“THE VENICE – VEGAS CONNECTION”
Years before “Bugsy” Siegel built The Flamingo (a nickname for his twist Virginia Hill thanks to her long gams) there was another wiseguy more deserving of the credit for creating the modern Las Vegas. His name was Tony “The Hat” Cornero and he knew Venice well. Tony ran so many Prohibition-era booze cruisers to Southern CA that he earned the title of “The Rum King”. Small launches met couriers on the Pier who rolled precious cases through the Venice tunnels and into establishments like Menotti’s Buffet (The Townhouse) and the St. Mark’s Hotel (now vendor booths for earrings and sunglasses). His swank Vegas hotel The Meadows preceded Bugsy’s joint by almost 15 years. Tony’s local game in the mid-30s was offshore gambling in ships like the S.S. Rex. In 1955 he was trying to complete financing on his next dream hotel, a little place called The Stardust. Blowing up at a Desert Inn waitress who had the gall to charge him for drinks, Tony clutched his chest and died at the craps table.
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Courtesy: Venice Heritage Museum
“Envisioning a Venice History Museum”
