Las Vegas (KSNV) — This Friday marks not only Valentine’s Day but also the 13th anniversary of the Mob Museum in downtown Las Vegas.
The museum, which documents Las Vegas’s ties to organized crime, has become a significant part of the city’s history.
Zach Jensen, the Mob Museum’s education specialist, said, “They brought the financing necessary to build these huge resorts… the mob’s legacy lives there.”
Las Vegas evolved from a railroad stop between Los Angeles and Salt Lake City into an international tourist destination, with organized crime playing a significant role in its growth.
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Crime operations were active in southern Nevada from the late 1930s through the 1980s, making money through skimming—taking money off the top of winnings before taxes—until local and federal officials forced them out of the city.
“Our building is part of Las Vegas’s history… happened there,” Jensen said. “For example, Frank Sinatra testified in our building about his financial dealings in Las Vegas casinos.”
In celebration of the museum’s 13th anniversary, Nevada residents can enjoy free admission this Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Non-residents can take advantage of a buy-one-get-one-free deal.
