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126-519: He was raised in Chicago, Illinois , then joined the underworld in Detroit, Michigan , in the 1920s and became an associate of Meyer Lansky . Levinson and his brothers moved to Newport, Kentucky , in the 1930s, where they dominated illegal gambling. In the 1940s he moved to Miami, then in 1952 to Las Vegas, where he became a part owner and operator of various legitimate hotels and casinos. For several years he ran

252-571: A "bug" (hidden microphone) in Levinson's Fremont office in 1961. The bug recorded Levinson saying of profit skimming , "You can't steal $ 100,000 a month and pay dividends. If you steal $ 50,000? Well, maybe ...". An FBI report on the gambling industry recorded an informant's account of a conversation on January 21, 1963, between Levinson and Torres, vice-president of the Fremont, who were counting money and determining how much would be skimmed. Levinson said Meyer

378-533: A $ 1 million resort, the project costs increased to $ 6 million due to mismanagement by Siegel. In addition to Lansky, Siegel would receive loans from other mafia figures such as Frank Costello . The resort was built by Del Webb Construction . The company's construction managers had a difficult time getting their pay, which prompted owner Del Webb to nervously ask Siegel for the money himself at one point. Siegel, in response, said, "You'll get paid, don't worry about it. We (mobsters) only kill each other." Siegel

504-443: A 17-story tower and two 8-story towers. The Flamingo hotel includes 3,460 rooms. A 1,000-room renovation took place from 2000 to 2001, and 2,400 others were renovated in 2004. Another renovation of 2,300 rooms was completed in 2012, at a cost of $ 10 million. Further room renovations took place from 2017 to 2018. The designer, Forrest Perkins, used gold and pink in the upgraded rooms and described them as contemporary retro-chic with

630-889: A 20% share of the Fremont, which had been built using loans from the Teamsters. Levinson brought in Chef Shillig, formerly of the Ritz Hotel in Paris and the Savoy in London, and made Ed Torres the food and beverage manager. Torres and Levinson arranged high-class entertainers like Wayne Newton , Kay Starr , Pat Boone and Helen Reddy to draw the crowds. Levinson managed Meyer Lansky's Havana Riviera before Fidel Castro took over Cuba in January 1959 and closed it down. Levinson moved back to Las Vegas in 1959 to run

756-428: A 28-story hotel with 3,460 rooms. The resort was originally proposed by Billy Wilkerson , founder of The Hollywood Reporter , who purchased the land in 1945. Early the following year, he partnered with a trio of mobsters to obtain financing. Among his partners was Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel , who proceeded to take over the $ 1 million project, to Wilkerson's dismay. Construction costs rose under Siegel's management, with

882-566: A Chicago syndicate of mid-west bookies and gamblers. Ed Levinson would be connected with the Flamingo after the sale. The Nevada Tax Commission said it knew nothing about the deal. The Dunes opened on 23 May 1955 and soon ran into financial difficulty. The Sands management agreed to take over operation of the Dunes, and the Nevada Tax Commission agreed to an arrangement where Ed Levinson would run

1008-403: A Democrat, was elected in 1955, in the era of machine politics . In 1956, the city conducted its last major expansion when it annexed the land under O'Hare airport, including a small portion of DuPage County. By the 1960s, white residents in several neighborhoods left the city for the suburban areas – in many American cities, a process known as white flight – as Blacks continued to move beyond

1134-492: A Miami businessman and arms dealer, tried to arrange deals in the Dominican Republic . Baker tried to use his influence to obtain a casino license there for Levinson, but did not succeed. In November 1962 the bugs in Levinson's office at the Fremont picked up references to Baker. The FBI agent notified FBI chief J. Edgar Hoover of the references early in 1963 because, "I thought it was important for Washington to be aware of

1260-495: A final price of $ 6 million. The Flamingo's casino opened on December 26, 1946, followed by a three-story hotel on March 1, 1947. It is the oldest continuously operating resort on the Strip, and was the third to open there. Siegel was killed by an unknown shooter in June 1947, and numerous ownership changes would take place in the years to come. Hilton Hotels Corporation bought the resort in

1386-554: A focus on the 70-year history of the Flamingo. Upon opening, the Flamingo included a pool area surrounded by tropical landscaping. A new tropical pool area, covering 15 acres (6.1 ha), was added in the 1995 expansion; it includes a free animal habitat attraction. Known as the Wildlife Habitat, it covers 4 acres (1.6 ha). The Wildlife Habitat has featured numerous exotic birds throughout its history, such as Chilean flamingos , black-necked swans , and pelicans. It

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1512-475: A friend of Moe Dalitz . He was arrested occasionally, but usually the charges were dismissed. Levinson became an associate of Bugsy Siegel (1906–47), the partner of Meyer Lansky . The Levinson brothers moved to Newport, Kentucky , in the 1930s as representatives of Lansky's national organized crime syndicate. Newport was on the other side of the Ohio River from Cincinnati . The Levinsons became key players in

1638-486: A heart attack soon after. Washington was succeeded by 6th ward alderperson Eugene Sawyer , who was elected by the Chicago City Council and served until a special election. Richard M. Daley , son of Richard J. Daley, was elected in 1989. His accomplishments included improvements to parks and creating incentives for sustainable development , as well as closing Meigs Field in the middle of the night and destroying

1764-519: A lobbyist for North American Aviation , met Levinson at a pre-inauguration party in Washington, D.C. , in January 1961 before John F. Kennedy took office. They were probably introduced by Benny Sigelbaum, who was a friend of Baker. The District of Columbia National bank was chartered in 1962 with Bobby Baker, Fred Black, Levinson and Sigelbaum as stockholders, as well as various senior Democrat politicians or their relatives. Levinson, Baker and Jack Cooper,

1890-447: A mirrored backdrop. For teenage visitors, the Flamingo added its 7-11 Club in 1960, named for its hours of operation during the evening. A convention hall was added the following year. The present-day Flamingo includes 73,000 sq ft (6,800 m ) of meeting space, which underwent a $ 6.5 million renovation in 2017. By 1988, the Flamingo had six restaurants, including a buffet. The 167-seat Burger Joint opened in 2010, and

