Did you know that the word ‘casino’ does not actually denote a place of gambling? Or at least it didn’t until quite recently. When Catalina Island’s Casino was commissioned by William Wrigley Jr, the word in Italian simply denoted a place of gathering, a meeting place for entertainment and dancing. Wrigley intended it to be THE place for entertainment and dancing on Catalina Island. And it was! Benny Goodman earned his reputation as the “King of Swing” in the massive top floor ballroom which is surrounded by the columned portico in this photo that offers 365 degree photos of Catalina Island, the town of Avalon and the Bay. Cecile B. DeMille once screened his latest films in the Wrigley’s private viewing room at the Casino. The green rooms hosted Errol Flynn, Cary Grant and more. Even now, the Avalon Theatre on the ground floor still shows first-run movies nightly at 7:30 p.m. and while the latest tech plays those movies now, the projection rooms still house the original state-of-the-ar...