The History of The Strip

In the indulgence capital of the world, Las Vegas, hordes of hoping-to-be-lucky gamblers pour into the city every day. Las Vegas doesn’t really have an off season; Sin City is open dawn to dusk, January through December, and is always primed to provide entertainment to its thirsty travelers.

Vegas offers a wide range of activities, but it’s unquestionably the casinos that beckon the majority. Built in the middle of the Mojave Desert, the city is a brilliant oasis amidst a baring wasteland. From the old relics boasting a bountiful buffet to stay in business to the new high rollers casino like Steve Wynn’s marvel of architecture, one only need follow The Strip to browse the best of what this golden metropolis contains.

The world’s favorite place to gamble got its official start in 1905, shortly after becoming a popular railroad stop. When Nevada legalized gambling in 1931, Las Vegas was officially born. Ten years later, in 1941, Tommy Hull, an entrepreneur in the hotel business, built El Rancho Vegas Hotel and Casino, and thus The Strip was born.

Expansion of Vegas and its Strip was halted during the start of World War II, but in the late 1940s, a virtual building boom took off, and several hotels and casinos, like the Thunderbird and Club Bingo, began to fill up the once vacant lots and line, side-by-side, along the highway that connected Vegas to Los Angeles. Even revered mobsters like Bugsy Siegel were in on the action, and key resorts began to pack the city by the late ‘50s.

The country loved the convenience of having such a wide array of gambling institutions lined up in a row. And though most economists considered this market saturation – as each casino offered like games like slot machines and blackjack – Las Vegas and its Strip was an undeniable success. Contrary to the accepted economic model, Vegas saw success due to brilliant marketing of identical products in immediate proximity of the next: Variety of entertainment.

The Strip became just as famous for the biggest singing stars, sliver screen actors and side-splitting comedians of the day. For the cost of drinks, gamblers could take in a night’s worth of their favorite stars, and inevitably, most would venture over to the roulette wheel and, well, we know the rest: The house always wins.

Mega-resorts became the new trend in 1972 when Circus Circus opened its doors – or tent flaps, as it were. Soon to follow were The Mirage, Luxor, and Buccaneer Bay. And today, beautiful locations like the Fremont Street Experience and a wide range of gigantic and luxurious hotels and casinos occupy this stretch of desert road.

No matter how often the formula is imitated, the results are never duplicated. Las Vegas’ Strip is considered by many to be one of the new world wonders. Everyone in Vegas appreciates casinos for what they offer inside, but they also stand in pure awe and admiration of how the city is constructed outside.