2016-660: A model for the new field of social work . During the 1870s and 1880s, Chicago attained national stature as the leader in the movement to improve public health. City laws and later, state laws that upgraded standards for the medical profession and fought urban epidemics of cholera , smallpox , and yellow fever were both passed and enforced. These laws became templates for public health reform in other cities and states. The city established many large, well-landscaped municipal parks , which also included public sanitation facilities. The chief advocate for improving public health in Chicago

2142-906: A murderer, thief and rapist -- all the things that society shouldn't aspire to be." By 2000, the resort's employee dining room had been named Bugsy's Backroom Cafe. A steakhouse bearing his name would open to the public two decades later. The Flamingo name has been applied to gambling operations elsewhere in Nevada, including the Flamingo Hilton Reno (1989), and the Flamingo Hilton Laughlin (1990). The name has also been used for riverboat casinos , including one opened in New Orleans (1994), and another one in Kansas City, Missouri (1996). In 1998, Hilton's gambling properties, including

2268-472: A new grade with the use of jackscrews for raising buildings. While elevating Chicago, and at first improving the city's health, the untreated sewage and industrial waste now flowed into the Chicago River , and subsequently into Lake Michigan , polluting the city's primary freshwater source. The city responded by tunneling two miles (3.2 km) out into Lake Michigan to newly built water cribs . In 1900,

2394-471: A new sign installed at the Dunes resort in 1964. The champagne tower was demolished in 1968, when a new roadside sign was added along the Strip. It was designed by Bill Clarke of Ad-Art. The 120-foot-high sign was torn down in 1989, to help make way for Hilton's new O'Sheas Casino . A smaller version of this sign, added during the 1980s, was present along Flamingo Road until 2002. In 1976, Heath and Company

2520-470: A population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 census , it is the third-most populous city in the United States after New York City and Los Angeles . As the seat of Cook County , the second-most populous county in the U.S., Chicago is the center of the Chicago metropolitan area , often colloquially called "Chicagoland" and home to 9.6 million residents. Located on the shore of Lake Michigan , Chicago

2646-470: A protracted investigation period before he could obtain a gaming license . The sale agreement was soon terminated. American businessman Kirk Kerkorian acquired the Flamingo in 1967, making it part of his International Leisure Company. In 1970, Hilton Hotels Corporation bought a 44-percent interest in Kerkorian's company. The following year, Hilton increased its ownership stake further, and renamed

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2772-461: A real sense, it was Bugsy Siegel's hotel." Hal Rothman , a history professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas , also considered Wilkerson's involvement "more of a footnote," stating in 2000, "He had an idea but he wasn't able to pull it off. The Flamingo he envisioned probably was very different from the one Siegel envisioned." By May 1946, the project had been named the Flamingo, although it

2898-431: A renovation in 1999. It has four pools, and offers a popular dayclub, known as Go Pool, which includes DJ music. The club launched in 2007. The 1953 renovation project included the addition of a "champagne tower" along the Strip, featuring neon lights depicting bubbles. It rose more than 50 feet, and would remain as the tallest free-standing structure on the Strip into the next decade, eventually being eclipsed by

3024-455: A small motel on part of the land, known as Rancho Aloha. Later that year, Folsom sold 33 acres (13 ha) of the land to Billy Wilkerson , founder of The Hollywood Reporter . He also owned three popular nightclubs on the Sunset Strip : Cafe Trocadero , Ciro's , and LaRue. Wilkerson was a heavy gambler and a frequent visitor to Las Vegas. He bought the land from Folsom for $ 84,000;

3150-526: Is disputed as to who came up with the name: Siegel or Wilkerson. Mobster Lucky Luciano , in a purported memoir published in 1975 after his death, credited Siegel with the name. According to the memoir, Siegel had once owned an interest in Florida's Hialeah Park Race Track , which was known for its on-site flock of flamingos. Siegel purportedly viewed the bird as a good-luck charm. Lansky also supported this version of events. Another story says that Siegel named

3276-407: Is known to botanists as Allium tricoccum and known more commonly as "ramps". The first known reference to the site of the current city of Chicago as " Checagou " was by Robert de LaSalle around 1679 in a memoir. Henri Joutel , in his journal of 1688, noted that the eponymous wild "garlic" grew profusely in the area. According to his diary of late September 1687: ... when we arrived at

3402-554: Is routinely ranked among the world's top six busiest airports by passenger traffic , and the region is also the nation's railroad hub. The Chicago area has one of the highest gross domestic products (GDP) of any urban region in the world, generating $ 689 billion in 2018. Chicago's economy is diverse , with no single industry employing more than 14% of the workforce. Chicago is a major destination for tourism , including visitors to its cultural institutions , and Lake Michigan beaches . Chicago's culture has contributed much to

3528-456: The Sands Hotel and Casino , which opened on December 15, 1952. There were many other investors, including the oilman Jake Freedman of Texas, Sid Wyman , Hyman Abrams and Jack Entratter . The performers Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin both bought minor interests in the hotel. Although Jake Freedman was ostensibly the main shareholder, it was really controlled by Frank Costello . In May 1953

3654-473: The Black Belt . While home loan discriminatory redlining against blacks continued, the real estate industry practiced what became known as blockbusting , completely changing the racial composition of whole neighborhoods. Structural changes in industry, such as globalization and job outsourcing, caused heavy job losses for lower-skilled workers. At its peak during the 1960s, some 250,000 workers were employed in

3780-699: The Calumet River in the industrial far South Side—flow either entirely or partially through the city. Chicago's history and economy are closely tied to its proximity to Lake Michigan. While the Chicago River historically handled much of the region's waterborne cargo, today's huge lake freighters use the city's Lake Calumet Harbor on the South Side. The lake also provides another positive effect: moderating Chicago's climate, making waterfront neighborhoods slightly warmer in winter and cooler in summer. When Chicago

3906-538: The El Cortez hotel-casino in downtown Las Vegas . Construction on Wilkerson's resort project was underway by March 1946, shortly after the end of World War II . That month, the Civilian Production Administration issued a freeze order that prohibited new construction without its approval. This was done to conserve construction materials for veteran housing, although Siegel successfully argued that

