Las Vegas Casinos

When did the New York crime families give up control of the casinos to the Chicago Outfit ? Or did the Outfit always run Las Vegas ? Because I'll be there in about two weeks.

The outfit wasn't the only group/family involved in Vegas. There were some from NY and also from other cities like Cleveland, but others can enlighten you better about this subject. However if you think that they are still involved there then you will be disappointed.

In the 1970's the midwest families were in control of Las Vegas and the Chicago mob had their fingers in the biggest casinos

Many of the families (NY and elsewhere) who had interests in the casinos sold out to Howard Hughes and others in the 1960's and later. Some had interests remaining after that but it was mainly Chicago and other Midwest families that retained the most involvement in the 1970's and into the early 1980's.

I think Chi and KS had the closet connections and oversight but many references say Patriarca had a piece of the Stardust if memory serves me...

Yes I don't think Patriarca ever sold his shares, he stayed in until the end I believe.

I found part of the answer I have been looking for FINALLY

I have never had the honor of meeting Don Cardi on this site. I'm assuming if he states something about Vegas on here it will be completely accurate information.

If so, I just found another answer to my question about the Sands.

Thank you Don Cardi.

The definitive book on the subject, "The Black Book and the Mob," by two UNLV professors, confirms that Chicago and Kansas City had the largest interests in Vegas until it got corporatized. It's debatable that NY "controlled" Vegas before that. Siegel (backed by Luciano and Adonis), Lansky and Costello were active in Nevada in the immediate postwar years, but Moe Dalitz (Cleveland, transplanted to Nevada) was the big guy then.

Turnbull I dont doubt ur info or ur sources, but I find it hard to believe that the families didnt have more of an interest in the casinos into the 70s just considering how powerful they were.

I read that book about jimmy nap and his kid talked about bein out in vegas looking after Genovese family interests I think at Caesars in the 1970s? Does anyone else know more about this or read the book im talking about? I cant find the fucking book but it suggests NY fams had an interest in at least 1 or 2 casinos into thr mid to late 70s..I thought Jimmy naps son said the money he bringin back was for all the 5 fams but could be mistaken anyone know more bout ghis? ThAnks fellas

The two families with most power in Las Vegas were Genovese and Cleveland families. When Cuba was no longer available, a lot of the families put there money into Las Vegas. True Howard Hughes did buy a large part of the casinos, but the families that had interests in those casinos still had small investments. Hughes sold those casinos back to the crime families. Now in the 1970s, Atlantic City was opened to gambling, so there were a few meetings where The Midwestern families would take control of Las Vegas, notably Chicago, Cleveland (Hesh kept the flow going with the Mob war), Kansas City. Detroit and Milwaukee had power as well. The Eastern families were grandfathered in, meaning whatever they had going for them, they keep, but if they wanted more they had to talk to the Midwest families. Atlantic City was the eastern families control. (Buffalo did not like this arrangement, nor did LA) San Jose, San Francisco, Colorado, and Dallas only had interstate in Reno casinos.(Bonanno lost it's casino interests in Reno when Bobby went back to Trinidad after Joe retired). The exception to this rule were New Orleans, and Tampa families, and that was out of respect for the money they made for the other families.

Just a little info you should know. Jimmy Nap's son was and still is not respected period. He is one of those hangers-on or wannabe guys. His father made a ton of money.

Be careful with some of these books. Most are full of shit.

GV great info. Which family was involved in the Lake Tahoe casinos?

I just want to sneak my question in if that's ok.

AG, in the 1920s the four families involved in Reno, we're the Genovese, Chicago, Cleveland, and Buffalo. Buffalo and Cleveland went to war over this. A lot of families operated in reno, as it was a get away city in a state that allowed gambling. Las Vegas did not become big till the Flamingo, then the city took off in the 1950s. Many families invested in Las Vegas as it was closer to Los Angeles, which had a lot of rich people. By the late 1970s, the gambling was not what it once was as Reno was overshadowed by Las Vegas, the families that still had interests in the casinos in Lake Tahoe and Reno, were Chicago, Cleveland, Colorado, Dallas, Detroit, San Jose, and San Francisco. I skipped a lot of history, Bonanno and Profaci had interests till the 1960s. SJ and SF would not have gotten a foothold had it not been for Frank Costello.

From what I can tell, the two families that had the most interests in the earlier years (50's and into the 60's) were the Chicago and Genovese families. This changed, of course, when many sold their interests and it was mostly the Midwest families involved in the casinos after that. Though a few others held interests here and there.

giacomo, can you elaborate about buffalo's interest in reno. i've never heard about them having any interest there.

Thank you GV. I greatly appreciate you answering my question.


Ivy, you too have answered some of my questions in your informative posts throughout the forum. Thanks.

"Running Scared," an "unauthorized" biography of Steve Wynn by John L. Smith (2001), tells a couple of interesting stories. In one, Wynn's father, Mike, a big-time Maryland bingo operator and gambler, died, owing the Cleveland Mob a big chunk of money. Supposedly, Steve paid off the debt, and Cleveland allowed him to invest with them in the Last Frontier Hotel. The Nevada Gaming Commission found out about it and prosecuted the Cleveland gang, but they permitted Wynn's investment to stand. That was the start of his fortune. Another story: Wynn tried to buy into or build a casino in London, but was turned down by Scotland Yard because of alleged Mob ties. They showed him allegedly linked to the Genovese and Chicago families.

Ivy, that is true by the 1960s the Genovese and Chicago were powerful in Las Vegas, but that was cause Chicago muscled their way in. Don't forget that Cleveland and Detroit had the most pull with Hoff to get those loans.
Buffalo had there hand in Reno, till they stared a war with Cleveland, this started over in Pennsylvania in the 1928. When buffalo's Joe Debenedetto was killed in 1929. The buffalo associates went to other families, or moved back to Buffalo.
There are Cleveland and Pittsburgh posters on here and I am sure they can give more information of that.

thanks for the info giacomo

mikey, the book is called My Father My Don. i got it thru amazon. a decent read.