Over and above, there was a monthly operating fee of 2,000 pesos, plus a profit percentage—usually a fee paid directly to Batista or a member of his family. The size of these payoffs was staggering; several accounts place the annual totals at $10 million. The government also provided loans through Cuba’s state-controlled banks as a further stimulus to construction. Those most aware of the potential, most notably the American gambling syndicates
