Las Vegas Strip

Las Vegas Strip
The Strip
Las Vegas Boulevard South

Counterclockwise from top left: Panorama of the Las Vegas Strip at night, Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign, View southwards, Caesars Palace, Tropicana – Las Vegas Boulevard intersection, View northwards from Tropicana Blvd, The Venetian Resort
Length: 4.2 mi[1] (6.8 km)
South end: Russell Road
North end: Sahara Avenue

The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately 4.2-mile (6.8 km) stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester. Most of the Strip has been designated an All-American Road.[2][3]

Many of the largest hotel, casino and resort properties in the world are located on the Las Vegas Strip. Nineteen of the world's 25 largest hotels by room count are on the Strip, with a total of over 67,000 rooms. One of the 19, the Las Vegas Hilton, is an "off-Strip" property but is located less than 0.5 miles (0.8 km) east of the Strip.

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.[4]

Contents

Boundaries

Historically, the casinos that were not in Downtown Las Vegas along Fremont Street were restricted to outside of the city limits on Las Vegas Boulevard. In 1959 the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign was constructed exactly 4.5 miles (7.2 km) outside of the city limits. The sign is today about 0.4 miles (0.64 km) south of the southernmost entrance to Mandalay Bay (the southernmost casino).

In the strictest sense, "the Strip" refers only to the stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard that is roughly between Sahara Avenue and Russell Road, a distance of 4.2 miles (6.8 km).[5][6] However, the term is often used to refer not only to the road but also to the various casinos and resorts that line the road, and even to properties which are not on the road but in proximity. Certain government agencies, such as the Nevada Gaming Commission, classify properties as "Las Vegas Strip" for reporting purposes, although these definitions can include properties which are 1 mile (1.6 km) or more away from Las Vegas Boulevard (such as the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino). Phrases such as Strip Area, Resort Corridor or Resort District are sometimes used to indicate a larger geographical area.

The Nevada Gaming Commission considers the Strip's northern terminus as the Sahara Casino. At one time, the southern end of the Strip was Tropicana Avenue, but continuing construction has extended this boundary to Russell Road. Mandalay Bay is located just north of Russell Road and is the southernmost resort considered to be on the Strip by the Nevada Gaming Commission.

Because of the number and size of the resorts, the Resort Corridor can be quite wide. Interstate 15 runs roughly parallel and 0.5 to 0.8 mile (0.80 to 1.3 km) to the west of Las Vegas Boulevard for the entire length of the Strip. Paradise Road runs to the east in a similar fashion, and ends at St. Louis Avenue. The eastern side of the Strip is bounded by McCarran International Airport south of Tropicana Avenue. North of this point, the Resort Corridor can be considered to extend as far east as Paradise Road, although some consider Koval Lane as a less inclusive boundary. Interstate 15 is sometimes considered the western edge of the Resort Corridor from Interstate 215 to Spring Mountain Road. North of this point, Industrial Road serves as the western edge.

The Nevada Gaming Commission defines the Strip gaming area as encompassing all resorts located on Las Vegas Boulevard South between Russell Road and Sahara Avenue, as well as several nearby properties not directly located on Las Vegas Boulevard. This includes The Rio, The Palms, and several other smaller resorts west of Las Vegas Boulevard and Interstate 15, but does not include The Orleans one block further west. Properties located east of Las Vegas Boulevard on Paradise Road, such as the Las Vegas Hilton, Terrible's Casino, Westin Casuarina Las Vegas Hotel, Casino & Spa, Hooters Casino Hotel, and the Hard Rock, are also included in this area. The Stratosphere, however, is not included in the Nevada Gaming Commission definition of the Strip which includes it in the downtown area. The Stratosphere and other properties not on the Strip are frequently shown on maps as being Strip casinos.

The famous Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign is located in the median just south of Russell Road, across from the now-defunct Klondike Hotel & Casino; another similar sign is in the median at the north end of the Strip near the intersection of east St. Louis and south Main Streets.

Newer resorts such as South Point and the M Resort are on Las Vegas Boulevard South as distant as 8 miles south of the Welcome to Las Vegas sign. Marketing for these casinos usually states that they are on southern Las Vegas Boulevard and not "Strip" properties. However this area is frequently referred to as the South Strip.

