Beyond The Mafia: Italian Americans And The Development Of Las Vegas

Cover

C M Y K COVER PROOFED:________ DATE:________ THE MAFIA italian americans and the development of BEYOND LAS VEGAS A L A N B A L B O N I w i t h a n e w a f t e r wo r d N E V A D A H I S T O R Y “Clearly written and engaging, Beyond the Mafia is one of the most important and thoroughly researched books ever done on the Italian-American experience. It dispels popular myth.” RONALD A . FARRELL , author of The Black Book and the Mob For thousands of Italian Americans, Las Vegas has amply fulfilled the American dream, affording them unusual opportunities for rapid economic and social advancement, and for easy assimilation into the community. In return, they brought an array of talents and interests that hastened the city’s development from a dusty desert railroad stop to a major American urban center. Now available for the first time in paperback, Beyond the Mafia examines the migration of Italian Americans to Las Vegas, especially in the years following World War II, and the role they played in developing the city, including its casino, hotel, and entertainment industries. It also addresses the role of certain ItalianAmerican men who brought their capital and gaming expertise, along with shadowy pasts and alleged mob connections, to the city.Authoritative and thoroughly documented, the book provides a lively account of the productive, progressive, and thriving Italian American community of Las Vegas. In his afterword to the paperback edition, Balboni updates the history of this community over the past decade. A L A N BA L BO N I is professor of history and political science at the Community College of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas. UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA PRESS Photo credit: #0100-0036 Fremont Street at night, 1948, Manis Collections, Special Collections, unlv Library BEYOND THE MAFIA balboni isbn 10: 0-87417--681-6 isbn 13: 978-0-87417-681-0 THE MAFIA italian americans and the development of BEYOND LAS VEGAS A L A N B A L B O N I w i t h a n e w a f t e r wo r d N E V A D A H I S T O R Y “Clearly written and engaging, Beyond the Mafia is one of the most important and thoroughly researched books ever done on the Italian-American experience. It dispels popular myth.” RONALD A . FARRELL , author of The Black Book and the Mob For thousands of Italian Americans, Las Vegas has amply fulfilled the American dream, affording them unusual opportunities for rapid economic and social advancement, and for easy assimilation into the community. In return, they brought an array of talents and interests that hastened the city’s development from a dusty desert railroad stop to a major American urban center. Now available for the first time in paperback, Beyond the Mafia examines the migration of Italian Americans to Las Vegas, especially in the years following World War II, and the role they played in developing the city, including its casino, hotel, and entertainment industries. It also addresses the role of certain ItalianAmerican men who brought their capital and gaming expertise, along with shadowy pasts and alleged mob connections, to the city.Authoritative and thoroughly documented, the book provides a lively account of the productive, progressive, and thriving Italian American community of Las Vegas. In his afterword to the paperback edition, Balboni updates the history of this community over the past decade. A L A N BA L BO N I is professor of history and political science at the Community College of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas. UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA PRESS Photo credit: #0100-0036 Fremont Street at night, 1948, Manis Collections, Special Collections, unlv Library BEYOND THE MAFIA balboni isbn 10: 0-87417--681-6 isbn 13: 978-0-87417-681-0 100438 Balboni PMS 288c PMs 730c ...