In 1930, the Marshalls sold the establishment to Fred and Mary Browning. They converted the tea room into a night club to attract visitors from the Arlington Downs racing track.[1] Fred Browning had experience running illegal gambling establishments, having run the Loma Linda club in Richmond, Texas and the Beau Monde club in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Top O' Hill Terrace was adapted to include gambling facilities and a brothel. During Prohibition, alcohol was also illegally served at the club.[1] The house continued to operate as a restaurant, while illegal activity took place underground.[4]
Browning had the house lifted from its foundations so that a secret casino could be built underneath, with roulette wheels, rosewood billiard tables and an oak bartop. The establishment was designed to be luxurious, with crystal chandeliers, Irish linen, fine china tableware, and crystal drinkware. Visitors were not permitted to bring guns into the casino, and had to pass through a series of doors with peepholes and two-way mirrors.[5] Browning also built a secret room with two-way mirrors that allowed him to observe gambling patrons.[3]
An iron gate was built to protect the property's 900 ft driveway, and the premises was surrounded by a sandstone wall with watchtowers[1] manned by armed guards. The guards alerted patrons if police were approaching so that they could hide evidence of gambling and drinking. A system of tunnels were dug under the property so that patrons could go to the tea garden or flee into the woods outside the property during a police raid.[6] The gaming tables were designed so that they could be flipped upside down to appear like dining tables.[7]
The Top O' Hill Terrace became successful and often handled $500,000 worth of business each weekend.[8] It was nicknamed "the Devil's Playground" and later became known as "the Vegas before Vegas". At one point, Browning partnered with casino operator Benny Binion to run the casino.[9] The casino entertained celebrities like Gene Autry, Mae West,[10] John Wayne, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Howard Hughes, and Sally Rand. Criminals Bonnie and Clyde gambled at the Top O' Hill but were required to leave their guns in their car.[11]
Browning also built stables for breeding thoroughbred racehorses, including a private stable for his stud Royal Ford, which he bought from William Thomas Waggoner.[12]