History

The first casino to be built on Highway 91 was the Pair-o-Dice Club in 1931, but the first on what is currently the Strip was the El Rancho Vegas, opening on April 3, 1941, with 63 rooms. That casino stood for almost 20 years before being destroyed by a fire in 1960. Its success spawned a second hotel on what would become the Strip, the Hotel Last Frontier, in 1942. Organized crime figures such as New York's Bugsy Siegel took interest in the growing gaming center leading to other resorts such as the Flamingo, which opened in 1946, and the Desert Inn, which opened in 1950. The funding for many projects was provided through the American National Insurance Company, which was based in the then notorious gambling empire of Galveston, Texas.[7][8]

Several decades ago, Las Vegas Boulevard South was called Arrowhead Highway, or Los Angeles Highway. The Strip was reportedly named by Los Angeles police officer Guy McAfee, after his hometown's Sunset Strip.[9]

In 1968, Kirk Kerkorian purchased the Flamingo and hired Sahara Hotels Vice President Alex Shoofey as President. Alex Shoofey brought along 33 of Sahara's top executives. The Flamingo was used to train future employees of the International Hotel, which was under construction. Opening in 1969, the International Hotel, with 1,512 rooms, began the era of mega-resorts. The International is known as the Las Vegas Hilton today.

The first MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, also a Kerkorian property, opened in 1973 with 2,084 rooms. At the time, this was one of the largest hotels in the world by number of rooms. The Rossiya Hotel built in 1967 in Moscow, for instance, had 3200 rooms; however, most of the rooms in the Rossiya Hotel were single rooms of 118 sq. ft (roughly 1/4 size of a standard room at the MGM Grand Resort). On November 21, 1980, the MGM Grand suffered the worst resort fire in the history of Las Vegas, killing 87 people as a result of electrical problems. It reopened eight months later. In 1986, Kerkorian sold the MGM Grand to Bally Manufacturing, and it was renamed Bally's.

The Wet 'n Wild water park opened in 1985 and was located on the south side of the Sahara hotel. The park closed at the end of the 2004 season and was later demolished.

The opening of The Mirage in 1989 set a new level to the Las Vegas experience, as smaller hotels and casinos made way for the larger mega-resorts. These huge facilities offer entertainment and dining options, as well as gambling and lodging. This change affected the smaller, well-known and now historic hotels and casinos, like The Dunes, The Sands, the Stardust, and the Sahara.

In 1995, following the death of Dean Martin, the lights along the Strip were dimmed in a sign of respect to him. This was repeated in 1998 in honor of the recently deceased Frank Sinatra. In 2005, Clark County renamed a section of Industrial Road (south of Twain Avenue) as Dean Martin Drive, also as a tribute to the famous Rat Pack singer, actor, and frequent Las Vegas entertainer.

In an effort to attract families, resorts offered more attractions geared toward youth, but had limited success. The (current) MGM Grand opened in 1993 with Grand Adventures amusement park, but the park closed in 2000 due to lack of interest. Similarly, in 2003 Treasure Island closed its own video arcade and abandoned the previous pirate theme, adopting the new ti name.[10]

In addition to the large hotels, casinos and resorts, the Strip is home to a few smaller casinos and other attractions, such as M&M World, Adventuredome and the Fashion Show Mall. Starting in the mid-1990s, the Strip became a popular New Year's Eve celebration destination.

In 2004, MGM Mirage announced plans for Project CityCenter, a 66-acre (27 ha), $7 billion multi-use project on the site of the Boardwalk hotel and adjoining land. It consists of hotel, casino, condo, retail, art, business and other uses on the site. City Center is currently the largest such complex in the world. Construction began in April 2006, with most elements of the project opened in late 2009.

In 2006, the Las Vegas Strip lost its longtime status as the world's highest-grossing gambling center, falling to second place behind Macau.[11]

The Strip today

The southern portion of the Las Vegas Strip by night with Project CityCenter construction on the bottom right
(Note the Eiffel Tower replica on near left)

Transportation

While not on the Strip itself, the Las Vegas Monorail runs on the east side of the Strip from Tropicana Avenue to Sahara Road.[12]

RTC Transit (formerly CAT or Citizens Area Transit 1992–2008) provides service on the Strip with double decker buses known as The Deuce. The Deuce runs between Mandalay Bay at the southern end of the Strip to the Bonneville Transit Center (BTC) in Downtown Las Vegas, with stops near every casino. RTC also operates an express bus called the Strip and Downtown Express (SDX). This route connects the Strip to the Las Vegas Convention Center and Downtown Las Vegas to the north, with stops at selected hotels and shopping attractions.