Ed Levinson - Misplaced Pages Continue

4032-574: The Federal Bureau of Narcotics suspected that Levinson was involved in Meyer Lansky 's drug smuggling business. In September 1966 it was reported that Ed Levinson and nine other Fremont Hotel executives had been served a subpoena to give information to US attorneys related to a suit against the FBI over the wiretapping. The Nevada Gaming commission wanted to call Levinson as a witness. In May 1973 Levinson, 74,

4158-518: The Fremont Hotel and Casino . Illegal FBI tapes seemed to show that Levinson was involved in skimming profits for delivery to hidden underworld partners. In the 1960s he became involved in enterprises in which he was associated with senior politicians of the Democratic Party . Edward Levinson was born on March 2, 1898, to a Jewish family in Chicago , Illinois. His mother, Mary Goodman Levinson,

4284-580: The Great Lakes to connect to the Mississippi River. A flourishing economy brought residents from rural communities and immigrants from abroad. Manufacturing and retail and finance sectors became dominant, influencing the American economy . The Chicago Board of Trade (established 1848) listed the first-ever standardized "exchange-traded" forward contracts, which were called futures contracts . In

4410-525: The Jefferson Township , which now makes up most of Chicago's Northwest Side . The desire to join the city was driven by municipal services that the city could provide its residents. Chicago's flourishing economy attracted huge numbers of new immigrants from Europe and migrants from the Eastern United States . Of the total population in 1900, more than 77% were either foreign-born or born in

4536-503: The Miami , Sauk and Meskwaki peoples in this region. The first known permanent settler in Chicago was trader Jean Baptiste Point du Sable . Du Sable was of African descent, perhaps born in the French colony of Saint-Domingue (Haiti), and established the settlement in the 1780s. He is commonly known as the "Founder of Chicago." In 1795, following the victory of the new United States in

4662-578: The New Negro Movement , in art, literature, and music. Continuing racial tensions and violence, such as the Chicago race riot of 1919 , also occurred. The ratification of the 18th amendment to the Constitution in 1919 made the production and sale (including exportation) of alcoholic beverages illegal in the United States. This ushered in the beginning of what is known as the gangster era, a time that roughly spans from 1919 until 1933 when Prohibition

4788-803: The Northwest Indian War , an area that was to be part of Chicago was turned over to the U.S. for a military post by native tribes in accordance with the Treaty of Greenville . In 1803, the U.S. Army constructed Fort Dearborn , which was destroyed during the War of 1812 in the Battle of Fort Dearborn by the Potawatomi before being later rebuilt. After the War of 1812, the Ottawa , Ojibwe , and Potawatomi tribes ceded additional land to

4914-540: The Port Adelaide Football Club , died on September 9, 2012, after falling 30 feet (9 m) from a rooftop of the hotel. The incident occurred at the start of a post-season holiday for McCarthy and other Port Adelaide players. They had arrived in Las Vegas only a few hours before the incident. After reviewing evidence, police said that McCarthy had attempted to jump off the roof onto a palm tree , but fell to

5040-411: The University of Chicago , Northwestern University , and the University of Illinois Chicago , among other institutions of learning . Professional sports in Chicago include all major professional leagues , including two Major League Baseball teams. The name Chicago is derived from a French rendering of the indigenous Miami–Illinois word shikaakwa for a wild relative of the onion ; it

5166-611: The Washington and Jackson Parks. During World War I and the 1920s there was a major expansion in industry. The availability of jobs attracted African Americans from the Southern United States . Between 1910 and 1930, the African American population of Chicago increased dramatically, from 44,103 to 233,903. This Great Migration had an immense cultural impact, called the Chicago Black Renaissance , part of

Ed Levinson - Misplaced Pages Continue

5292-490: The 1800s, Chicago became the nation's railroad hub, and by 1910 over 20 railroads operated passenger service out of six different downtown terminals. In 1883, Chicago's railway managers needed a general time convention, so they developed the standardized system of North American time zones . This system for telling time spread throughout the continent. In 1893, Chicago hosted the World's Columbian Exposition on former marshland at

5418-477: The 1850s, Chicago gained national political prominence as the home of Senator Stephen Douglas , the champion of the Kansas–Nebraska Act and the "popular sovereignty" approach to the issue of the spread of slavery. These issues also helped propel another Illinoisan, Abraham Lincoln , to the national stage. Lincoln was nominated in Chicago for U.S. president at the 1860 Republican National Convention , which

5544-747: The 57th mayor of Chicago. Chicago is located in northeastern Illinois on the southwestern shores of freshwater Lake Michigan. It is the principal city in the Chicago Metropolitan Area , situated in both the Midwestern United States and the Great Lakes region . The city rests on a continental divide at the site of the Chicago Portage, connecting the Mississippi River and the Great Lakes watersheds . In addition to it lying beside Lake Michigan, two rivers—the Chicago River in downtown and

5670-455: The Chicago River were devastated; by 1933 over 50% of industrial jobs in the city had been lost, and unemployment rates amongst blacks and Mexicans in the city were over 40%. The Republican political machine in Chicago was utterly destroyed by the economic crisis, and every mayor since 1931 has been a Democrat . From 1928 to 1933, the city witnessed a tax revolt, and the city was unable to meet payroll or provide relief efforts. The fiscal crisis

5796-601: The Club Alexandria in 1949, a casino that could hold hundreds of gamblers. Dennert was killed in an auto crash in 1952, in which foul play was suspected. The Cleveland Four claimed his share in the Flamingo. In the late 1940s Levinson partnered with Gil "the Brain" Beckley in running the Bobben Realty layoff bank, which would become the largest layoff bank in the country. Ed Levinson started gambling operations in south Florida in

5922-457: The FBI had just written. He said, "My God, they even know about Ida [Devine]." The casino operators at once searched their premises for bugs, and found microphones planted by the FBI in Levinson's office, the Dunes and the Horseshoe. There was even a bug in Levinson's bedroom. Levinson brought a lawsuit against the FBI for the bugging. Bobby Baker , a protege of Lyndon B. Johnson , and Fred Black,

