Hey fellas. I know this board is for very serious questions. I've developed a serious question lately, mostly centered about Part 2, but contextually some answers could be gleamed from I and III as well.

I've always been interested in the estate in Tahoe. I think we all know it. There was a thread recently about how some of the series' best plotting takes place off screen (Sollozzo and Tattaglia, Barzini and Tessio, and more). I was thinking about how so much of the family business in the Western US takes place offscreen too. In I, Michael talks pretty explicity, literally, in illuminating terms, about a move to Nevada. Carlo is in the room. Obviously we can assume the family is after the crown jewel of Las Vegas. In II, the cast never sets foot in Vegas proper. The rackets, vice, gambling, and brother physically appear to be spread out between the Reno era, generally around Nevada, and possibly northern rinky dink California. I believe Fredo refers to some of his rackets as Mickey Mouse clubs.

What I'm wondering is, what does the geography of the Corleone family look like in the West? Do you think they controlled an even distribution of Las Vegas down and west to San Jose? Do you think there were a few regimes in Las Vegas proper and then button men every few towns or so? Coppola and Puzo and the creative heads spent so much time describing the business at the top that the geography of the family is difficult to pin down. We know back in the heart of New York Tessio and Clemenza had specific regimes in specific areas. Maybe in the west there were a few made men every few towns, a regime in Reno, and a bulk of men near Vegas led by Neri?

I'm speculating and looking for a good discussion. Thanks!

To top it off, there were made men as far as Northern and even possibly Central California that belonged to the five families. Interesting stuff!