| LAS VEGAS HISTORY “THE MEADOWS” For hundreds of years, The Las Vegas Valley has been home to Native Americans. In 1829, Spanish explorers were the first Europeans/Americans to discover the area who were attracted to the natural springs and meadows that existed here. They called the valley Las Vegas, which is Spanish for "The Meadows." It wasn’t until 1855 that the first modern-era settlement was established by Mormon missionaries but was quickly abandoned in 1858. As a haven for desert-worn travelers and trailblazers lured by the region’s gold and silver, this original mission became known today as the Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort. Finally in 1865, settlers moved into the area to stay. That year Octavius D. Gass, set up a ranch on what is now downtown Las Vegas. Gass lost the ranch to Archibald Stewart, whose wife, Helen, later sold the ranch to Montana U.S. Senator William Clark. Crediting Clark as the one who gave Las Vegas its start, Clark used the land to finish the railroad line between Los Angeles and Salt Lake City. With the arrival of Union Pacific Railroad in 1905 and the auction of land parcels owned by the railroad, Las Vegas became a typical frontier town. In 1911, Las Vegas officially became a city by an act of the Nevada legislature. The Great Depression had a positive effect to Las Vegas because of all the social jobs that were created. Jobs and money were plentiful because of railroad development, legal gambling and the construction of Hoover Dam. Surprisingly, the dam also generated the start of the tourism industry as thousands of visitors came to watch the dam being built. When the Nevada Legislature legalized casino gambling as a means of raising tax revenue in 1931, Nevada’s #1 industry was born. The El Rancho Vegas became the first resort to open on what was to become the world-famous Las Vegas Strip. Nellis Air Force Base grew into a key military installation during World War II. It was originally built to train B-20 gunners but later became the training ground for the nation’s ace fighter pilots. The City of Henderson started its growth due to the establishment of the Basic Refractors magnesium plant south of Las Vegas to help with the war effort. Opening on New Year’s Eve in 1946, Benjamin "Bugsy" Seigel’s Flamingo Hotel was the genesis of today’s modern gaming industry. In 1955, the Riviera became the first high-rise on the Strip with nine stories. From the point on, people pushed to build bigger, more luxurious properties. Soon, the hotel/casino resorts on Las Vegas Strip were rivaling the downtown area. Growth continued at a steady pace through the 1970s with a brief lull in the 1980s. Upon the recovery from the 80’s recession, people swarmed to Las Vegas in record numbers, first as tourists and later as permanent residents. During the late 1980s, not enough construction workers and equipment were available to meet the demand of the incredible growth. The opening of the Mirage Resort in 1989 kicked off a growth spurt of resort properties on the Strip which continues even today with the newly constructed Wynn Resort. With more than 30 million tourists who visit Las Vegas annually, Las Vegas is a thriving business Mecca. Las Vegas is still booming and its future looks bright. LAS VEGAS LIFESTYLE Trying to describe Las Vegas in a few hundred words is a formidable task. Should the focus be on the city’s mystic qualities – the dazzling lights and glittering resorts where more than 35 million pleasure-seeking tourists wager millions of dollars every year? Or should one look beyond the myth, at a southwestern metropolitan area that is home to 1.4 million people – a place with schools, parks, grocery stores, and quiet neighborhoods populated by people from every state in the union?
One city, two stories. But that’s always been the history of Las Vegas. Its very creation seems like the ultimate contrast: Las Vegas, Spanish for "the meadows," was founded by Mormon missionaries. These early settlers were followed by westward-traveling pioneers and, later, by the men who built Hoover Dam, the area’s first big tourist attraction. The legalization of gambling in the 30s transformed the city into an American Xanadu, where a street lined with stately pleasure domes tempts travelers searching for excitement, cuisine, entertainment and shopping.
Dreams of riches are usually just that; but the dream of a better life, one that adds some 50,000 modern-day pioneers to the population every year, is one that can come true. From the urban beat of a big city to the wide-open spaces of the outlying landscape, there’s a place in Las Vegas to suit everyone. Jobs are plentiful, thanks to a booming local economy and a pro-business environment in which companies do not pay corporate income, franchise, inventory, or unitary taxes. The cost of living in Las Vegas is lower than in other comparable U.S. cities, in part because of the absence of any personal income tax. The people are friendly, the climate is healthy and there’s something fun to do every night of the week.
