Welcome to Rounders LV

Tommy ‘Rounders’ Rondeaux, born to French-Canadian parents in1891 was raised on the mean streets of Chicago’s South side. The oldest of 6 brothers, Tommy started working for his father at 8 years old delivering coal. His father always’ told young Tommy, “If you don’t fill the coal bin, but still charge full price, it will eventually cost YOU money”, “our customers have to trust us without question”. Avoiding the street gangs that roamed the waterfront, Tommy concentrated on helping the family business grow.

As attitudes changed throughout the early 1900’s alcohol began to be viewed as a “scourge on humanity” by many of the religious and political leaders under the name of the temperance movement. By January of 1920 the Volstead act was ratified by Congress and suddenly alcohol became illegal.

The fun loving folks of the Roaring ‘20s would not allow a silly law to stop the good times. This gave birth to the “Speakeasy” taverns in the back alley’s and out-of-the-way places Tommy already visited every day. Seeing an opportunity, Tommy began to hide barrels of Gin and Whiskey smuggled in from his native Canada under the coal that he already delivered to the many “Establishments” along his route.
His bootlegging business quickly became profitable and by 1922, Tommy had opened his first bar. Surrounded by bootleggers, gangsters and kingpins, Tommy always stuck to his values and remembered his father’s lessons well. Standing an imposing six feet, seven inches tall, he weighed in at 285 pounds. His passion for providing a fun, safe environment for his customers built him a reputation that insulated him from the probing eye of the authorities and blood was never shed in his establishments.

It’s not clear how Tommy earned the name of “Rounders”. Perhaps the difficulty most folks had pronouncing the name Rondeaux, or the many rounds of poker he played with his regular customers. In their hey day, Rounders’ Speakeasy’s hosted all of Chicago’s most famous athletes, politicians and bohemians. As customers flocked to his establishments, the first chain of taverns was born and Tommy would wear the name “Rounders” for the rest of his life.

No one really knows what became of Tommy. By 1930, the Stock Market had crashed and Prohibition was over. He was never seen or heard from again. Some folks say that he went out west to find a new life. A tavern bearing his name now stands in a rare Nevada oasis. Rounder’s style hospitality lives on accompanied by great food, exciting gaming action and an inviting atmosphere that would make Tommy proud.
Fact or fiction??? …………….. You decide.