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Riviera (hotel and casino)

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The Riviera (colloquially, " the Riv ") was a hotel and casino on the northern Las Vegas Strip in Winchester, Nevada . It opened on April 20, 1955, and included a nine-story hotel featuring 291 rooms. The Riviera was the first skyscraper in the Las Vegas Valley , and was the area's tallest building until 1956. Various hotel additions would be made in later years, including a 12-story tower in 1966, a 17-story tower in 1975, and a 24-story tower in 1988. By the time of its closure in 2015, the resort included a 103,800 sq ft (9,640 m) casino and 2,075 rooms.

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85-583: In 1973, the Riviera was sold to businessman Meshulam Riklis , who owned it for the next two decades. The Riviera filed for bankruptcy in 1983, and targeted a middle-class demographic from that point on, which helped the property thrive. Changes included the addition of a Burger King in 1984, making the Riviera the first Strip property to feature a fast-food restaurant. The Riviera emerged from bankruptcy in 1985, but filed again in 1991, amid an expansion project which went over budget. The property emerged in 1993, under

170-497: A Reno collector of neon signs. Other signage from the facade, as well as another "Riviera" sign from the property's east entrance, were donated to the city's Neon Museum . A convention center was added in 1968, and a major expansion began 30 years later. This helped the Riviera stay competitive in the 2000s, with the property hosting numerous groups and events each year. Meshulam Riklis Meshulam Riklis ( Hebrew : משולם ריקליס ;‎ 2 December 1923 – 25 January 2019)

255-496: A baseball bat to murder three mobsters who had betrayed the Outfit. Capone was allegedly quoted as saying, "Boy, this kid's a real Joe Batters". In 1939, Chicago newspapers dubbed Accardo "The Big Tuna", after a fishing expedition to Wedgeport, Nova Scotia , Canada where Accardo caught a giant 400 pound tuna and was famously photographed with his catch. In later years, Accardo boasted over federal wiretaps that he participated in

340-412: A three-alarm fire occurred during 1989, in a new casino area that was under construction. Lumber had ignited due to sparks from a welder's torch, and the fire caused $ 3.5 million in damage. It was confined to the new addition, although smoke blackened the property's original hotel tower. Aside from the new casino space, the expansion project also added a 24-story tower. There were plans to eventually add

425-465: A 10-percent stake in the company, prompting speculation that he would take over the resort. However, Trump simply viewed the property as an investment, and bought into the company only to acquire a Nevada gaming license for potential projects in the future. He sold his shares in 2004. The company D. E. Shaw , one of the largest shareholders in Riviera Holdings, made a buyout offer later that year, but

510-474: A 12-story addition, completed in 1966. The $ 6 million tower was designed by Harold W. Levitt with Ernest W. Le Duc and William H. Farwell as consulting architects. It added 220 rooms. The original tower and the two newer additions would become known, respectively, as the Mediterranean North and Mediterranean South towers. The $ 20 million East Tower, with 300 rooms, was added in 1975. The 17-story project

595-440: A 43-story tower and an indoor amusement park, although these never materialized; the prior expansion work had gone significantly over budget, leading the parent company to file again for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 1991. The business emerged in 1993 as Riviera Holdings Corporation , owned by the previous secured creditors. Riklis was no longer involved with the property. In 1997, businessman Allen Paulson agreed to acquire

680-506: A 50-story hotel tower. However, he backed out of the deal in 2023, citing the continual rise of interest rates in the U.S. Later that year, a deal was announced to sell the property to Brett Torino and Paul Kanavos for $ 125 million. The two had previously developed retail projects along the Strip such as 63 , and were also part of the group that sought to buy Riviera Holdings in 2006. Fontainebleau Las Vegas , which had recently opened just north of

765-599: A Colorado location, the Riviera Black Hawk , in 2000, owning it for more than a decade. The company considered expanding the brand elsewhere as well. Prospective buyers for the Las Vegas location became more frequent in the 2000s, as development of the nearby Wynn resort was expected to help revitalize the northern Strip. In 2003, Italian investor Fabrizio Boccardi made an offer for Riviera Holdings, which rejected his bid. By that time, businessman Donald Trump had bought

