Tony Cornero owned the SS Rex ship. After it was raided, he came to LV and opened the SS Rex where the Horseshoe is today. NV gaming closed it down because of his CA boat trouble.
Tony later built the Stardust and sold 200% to 3 mafia families. He died while shooting craps at the DI a few months before the Stardust opened. Probably an easier way to die, than would have happened after it opened. Moe Dalitz stepped in and straightened out the mess at the Stardust. See picture below for Tony's dream of the Stardust. It had his name on it.

Pre SS Rex, Tony built the first strip casino about 1932 that was to have been the forerunner to the Mega resorts. He called it The Meadows. Only problem was he thought the "Strip" was going to start at Fremonht and Boulder highway and run south.