6048-657: The Flamingo Club. That was the main working title until Siegel entered the picture." Wilkerson's son attributed the claim to his father's attorney, Greg Bautzer . According to a 2013 biography of Bautzer, Wilkerson was inspired by prominent bars in New York such as the Stork Club and began thinking of birds, leading to the Flamingo name. Michael Green, a history professor at the College of Southern Nevada , said "The Flamingo name probably

6174-672: The Flamingo Hilton, were spun off as Park Place Entertainment (later renamed to Caesars Entertainment, Inc.). The deal included a two-year license to use the Hilton name. Park Place opted not to renew that agreement when it expired in late 2000, and the property was renamed Flamingo Las Vegas the following year. In 2005, Harrah's Entertainment purchased Caesars Entertainment, Inc. and the property became part of Harrah's Entertainment. The company changed its name to Caesars Entertainment Corporation in 2010. Australian footballer John McCarthy , of

6300-507: The Flamingo after his girlfriend, Virginia Hill , for her red hair and long legs. Hill would also blush with pinkness while consuming alcohol, further evoking a flamingo. An early name, Hotel Wilkerson, was used prior to Siegel's involvement. Wilkerson's son stated that the Flamingo name was thought up by his father: "He had a particular liking for exotic birds and named several of his projects after them. After considering several ideas, all variations on exotic birds, he finally settled on

6426-431: The Flamingo, which had been struggling financially. Adler and other investors soon formed a new ownership company for the resort, Flamingo Club, Inc., later known as Flamingo Hotel Corporation. In 1948, real estate developer Morris Rosen stated that he was contractually entitled to shares in the company, accusing Adler of withholding stock ownership. Greenbaum and other stockholders bought out Adler later that year, and

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6552-452: The Fremont. In 1959 Levinson, Carl Cohen and Jack Entratter headed a group that bought the Riviera hotel and casino in Las Vegas. Levinson bought a 27% share of Binion's Horseshoe . The Horseshoe reopened in June 1961 after a construction project costing more than $ 2 million had combined it with the former Boulder club. Levinson, president of the Horseshoe as well as the Fremont, came up with

6678-530: The Fremont. The hotel was going through a massive expansion at the time in which more than a block would be filled with new facilities. In 1966 the Parvin-Dohrman Company of Los Angeles bought the Fremont. Albert Parvin, head of the company, was connected to Levinson and to the Teamsters. His Parvin Foundation owned a share of the mortgage on the Flamingo. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) placed

6804-533: The International Hotel chain, invested $ 80,000 and apparently arranged investments by Levinson, Torres and Sigelbaum. Ernest Tucker, Bobby Baker's lawyer, also invested in the business. Levinson and Seigelbaum arranged with an Oklahoma City bank for a $ 400,000 start-up loan for the Serve-U Corporation to buy equipment and supplies. The alleged labor racketeer Mike Singer was on the payroll. By 1963 Serv-U

6930-527: The Mississippi River. In 1871, the Great Chicago Fire destroyed an area about 4 miles (6.4 km) long and 1-mile (1.6 km) wide, a large section of the city at the time. Much of the city, including railroads and stockyards , survived intact, and from the ruins of the previous wooden structures arose more modern constructions of steel and stone. These set a precedent for worldwide construction. During its rebuilding period, Chicago constructed

7056-700: The Nevada Tax Commission said it was well aware of the backgrounds of gamblers and hoodlums that the final report of the California Crime Commission had named as trying to become established in the legal gambling industry in Nevada. These included Levinson, Joseph Stacher , Mack Kufferman, Meyer Lansky, Malcolm Clarke and William Bischoff. Levinson was described as a bookmaker in Florida, Kentucky and elsewhere. The Nevada commission secretary pointed out that unlike other states Nevada distinguished between gamblers, who were legal and licensed, and racketeers, who were not. He said both Levinson and Clarke, licensed in

7182-593: The Sands Hotel, had gambling backgrounds which were studied minutely before they were granted casino permits. In September 1953 Levinson, described as "Sands casino boss", was quoted extolling the value provided by Las Vegas hotels with their low prices, swimming pools, plush casinos and high-quality entertainment. A newspaper report in September 1954 said the Flamingo Hotel was being sold for between $ 9 and $ 10 million to

7308-562: The South arrived in the city to work in the steel mills, railroads, and shipping yards. On December 2, 1942, physicist Enrico Fermi conducted the world's first controlled nuclear reaction at the University of Chicago as part of the top-secret Manhattan Project . This led to the creation of the atomic bomb by the United States, which it used in World War II in 1945. Mayor Richard J. Daley ,

7434-612: The United States in the 1816 Treaty of St. Louis . The Potawatomi were forcibly removed from their land after the 1833 Treaty of Chicago and sent west of the Mississippi River as part of the federal policy of Indian removal . On August 12, 1833, the Town of Chicago was organized with a population of about 200. Within seven years it grew to more than 6,000 people. On June 15, 1835, the first public land sales began with Edmund Dick Taylor as Receiver of Public Monies. The City of Chicago

7560-775: The United States of foreign parentage. Germans , Irish , Poles , Swedes , and Czechs made up nearly two-thirds of the foreign-born population (by 1900, whites were 98.1% of the city's population). Labor conflicts followed the industrial boom and the rapid expansion of the labor pool, including the Haymarket affair on May 4, 1886, and in 1894 the Pullman Strike . Anarchist and socialist groups played prominent roles in creating very large and highly organized labor actions. Concern for social problems among Chicago's immigrant poor led Jane Addams and Ellen Gates Starr to found Hull House in 1889. Programs that were developed there became

7686-500: The case between Adler and Rosen was settled. From 1955 to 1960, the property was operated by Albert Parvin of the Parvin-Dohrmann Corporation. Parvin owned 30% of the stock while businessman Harry Goldman owned 7.5%; other investors included singer Tony Martin and actor George Raft . In 1960, the Flamingo was sold for $ 10.5 million to a group including Morris Lansburgh and Daniel Lifter, Miami residents with reputed ties to organized crime. Lansky allegedly served as middleman for

