Goodman marks Mob Museum progress

Internal construction begins at building that served as courthouse

Steve Marcus

Pedestrians pass by the old courthouse and U.S. post office, the site of the Mob Museum, in downtown Las Vegas on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2009.

By John Katsilometes (contact)

Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2009 | 10:47 a.m.

Mob Museum

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Interactive: Mob Ties from the Sun’s history project

An homage to the legendary shooting of seven men in 1929 will be on display when the Las Vegas Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement opens in early 2011.

In a news conference this morning at the museum site on Stewart Avenue between Fourth Street and Casino Center Boulevard, Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman announced that the brick wall from the St. Valentine's Day Massacre would be part of the so-called Mob Museum's exhibit. He was joined by City Councilman Ricky Barlow and Richard Bryan, former governor and Democratic senator of Nevada.

The event also marked the official start of internal construction at the building, which opened in 1931, was once the Las Vegas post office and courthouse and was the site of the 1950 Kefauver hearings that centered on organized crime.

The St. Valentine's Day Massacre was the machine-gun shooting of seven men in a conflict between Chicago gangs led by Al Capone and George "Bugs" Moran. Four men dressed as law enforcement officers raided a warehouse where Moran's men had convened. Seven men were lined up across the wall and machine-gunned to death in a case that was never solved. That wall will be on display.

"It is an iconic moment in Mob history," Goodman said. "There is a lot of mystique to organized crime, especially in Las Vegas and when this place opens people will flock to it."

Discussion: 11 comments so far…

By vsestini

8/4/09 at 11:17 a.m.

Suggest removal

What Las Vegas needs like a drunk needs a headache is a 'Mob Museum'; we could use a first class Natural History and Art Museum complex plus a world class Zoo.

If this is to ever become a first class, culturaly mature city it needs to change its former image as a 'Mob City'.
By Katie

8/4/09 at 11:20 a.m.

Suggest removal

The St. Valentine's Day Massacre was the machine-gun shooting of seven men in a conflict between Chicago gangs led by Al Capone and George "Bugs" Moran. Four men dressed as law enforcement officers raided a warehouse where Moran's men had convened. Seven men were lined up across the wall and machine-gunned to death in a case that was never solved. That wall will be on display.
******

I wonder if they will include a photo of the parking lot that is there now!

This museum "may" be successful. Being that I am from Chicago, this stuff doesn't interest real Chicagoans, but I 'm sure others will find it interesting, especially foreigners. Chicago tried a "mob" museum and it folded after 6 months. But like I said - Chicagoans don't find any interest in this stuff. There are still bullet holes in Holy Name Cathedral and the Biograph Theater. And I remember stories my relatives told me!! (My grandpa was a bootlegger during Prohibition!!)

So good luck Oscar! After all - thanks to the guys from back east - if it wasn't for them, there would be no Vegas!!
$uch Vi$ion they had!!!
By JerryWayne

8/4/09 at 11:45 a.m.

Suggest removal

I agree that Las Vegas needs a Natural History Museum and a World Class Zoo, but we should not forget our roots.
By tmbrown013

8/4/09 at noon

Suggest removal

Why is it that any kind of culture in this town is either shut down or non-existent? I am born and raised in this town, and everyday I hang my head a little lower at the tasteless, over developed, over populated, no one gives a crap, consistent down fall of this town. That is exactly what we need Mr. Goodman, a museum glorifying people who murdered and pillaged other people to make a living? Freaking awesome! We wonder as a society why everyone here has no class, no tact, no taste, and no consideration for their neighbor, and then we sponsor and allow our city's leader to continue with senseless projects (A MOB MUSEUM??????) without complaint. We really do live in hell (aka Sin City) don't we?
By Phargo

8/4/09 at 12:04 p.m.

Suggest removal

The only way Goodman can steal any money is to spend it. That way he can accept kickbacks.
By unemployed_legal_american_citi

8/4/09 at 12:59 p.m.

Suggest removal

MOB MUSEUM,ZOO, ARTS CENTER, CASINOS, HOSPITALS, BUILD THEM ALL !!! AS LEGAL, UNIONIZED CONSTRUCTION WORKERS , AMERICAN CITIZENS, WE CAN USE THE WORK !!! BUT WHY ARE THERE SO MANY ILLEGAL MEXICANS {WHO DO NOT EVEN SPEAK A WORD OF ENGLISH} BEING LET TO JOIN THE CONSTRUCTION UNIONS WHEN SO MANY LEGAL MEMBERS AE OUT OF WORK !!?? 5 TO 20 ILLEGAL MEXICAN CONSTRUCTION WORKERS ARE BEING HIRED AND SENT HOME {FOR BAD SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS}EVERY DAY BY THE PERINI CONSTRUCTION COMPANY AT THE CITY CENTER PROJECT !!!! HIRE LEGAL CITIZENS AND YU WON'T HAVE THAT PROBLEM !!!! AND ONE OUT OF FIVE WORKERS AT CITY CENTER ARE ILLEGAL WHO NEVER GOT CAUGHT AND LEGAL WORKERS ARE SITTING AT HOME WITHOUT A JOB !!!!
By unemployed_legal_american_citi

8/4/09 at 1 p.m.

Suggest removal

MR GOODMAN, PLEASE HIRE LEGAL, CONSTRUCTION WORKERS !!! THANK YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By tvegas

8/4/09 at 1:26 p.m.

Suggest removal

What a putz
By JIMBOBIMBO

8/4/09 at 2:28 p.m.

Suggest removal

Like it or not, Las Vegas (the meadows- looks like a dang desert to me) was made by gangsters and organized crime. With the fall of gambling you won't fall back on your industry, farming, or exporting; Gambling is your only game. A mob museum would raise interest, revenue, employment. If the people of Las Vegas had any sense at all they would make Mayor Goodman uncontested, unquestioned dictator for life. His opponents wanna change city name to North Amboy.
By stevem

8/4/09 at 7:54 p.m.

Suggest removal

10 years ago, 5 years ago...this would have been sort of cool.

now, it just seems kind of sad and pathetic.
By Joe_Vegas

8/4/09 at 11:02 p.m.

Suggest removal

Young Oscar was a "mob lawyer" himself...so go figure! But the truth is that the Las Vegas forefathers were mobsters...so where better to have the first official "mob museum"...here or New Jersey I guess! And more tourists visit Vegas in one one year then NJ in a decade!