The Turf Athletic Club and was another local hot spot situated in downtown Galveston. Although gambling was illegal at the time, it was permitted at the club.

Nationally known bands, orchestras, and singers performed regularly at the Hollywood Dinner Club. The club, outfitted with elegant crystal chandeliers and a large hardwood dance floor, offered fine dining and top-notch live entertainment. The Hollywood Dinner Club, located at 61st Street and Stewart Road, opened its doors in 1926. Some of America’s most popular artists, including Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, and Bob Hope performed in Galveston clubs. Four island establishments - The Hollywood Dinner Club, the Turf Athletic Club, the Sui Jen Café, and the Balinese Room - offered cocktails, gambling, and entertainment. Galveston, however, had an “open city” policy, and casinos, though illegal, were more or less tolerated by law enforcement officials. Gambling was outlawed in the entire state of Texas. This venture led to an even more ambitious and more profitable industry: gambling. Large sums of money could be made by those who illegally transported and sold liquor, and several enterprising individuals took full advantage of the opportunity. And a $5 chip from the Turf Athletic Clubĭuring Prohibition, which lasted from 1920 to 1933, a number of Galveston businessmen involved with bootlegging.