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7812-438: The casino and Jack Entratter would be Entertainment Director for both hotels. The Sands team could not turn the Dunes around, and it was sold to new owners in 1956. Levinson partnered with Lou Lurie, a San Francisco financier who had experience with hotels in Miami, to build the 15-story Fremont, the first refined hotel in downtown Las Vegas. The Fremont Hotel and Casino opened on May 18, 1956, in downtown Las Vegas. Levinson had

7938-412: The city include the central business district, called the Loop , and the North, South , and West Sides . The three sides of the city are represented on the Flag of Chicago by three horizontal white stripes. The North Side is the most-densely-populated residential section of the city, and many high-rises are located on this side of the city along the lakefront. The South Side is the largest section of

8064-408: The city was affected by a series of tenant rent strikes , which lead to the formation of the Chicago Tenants Protective association, passage of the Kessenger tenant laws, and of a heat ordinance that legally required flats to be kept above 68 °F during winter months by landlords. Chicago was the first American city to have a homosexual-rights organization. The organization, formed in 1924,

8190-415: The city's first African American woman mayor and its first openly LGBTQ mayor, was elected to succeed Emanuel as mayor in 2019. All three city-wide elective offices were held by women (and women of color) for the first time in Chicago history: in addition to Lightfoot, the city clerk was Anna Valencia and the city treasurer was Melissa Conyears-Ervin . On May 15, 2023, Brandon Johnson assumed office as

8316-424: The city's first female mayor, was elected. She was notable for temporarily moving into the crime-ridden Cabrini-Green housing project and for leading Chicago's school system out of a financial crisis. In 1983, Harold Washington became the first black mayor of Chicago. Washington's first term in office directed attention to poor and previously neglected minority neighborhoods. He was re‑elected in 1987 but died of

8442-418: The city, encompassing roughly 60% of the city's land area. The South Side contains most of the facilities of the Port of Chicago . Flamingo Las Vegas Flamingo Las Vegas (formerly the Flamingo Hilton ) is a casino hotel on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada . It is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment . The Flamingo includes a 72,299 sq ft (6,716.8 m ) casino and

8568-409: The concept of the Horseshoe's exterior with its huge marquee. In 1964 Benny Binion bought back the shares that Levinson and his associates held in the Horseshoe and took back control of the operation. In February 1962 Levinson applied for approval of a sale of one third of his share in the Fremont to local businessman Jerome D. Mack for a maximum price of $ 370,000. Levinson would keep a 20% share in

8694-407: The convention hall, with anti-war protesters, journalists and bystanders being beaten by police. Major construction projects, including the Sears Tower (now known as the Willis Tower , which in 1974 became the world's tallest building ), University of Illinois at Chicago , McCormick Place , and O'Hare International Airport , were undertaken during Richard J. Daley's tenure. In 1979, Jane Byrne ,

8820-427: The deal, receiving $ 200,000. The ownership group held the Flamingo for seven years. Lansky, Lansburgh, and others involved in the Flamingo would later be charged with federal tax evasion relating to the resort's income, years after selling the property. A Japanese business group, led by millionaire Kenji Osano, agreed to purchase the Flamingo in 1967. However, due to his foreign citizenship, Osano would have faced

8946-410: The demolition of the original Oregon wing. It closed on October 17, 1993, and was demolished two months later. The final high-rise building, with 612 rooms, was completed in January 1995. The high-rise additions were designed by architect Homer Rissman. A timeshare property, part of Hilton Grand Vacations , was also built on the Flamingo's rear acreage during the 1994-95 expansion. It includes

9072-470: The development of the City Beautiful movement , and the steel-framed skyscraper . Chicago is an international hub for finance, culture , commerce, industry, education, technology, telecommunications, and transportation . It has the largest and most diverse finance derivatives market in the world, generating 20% of all volume in commodities and financial futures alone. O'Hare International Airport

9198-479: The district and forcing a shutdown of electrical power. The area was shut down for three days and some buildings did not reopen for weeks; losses were estimated at $ 1.95 billion. On February 23, 2011, Rahm Emanuel , a former White House Chief of Staff and member of the House of Representatives , won the mayoral election. Emanuel was sworn in as mayor on May 16, 2011, and won re-election in 2015. Lori Lightfoot ,

9324-410: The early 1970s, and renamed it the Flamingo Hilton, a name it would retain until 2001. The first 28-story addition was completed in 1978, and others would follow over the next two decades, with the final one finished in 1995. The three-story hotel, the last remaining structure from the original Flamingo, was demolished in 1993, helping make way for the final high-rise addition. A portion of this property

9450-526: The fair was technological innovation over the century since Chicago's founding. During World War II , the city of Chicago alone produced more steel than the United Kingdom every year from 1939 – 1945, and more than Nazi Germany from 1943 – 1945. The Great Migration, which had been on pause due to the Depression, resumed at an even faster pace in the second wave , as hundreds of thousands of blacks from

9576-564: The flashy casino gambling scene in Newport, as did the "Cleveland Four", of which Moe Dalitz was a leader. At one time Levinson controlled the illegal gambling in Newport. The 633/Flamingo Club at 633 York Street was opened in the late 1930s by Arthur Dennert. The Levinsons forced Dennert out of control and turned the Flamingo into one of the most popular casinos in Newport. They let Dennert retain his share. Pete Schmidt, who had been forced out of his Newport, Kentucky club Beverley Hills Country Club by

9702-475: The ground. The Flamingo occupies 19 acres (7.7 ha) at the center of the Las Vegas Strip . Flamingo Road , the nearest cross-street, is named after the resort. Although its original buildings have been demolished, the Flamingo remains as the oldest continuously operating resort on the Strip. As of 2005, it had more than 4,000 employees. Wilkerson originally hired George Vernon Russell to design

