General Information:
Las Vegas is the most populous city in Nevada. Las Vegas or simply "Vegas" is an internationally renowned major resort city for casino gambling, shopping, entertainment shows and fine dining. Las Vegas, which bills itself as "The Entertainment Capital of the World", is famous for the number of casino resorts and associated entertainment. Las Vegas is the 28th most populated city in the United States with an estimated residents tally believed to be in the region of 558,383 as of 2008. The estimated population of the metropolitan area of Las Vegas as of 2008, was 1,865,746.
The city has a unique history and heritage. Established in 1905, and officially becoming a city in 1911, Las Vegas started as a stopover on the pioneer trails to the west, and became a popular railroad town in the early 1900s. Local mining industries ensured the continued growth of the city, but with the proliferation of the railroads, the city was decreasingly relied upon as a staging point for local mines. However, tourism and the local economy were given a boost by the completion of the nearby Hoover Dam in 1935.
1931 is an important year in the history of Las Vegas, due to the legalisation of gambling in 1931. This led to the creation of the casino-hotels, for which Las Vegas is famous. The following decade saw a significant growth in the construction of casino-hotels in the area, building the foundations for the city's widespread gambling scene.
Las Vegas Strip:
The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately 3.8-mile of Las Vegas Boulevard. Many of the largest hotel, casino and resort properties in the world are located on the world famous Las Vegas Strip. Nineteen of the world's 25 largest hotels by room count are located on the Strip, with a total of over 67,000 rooms. The Las Vegas Strip has become one of the most popular and recognizable locations in the world. One of the most visible aspects of Las Vegas' cityscape is its use of dramatic architecture. The modernization of hotels, casinos, restaurants, and residential high-rises on the Strip has established the city as one of the most popular destinations for tourists. Contrary to belief, the casinos that were not in downtown Las Vegas along Fremont street were restricted to outside of the city limits on Las Vegas Blvd. In 1959 the "Welcome To Fabulous Las Vegas" sign was constructed exactly 4.5 miles outside of the city limits of Las Vegas. The sign is today about half a mile south of the entrance to Mandalay Bay. The Mandalay Bay is the southern most casino along the Las Vegas Strip.