850-556: A Las Vegas casino executive, also decided to sell his interest back to the Riviera. Several hotel expansions would take place, including the addition of a 12-story tower in 1966. Two years later, the Riviera was purchased by a new group, which included bankers E. Parry Thomas and Jerome Mack . The group also consisted of investors tied to the Parvin-Dohrmann Corp., which owned the Aladdin , Stardust , and Fremont casinos. In 1969,

935-539: A carpet pattern that could only be the direct kin of '70s television." John L. Smith of the Las Vegas Review-Journal opined that the Riviera "generated a certain kind of history that ought to be remembered, but I'm not sure its notorious tenure qualifies it for a spot on the National Register of Historic Places ." Singer Pia Zadora , who was married to Riklis during his ownership of the Riviera, said of

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1020-465: A criminal record. Samuel Cohen, a Miami businessman, joined the Casa Blanca project in early 1953 as a financier. He was later identified as a member of Miami's S & G gambling syndicate and would be removed from the project as well, although rumors persisted that he secretly maintained an involvement. A new list of prospective owners, eliminating all but two of the original investors, was submitted to

1105-570: A deal was made to sell the Riviera to Parvin-Dohrmann, but the sale was blocked by the Nevada Gaming Control Board , due to the company's previous failure to report a change of ownership. Edward Torres was among the new ownership group and managed resort operations. Dean Martin was hired in 1969 to perform in the casino's showroom, and was given a 10% interest in the Riviera. Martin left in 1972, after Torres refused his request to cut his performance schedule from two nightly shows to one;

1190-410: A food court addition, opened in 1990. The resort also had a low-priced buffet, which closed after many years in 2013, unable to compete with its upscale competitors. It was the cheapest buffet on the Strip at the time of its closure, charging less than $ 15 a person. Upon opening, the Riviera featured a simple roadside sign along the Strip, replaced by a larger sign two years later. In 1966, a taller sign

1275-500: A major expansion of its nearby Las Vegas Convention Center . On February 20, 2015, the LVCVA voted to purchase the resort from Riviera Holdings for $ 191 million, taking ownership immediately. The agency planned to demolish the resort to help make way for the new convention space. In the meantime, the Riviera was leased back to Paragon Gaming for the remainder of its operational history. The sale came less than two weeks after rumors emerged about

1360-932: A nurse, and Leon Kolanko, Rose's brother, were rumored to be Accardo's personal physicians, who may have helped assist in medical care "off the books." Accardo's official job was as a beer salesman for a Chicago brewery. In the late 1970s, Accardo bought a home in Palm Springs, California , flying to Chicago to preside over Outfit "sit-downs" and mediate disputes. By this time, his personal holdings included legal investments in commercial office buildings, retail centers, lumber farms, paper factories, hotels, car dealerships, trucking companies, newspaper companies, restaurants and travel agencies. Accardo spent his last years in Barrington Hills, Illinois living with his daughter and son-in-law. On May 22, 1992, Anthony Accardo died of respiratory and heart conditions at age 86. Accardo

1445-781: A platemaking concern with the American Colortype Company, a maker of stereoview lithographs and dollhouse furniture. Tracing the history of Rapid American Corporation and its renamed form Glen Alden Corporation, one can find the succession of acquisitions Riklis used to create his financial empire, including; McCrory Stores , Leeds Travelware, Gruen Watch Company, Elizabeth Arden cosmetics, Aunt Nellie's Farm Kitchens, Bargain Time, Beatrice Foods , Canadian retailer Dylex , Culligan International, Fabergé Cosmetics, J. J. Newberry stores, Lerner Shops, Lawry's Meat Specialties, Martha White Foods, Odd Lot Trading, International Playtex ,

1530-401: A well publicized press junket paid for by Riklis, also hosted at his own Riviera Hotel. He financed two more films with Zadora; all three movies have become known as camp classics. Riklis and Zadora then bought and demolished one of Beverly Hills' best known landmarks, Pickfair Manor, the former home of silent movie legends Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford , to build a larger home on

1615-516: Is expected to close by November 2024. The property and several of its facilities, such as the Monaco tower, were named in reference to the French Riviera , but the theme did not extend to the resort's architectural design. The Riviera originally opened with a nine-story hotel tower, and a connected two-story structure which extended south of it, for a total of 291 rooms. It was the first skyscraper in

1700-455: The Chicago Outfit 's interest in the Riviera, and was responsible for skimming the casino's revenue and delivering the proceeds to Chicago. This, combined with poor management by the inexperienced Miami group, resulted in significant financial losses for the Riviera. A group of former Flamingo Hotel managers, led by Gus Greenbaum , soon took over operation of the Riviera, leasing it from

