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Las Vegas History
History - In The Beginning
For thousands of years before the first Europeans arrived, Paiute Indians gathered at a small spring located just north of what is now downtown Las Vegas. The first non-indigenous settlers were members of the Mormon sect who founded a mission in the area. In 1902, a railroad company purchased most of the land, and the town that built up around the track (before then the population was around 30 people) rapidly gained a reputation for a 'Wild West' lifestyle that included saloons and brothels. Despite this, the notion of legalized gambling saloons did not meet the approval of the Mormons who still had a big influence on the town.
Vegas Gambling
In actual fact, Nevada was the first state to outlaw gambling in 1909. However the lucrative gains from gambling proved too much to resist and in 1931 the practice was permanently legalized. Contrary to popular myth, prostitution is not legal in Las Vegas, though it is in certain counties of Nevada albeit many miles from the gambling Mecca. The construction of the nearby Hoover Dam brought many workers to Las Vegas to spend their hard-earned wages on gambling. This depression era project provided jobs for thousands and was a tremendous boost to the infrastructure and economic growth of Las Vegas particularly in terms of an abundant supply of power and water, previously rare commodities.
The Arrival of the War and Hotel-Casinos
By the start of World War II, hotel-casinos began to appear. The first significant one of these was the El Rancho Vegas. The war brought the increased presence of military personnel, and since this time the military has also contributed a great deal to the Las Vegas economy. However it was in 1946, when Bugsy Siegel built the huge and flashy Flamingo Hotel and Casino for $7 million, that Las Vegas really hit the world stage. Although organized crime had been involved in financing hotels and casinos for a number of years, it was Siegel who brought notoriety and the resultant hoards of tourists to the town. During the 50s Liberace, and Frank Sinatra and his 'rat pack' (including Dean Martin and Sammy Davies Jr.) brought even more glamour and glitter. The advent of the cold war increased nuclear weapons experiments in the nearby desert and brought in even more military personnel. Looking for a break from the casinos, tourists would take picnics out to the desert and view the atomic mushroom clouds from the frequent testing.
The Decline of Mob Run Casinos
In the early 60s, Robert F. Kennedy, whose family had been regulars at the mob run casinos in the late 50s and early 60s, started a campaign against organized crime; the mobs influence on the city began to wane. In 1966 the eccentric multi-millionaire Howard Hughes came to stay at the Desert Inn. Hughes liked it so much he purchased it and made it his home. The mob began to withdraw its financial backing of hotels and casinos. From then on large corporations began to invest in Vegas, for the first time the logo lights of big name hotel companies such as Hilton and Holiday Inn could be seen. However it wasn't until the 1980s that the last vestiges of the mob left. The building of the legendary Caesar's Palace in 1968 was also very significant. This was the first of the destination resorts, a place that offered its guests so much that they need never leave the property.
The King Arrives
During the 1950’s a young singer named Elvis Presley played his first show on April 23, 1956 at the New Frontier Casino and later on in the late 60s the King returned, this time to sell-out audiences and later married Priscilla Beaulieu at the Aladdin in 1967. From then on until the mid 70s, Elvis was almost a permanent fixture at Vegas.
The 70’s and 80’s
During the 70s and 80s Las Vegas enhanced its position as the premier leisure destination in the U.S.A. Hotels expanded on a continual basis, old buildings were discarded and the skyline was constantly evolving. In 1989 the opening of the Mirage began a new era in the evolution of the resort city. This ultra-luxury complex was the last word in practically everything and was designed to attract a new type of clientele. From then on a large number of themed resorts were created, each one being more elaborate than the last. New resorts were built with a focus on appealing to everybody and not just gamblers. Hotels such as the Excalibur and the Luxor were created and were incredibly popular.
Adult Destination
Though the resorts now had a huge selection of rides and other activities to appeal to children, there was no way that Vegas could compete with Anaheim or Orlando as a family destination, especially with the high profile of gambling and other adult ‘vices’. So while the effort to make Las Vegas appealing to those who do not necessarily gamble continues, it is still very much an adult destination, though a family would find plenty to occupy themselves and children are well catered for.
The 90’s-Hotel Recreations
In the mid 90s came resorts that successfully recreated the essence of whole cities, these include New York, New York, Paris and the Venetia - perhaps the ultimate creation is the Bellagio a sumptuous recreation of a town on Lake Garda, Italy.
Vegas Today
Many of the old established hotel casinos exist no more, but bigger and better ones have come up in their place. For example the original Aladdin was demolished and a magnificent new resort with the same name was rapidly constructed in its place. There seems no end to the projected developments along the strip. Each property constantly redevelops and reinvents or re-emphasises a concept. Once it is past this, it is usually torn down and a new mega resort built in its place. A certainty is that Las Vegas will continue to be a premier and a very unique destination long into the future.
Las Vegas is now a large metropolis with over one million people residing there. The high profile casinos and resorts are all located on or near the world famous Las Vegas Strip i.e. Las Vegas Boulevard South. There are also a number of premier resorts and hotels in downtown Las Vegas. This area now has attractions of its own to draw people away from the strip. However many lower priced casinos, hotels and motels are located throughout the city. Often these offer excellent facilities and tend to house the casinos that local people use. Some believe that the odds are better at these establishments.
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