Question of the Day - 22 June 2017

Champagne's is located at 3557 South Maryland Parkway. Before it was renamed Champagne’s in the early ’70s , it was called Huey’s and the Old Inner Circle.

Other wiseguy hangouts of that era are as follows.

Jubilation was a popular nightclub on Harmon across from where Planet Hollywood is now located. Frank Cullotta and Vegas crime kingpin Tony Spilotro were regulars there. Frank met con man Jerry Lisner at the Jubilation. (He later murdered Lisner at his home; the scene was recreated, with Cullotta playing himself, in Casino.)

My Place was located at 4110 S. Maryland Parkway and adjoined the Upper Crust Pizzeria. Cullotta had an investment in it, so Spilotro and the Hole in the Wall Gang gathered there frequently. The mobsters once discovered and disabled FBI surveillance devices in the bar; the feds sought a court order to repossess their bugs. The building still exists; a number of small businesses congregate at that corner of E. Flamingo.

The Villa D' Este (now Piero's) at 355 Convention Center Drive was purchased by Chicago Outfit boss Sam Giancana, who gave it to his friend and favorite chef, Joe Pignatello. Joe became Frank Sinatra's personal chef when he was in Vegas and scenes from the movie Casino were filmed in the restaurant.

At 820 South 4^th Street downtown, Chicago Joe’s opened in a 1930s’ bungalow in 1975 and has been going strong ever since. It was a favorite of Chicago mobsters, though today, in an interesting turnaround, it’s a hangout for the Vegas legal community.