Dangerous Liaisons in Sin City

Casino History, Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Assaults, Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Cheating / Fleecing, Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Extortion, Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Murder / Killing, Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Shooting, Gambling History, Gaming History, Horseshoe Club / Binion's Gambling Hall & Hotel (Las Vegas, NV), It Really Happened, John "Johnny" W. Hicks, Las Vegas--Nevada, Nevada, Thunderbird (Las Vegas, NV), United StatesLeave a comment

1972-1977 A $25,000 ($146,000 today) offer for the murder of 27-year-old John “Johnny” W. Hicks had been circulated, it was rumored throughout Las Vegas in mid-1972. The son of Marion B. Hicks, previous owner of the Thunderbird Hotel, and his wife Lillian, then proprietor of the Algiers Hotel next door, Johnny was working as an…

Nevada Makes Gamblers Choose

Albert Anastasia, Casino History, Charles "Lucky" Luciano, Clifford "Cliff" A. Jones, Cuba, Desert Inn (Las Vegas, NV), Fremont Hotel and Casino (Las Vegas, NV), Gambling, Gambling History, Gambling Laws / Regulations, Gaming History, Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Control Board, Hilton (Havana, Cuba), It Really Happened, Jake Lansky, Las Vegas--Nevada, Meyer Lansky, Nacional (Havana, Cuba), Nevada, Politicians / Politics: Cuba President Fidel Castro, Riviera (Havana, Cuba), Sands (Las Vegas, NV), Thunderbird (Las Vegas, NV), United States, Wilbur ClarkLeave a comment

1957-1959 During Nevada’s 1957 legislature, State Senator Kenneth Johnson (R-Ormsby), voiced his concerns about some of the state’s gambling licensees* simultaneously co-owning Cuban casinos. He feared that: • Nevada licensees might form alliances with U.S. Mobsters in Havana, who primarily ran gambling there • Nevada licensees might use those relationships to hide Mob interests in…