Las Vegas, Nevada – Sin City, USA
Las Vegas, Nevada, a shimmering mirage in the Mojave Desert, owes its very name to the observations of Spanish traders. In 1829, the Antonio Armijo party, en route to Los Angeles, California, veered from the established Spanish Trail from Texas. The 60-man expedition, initially referring to the route as "Jornada de Muerte," or journey of death, found salvation when a young scout, Rafael Rivera, stumbled upon a verdant valley approximately 100 miles northeast of present-day Las Vegas. This unexpected oasis boasted abundant wild grasses and a plentiful water supply. The valley’s lower regions harbored artesian springs, giving rise to expansive green areas that starkly contrasted with the arid landscape. This striking feature prompted the Spaniards to christen the area "Las Vegas," which translates from Spanish to "The Meadows."
Prior to 1844, knowledge of this hidden valley was largely confined to Spanish explorers, missionaries, and the indigenous Native American tribes. It was only with the arrival of famed explorer Captain John Fremont that the broader world began to take notice. In 1855, Brigham Young dispatched 30 Mormon missionaries to the region with the goal of converting the local Paiute Native American population. These missionaries constructed a fort, marking the first non-Native American settlement in the area. However, their efforts to convert the Paiute people proved unsuccessful, and the fort was frequently raided, leading to its abandonment in 1857. Several years later, in 1864, the U.S. Army established Fort Baker on the same site.
The year 1885 witnessed a turning point with the passage of the State Land Act, offering land at a price of $1.25 per acre. This incentivized farming, which became the dominant industry in the region for the next two decades. Farmers utilized the local springs to irrigate their crops, fostering agricultural development. Further growth was stimulated by the discovery of precious metals in the area, initiating a mining industry in the late 19th century.
As the 20th century dawned, a reliable source of fresh water was secured by piping the springs directly into the town. This transformed the valley into a vital resting stop for wagon trains and, later, for railroads. The completion of the railroad in January 1905 marked a significant milestone, connecting Las Vegas to Los Angeles and Salt Lake City. For the subsequent 25 years, the railroad would become the principal industry in Las Vegas, shaping its economic landscape.
The railroad yards were strategically situated along what was then a dusty Fremont Street. Today, the site of the original Union Pacific Railroad depot at Main and Fremont Streets in Downtown Las Vegas is occupied by Jackie Gaughan’s Plaza Hotel. Remarkably, freight and passenger trains continue to utilize the depot site within the hotel as a terminal, making it the only railroad station globally located inside a hotel-casino.
Las Vegas officially came into being on May 15, 1905, when 100 acres of land in what is now downtown were auctioned off to eager buyers. Initially, Las Vegas was part of Lincoln County until 1909, when it became the county seat of the newly formed Clark County.
Nevada stood as the last western state to outlaw gambling in the early 20th century, enacting the ban on October 1, 1910. The law was initially stringent, even prohibiting the common practice of flipping a coin to determine the price of a drink. Despite the legal restrictions, residents promptly established underground gambling operations. Las Vegas achieved incorporation as a city in 1911.
With a modest population of just over 5,000, Las Vegas legalized gambling once again on March 19, 1931. This decision would irrevocably alter the trajectory of both Nevada and the city of Las Vegas. Within a month, the city issued its first six gambling licenses.
In the same year, the construction of Hoover Dam brought an influx of construction workers, significantly boosting the population and providing a much-needed stimulus to the Valley’s economy, which was struggling under the weight of the Great Depression.
By 1940, the population of Las Vegas had grown to nearly 8,500, and the defense industry established a presence in the valley toward the end of World War II. The isolated location, ample water supply, and inexpensive energy made Las Vegas an attractive destination for military and defense-related businesses. Nellis Air Force Base was established in the northeast, and the Basic Management Complex, a provider of raw materials, was located in the southeastern suburb of Henderson. These industries continue to be significant employers in the region.
Las Vegas began its ascent to global recognition in 1941 when hotelier Tommy Hull built the El Rancho Vegas Hotel-Casino across from the current Sahara Hotel on what would eventually be known as the Las Vegas Strip. Hull also pioneered the "entertainment" style of casino that would solidify Las Vegas’s reputation as a desert playground. He booked singers, comedians, strippers, and dancers to entertain hotel guests in the resort’s intimate showroom.
