It’s a great day at the Center for Gaming Research. The second in the Occasional Papers Series has been published. Here’s the info:
Larry Gragg. “The Powerful Mythology Surrounding Bugsy Siegel,” Occasional Paper Series 2. Las Vegas: Center for Gaming Research, University Libraries, University of Nevada Las Vegas, 2010.
Abstract: Journalists, authors, filmmakers, and historians have been interested in Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel for over six decades. Collectively, they have crafted a cohesive mythological narrative of Siegel’s life one focused upon “rags to riches” success and his contributions to the development of Las Vegas, Nevada. Most attribute to Siegel the inspiration for not only the Flamingo Hotel-Casino, but also for the glamorous, classy, flashy resort city Las Vegas became after World War II. This paper describes the development of the myth since Siegel’s murder in 1947 as well as how it has been sustained.
Keywords: Bugsy Siegel, casinos, organized crime, Las Vegas, Flamingo
View the paper here (pdf)
Siegel is one of the most popular figures in Las Vegas/casino history, and it’s good to see someone examine the mythology around him.