The Rise and Fall of Kansas City's River Quay: A Tale of Ambition, Mafia Infiltration, and Tainted Legacy

At A Glance:

• Marion A. Trozzolo founded the River Quay in 1971, refurbishing abandoned buildings and encouraging businesses to set up shop in the area.

• Fred Harvey Bonadonna opened "Poor Freddies" in the River Quay and helped establish the district's wholesome vision.

• The Civella family became interested in the River Quay after learning of its profitability, leading to mafia-owned establishments attempting to gain access to the area.

• Joe and Willie Cammisano sought to restore the River Quay to its original state as a red light district, leading to conflict with Bonadonna and ultimately resulting in his fleeing the city and the explosions that occurred in 1977.

• The violence and mafia-related conflict ruined the River Quay and left behind a tainted legacy

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In the 1970s, Kansas City's River Quay was a major attraction. On March 27, 1977, however, it became the setting of one of the largest Mafia-related attacks in the city, which was predicted to be the beginning of the end for the Quay. But before the Mafia had infiltrated, it was one of the most renowned spots in the area. It was all thanks to a man named Marion A. Trozzolo and his ambition.

In 1971, Marion A. Trozzolo, a professor at Rockhurst university who moved to Kansas City from Chicago, founded the River Quay. He had a plastics business, which inspired him to purchase the first of the historic buildings in the abandoned area. Subsequently, he bought 20 more properties and refurbished them for rental to business owners for two to three dollars per square foot, thus encouraging businesses to set up shop in the area. He envisioned the River Quay to become like Old Town in Chicago or the French Quarter in New Orleans. By the mid-1970s, the River Quay had grown to include 65 businesses.

The River Quay was quickly gaining attention in Kansas City, and this drew the attention of entrepreneur Fred Harvey Bonadonna, known as Freddy. Despite his father being a mafia associate, he urged Bonadonna to take a different route. As a result, on September 15, 1972, Bonadonna opened his business "Poor Freddies" and it was an immediate success. Bonadonna was a firm believer in the wholesome vision of the River Quay, where there was no loud music, no liquor joints that didn't serve food, and no adult entertainment (Ouesley, 2011, p. 84).

Bonadonna, although not connected to the mafia, had frequent encounters with them. His success prompted him to boast to a member of the Civella family that he was earning $10,000 per week (which was an exaggeration). This was significant as Nick Civella headed the Kansas City mafia, making the Civella family formidable. When Civella heard that investing in the River Quay could be so profitable, he became interested. In consequence, mafia-owned establishments that served alcohol and hosted adult entertainment attempted to gain access to the River Quay. These included the X-rated Chelsea Quay Theater, Deleware Daddy's, three little pigs, and other mob-related bars. Despite this, Bonadonna was still devoted to his vision of the district's wholesomeness and tried to keep these businesses out.

Joe Cammisano and his brother Willie were significant contributors to the downfall of the River Quay. Joe had previously managed the "girlie joints" along West 12th Street Strip in Kansas City and he reminisced about the Quay's past as a red light district. He sought to restore it to its original state, but Bonadonna was determined to prevent this from happening. He attempted to block the Cammisanos from obtaining liquor licenses, which angered them and made Bonadonna a target. Furthermore, Bonadonna owned parking lots near the Quay that the Cammisano's desired.

In July of '76, David Bonadonna was tragically found dead in the trunk of a car. Right before his demise, he warned his son Freddy that he would be targeted after him. Abruptly, Freddy fled the city in February of 1977, slightly before the explosions that occurred on the River Quay.

On March 27, 1977, an explosion occurred that completely destroyed two bars owned by the Bonadonna brothers. Though no one was injured, an investigating federal agent noted that 10 times the amount of explosives needed were used, leading them to believe it was meant to be a warning. This event was the start of many crises that the River Quay was to face, and it was Fred Bonadonna who would ultimately testify against Joe and Willie Cammisano, resulting in him being placed in witness protection.

In March 1977, Bonadonna's "war for control" over River Quay resulted in an explosion that demolished two bars. This event symbolizes the conflict between the original business owners of River Quay, who desired a family-oriented atmosphere, and the Mafia, who intended to convert the area into a red-light district. The Mafia's attempts to seize power, along with the violence accompanying it, ruined one of Kansas City's most beloved sites and has left behind a tainted legacy. The name River Quay is scarcely uttered by Kansas City natives, except in reference to Quay Coffee, a local coffeehouse.

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Courtesy: TheClio.org, MVSC

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