A tourist trolley service travels up and down the Strip and stops at various, but not all, Strip hotels, along with a stop at the Fashion Show Mall. The fare is $3 for a one way ride, regardless how far riders travel down the Strip. Alternatively, a 24-hour pass is $7, and exact change is required. Trolleys are scheduled to arrive every 15 minutes.

Several free trams operate on the west side of the Strip:

Taxis can only stop at hotel entrances or designated spots, so when planning to get somewhere, passengers inquire as to which hotel or taxi stand is closest to the intended destination.[13]

Before CAT Bus came on in 1992, mass transit on the Strip was provided by a private transit company, Las Vegas Transit. The Strip route was their only profitable route and supported the whole bus system.

Free shuttles

Some of the shuttles have a policy requiring a room key from an affiliated casino. Enforcement of these policies may vary.[14][15]

Walking around

Several Strip hotels have undertaken efforts to make the street more pedestrian-friendly. New casinos design their façades to attract walk-up customers, and many of these entrances have become attractions themselves—the Fountains at Bellagio, the volcano at The Mirage, and the Sirens of TI show at Treasure Island. Spectators gather on the sidewalks in front of the casinos to watch these shows.

To alleviate traffic issues at popular intersections, several footbridges have been installed to help pedestrians safely traverse the roads. The Tropicana – Las Vegas Boulevard footbridges were the first to be installed, and based on the success of this project additional footbridges have been built on Las Vegas Boulevard at the Flamingo Road intersection; between The Mirage/Treasure Island and The Venetian, and at the Las Vegas Boulevard-Spring Mountain and Sands Avenue intersection connecting the Wynn with the Fashion Show Mall and The Palazzo. A new footbridge has recently been completed and connects Planet Hollywood with CityCenter and The Cosmopolitan at the Harmon Avenue intersection.

Golf courses

In recent years, all but one of the on-Strip golf courses (the Desert Inn Golf Course) have fallen prey to the mega-resorts' need for land and have closed. Developer Steve Wynn, founder of previously owned Mirage Resorts, purchased the Desert Inn and golf course for his new company Wynn Resorts. In 2005, he opened Wynn Las Vegas, complete with remodeled golf course providing tee times to hotel guests only.

In 2000, Bali Hai Golf Club opened just south of Mandalay Bay and the Strip.[16]

Major hotel locations

North towards Fremont Street

Stratosphere
Sahara Avenue Sahara Avenue
Sahara (closed)
Circus Circus Fontainebleau (on hold)
Riviera
Echelon Place (on hold)
Desert Inn Road Desert Inn Road
Las Vegas Plaza (On hold) Encore
Fashion Show Mall Wynn
Spring Mountain Road Sands Avenue
Treasure Island The Palazzo
The Venetian
The Mirage Casino Royale
Harrah's
Imperial Palace
Caesars Palace Flamingo
Bill's Gamblin' Hall and Saloon
Flamingo Road Flamingo Road
Bellagio Bally's
Paris
Vdara, Cosmopolitan Planet Hollywood
Harmon Avenue Harmon Avenue
Aria, The Harmon (on hold: Demolition Pending) Grand Chateau, The Signature
Mandarin Oriental
Monte Carlo
New York-New York MGM Grand
Tropicana Avenue Tropicana Avenue
Excalibur Tropicana
Luxor
THEHotel
Four Seasons, Mandalay Bay
Russell Road

South towards Interstate 215 to McCarran International Airport

Shopping attractions

Entertainment

Most of the attractions and shows on the Strip are located on the hotel casino properties. Some of the more popular free attractions visible from the Strip include the water fountains at Bellagio, the Sirens of TI show at Treasure Island—TI, the volcano at The Mirage, and the Fall of Atlantis and Festival Fountain at Caesars Palace. MGM Grand features a glass-sided lion habitat inside the casino area, in which up to six lions are shown every day.[17]

The only movie theatre directly on the Strip is the 10-screen Regal Showcase Theatre in the Showcase Mall next to the MGM Grand (opened in 1997 and operated by Regal Entertainment Group).[18]