9828-605: The high asking price had been the subject of dispute during negotiations. Rancho Aloha was demolished to help make way for a new casino resort planned by Wilkerson. Wilkerson lacked the money to finance the resort project on his own. In February 1946, he received a $ 1 million check from G. Harry Rothberg, in exchange for a two-thirds interest in the project for his mobster partners. They included Moe Sedway , Gus Greenbaum , and another individual Wilkerson would meet in March 1946: Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel . The trio were already involved in

9954-604: The hotel project had already begun construction prior to the order. A few months after joining the project, Siegel made himself the on-site boss. With approval from mobster Meyer Lansky , an off-the-books financier, Siegel created the Nevada Projects Corporation. The company was formalized in July 1946, with the intent of building a resort to Siegel's specifications. Wilkerson was dismayed by this, and his relationship with Siegel soon deteriorated. Originally planned as

10080-476: The hotel's debut. Siegel forced Wilkerson out of the Flamingo less than three weeks after the hotel's opening, and Wilkerson rarely spoke of the property after that. Siegel was killed by an unknown shooter on June 20, 1947. Shortly after his death, Sedway, Greenbaum and mobster David Berman took possession of the Flamingo. Berman ran a skimming operation at the resort, on Lansky's behalf. In July 1947, businessman Sanford Adler paid $ 3 million to purchase

10206-553: The late 1940s. Routine operations in Newport were handled by his brother Louis and others such as Ed Whitfield, Red Masterson and the Bermans. Mike and Louis Levinson ran gambling places in Covington, Kentucky , until stopped by a reform in 1960. In 1950 and again in 1951 Ed Levinson was arrested in Miami for offenses related to gambling, but was not convicted. Levinson was one of the investors in

10332-451: The lowest points are along the lake shore at 578 ft (176.2 m), while the highest point, at 672 ft (205 m), is the morainal ridge of Blue Island in the city's far south side. Lake Shore Drive runs adjacent to a large portion of Chicago's waterfront. Some of the parks along the waterfront include Lincoln Park , Grant Park , Burnham Park , and Jackson Park . There are 24 public beaches across 26 miles (42 km) of

10458-473: The on-site residence. Because he feared for his life, the suite included four-inch-thick concrete walls. He also had secret tunnels built into the residence, in the event that he needed to make an emergency getaway. After his death, the penthouse would be rented out to the public, and the original hotel structure would become known as the Oregon wing. The first hotel addition came in 1958, with two buildings at

10584-402: The possible political influence of Ed Levinson." Senator Kerr arranged financing to set up to Serv-U Corporation, which obtained a near-monopoly on machines selling soft drinks, candy and cigarettes on sites where companies were working on government defense contracts. These included North American Aviation, Northrop Corporation and Space Technologies. George Simon of Miami, chief accountant of

10710-498: The present location of Jackson Park . The Exposition drew 27.5 million visitors, and is considered the most influential world's fair in history. The University of Chicago , formerly at another location, moved to the same South Side location in 1892. The term "midway" for a fair or carnival referred originally to the Midway Plaisance , a strip of park land that still runs through the University of Chicago campus and connects

10836-593: The problem of sewage contamination was largely resolved when the city completed a major engineering feat. It reversed the flow of the Chicago River so that the water flowed away from Lake Michigan rather than into it. This project began with the construction and improvement of the Illinois and Michigan Canal, and was completed with the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal that connects to the Illinois River , which flows into

10962-455: The project, although Siegel was not impressed with him and instead hired Richard Stadelman as architect for the casino, restaurant, and shops. The hotel rooms were designed by Tom Douglas. The Sands resort opened on the Strip in 1952, and was considered more luxurious than the Flamingo, which began a remodeling and expansion project in response. Work concluded in 1953, increasing the casino, bar and restaurant space. The project architect

11088-437: The rear of the property. Designed by Douglas Honnold, they both were two stories and added 92 new rooms in total. In 1961, the Flamingo added 200 additional rooms in a four-story structure. The following year, construction began on another building with an equal height and the same number of units. The first high-rise addition, rising 28 stories and built parallel with the Strip, was completed in 1978. An northward extension

11214-532: The resort as the Flamingo Hilton. In 1972, Hilton bought out the remaining shares of International Leisure. Hilton executive Horst Dziura served as the resort's vice president and managing director, and later became its president. He oversaw a transformation of the property during a nearly two-decade period, with various high-rise additions being made between 1978 and 1995. The original casino structure had been long demolished by 1991. The original low-rise hotel structure, including Siegel's on-site residence,

11340-488: The restaurant closed, as planned, on May 30, 2024. Jimmy Durante and Rose Marie performed on opening night, and the latter became a frequent entertainer there in the years to follow. Other notable early performers included Tony Martin , Lena Horne , Louis Armstrong , and Della Reese . Wayne Newton became a headliner at the Flamingo in 1963, and had a residency there during 2006. He began another residency in 2022. Comedian George Wallace also entertained at

11466-584: The runways. After successfully running for re-election five times, and becoming Chicago's longest-serving mayor, Richard M. Daley declined to run for a seventh term. In 1992, a construction accident near the Kinzie Street Bridge produced a breach connecting the Chicago River to a tunnel below, which was part of an abandoned freight tunnel system extending throughout the downtown Loop district. The tunnels filled with 250 million US gallons (1,000,000 m ) of water, affecting buildings throughout

11592-596: The said place called "Chicagou" which, according to what we were able to learn of it, has taken this name because of the quantity of garlic which grows in the forests in this region. The city has had several nicknames throughout its history, such as the Windy City , Chi-Town, Second City, and City of the Big Shoulders. In the mid-18th century, the area was inhabited by the Potawatomi , an indigenous tribe who had succeeded

11718-547: The same time. In December 2003, the resort added a Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville restaurant and gift shop, located along the Strip. Its construction required the removal of two prior restaurants. An adjacent Margaritaville "minicasino", with 15,000 sq ft (1,400 m ) of gaming space, was opened in October 2011, replacing Steakhouse 46. The addition cost $ 10 million, and featured 220 slot machines and 22 table games. The Margaritaville casino operated until 2018, and

