It's hot, it's dry. There's desert all around the outskirts of the city. Doesn't sound very luxurious, does it? Well, it is luxurious--if it's high-rolling Las Vegas. But to fully appreciate the luxury of Vegas today, you need to understand a bit of its history.
Discovered by Spanish explorers in 1829, the Vegas we know didn't start evolving until 1931 when two major developments impacted the area. Gambling was finally legalized in Nevada, transforming Vegas from a small sleepy railroad town into a burgeoning gaming mecca and paving the way for the mega-casinos of today. That same year, construction began on the Hoover Dam, located just southeast of the city on Lake Mead. It was opened in 1935, creating a water reservoir for the desert oasis, as well as a major power source. Six years later, in 1941, the first hotel on what would forever be known as "The Strip" opened. The El Rancho, with a paltry 63 rooms, was joined the following year by the Last Frontier Hotel (now simply known as The Frontier) with 105 rooms on the north end of the Strip.
Vegas' real lore and legend came into being in 1946 when mobster Bugsy Siegel muscled his way into ownership of the Flamingo Hotel. Thus began over twenty years of the crime syndicate's involvement in the building of Las Vegas. Between 1951 and 1958, eleven major hotels opened--nine on the strip and two downtown--all but one financed with underworld cash. Finally, after 25 years, the Federal government began to wake up to the questionable histories of the people running the largest industry in Las Vegas. Thus began the war between the police and the gangsters that has often been portrayed in films like the Godfather and Casino.
During the mob's reign, Las Vegas also had to deal with possible fallout of a different kind. The federal government needed a vast uninhabited area of land to perfect its nuclear weapons technology. It found the optimal site at the Las Vegas Aerial Gunnery School, a mere 70 miles northwest of the city. From 1951-1962, over one hundred and twenty-six nuclear bombs were detonated above ground. But rather than dwell on the bad things that could happen from the wind blowing the wrong way from the tests, Las Vegas businesses marketed "atom burgers" and "Miss Atomic Blast" items. Several hotel-casino openings were even scheduled to coincide with nuclear blasts. Those that didn't attend the openings perched atop high buildings, which offered a picture perfect view of the mushroom clouds in the distance.
But amongst all the controversy, something unusual happened. During the late fifties to early sixties, Las Vegas suddenly became the hippest place on earth to be. It's this era of Vegas that people most often think about when picturing the city. The Rat Pack was playing the Sands. Everyday vacationers were shooting craps elbow to elbow with mob hit men. And you didn't dare go out at night in anything less than a cocktail dress or suit and tie. While the media was condemning the city and turning the whole place into one big scandal, "respectable" vacationers were flocking to Las Vegas in droves, excited by the chance to turn into bad boys and girls without repercussions back home. Sin City, Las Vegas, was THE place to be and be seen.In 1966, reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes took up residence at the Desert Inn on the strip. Hughes' Tool Company had just sold its interest in TWA for a half-billion dollars and he had to either spend some of the money or pay it out in taxes. Not liking to get nothing in return for his money, he decided on the first option. In three years, he dropped $300 million, buying up casinos, along with land, media, airlines and mining claims. Hughes ultimately contributed nothing to the actual skyline of the city. But his presence, along with the fact that thanks to him, the mob no longer had a major controlling interest in Las Vegas, added an enormous amount of long-needed legitimacy to the city's tarnished image. For the first time since gambling was legalized in Nevada, bankers and lenders from outside Las Vegas began to finance the building of hotels and casinos, setting the stage for the modern era of huge casino corporations. Over a dozen new casinos and hotels were constructed between 1966 and 1979. Then the city went silent for a while.
Enter casino mogul Steve Wynn. In 1989, he unofficially started the latest boom era with the opening of his 3,039-room mega-resort, The Mirage, situated center strip. The next ten years saw over 30 new major resorts and casinos open in the city. Even today, construction rages on as Wynn readies his newest property on the north end of the strip and the south end sees new towers being added on to existing properties.
In the late 90's, Las Vegas tried to steer away from its "Sin City" image by marketing itself to the family vacationers. This year has seen a reversal on that idea. Las Vegas has decided, once and for all, to embrace its image of decadence. "What happens here, stays here" is the new motto of the city that rages on 24/7, and it's working to bring back vacationers in droves.
So what does happen in Vegas? Over the next several weeks, I'll tell you which resorts are the most luxurious, which restaurants are to die for and what clubs and shows you simply cannot miss while in town.
Up next...where to stay on the Strip.
