Benjamin 'Bugsy' Siegel and the Birth of Las Vegas: The Flamingo Hotel Story

Benjamin 'Bugsy' Siegel became a partner with William Wilkerson in the Flamingo Hotel and Casino project in Las Vegas. Siegel was a notorious gangster known for his involvement in various criminal activities, including murder. He was hired by Meyer Lansky to be a hitman and a key figure in the newly formed Jewish criminal group, The Bugs and Meyer Mob.

William Wilkerson was an American businessman and publisher of Hollywood Reporter, who had a passion for gambling. Wilkerson bought a 33-acre plot of land south of Las Vegas for $84,000 in 1944 to build the Flamingo Hotel and Casino.

This ambitious project, driven by Siegel's criminal background and Wilkerson's vision, laid the foundation for what would become one of the most iconic destinations in the world.