Sam "Momo" Giancana and the Cal-Neva Lodge
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Giancana's interest in the Cal-Neva Lodge, was solely and utterly to keep next to and in the Sinatra good books. Why? Because Sinatra was doing the same to keep next to Kennedy, which everybody in the Chicago outfit wanted, especially Sam who needed Kennedy’s backing to extinguish the investigations on him and his people. Dean Martin, not inmpressed by the mob’s interest and unsecure in his bad feeling about Bobby’s investigation into the Lodge and Sam Giancana, pulled out of the deal early in the peace which was something Sinatra should also have done also.
Giancana pulled strings and got Sinatra a $1.75 million loan to refurbish the Cal-Neva Lodge. Whenever he was in Nevada, it was crucial that Giancana stayed out of the casinos, knowing, because of his inclusion on the Nevada black list, that federal agents kept a close eye on him. However, at the Cal-Neva Lodge, Sinatra made sure that Giancana was kept out of sight in luxury for every visit. Giancana’s Cal-Neva luxury came to an end when the FBI photographed the him playing golf with Sinatra and having drinks and dinner together in the Cal-Neva dining room. The FBI was also watching that same evening when a fight started between Victor LaCroix Collins and Sam over Phyllis McGuire of the McGuire sisters. Sam punched Victor after he had mistreated Phyllis. This event drew attention to the Cal-Neva Lodge and Sam’s frequent visits to the casino. It was this event and his leisurely golfing date with Sinatra that saw Sinatra’s gambling license revoked for allowing black listed persons into his casino.
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