Las Vegas Entertainment capital of the world
Known as the Entertainment Capital of the World, Las Vegas tries its best to live up to that lofty billing. No other place on the planet has its combination of mega-gambling casinos and hotels, shady history and a general attitude of glamour, flamboyance and excess. It’s the place where one-armed bandits, high-rollers and free drinks rule.
Founded in 1905, Las Vegas would not rise to prominence for several decades, not until the Hoover Dam was built in 1928 and gambling was legalized in Nevada in 1931. The city’s development came into full swing in 1946 with the opening of the Flamingo Hotel, the brainchild of gangster Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel, and continued to grow rapidly over the next few decades.
Las Vegas is also home to the Las Vegas Strip, a four-mile area south of the city that hosts 18 of the 25 biggest hotels in the world, based on a study of room rates. These include MGM Grand, The Mirage, The Dunes, The Sands, The Stardust, The Riviera, Flamingo, The Palazzo, Bellagio, Tropicana, Caesar's Palace and many others.
Meanwhile, the downtown pedestrian mall known as the Freemont Street Experience also features many popular casinos, including Binion's Gambling Hall and Hotel, California Hotel and Casino, Fitzgeralds Las Vegas, Fremont Casino, Four Queens, Golden Gate Hotel and Casino, Golden Nugget, Las Vegas Club, and Plaza Hotel & Casino.
Wild Wild West Hotel
