Las Vegas Strip
The history of the Las Vegas Strip can be traced back to the 1940’s and the opening of El Rancho Vegas. This hotel and casino had 63 rooms and was the first casino to be constructed on what is the current Las Vegas Strip. It was only there for 19 years having been destroyed by a fire in 1960 but due to its success, a second hotel was constructed in 1942, called the Hotel Last Frontier and so began the Las Vegas Strip we know and love today.
Soon, people from all over the United States wanted a part of the Las Vegas Strip action, including those involved in organised crime. In fact, many of the new additions to the Strip in the 1940s and 50s were funded by criminal gangs and their leaders, such as New York’s Bugsy Siegel. The American National Insurance Company also became involved due to their experience in the gambling world of Galveston, Texas, at the time.
In terms of the buildings constructed along the Las Vegas Strip, both the Flamingo and the Desert Inn were funded by Bugsy Siegel, with the former is still in business today. However, as the mob was being dismantled, new companies were beginning to take an interest in the Las Vegas Strip, and Caesars Palace was established in 1966. By this time, Paradise and Winchester, two unincorporated towns were created and they both contain parts of the Las Vegas Strip.
The Strip quickly developed throughout the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. In addition to Caesars Palace, the Las Vegas Strip saw the introduction of the International Hotel in 1969, and it was this hotel that led to the further construction of the style of mega resort we see in Las Vegas today. The first MGM Grand Hotel and Casino opened in 1973 and in terms of the number of rooms it was one of the largest hotels in the world at the time.
Gambling was one of the main reasons why people were travelling to the Las Vegas Strip but other states were also legalising gambling, all be it in different forms. Pennsylvania is a good example and in 1971 the PA state lottery was established. Fast forward to the current day and you will now find online casinos PA.
Back to the Las Vegas Strip, and in addition to the casinos and hotels, additional entertainment facilities were constructed including the Wet ‘n Wild water park in 1985. However, the legendary Mirage set the standard for the complete casino and hotel resort experience, opening in 1989. The Rio and the Excalibur quickly followed in 1990. The introduction of these sprawling resorts saw an end to the smaller casinos, such as the Sands and the Stardust, who permanently closed their doors in 1996 and 2006, respectively.
Entering the late 1990s and 2000s, the Las Vegas Strip moved into luxurious casino and hotel development with the Bellagio, Venetian, Palazzo, Wynn and Encore resorts opening. These have set both the scene and standard for the Las Vegas Strip we see today.