Demolished or closed Strip casinos and hotels

Gallery

See also

Las Vegas portal

References

  1. ^ Google, Inc. Google Maps – Overview of the Las Vegas Strip (Map). Cartography by Google, Inc. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=FeiBJwId8NUi-Sm5FR_tdsTIgDGB_wSaNCov9w%3BFY6hJgIddpki-SlPaEKWw8XIgDFjv7IYTxnSGA&q=W+Sahara+Ave+%26+Las+Vegas+Blvd+S,+Las+Vegas,+Clark,+Nevada+89109+to+Russell+Road+%26+Las+Vegas+Blvd,+Las+Vegas,+NV&sll=36.114858,-115.165386&sspn=0.090693,0.181789&ie=UTF8&z=13&saddr=W+Sahara+Ave+%26+Las+Vegas+Blvd+S,+Las+Vegas,+Clark,+Nevada+89109&daddr=Russell+Road+%26+Las+Vegas+Blvd,+Las+Vegas,+NV. Retrieved June 17, 2010. 
  2. ^ "U.S. Transportation Deputy Secretary Downey Announces New All-American Roads, National Scenic Byways in 20 States" (Press release). Federal Highway Administration. 2000-06-15. http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pressroom/fhwa0042.htm. Retrieved 2008-06-22. 
  3. ^ "Las Vegas Strip Named All-American Road" (Press release). Archived from the original on 2006-06-12. http://web.archive.org/web/20060612004631/http://travelnevada.com/press_detail.asp?PressID=24. Retrieved 2008-06-22. 
  4. ^ Lukas, Scott A. (2007). "Theming as a Sensory Phenomenon: Discovering the Senses on the Las Vegas Strip". In Scott A. Lukas. The Themed Space: Locating Culture, Nation, and Self. Lexington Books. pp. 75–95. ISBN 0739121421. 
  5. ^ Joe Schoenmann (2010-02-03). "Vegas not alone in wanting in on .vegas". Las Vegas Sun. http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/feb/03/vegas-not-alone-wanting-vegas/. 
  6. ^ "County Turns 100 July 1, Dubbed ‘Centennial Day’" (Press release). Clark County, Nevada. 2009-06-23. http://www.accessclarkcounty.com/depts/public_communications/news_releases/pages/countyturns100july1.aspx. Retrieved 2010-02-05. 
  7. ^ Newton, Michael (2009). Mr. Mob: The Life and Crimes of Moe Dalitz. McFarland. pp. 40–41. http://books.google.com/books?id=KZCUIxhP7ikC. 
  8. ^ Rothman, Hal (2003). Neon metropolis: how Las Vegas started the twenty-first century. Routledge. p. 16. http://books.google.com/books?id=K4940Wy0DikC. 
  9. ^ "Las Vegas: An Unconventional History". American Experience. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/lasvegas/peopleevents/p_mcafee.html. Retrieved 2007-06-07. 
  10. ^ "Treasure Island Show Symbolizes New Era for Strip Resort" (Press release). http://www.treasureisland.com/pages/pressroom_102407i.asp. Retrieved 2008-06-04. 
  11. ^ Barboza, David (2007-01-24). "Asian Rival Moves Past Las Vegas". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/24/business/worldbusiness/24Macao.html. 
  12. ^ Garcia, Oskar (11 March 2011). "Frugal travel: Vegas offers fun at low stakes". Associated Press. http://www.mercurynews.com/travel-headlines/ci_14657569. Retrieved 12 August 2011. 
  13. ^ "Getting Around Las Vegas". Frommer's. The New York Times. http://travel.nytimes.com/frommers/travel/guides/north-america/united-states/nevada/las-vegas/frm_las-vegas_0013020015.html?scp=7&sq=Taxi%20%22Las%20Vegas%22%20strip&st=cse. Retrieved 12 August 2011. 
  14. ^ "Shuttles". http://www.goingtovegas.com/kpv-get.htm. Retrieved 2008-02-11. 
  15. ^ "Shuttle Service". http://www.orleanscasino.com/things-to-do/shuttle-service. Retrieved 2008-02-11. 
  16. ^ Moran, Craig (2 August 2010). "Money-losing golf club may become industrial park". Las Vegas Review-Journal. http://www.lvrj.com/news/money-losing-golf-club-may-become-industrial-park-99744004.html. Retrieved 12 August 2011. 
  17. ^ Glusac, Elaine (14 September 2007). "The Unlikely All-Ages Appeal of Las Vegas". The New York Times. http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/09/14/travel/escapes/14kids.html. Retrieved 9 August 2011. 
  18. ^ "Showcase Theater". http://www.fandango.com/uashowcase8_aacus/theaterpage?wssac=58&wssaffid=11481_REGWebsite. 
  19. ^ Geer, Carri (25 May 1998). "CBS Broadcasting, casino settle in trademark dispute". Las Vegas Review-Journal. http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=LVRB&p_theme=lvrb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0FD3903BE8863273&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM. Retrieved 12 August 2011. 
  20. ^ http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110311/us_nm/us_vegas_sahara

Further reading

External links