1785-609: The College of Southern Nevada , the Riviera's "survival is one of the most interesting parts of its story, just because 50 years later it's still there and geographically it's on a part of the Strip that hasn't done as well as the part south of The Mirage ." Hal Rothman , a history professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas , said of the Riviera: "It never quite had the pizzazz of the Sands with

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1870-576: The Las Vegas Valley , and was the area's tallest building until the opening of the Fremont Hotel and Casino in 1956. Several hotel expansions would take place in the decades to come. The first expansion was announced in 1959. Designed by Los Angeles architect Welton Beckett , the project included 114 new rooms, added through a six-story addition built atop the two-story structure. It was finished in 1960. These towers were extended further south with

1955-724: The Los Angeles Chargers , and Nick for the San Francisco 49ers . For most of his married life, Accardo lived in River Forest, Illinois . The six-bedroom, six-bath home he owned on Franklin Avenue in River Forest contained two bowling lanes, an indoor swimming pool, and a pipe organ. When he started receiving attention from the IRS about his apparent high lifestyle , he bought a ranch home on

2040-622: The Minneapolis investment firm Piper Jaffray . Riklis is credited with having originated complicated paper transactions like high-yield bonds and leveraged buyouts to take over control of major companies, then doing paper switches of the assets into companies he owned. His first significant foray was the creation in 1966 of the Rapid-American Corporation by combining his significant stake in Rapid Electrotype Company,

2125-791: The National Football League . His daughter Marie married Palmer Pyle , who played guard for the Baltimore Colts , Minnesota Vikings , and Oakland Raiders . Their son Eric Kumerow played linebacker for the Miami Dolphins , and Eric's son Jake was most recently a wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills . Eric's sister, Cheryl, married John Bosa , who played defensive end for the Dolphins. They had two sons, Joey and Nick , both of whom play defensive end as their father did, Joey for

2210-613: The Rat Pack . There was never a moment when it was a signature property. It was a good, solid hotel, but it was never the leader of the pack." The Riviera began targeting customers disappointed by the closure of nearby casinos, such as the Westward Ho in 2005, and the Stardust in 2006. However, the closure of these properties, and that of the New Frontier in 2007, further reduced visitation to

2295-599: The Riviera hotel and casino in Las Vegas , RKO -Stanley Warner Theatres, Samsonite , and Schenley Industries , the one-time American distributor of Dewar's whisky. After his financial empire was well established, he returned to Ohio State to complete his master's degree in Finance. His degree thesis, titled "Expansion through Financial Management" and based on his career, discussed "the effective use, or rather non-use, of cash." At

2380-534: The 1400 block of North Ashland Avenue in River Forest and installed a vault. His neighbor and friend physician Jim Carto lived across the street off Ashland Ave in the Mars Candy Mansion, and was rumored to have assisted in providing medical care. Due to their similar-sounding last names, Carto was often confused with Accardo and became respected as a member of the Accardo family. Carto and his wife Rose (née Kolanko),

2465-468: The 26-acre (11 ha) Riviera, at a cost of $ 191 million. The agency had plans to demolish the resort for a major expansion of its nearby Las Vegas Convention Center . The Riviera closed on May 4, 2015, and demolition was underway a year later. The 24-story tower was imploded on June 14, 2016, followed by the 12- and 17-story towers on August 16, 2016. The LVCVA's plans for the property changed after it acquired other nearby acreage. The new convention space

2550-561: The 53-year-old Riklis was married to the then 23-year-old Pia Zadora on 18 September 1977. They had two children, Kady and Kristofer. Riklis then financed the movie Butterfly , starring Zadora. Her acting in the film was lampooned by comedians and critics alike, winning her the Razzie Award for Worst Actress , but she somehow won the Golden Globe Award as New Star of the Year after

2635-490: The LVCVA acquiring the Riviera. The resort had 1,000 employees. The Riviera closed shortly after 12:00 p.m. on May 4, 2015, two weeks following its 60th anniversary. An on-site liquidation sale began later that month, with more than 1 million items available for purchase. Some of the Riviera's slot machines were sold to Stevens, who placed them in his two downtown properties: The D and the Golden Gate . Petitions to save

