The Inn at Saratoga is hosting another of their Salon presentations on Sunday, Aug. 5 at 5:30 p.m. The subject is “The Mob in Saratoga.” The Salon talk, which is preceded by a wine and cheese social, will be led by Maria McBride Bucciferro, whose stories on the gangster era at the Spa have appeared in Saratoga Living, Adirondack Life, The Post-Star, Saratogian and more.
Here’s a preview synopsis, provided by Maria:
“In the gangster-and-glitz era of lake house casinos and downtown gambling joints, mob bosses were pulling the strings behind the scenes, complicit with political bosses who were bribed and owners who were bullied. Average Saratogians often crossed paths with these mob bosses from New York, New Jersey, Detroit, and beyond, not knowing who they were.
“Local residents, many who were teens at the time, have shared their stories… though some are not for sharing. Several residents have moved away; many have since passed on. They all share a love for Saratoga, the old neighborhoods and generations past. Many are nostalgic for the glory days of the lake house era; some are still bitter about the federal and state investigations that shut down gambling in the late 1940s and early 1950s, eliminating August income that helped many Saratogians survive the long winter.
“They note with irony that the state controls the gambling now. Even sports betting is now legal, and there are tax breaks for making your own craft beer, wine and spirits, a criminal enterprise during Prohibition. In the 1970s, Saratoga began to rebound from the doldrums of the 1950s, and the city today is booming year-round. Some residents may prefer slower growth– but none would want the mobsters back in town.”
“The Mob in Saratoga: Glam and Glitz in the Glory Days of the Lake House Casinos.” The cost to attend this event is $25 and tickets on are on sale at The Inn at Saratoga (231 Broadway.) Tickets can also be purchased by calling the Inn’s front desk at (518) 583-1890, or at the door.
