From Desert to Sin City: How The Mafia Shaped Las Vegas

The City Of Lights And Its Neon-Soaked & Sordid Past

A rendition of Las Vegas in the 1950s. (Photo made with Freepik. Courtesy of: Peter Deleuran).

Las Vegas, often referred to as “Sin City,” is a place known for its glitz, glamour, and round-the-clock entertainment. But beneath the shimmering lights of the Las Vegas Strip lies a dark and intriguing history, one that traces its roots to the influence of organized crime.

This is the fascinating and controversial story of how The Mafia played a pivotal role in the development of Las Vegas.

The Birth of Sin City

Las Vegas, a desolate patch of desert in the American West, was an unlikely candidate for a bustling metropolis. Before the 20th century, it was nothing more than a stopover for travelers on their way to Los Angeles or Salt Lake City.

It was the construction of the Hoover Dam during the Great Depression that first brought attention to this remote corner of Nevada. As workers flocked to the area for employment, Las Vegas began its transformation from a sleepy desert town into an…