Facts & fiction on the Flamingo Hotel’s 75th anniversary

Movies and legends have skewed the public understanding of the resort’s grand opening.

Much of what Americans know about Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel comes from watching the 1991 film Bugsy. That certainly applies to the general view of the opening of the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas on December 26, 1946. In the film’s portrayal of the event, there are virtually no guests, and a powerful thunderstorm strikes, knocking out the power to the casino.

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