11844-570: The steel industry in Chicago, but the steel crisis of the 1970s and 1980s reduced this number to just 28,000 in 2015. In 1966, Martin Luther King Jr. and Albert Raby led the Chicago Freedom Movement , which culminated in agreements between Mayor Richard J. Daley and the movement leaders. Two years later, the city hosted the tumultuous 1968 Democratic National Convention , which featured physical confrontations both inside and outside

11970-488: The syndicate, remodeled his Glenn Hotel in Newport in 1943 and expanded the casino, renaming it the Glenn Rendezvous. Dennert also had interests in the Glenn Rendezvous. The syndicate did not accept the competition from Schmidt, and their associates began a campaign of urinating publicly in the lobby. Schmidt gave in to the pressure. In 1948 the Levinson brothers and Arthur Dennert bought the Glenn Rendezvous. Dennert opened

12096-415: The three resorts, the Flamingo was the southernmost property at that time. The Flamingo originally lacked a hotel, which was still under construction. The casino suffered financially because of this, as gamblers stayed at its two nearby competitors. The Flamingo's casino closed on February 6, 1947, to better coordinate preparations for the hotel section. The casino reopened on March 1, 1947, coinciding with

12222-490: The trips he made the Dominican Republic with Bobby Baker. They were probing to find out if Lyndon Johnson had been involved in attempts by the mob to open gambling concessions in the Dominican Republic. Levinson refused to answer any questions. The Senate eventually found that Baker did nothing illegal but was guilty of improper conduct. Later the government charged Baker with larceny, fraud and income tax evasion. In 1965

12348-551: The unemployed. In the spring of 1937 Republic Steel Works witnessed the Memorial Day massacre of 1937 in the neighborhood of East Side. In 1933, Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak was fatally wounded in Miami, Florida , during a failed assassination attempt on President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt . In 1933 and 1934, the city celebrated its centennial by hosting the Century of Progress International Exposition World's Fair . The theme of

12474-403: The vibrancy or brightness of what we promised on the outside." A $ 130 million expansion took place from 1994 to 1995, enlarging the casino further. As of 2017, the Flamingo includes 72,299 sq ft (6,716.8 m ) of gaming space. The Flamingo opened with 105 rooms. It was originally a three-story hotel, but included a fourth-story penthouse for Siegel, who oversaw construction of

12600-625: The visual arts, literature , film, theater , comedy (especially improvisational comedy ), food , dance, and music (particularly jazz , blues , soul , hip-hop , gospel , and electronic dance music , including house music ). Chicago is home to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Lyric Opera of Chicago , while the Art Institute of Chicago provides an influential visual arts museum and art school . The Chicago area also hosts

12726-644: The waterfront. Landfill extends into portions of the lake providing space for Navy Pier , Northerly Island , the Museum Campus , and large portions of the McCormick Place Convention Center. Most of the city's high-rise commercial and residential buildings are close to the waterfront. An informal name for the entire Chicago metropolitan area is "Chicagoland", which generally means the city and all its suburbs, though different organizations have slightly different definitions. Major sections of

12852-525: The world's first skyscraper in 1885, using steel-skeleton construction. The city grew significantly in size and population by incorporating many neighboring townships between 1851 and 1920, with the largest annexation happening in 1889, with five townships joining the city, including the Hyde Park Township , which now comprises most of the South Side of Chicago and the far southeast of Chicago, and

12978-431: Was John H. Rauch, M.D. Rauch established a plan for Chicago's park system in 1866. He created Lincoln Park by closing a cemetery filled with shallow graves, and in 1867, in response to an outbreak of cholera he helped establish a new Chicago Board of Health. Ten years later, he became the secretary and then the president of the first Illinois State Board of Health, which carried out most of its activities in Chicago. In

13104-474: Was Billy's, because he was modeling it along the lines of the Miami Beach hotels, and the flamingo idea was prominent down there." Siegel debuted the Flamingo's casino on December 26, 1946. Opening ceremonies took place over several days, with various celebrities in attendance. Approximately 200 VIPs to the opening each received a hand-painted ceramic flamingo statue, gifted to them by Siegel. The Flamingo

13230-433: Was Max Horowitz, of the firm Pereira & Luckman . A $ 2.5 million renovation was launched in 1967, under Kerkorian's ownership. The project included more gaming space, extending the resort to the sidewalk along the Strip. The casino floor was remodeled in 1992 to feature a wider array of colors, better complementing the resort's exterior. According to the project's interior designer Zoltan Kovacs, "The casino had none of

13356-428: Was also demolished as part of the 1995 expansion, helping make way for a new pool area and animal habitat. A memorial plaque for Siegel was added to this area, and an entertainment venue was also named after him. The 50th anniversary of Siegel's murder was not commemorated by the Flamingo Hilton, with a spokesman saying, "Although he was a founder of this property, he was certainly not a role model. We're talking about

13482-527: Was also once the home of African penguins , but they had been moved to the Dallas Zoo by 2006. The Wildlife Habitat has also featured water turtles and various fish, including catfish, grass carp , koi , and white sturgeon . The habitat's animals are chosen based on their ability to adapt to the Southern Nevada climate. The resort's pool area became one of the most popular in Las Vegas following

13608-496: Was also redeveloped as a new 15-acre (6.1 ha) pool area, accompanied by an animal habitat which includes flamingos. The resort has hosted numerous entertainers, including an 11-year residency for musical duo Donny and Marie Osmond that concluded in 2019. The Flamingo occupies property originally owned by one of Las Vegas's first settlers, Charles "Pops" Squires . In 1944, Margaret Folsom bought his 40-acre (16 ha) tract for $ 7,500. In 1945, she opened and briefly operated

13734-402: Was built on the Las Vegas Strip , known then as U.S. Route 91 . It is sometimes credited as the first resort to open on the Strip, although it was preceded by two earlier properties: El Rancho Vegas in 1941, and Hotel Last Frontier in 1942. The Flamingo was, however, the first Strip resort to feature an upscale and modern design, in contrast to the western-themed El Rancho and Frontier. Of