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2720-786: The Nevada Tax Commission in July 1953. The group, at that time, consisted of eight partners. Among them were brothers David and Myer Gensburg, and brothers Harpo and Gummo Marx . The group was granted a gaming license in September 1953. The Riviera was built along the northern Las Vegas Strip , at a cost of $ 8.5 million. Construction began in May 1954. The project was designed by Roy France and Son , an architecture firm based in Miami Beach, with J. Maher Weller as associate architect. The general contractor

2805-494: The Outfit for 30 years until Ricca died in 1972. When Ricca subsequently received a 10-year prison sentence for his part in the Hollywood scandal, Accardo became acting boss. Three years later, when Ricca was barred from contact with mobsters as a condition for his parole , Accardo became boss of the Outfit; in practice, he shared power with Ricca, who remained in the background as a senior consultant. Under Accardo's leadership in

2890-453: The Outfit were investigated and charged with using the threat of strike action by the labor unions they controlled to extort millions of dollars from Hollywood studios. Nitti, who was claustrophobic and fearful of serving a second prison term, committed suicide in 1943. Paul "The Waiter" Ricca , who had been the de facto boss since Capone's imprisonment, took the role officially and named Accardo as underboss . Ricca and Accardo ran

2975-459: The Outfit's brothel business into call girl services. These changes resulted in a golden era of profitability and influence for the Outfit. Accardo and Ricca emphasized keeping a low profile and let flashier figures, such as Sam Giancana , attract attention instead. For example, when professional wrestlers Lou Albano and Tony Altomare , wrestling as a Mafia -inspired tag team called "The Sicilians", came to Chicago in 1961, Accardo persuaded

3060-552: The Ristorante Italiano, added in 1977. Another restaurant, Kady's Coffee Shop, was named after Riklis' daughter and opened in 1986. While Silver was serving as chief executive in 1984, he added a Burger King franchise inside the Riviera, making it the first Strip resort to feature a fast food chain outlet; this move inspired the phrase "Burger King Revolution" to refer to the broader trend of Las Vegas casinos catering to middle-class customers. Other fast-food options were added in

3145-662: The Riviera bought back his shares. In 1973, the Riviera was purchased for $ 60 million by AITS Inc., a Boston-based travel company controlled by Meshulam Riklis and Isidore Becker. Riklis was majority owner, while Becker would later serve as president of the property. A 17-story tower was added in 1975. The Riviera eventually suffered financial problems in part because of the early 1980s recession , and also due to competition from new casinos in Atlantic City , where gambling had been legalized . The property filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 1983. Riklis pledged money to keep

3230-408: The Riviera in operation, and replaced Becker with Jeffrey Silver to turn the business around. Silver began shifting the Riviera's marketing focus away from high rollers , and towards middle- and working-class gamblers. The property emerged from bankruptcy in 1985. The Riviera underwent an expansion from 1988 to 1990, which included a neon billboard facade along the Strip. The resort was evacuated when

3315-464: The Riviera site, announced in June 2024 that it would purchase 5 of the 10 acres, with Torino and Kanavos retaining the western half that fronts the Strip. Fontainebleau would pay $ 112.5 million for the east half, to be used for future development. On their portion of the land, Torino and Kanavos have considered a retail and entertainment complex, possibly with a non-gaming hotel. The LVCVA's sale of both parcels

3400-456: The Riviera were launched via Change.org and with the county, although these efforts were ultimately unsuccessful. Architecture critic Alan Hess was among those in favor of preservation, suggesting that portions of the resort be incorporated into the redevelopment project. Kristen Peterson of Las Vegas Weekly lamented the Riviera's closure, noting its historic status and design features such as "tiered chandeliers, excessive mirror-paneling and

3485-409: The Riviera, but backed out of the deal a year later, stating that adequate financial information had not been disclosed. Riviera Holdings sued him in response, and the case was settled in 1999. Despite its age and financial problems, the Riviera would remain popular as a middle-class property through the 2000s, especially in contrast to newer megaresorts being built on the Strip. Riviera Holdings opened

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3570-557: The Yale murder, which was most likely committed by Gus Winkler , Fred Burke , and Louis Campagna . However, on October 11, 1926, Accardo may have participated in the assassination of Northside gang leader Hymie Weiss near the Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago. In 1932, Capone was convicted of tax evasion and sent to prison for an 11-year sentence, and Frank "The Enforcer" Nitti became

