Frank Detra, an Italian-born gambling entrepreneur, arrived in Las Vegas in 1927. He was sent there by Al Capone, who, anticipating the repeal of Prohibition, urged Detra to head west. Detra operated the Pair-O-Dice roadhouse on Highway 91 — really a speakeasy — which did not open to the public until Prohibition was repealed in 1933, when it was granted a license to sell beer. The club served excellent Italian food and wine, and diners could play roulette, craps, and blackjack. Despite its illegal activities, the club was never raided. By then, the Mafia was well entrenched in the city. The club was later bought by Guy McAfee, the former Police Captain and Vice Squad Commander of Los Angeles. Read more about how the Mafia first infiltrated Las Vegas 100 years ago in Tazia and Gemma (see NOVELS).
