From its early roots as a Mormon settlement to its diverse entertainment offerings of today, Las Vegas has experienced consistent change. During the depression, the construction of Hoover Dam near
Boulder City breathed fresh life, water, and energy into this region. With the help of colorful individuals like Bugsy Siegel and entertainment icons like Frank Sinatra, this desert gambling town became a gambler's vacation paradise.
But this world of gambling experienced more chance. The first resorts evolved into, or were eaten up by, even larger complexes. The shows became more elaborate as the hotels became enormous. The hotel complexes began to resemble Disney attractions as their themes emerged. Watered by the money of this desert land, even more elaborate, themed complexes have risen out of the sand.
During the 1980s I spent a lot of time in Las Vegas. To walk the Strip, you just took a fairly the long walk from the Tropicana to Vegas World (now the Stratosphere). As the 1990s approached, my visits became very infrequent. But I noticed much change during those years as Old Guard of the casinos of like the Dunes and Landmark gave way to places the Luxor, Treasure Island, and the New MGM Grand (the old one is now Bally's).
As the century turned I paid two more visits, and more change has occurred. The epitome of old Las Vegas, the Sands, was imploded in one big extravaganza. The tower was seemly destroyed by a broadside fired from a tall ship at Treasure Island. Many more hotels, Winn being one of the newest, are now established. Today, the strip expands far beyond the Tropicana.
In today's Las Vegas the prices are higher, the slots no longer need or pay coins, less favorable gaming rules exist, and the stakes are much higher than before. But it is no longer just about gambling. The themed resorts have become an attraction in themselves. Virtual reality rides abound. The selection of shows has expanded with the rest of the city. The city's footprint has grown exponentially as people moved into the region. Today you can spend a weekend in Las Vegas, be thoroughly entertained, without ever gambling.
There still are two main tourist areas of Las Vegas. They are the Strip and Downtown.
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