3655-466: The agency put 10 acres of the Riviera site up for sale in 2019. The land is located along the Strip, at the southeast corner of Elvis Presley Boulevard. In 2021, an agreement was reached to sell the property to Claudio Fischer, a Chilean real estate developer who had built several casino resorts in South America. Fischer would purchase the site for $ 120 million, and intended to build a casino resort with

3740-487: The asbestos. The tower's interior also needed to be cleared of asbestos. This removal process increased demolition costs by $ 5 million, putting the total at more than $ 40 million. The second implosion took place on August 16, 2016, at 2:30 a.m. It was a low-key event, conducted with no fanfare and attracting a few hundred spectators. In its final years, the Riviera occupied 26 acres (11 ha), extending east from Las Vegas Boulevard to Paradise Road. By November 2016,

3825-412: The casino. In December 1958, he and his wife were murdered in their Phoenix, Arizona home, reportedly on the orders of either Meyer Lansky or Accardo. Ben Goffstein took Greenbaum's place as president. In 1960, the Riviera purchased a 15-percent interest held by the estate of Greenbaum, which retained a 17-percent stake after the sale. The estate's remaining interest was bought a year later. Sid Wyman ,

3910-491: The convention center "would be very beneficial to the neighborhood." In response to the petition efforts, the LVCVA noted an economic impact analysis which found that a failure to demolish the Riviera would cost the local economy $ 15 billion over a 30-year period. The LVCVA had initially hoped to have the Riviera demolished during 2015, although time had to be spent testing for hazardous construction materials such as asbestos . The demolition process began on April 18, 2016, with

3995-423: The crew's earnings as a so-called "street tax". Accardo, in turn, paid a tax to the Outfit's boss. If a crew member refused to pay a street tax (or paid less than half of the amount owed), they would be killed. Accardo's crew included future Outfit heavyweights Gus "Gussie" Alex and Joseph "Joey Doves" Aiuppa . In the 1940s, Accardo continued to gain power in the Outfit. As the decade progressed, senior members of

4080-471: The day-to-day running of the organization, but he still retained considerable power and demanded ultimate respect. Giancana still had to obtain the sanction of Accardo and Ricca on major business, including murders. However, this working relationship eventually broke down. Unlike Accardo, the widowed Giancana lived an ostentatious lifestyle, frequenting posh nightclubs and dating high-profile singer Phyllis McGuire . Giancana also refused to distribute some of

4165-627: The earliest hotel towers; the 1955 building was the oldest resort structure on the Strip. The second implosion covered several structures: the 17-story Monte Carlo Tower, the 12-story Mediterranean South tower, and the billboard facade. Asbestos had been discovered in the Monte Carlo Tower, which made its demolition more difficult than that of the Monaco Tower. Before being imploded, the building had to be wrapped in plastic, allowing workers to safely chisel away its stucco exterior without spreading

4250-413: The following year through a deal with Sternlicht and other investors. His company, Starwood Capital Group , gained a 75-percent interest in Riviera Holdings, while local casino owner Derek Stevens owned 21 percent. Following Starwood's takeover, prospective buyers continued to look at the Riviera, but were turned off by the amount of money needed to renovate it in line with modern resorts. David A. Siegel

4335-516: The height of his financial success, he claimed in an interview with the Los Angeles Times to have had a reported net worth of a "billion dollars." One of the many shells and holding companies he bought in the process of building the empire was E-II Holdings , in which the other investors later discovered he had placed the names of impressive companies, but not the assets. Among the investors in E-II

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4420-483: The infamous 1929 St. Valentine's Day Massacre in which, allegedly, Capone gunmen murdered seven members of rival Bugs Moran 's North Side Gang . Accardo also claimed that he was one of the gunmen who murdered Brooklyn gang boss Frankie Yale , again by Capone's orders to settle a dispute. However, most experts believe Accardo had only peripheral connections, if any, with the St. Valentine's Day Massacre and none whatsoever with

4505-551: The killings in retaliation for the burglary. In 2002, this theory was confirmed on the witness stand by Outfit turncoat Nicholas Calabrese , who had participated in all of the murders. The surviving assassins were all convicted in the Family Secrets trial, and sentenced to long prison terms. In 1934, Accardo met Clarice Pordzany, a Polish-American chorus girl. They later married and had two daughters, and adopted two sons. Several of Accardo's family members have had careers in