Soon, other developers followed suit, constructing lavishly decorated resort hotels and integrating gambling casinos. Early establishments included the Last Frontier, the Thunderbird, and Club Bingo, all of which emulated the successful star entertainment format.
Several of these early ventures were rumored to have been funded by money from crime syndicates in the eastern United States. Notorious gangsters Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel and Meyer Lansky are widely recognized as the primary organizers and driving forces behind the early development of Las Vegas. Tourism and entertainment soon eclipsed all other sectors as the largest employer in the valley.
The most celebrated of these early resorts was the Flamingo Hotel, constructed by mobster "Bugsy" Siegel, which opened its doors on New Year’s Eve in 1946. Modeled after resort hotels in Miami, the Flamingo stood out among the western ranch-style casinos and hotels. Siegel referred to it as a "carpet joint." Six months after its grand opening, Siegel was murdered by an unknown assailant in his girlfriend’s home in Beverly Hills, California.
Today, the Flamingo Hotel remains the sole survivor from the 1940s era. Other resorts have long been absorbed by new owners, demolished, extensively renovated, or renamed. Although the Flamingo retains its original name, it has undergone complete renovations to remain competitive with the newer, more modern hotels on the Las Vegas Strip.
Resort construction continued to accelerate in Las Vegas throughout the 1950s. The Desert Inn opened in 1950, followed by the Sahara Hotel, which was built on the site of the former Club Bingo, in 1952. The Sands Hotel also opened in 1952. In 1955, the Riviera Hotel became the first high-rise hotel on the Strip.
Other resorts that opened during the building boom of the 1950s included the Royal Nevada, Dunes, Hacienda, Tropicana, and Stardust hotels on the Strip, as well as the downtown Fremont Hotel-Casino. The Dunes holds the distinction of being the first casino to feature topless showgirls on the Las Vegas Strip in 1957.
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, casino lounges provided continuous entertainment from dusk to dawn, giving rise to prominent names such as Don Rickles, Buddy Hackett, Shecky Greene, Alan King, Louis Prima, Keely Smith, the Mary Kaye Trio, and numerous others.
By 1960, Las Vegas encompassed 25 square miles and boasted a population of nearly 65,000. During the 1960s, large corporations began acquiring casino and hotel properties to enhance profitability and transition into the legitimate business world.
In 1976, when casino-style gaming was legalized in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Las Vegas lost its exclusive claim to legalized gambling. Subsequently, hotel casinos embarked on a race to become comprehensive destination resorts for travelers, vacationers, gamblers, conventioneers, and families.
The opening of The Mirage in 1989, featuring a white tiger habitat, a waterfall, and a man-made volcano spewing fire and water, triggered a shift in development and tourism away from downtown Las Vegas and toward the Las Vegas Strip. This resulted in a decline in tourism that the downtown area is still working to overcome.
In 1993, Mirage owner Steve Wynn opened Treasure Island adjacent to the Mirage, showcasing Buccaneer Bay, where a full-scale pirate ship and British frigate engage in a simulated battle with cannon fire. More and more "Disneyland" type resorts emerged, including the Excalibur, the Luxor, and New York-New York.
With the Strip’s expansion in the 1990s, downtown Las Vegas began to suffer. The Fremont Street Experience was constructed to attract tourists back downtown. While it slowed the decline, it did not fully halt the decrease in tourism and revenue.
A concerted effort has been made by city officials to diversify the Las Vegas economy beyond tourism by attracting light manufacturing, banking, and other commercial interests. The absence of individual or corporate income tax and the straightforward incorporation requirements have contributed to the success of this diversification strategy.
Las Vegas is often referred to as Sin City due to the prevalence of legalized gambling, the availability of alcoholic beverages around the clock, various forms of adult entertainment, and legalized prostitution in nearby counties (Nevada law prohibits prostitution in counties with large populations). The nickname favored by local government and tourism promoters is "The Entertainment Capital of the World." The city’s glamorous image has made it a popular backdrop for films and television programs.