13860-467: Was called the Society for Human Rights . It produced the first American publication for homosexuals, Friendship and Freedom . Police and political pressure caused the organization to disband. The Great Depression brought unprecedented suffering to Chicago, in no small part due to the city's heavy reliance on heavy industry. Notably, industrial areas on the south side and neighborhoods lining both branches of

13986-617: Was commonly credited as the project's original visionary until the 1990s, when Wilkerson's son set out to correct the record. Wilkerson's involvement is further chronicled in The Man Who Invented Las Vegas , a biographical book written by his son and published in 2000. Historian Frank Wright of the Nevada State Museum and Historical Society said in 1996, "It was Bugsy who took over the building when Wilkerson ran short of funds. Bugsy finished it and opened it, so in

14112-452: Was counting out skim money from the Sands, Fremont, Flamingo and Horseshoe into shares that would be taken by courier to the hidden partners in the mob. From the bug the FBI estimated that Lansky had an investment in the casinos of about $ 2.2 million, and earned $ 1 million per year from the combined skim. In April 1963 FBI listeners heard Levinson reading aloud from a report on the skimming operation

14238-421: Was finished two years later. By 1983, a third addition of equal height had been completed, giving the Flamingo Hilton a total of 2,250 rooms. This made it among the world's largest hotels . Two more additions, also 28 stories, were completed in 1988 and 1990; some of the property's older low-rise hotel structures were demolished to make way for the latter addition. The final hotel expansion project required

14364-462: Was founded in 1837, most of the early building was around the mouth of the Chicago River, as can be seen on a map of the city's original 58 blocks. The overall grade of the city's central, built-up areas is relatively consistent with the natural flatness of its overall natural geography, generally exhibiting only slight differentiation otherwise. The average land elevation is 579 ft (176.5 m) above sea level . While measurements vary somewhat,

14490-463: Was getting the New Jersey money. Torres said he thought Meyer only handled the Florida area. Levinson answered that "it all goes to Florida, then to New York and New Jersey". The FBI bug recorded Benjamin B. Siegelbaum, a friend of Lansky, telling Levinson, "Meyer wants a breakdown". They took this to mean Lansky wanted to know how the skim was to be divided up. They thought the recording showed Levinson

14616-566: Was held in a purpose-built auditorium called the Wigwam . He defeated Douglas in the general election, and this set the stage for the American Civil War . To accommodate rapid population growth and demand for better sanitation, the city improved its infrastructure. In February 1856, Chicago's Common Council approved Chesbrough 's plan to build the United States' first comprehensive sewerage system. The project raised much of central Chicago to

14742-447: Was hired to revamp the facade with new neon signage, at a cost of $ 1.5 million. The project was overseen by Raul Rodriguez, a designer at Heath. Rodriguez initially struggled for creative inspiration, as the Flamingo lacked a theme other than its namesake bird, on which he would ultimately base his design. The project was completed in 1977. It included prominent neon signs depicting flamingo plumage, in addition to neon flamingos against

14868-526: Was incorporated as a city in 1837 near a portage between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River watershed . It grew rapidly in the mid-19th century. In 1871, the Great Chicago Fire destroyed several square miles and left more than 100,000 homeless, but Chicago's population continued to grow. Chicago made noted contributions to urban planning and architecture , such as the Chicago School ,

14994-521: Was incorporated on Saturday, March 4, 1837, and for several decades was the world's fastest-growing city. As the site of the Chicago Portage , the city became an important transportation hub between the eastern and western United States. Chicago's first railway, Galena and Chicago Union Railroad , and the Illinois and Michigan Canal opened in 1848. The canal allowed steamboats and sailing ships on

15120-464: Was making millions of dollars annually. The Senate launched a two-year investigation in 1963. In December 1963 Fred Black told senators investigating Baker's role in the vending machine affair, "I go along as far as Levinson is concerned with gambling, but he is far from being a racketeer." Levinson appeared before the Senate Rules Committee on March 2, 1964, and was asked who else had gone on

15246-423: Was probably the biggest bookmaker Detroit ever had. I know he was the biggest gambler Miami ever had. Then he went to Las Vegas. He came under the granddaddy law; it excused him for anything he ever did as long as he stayed working in Nevada. He told us all those things." Chicago, Illinois Chicago is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States . With

15372-455: Was repealed. The 1920s saw gangsters , including Al Capone , Dion O'Banion , Bugs Moran and Tony Accardo battle law enforcement and each other on the streets of Chicago during the Prohibition era . Chicago was the location of the infamous St. Valentine's Day Massacre in 1929, when Al Capone sent men to gun down members of a rival gang, North Side, led by Bugs Moran. From 1920 to 1921,

15498-444: Was replaced two years later by Center Cut Steakhouse. The latter closed in 2019, and opened a year later as Bugsy & Meyer's Steakhouse, named after Siegel and Lansky. It includes a hidden speakeasy -style bar. Television personality Lisa Vanderpump is scheduled to open Pinky's in mid-2024, marking her third restaurant on the Strip. Chef Gordon Ramsay will also open his seventh Strip restaurant, Gordon Ramsay Burger, around

15624-540: Was resident in Las Vegas, and was reportedly involved with Lansky in investments in oil wells. He died peacefully after a long life in the County of Los Angeles, California. An FBI recording of Black's hotel suite in April 1963 recorded him saying of Levinson to columnist Jack Anderson , "Jack, some day when Eddie comes here for dinner or something, I want you to meet him. He's a little hard to describe. I know his whole background. He

15750-469: Was resolved by 1933, and at the same time, federal relief funding began to flow into Chicago. Chicago was also a hotbed of labor activism, with Unemployed Councils contributing heavily in the early depression to create solidarity for the poor and demand relief; these organizations were created by socialist and communist groups. By 1935 the Workers Alliance of America begun organizing the poor, workers,

15876-532: Was the aunt of Edward M. Gertz, who was involved in the liquor business in Chicago during the Prohibition Era . Ed and his brothers Mike and "Sleepout" Louis grew up in Chicago, then moved to Detroit where they joined the underworld, ran two casinos and were active in the 1920s newspaper circulation wars. Ed Levinson was a prominent member of the Detroit illegal gambling fraternity and collaborated with Samuel Garfield,

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