4590-475: The late 1940s, the Outfit moved into slot and vending machines , counterfeiting cigarette and liquor tax stamps, and expanding narcotics smuggling . Accardo placed slot machines in gas stations, restaurants, and bars throughout the Outfit's territory. Outside of Chicago, the Outfit expanded into Las Vegas and took influence over gaming away from the Five Families of New York City . Accardo ensured all

4675-719: The lavish profits from Outfit casinos in Iran and Central America to the rank-and-file members. Many in the Outfit also felt that Giancana was attracting too much attention from the FBI , which was forever tailing his car around the Chicago metropolitan area . Around 1966, after Giancana began a year in jail on federal contempt of court charges, Accardo and Ricca replaced him with Aiuppa. In June 1975, after spending most of his Outfit-exile years in Mexico and unceremoniously being booted from that country, Giancana

4760-411: The legal Las Vegas casinos used his slot machines. In Kansas and Oklahoma, he took advantage of the official ban on alcohol sales to introduce bootlegged alcohol. The Outfit eventually dominated organized crime in most of the western United States. Accardo phased out some traditional activities, such as labor racketeering and extortion, to reduce the Outfit's exposure to legal prosecution. He also converted

4845-438: The men to drop the gimmick to avoid any mob-related publicity. By using tactics such as these, Accardo and Ricca were able to run the Outfit much longer than Capone. Ricca once said, "Accardo had more brains for breakfast than Capone had in a lifetime". After 1957, Accardo turned over the official position as boss to Giancana because of " heat " from the IRS . Accardo then became the Outfit's consigliere , stepping away from

4930-494: The new Outfit boss after serving his own 18-month sentence for tax evasion. By this time, Accardo had established a solid record of making money for the organization, so Nitti let him establish his own crew. He was also named as the Outfit's head of enforcement. Accardo soon developed a variety of profitable rackets , including gambling , loansharking , bookmaking , extortion , and the distribution of untaxed alcohol and cigarettes. As with all caporegimes , Accardo received 5% of

5015-482: The new ownership of Riviera Holdings Corporation . The property's convention space was expanded in the late 1990s, which helped keep the resort profitable. The Riviera was also host to a variety of live entertainment, including female impersonator Frank Marino (1985–2009) and a topless revue known as Crazy Girls (1987–2015). In February 2015, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) purchased

5100-510: The northern Strip. The Riviera was expected to benefit from two nearby projects, Echelon Place and Fontainebleau Las Vegas , but construction on both had been suspended by the end of 2009, due to the Great Recession . Visitation to the area was further reduced a few years later, following the temporary closure of the Sahara . Riviera Holdings filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2010, and emerged

5185-454: The ownership group. Greenbaum had recently retired, and it was widely suspected that he was coerced to return to work by threats from Chicago mob boss Tony Accardo . Among Greenbaum's staff was entertainment director William Nelson, who was soon discovered to be mob informer Willie Bioff , leading to his murder in November 1955. Greenbaum's drug and gambling addictions led to his embezzling from

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5270-420: The poor neighborhoods of Chicago. These gangs served as talent pools (similar to the concept of farm teams ) for the city's adult criminal organizations. Jack "Machine Gun" McGurn , one of the toughest hitmen of Chicago Outfit boss Al Capone , recruited Accardo into his crew, along with long time associate Tony Mazlack of Gary, Indiana. During Prohibition , Accardo got the nickname "Joe Batters" after using

5355-501: The property: "At the risk of sounding crass, everyone is so upset and distraught about it being torn down, but I think it should have been imploded awhile ago. Either imploded or refurbished. This is not to negate all the memories and all the wonderful stuff that was there, but it just lived too long in a way." Jim Murren , the CEO of MGM Resorts , said that "the days of (the Riviera's) benefit to Las Vegas are long gone," stating that expansion of

5440-523: The removal of hazardous materials. This was followed by demolition of various low-rise structures, which required the use of excavators . Consideration had been given to retaining the Riviera's parking garages, but it was later determined that keeping them would not be beneficial, due to their locations on the site. After demolition started, contaminated soil was discovered on the property's north side, near four underground diesel fuel storage tanks. Nearly 10,000 tons of contaminated soil had to be removed. By

