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The Las Vegas Mob Experience opens at the Tropicana Hotel financed by Strategic Funding of New York City

Image: LVME.com
NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The biggest players in mob history have returned to the Las Vegas Strip and have been reincarnated at the legendary Tropicana Hotel with financing provided by Strategic Funding of New York City. The Las Vegas Mob Experience opened this week. This technologically advanced, interactive presentation of historical artifacts is projected to receive over 1,500,000 visitors a year to its 26,000 square foot total immersion facility. In the heart of a city literally built by the mob, this exciting new attraction required the assistance of Strategic Funding to provide the largest merchant cash advance in the history of the specialty finance industry, to get the doors open after years of development.

The Mob Experience is the brainchild of Jay Bloom, a former JP Morgan Chase investment banker and his partner Louis Ventre, another Wall Street veteran. The Experience transports visitors from the days of Murder Incorporated and the Mafia’s national syndicates up to the present day modern metropolis. “We wanted to create a unique experience where visitors could actually feel what it was like to be there,” said Bloom in a recent interview. “We created a highly personalized journey through use of RFID technology enabling visitors to interact with celebrity guide holograms in their native language.” Celebrity guides currently include James Caan, Mickey Rourke, Frank Vincent, Steven Shirripa and Tony Sirico who have all played significant roles in the movies and television shows of this genre and have captured wide recognition.

Creativity in design and development were not the only innovations brought by this team of former Wall Streeters. The financing of this project during one of the most challenging economic times for both the nation and Las Vegas was no small task. Seed money was provided by the partners, friends, family and one time clients of the duo, but as time passed and the budget grew to almost $14 million, Bloom and Ventre turned to Strategic Funding to help them complete the financing. “Strategic provided us with a very unique financing solution that gave us the final $4 million needed to complete the project and launch the company,” said Ventre. “Without their help and creativity, especially in this difficult economy, our completion may have not happened,” he continued.  

Andrew Reiser, the CEO of Strategic Funding added, “This was a very exciting project for us and we were eager to make this transaction along with our exclusive syndicate partner Vion Receivables Investments in what represents the largest merchant cash advance ever provided to a single company. Typically Strategic works with traditional small businesses who are seeking $10,000 to $200,000 in commercial financing for their restaurant or retail shop, but this challenge gave us a transformational opportunity to fill the void left by traditional banks. With support from our exclusive investment partner, Vion, we see outstanding opportunities in larger companies like the Las Vegas Mob Experience and are expanding our business model to seek out other firms with similar requirements.”

About Strategic Funding
Strategic Funding (www.sfscapital.com) is a leading provider of specialty financing to emerging entrepreneurial businesses throughout the United States. Established in 2006, Strategic has its headquarters in New York City and maintains regional offices in Williamsburg, VA; Baltimore, MD; Chicago, IL and Seattle, WA – serving over 2,500 active clients in all 50 states. The company serves the needs of small to mid-sized businesses who have little or no access to traditional bank financing or SBA loans. 

Related: Mob Museum in Las Vegas to open this year; Las Vegas Mob Museum has a home on the Strip

Judith Rubin
Judith Rubin
Judith Rubin ([email protected]) is a leading journalist, content marketing specialist and connector in the international attractions industry. She reports on design and technical design, production and project management, industry trends and company culture. From 2005-2020 she ran communications and publications for the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA). In 2013, she was honored with the TEA Service Award. She was development director of IMERSA and publicist for the Large Format Cinema Association, and has contributed to the publications of PLASA, IAAPA and the International Planetarium Society. Judith joined World’s Fair magazine in 1987, which introduced her to the attractions industry. She joined InPark in 2010. Judith earned a BFA from Pratt Institute. She has lived in Detroit, New York, Oakland, and now Saint Louis, where she is active in the local arts community.

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