Is it any wonder that the recent U.S. census shows Nevada growing at a faster rate than any other state? Every hour 24 hours, 365 days a year, another two acres of Las Vegas land are developed for commercial or residential use. Developers of master-planned communities that dot the city’s landscape are running out of new street names. Two phone books are printed every year to keep with up all the new residents and businesses.
The numbers suggest a rate of growth that’s perhaps too fast, but in Las Vegas everything isn’t always what it seems. The local government and business entities recognize the potential for overcrowding and overbuilding and are making every effort to stay one step ahead of the curve. Through public and private endeavors, an ongoing effort is underway to maintain the quality of life now enjoyed by Las Vegas citizens.
Every new year brings new schools, new roads, and new health care facilities to meet the needs of a growing population. Las Vegas the fantasy or Las Vegas the reality? One city, two stories. But once you move here, be prepared for a surprising discovery: it’s the reality of Vegas that’s really fantastic. And that’s a story with a happy ending.
For the entire decade of the 1990s and now into the 21st century, Las Vegas has been the fastest growing metro area in the nation! Low unemployment, an expanding skilled labor force, an exceptional tax structure, a pro-business environment and a great climate all give Las Vegas the "total package." Each month, a spectacular 2.5 million visitors and 6,000 new residents flock to Las Vegas to enjoy its warm climate, fabulous resorts, unparalleled entertainment, southwestern lifestyle and economic prosperity. The current population is estimated at 1.6 million. Las Vegas has continued to rank first nationally in employment growth since 1995, according to the Arizona State University Economic Outlook Center. With Clark County’s consistently low unemployment rate, Las Vegas is projected to maintain its position well into the millennium The population explosion has resulted in great opportunities for new businesses and more jobs. Las Vegas continually ranks among the top cities in job growth — an important factor to relocating individuals and families. Outlook recently named Las Vegas as one of the top five cities in the country to live. Inc. rated Las Vegas as the # 1 entrepreneurial city in America, citing the thousands of new businesses that start in Nevada each year. Fortune named Las Vegas as the #2 city in the country in which to do business. Because tourism adds up to nearly one-third of the state’s annual tax revenue, business owners are not subject to corporate income tax or franchise, inventory or unitary taxes. Residents pay no personal income tax. The minimal tax burden means that Nevadans can keep more of the money they earn. U.S. Commerce Department’s Economic Analysis Bureau ranks Las Vegas as the top metro area for income per capita, with an annual growth rate of 2.3%. If you are planning to relocate, Las Vegas should be at the top of your list of desirable locations. The Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce extends a warm welcome — inviting you to get to know our residents, become involved in commerce and call Las Vegas home. If you are considering a move to the Las Vegas area, you have made the right choice! Las Vegas ranks as the number ONE “Most Livable City” due to its pro-business attitude, low tax burden, employment opportunities and product growth. The real estate market is one of the strongest in the nation, while home-buyers can still enjoy some of the most affordable homes in the southwest. AND THE SUN SHINES 340 DAYS EACH YEAR! The city of Las Vegas has been ranked one of the 10 safest cities out of 30 cities with a population of 500,000 or more, according to the new edition of City Crime Rankings, an annual reference book of crime statistics and rankings published by Morgan Quitno Press, a Lawrence, Kansas-based publishing and research company. During the past 10 years, several mega-resorts have opened, contributing millions of dollars to the local economy. Among these are the New York New York, Mandela Bay, Venetian, Bellagio, Paris, Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, Orleans, Hyatt, Four Seasons, Suncoast, Monte Carlo, Palms, Green Valley Ranch Station, Marriott Spa, to name a few. Las Vegas has also been successful in keeping up with the latest technologies in medicine to serve the growing population. As the community grows, so do hospitals, clinics, satellite medical facilities, quick care facilities and the number of physicians attending to our residents. University Medical Center is famous for its trauma center; Sunrise Hospital is famous for its Bone Marrow Transplant Center. Spring Valley Hospital will open in 2003, which will add medical facilities to the newly developed southwest corridor of the valley. Other specialty facilities include Cardiac Rehabilitation, Neonatal Care, and Triage Equipment. Among new hospitals are Summerlin Medical Center, Mountain View Hospital, St. Rose Dominican’s new Henderson facility
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