page_title: William R. Wilkerson
section_title: Business ventures
hierarchical_section_title: William R. Wilkerson / Career / Business ventures
caption_attribution_description: English: Margret Folsom Check For Flamingo Land 1945
context_page_description: William Richard "Billy" Wilkerson was the founder of The Hollywood Reporter, a real estate developer in Las Vegas and owner of such nightclubs as Ciro's. His series of columns known as "Billy's List" helped to initiate the red scare that led to the Hollywood blacklist.
context_section_description: Wilkerson opened a series of social nightspots on Los Angeles' Sunset Strip.  Seeing opportunities in Las Vegas, he made key investments there as well.
  Restaurants, nightclubs, and hotels that Wilkerson started:
  Vendome Wine & Spirits Co. (1933)
  Cafe Trocadero (1934)
  Sunset House (1936) (haberdashery & barbershop)
  The Arrowhead Springs Hotel (1939)
  Ciro's (1940)
  LaRue (of Hollywood) (1943?)
  The Flamingo Hotel (1945) Wilkerson began development of the property but ran out of money and sold out to gangster Bugsy Siegel.
  L'Aiglon (1947)
  LaRue (of Las Vegas) (1950)
caption: Partial payment to Margaret M. Folsom for the Flamingo land signed by William R. Wilkerson, March 5, 1945
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