meyer Lansky and Siegel to fund the casino’s construction. Moe Dalitz and the Cleveland Mayfield Road Gang bailed out the original builder and owner of the Desert Inn, Wilbur Clark, after he ran short of construction. Even gambler Tony Cornero had to seek financial help from Dalitz and Lansky to finish building the Stardust.

Those and other mobsters were no heroes, despite claims by some Vegas old-timers that the town was much better when the mob ran it.

Mobsters were often vicious, ruthless men whose skimming operations funded gangster activities such as narcotics sales, prostitution, loan sharking and other nefarious ventures nationwide.

Yet a number of mobsters who came to Las Vegas gave up their evil ways and became model citizens, good businessmen, dedicated family men and civic leaders."

I've been through the Mob Museum, I LOVE it! Being from the north, I've met Oscar, though don't really "know" him and I'm sure his dinner speaking- engagement is VERY entertaining and interesting. But I doubt a man who made his living and fame from defending these men has much interest in highlighting the extortion, intimidation, narcotics and other ventures that the town struggled to control. Inside the "Sin City" visitors love is a town full of people who work, go to school and yes even go to church. My point is not to get too heavy on romanticizing the Mob's influence (and you didn't) during that period of time... it wasn't all good.

 

one of my all time favorites... I do get a bit bored of the Ace/Ginger stuff....it drives me mad seeing all the crap he was putting up with. but overall, I just love the feel of the movie, some classic character interactions.... Pesci was incredible.... you know how often I want to tell people "Don't make a fuck outta me!!!"

 

I get bored with the movie in the middle - may have been fine for me if it was a 2 hour flick. The Ginger and Lester shit annoys me. I like the first part back in NY, trips to KC, casino floor stuff, Pesci's shenanigans - oh and when he pushes Ginger's face towards his cock.

 

Easy Trump.

 

Easily one of my favorite movies of all time. The only flaw with the move imo is allowing the Ginger shit to go on so long. It was beyond annoying.

 

Yes, that one was good. This one is too. It makes Dan seem more real and likeable. Enjoy!

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