Contrary to popular opinion, Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel didn't operate the first resort on the
Strip. The Hotel Last Frontier, where Siegel stayed during construction of his legendary
Flamingo, and the El Rancho were already up and running in the late 1940s. But where
early Vegas traded on Nevada's western heritage, Siegel envisioned the desert skies
awash with neon. He also was responsible for making the mob an integral part of
Sin City's development.
Born in Brooklyn, Benjamin Siegel -- no one called him "Bugsy" unless they were
prepared for an eyeful of knuckles -- was a successful bookmaker in Los Angeles
who ran with the smart set in Hollywood's halcyon days. He also was a notorious
gangster whose list of friends included Meyer Lansky and Lucky Luciano. Though he
owned part of the offshore gaming action in Southern California, Siegel was never
content with the small time, especially when California's governor Earl Warren put
the kibosh on gambling during World War II. A stop-off in the Vegas desert on a
transcontinental flight was all the incentive he needed to start dreaming big.
"Bugsy" Siegel's Flamingo was the precursor to modern Vegas, stuffed with amenities
that brought the Hollywood lifestyle to the desert: swimming pools, tennis courts,
riding stables and a cavalcade of dames and gents fresh from the backlot. This,
plus a staff outfitted in tuxedos and a manic attention to detail, made Siegel's
resort a destination rather than a gambling hall with rooms.
Though he wasn't the first, Siegel's vision put Vegas on a different
course than anyone had imagined for it. He gave Vegas its glow, brought
the silver screen to the Vegas Strip, and set the stage for today's Strip.
