Speakeasies, bootleggers, gun-wielding crime bosses and tough-guy accents pay homage to Las Vegas' mob roots in a pair of new attractions
Speakeasies, bootleggers, gun-wielding crime bosses and tough-guy accents pay homage to Las Vegas ' mob roots in a pair of new attractions showcasing Sin City's criminal history.An interactive attraction featuring gangster memorabilia and commentary from film mobsters James Caan, Mickey Rourke and Frank Vincent opens Wednesday on the Las Vegas Strip. And Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, a former mob defense lawyer, plans to launch his Las Vegas Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement later this year. For Las Vegas, the attractions represent an unprecedented embrace of its infamous founders. "What differentiates us from any other city is our history," Goodman said. "This is the story of America." The desert oasis made famous by scantily-clad showgirls, ubiquitous slot machines and 24-hour happy hours has long celebrated its reputation as a haven of vice, but its relationship with the mob has taken a few hits in recent years. The city that once proudly ...