5525-582: The resort's entertainment department and personally hire its celebrity headliners for over ten years. Forbes Magazine reported that while at the helm of a string of his companies, Riklis left his creditors unpaid for over US$ 2.9 billion in debt. According to Forbes, less than 10% of this had been recovered as of 2007. In March 2013, Riklis filed for bankruptcy protection for Rapid-American Corp because of asbestos related personal injury claims brought against Rapid American through their subsidiary Philip Carey Manufacturing. After divorcing his first wife,

5610-505: The site had been paved over with a convention center parking lot, which also served as outdoor exhibition space. The convention center expansion, known as the West Hall, began construction in January 2018, occupying the eastern portion of the former Riviera land. Later that year, the LVCVA acquired other nearby acreage which would be used for parking and outdoor exhibits moving forward. As a result,

5695-816: The site. They lived there until their divorce in 1993. In 2010, aged 86, Riklis married his third wife, Tali Sinai, who was almost 40 years his junior. In 2012, his daughter Simona, known professionally as advice columnist Mona Ackerman, predeceased her father, dying from cancer at age 66. Meshulam died in Tel Aviv on 25 January 2019, aged 95. The philanthropic ventures of Meshulam Riklis included Beit Riklis in Jerusalem, which closed in 2009. Tony Accardo Anthony Joseph Accardo ( / ə ˈ k ɑː r d oʊ / ; born Antonino Leonardo Accardo , Italian: [antoˈniːno leoˈnardo akˈkardo] ; April 28, 1906 – May 22, 1992), also known as " Joe Batters " and " Big Tuna ",

5780-401: The time of its closure, the Riviera had multiple hotel structures , including several ranging from 12 to 24 stories. Due to the sprawling layout of the Riviera's buildings, a two-phase implosion was scheduled months apart for several of the hotel towers. The implosion work was conducted by Controlled Demolition, Inc. , which handled previous implosions in Las Vegas. The 24-story Monaco Tower

5865-406: The time of its closure, the Riviera had 2,075 rooms. The Riviera's casino originally opened with 116 slot machines. In 1990, it was expanded to the sidewalk along the Strip with a 70,000 sq ft (6,500 m) addition, opened on the former parking lot. The property's gaming space was increased to approximately 125,000 sq ft (11,600 m), reputedly making it the largest casino in

5950-482: The world, although this figure was disputed by the new Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, which claimed to be the largest with 120,000 sq ft (11,000 m). In continued efforts to attract a budget-conscious demographic, a casino addition known as Nickel Town was added to the Riviera in 1997. The 10,000 sq ft (930 m) area had more than 300 slots, most of them nickel machines. The sportsbook

6035-742: Was Carl Icahn . These investors revolted against Riklis and started seizing other properties in the financial empire. Many of the corporations declared bankruptcy, again carefully maneuvered by Riklis to preserve his personal wealth. He famously sold his stake in the Carnival Cruise Line to Ted Arison for US$ 1 (while the company was US$ 5 million in debt). In the early 1980s, he hired Jeffrey Silver and then Boston accountant, Arthur Waltzman, to take over as CEO of his then struggling Vegas landmark Riviera Hotel and Casino and rescue it from Chapter 11 bankruptcy. He also brought on board 25-year Playboy Enterprises executive, Sam Distefano to head

6120-523: Was Taylor Construction Company, also of Miami. The Riviera opened on April 20, 1955, and included a nine-story hotel tower . Its debut coincided with that of two other Strip resorts, the Dunes and the Royal Nevada , prompting concerns that Las Vegas had been overbuilt with hotels. Mob fixer Sidney Korshak played a major role in the property's management. Law enforcement agencies suspected that he represented

6205-487: Was added along the Strip. By 1990, it had been moved to the rear of the property along Paradise Road, making way for the casino expansion. The circular billboard was added in 1989, and was accompanied by a block-long facade. Both of these faced the Strip, and consisted of mirrored panels and neon signage for various property features, such as restaurants and entertainment. The facade work was designed by Nikita Zukov, along with Marge Williams of Federal Sign. A steel sculpture

6290-508: Was added to the Riviera's northwest corner in the late 1990s, as part of the Nickel Town addition. The sculpture featured three steel poles pointed outward, resembling fountain water. The poles were covered in neon lighting and had an advertising screen wrapped around them. The sign along Paradise Road was removed in 2016, following the Riviera's closure. Neon letters from the billboard facade, spelling out "Riviera", were acquired by Will Durham,

