Las Vegas Research Paper

Although Las Vegas is known as the “Entertainment Capital of the World” it is also known as the “poster child of contemporary urban sprawl in America. ”In 1940, Las Vegas was a just a small desert town with about 8,000 people, but by the end of the 20th century it would grow to almost 2 million
Las Vegas started as a railroad town and a stop for miners in the area until 1935 when the Hoover Dam was completed. The Hoover Dam is located around 30 miles southeast of Las Vegas. It generated Lake Mead, the largest main-made reservoir in America. This started the migration to the area. While the dam was under construction, around 10,000 and 20,000 unemployed workers and their families flocked to Las Vegas hoping to work on the dam.
Between 1940 …show more content…
Spanish missions in the area influenced the El Rancho Vegas hotel. This hotel became a place of rest for people traveling between Salt Lake City and Los Angeles. Although it was miles south of Las Vegas it became a tourist destination, because of its amenities. It brought more people to the Las Vegas area by supplying jobs and entertainment. After opening with just 110 rooms, they were forced to expand because new resorts quickly followed their lead. With the city’s popularity growing, larger resorts opened, supplying more jobs. In 1958, the Stardust Resort opened with 800 rooms. In 1961, all racial segregation ended in all Las Vegas resorts. This was six years after the first integrated hotel, The Moulin Rouge, opened. All of these factors contributed to the city’s 161.6% population increase in 1960 from 1950. By 1970, “The Strip” had a major expansion. The resorts were taller and larger, the most famous being “Kirk Kerkorian’s International Resort.” This was the largest hotel in the world at the time with 1,500 rooms. Elvis Presley performed at the resort between 1969 and 1976, which only increased its success. The set precedent for other resorts and soon many started to offer concerts, comedians, and political stars. Las Vegas became an international vacation destination. The Las Vegas area grew to almost 500,000 residents by 1980. Locals only casinos were started to serve these

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