6375-407: Was also rejected. A group of businessmen, including Barry Sternlicht and Neil Bluhm , agreed to buy into the company in 2005, with plans to renovate the Riviera. The buyout ultimately failed, as D. E. Shaw opposed the group's $ 426 million offer, finding it too low. In 2005, the Riviera celebrated its 50th anniversary, a rare milestone for Strip properties. According to Michael Green, a professor at

6460-437: Was among those who considered a purchase, but found the property to be "a dump," instead buying the nearby LVH resort. Various renovations were launched across the property and underway by 2012. Amid continued financial losses, Paragon Gaming was hired to take over casino operations in 2013, while Riviera Holdings remained as owner. In February 2013, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) announced plans for

6545-407: Was an American longtime mobster . In a criminal career that spanned eight decades, he rose from small-time hoodlum to the position of day-to-day boss of the Chicago Outfit in 1947, to ultimately becoming the power behind the throne in the Outfit by 1972. Accardo moved the Outfit into new operations and territories, significantly increasing its power and wealth during his tenure as boss. Accardo

6630-646: Was an Israeli financier and businessman. Born in Istanbul to a Russian-Jewish family, Riklis grew up in Tel Aviv , and attended the Herzliya Hebrew Gymnasium high school; before coming to the United States in 1947 with his first wife, Judith Stern, with whom he had three children. He studied mathematics at Ohio State University , graduating in 1950. His first significant job was as a junior stock analyst for

6715-703: Was born on April 28, 1906, in Chicago 's Near West Side , the second of six children of shoemaker Francesco Accardo and Maria Tilotta Accardo. One year before his birth, the Accardos had emigrated from Castelvetrano , in the Province of Trapani , Sicily, Italy to the United States. At age 14, Accardo left school and started loitering around neighborhood pool halls . He soon joined the Circus Cafe Gang, run by Claude Maddox and Tony Capezio, one of many street gangs in

6800-550: Was built on the Riviera's eastern portion, while 10 acres (4.0 ha) along the Strip were put up for sale in 2019. The Riviera was originally known as the Casa Blanca prior to the start of construction. It was proposed by a group of businessmen, mostly from Miami Beach , who applied for a gaming license in December 1952. Among the group members was William "Lefty Clark" Bischoff, who previously ran casino operations in Detroit. Bischoff

6885-629: Was designed by architect Martin Stern Jr. , with interior work by Yates and Silverman of Los Angeles. This addition later became known as the Monte Carlo Tower. Low-rise additions, known as the Lanai rooms, had been completed in 1962. These were designed by Julius Gabriele, and would later be replaced by two new towers. The six-story San Remo Tower was constructed in 1977, by the Del E. Webb Corporation . The 24-story Monaco Tower opened in 1988, and featured 1,000 rooms. By

6970-455: Was imploded on June 14, 2016, at 2:37 a.m. Implosions have been popular events in Las Vegas since the 1990s, and the Monaco Tower marked the first resort implosion to occur on the Strip since the New Frontier in 2007. Dignitaries and many spectators came to view the implosion, which was preceded by a fireworks show. After the implosion, excavators were used to demolish the casino floor and

7055-584: Was murdered in the basement apartment of his home, in Oak Park, Illinois , while cooking Italian sausages and escarole . Ricca died in 1972, leaving Accardo as the ultimate authority in the Outfit. In 1978, while Accardo vacationed in California, burglars entered his River Forest home. Shortly afterward, the three suspected thieves and four related persons were found strangled and with their throats cut. Law enforcement officials believed Accardo had ordered

7140-569: Was remodeled in 2011, and included the addition of a walk-up betting window along the Strip. The casino also added bingo to set it apart from other resorts on the Strip, an area where the game had been absent since 2007. New slot machines were also added, and the poker room was updated as well. In its final years, the total gaming space measured 103,800 sq ft (9,640 m), including the 12,000 sq ft (1,100 m) sportsbook. The casino had nearly 1,000 slot machines during that time. The Riviera featured various dining options, including

7225-492: Was to hold a 40-percent interest in the Casa Blanca. However, he had been identified a few years earlier, during the Kefauver Committee hearings, as having ties to organized crime. He subsequently withdrew his name from the group's license application. Two other investors, Miami contractor Julius Gaines and Hollywood producer Lewis Merman, also withdrew because of concern over their affiliation with Charles Tourine, who had

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