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For the principal cities contained therein, see Las Vegas, Nevada and Paradise, Nevada. For other uses, see Las Vegas (disambiguation).

The Las Vegas Valley is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the US state of Nevada, and is the heart of the Las Vegas–Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada.^[1] The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a 600 sq mi (1,600 km²) basin area that contains the largest concentration of people in the state. The history of the Valley significantly intertwines with the history of the city of Las Vegas and one of the two primary cities (as used by the census bureau) in the MSA, with the other being Paradise. The valley is home to the three largest incorporated cities in Nevada: Las Vegas, Henderson and North Las Vegas.

The names Las Vegas and Vegas are used to indicate the valley, the strip, the city and are used as a brand by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and used to denominate the entire region.^[2] The metropolitan area's population was at 741,459 in 1990.^[3] The population was approximately 2 million in 2010 (estimated).^[4] The valley is an area generally defined by the Spring Mountains on the west, Sheep Mountains to the north, Muddy Mountains and Lake Mead to the east, and the Black Mountains to the south.^{[citation needed]}

The area is known for its extensive gaming, shopping and fine dining offerings. Outdoor lighting displays are everywhere on the many tourist destination buildings in the area. Las Vegas, which bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, is famous for the number of casino resorts and associated entertainment. Las Vegas is also home to a growing retirement community. As seen from space, Las Vegas is the brightest city in the world.^[5]

History[link]

The area was previously settled by Mormon farmers in 1854 and later became the site of a United States Army fort in 1864, beginning a long relationship between southern Nevada and the U.S. military. Since the 1930s, Las Vegas has generally been identified as a gaming center as well as a resort destination, primarily targeting adults. Relatively inexpensive real estate prompted a residential population boom in the Las Vegas Valley in the 1990s and is still expanding in every direction.^{[citation needed]}

Nellis Air Force Base is located in the northeast corner of the valley. The ranges that the Nellis pilots use and various other land areas used by various federal agencies, limit growth of the valley in terms of geographic area. Due to this reason, the valley has seen more mid- and high-rise buildings erected.^{[citation needed]}

Businessman Howard Hughes arrived in the late 1960s and purchased many casino hotels, as well as television and radio stations in the area. Legitimate corporations began to purchase casino hotels as well, and the mob was run out by the federal government over the next several years. The constant stream of tourist dollars from the hotels and casinos was augmented by a new source of federal money from the establishment of what is now Nellis Air Force Base. The influx of military personnel and casino job-hunters helped start a land building boom which is now leveling off.

Though Las Vegas's gambling revenues have been surpassed by Macau, the Las Vegas area remains one of the world's top entertainment destinations.^[6][7]

Boundaries[link]

Cities and communities of the Las Vegas valley

The valley is contained in the Las Vegas Valley landform. This includes the cities of Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Nevada and Henderson, and the unincorporated towns of Paradise, Spring Valley, Sunrise Manor, Enterprise, Winchester, and Whitney.

The government of Clark County has an "Urban Planning Area" of Las Vegas. This definition is a roughly rectangular area, about 20 mi (32 km) from east to west and 30 miles (48 km) from north to south. Notable exclusions from the "Urban Planning Area" include Red Rock, Blue Diamond, and Mount Charleston.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department is the largest police department in the valley and the state and exercises jurisdiction in the entire county. There are approximately 3,000 police officers that cover the city of Las Vegas; unincorporated areas; the town of Laughlin, about 90 mi (140 km) from Downtown Las Vegas; and desert and park areas within Clark County. The department does not exercise primary jurisdiction in areas with separate police forces such as North Las Vegas, Henderson, Boulder City, Nellis Air Force Base and the Paiute reservation.

Geography and environment[link]

Las Vegas Valley viewed in false color, from 438 mi (705 km) by TERRA satellite. Grass-covered land, such as golf courses, appears in red. The picture bottom is just south of Sunset Road and the airport, the Spring Mountains on the west and Sunrise Mountain on the east.

Las Vegas at night in 2010.

The Las Vegas Valley lies in the Mojave Desert. The surrounding land is desert with mountains in the distance.

Climate[link]

The Las Vegas Valley lies in a relatively high-altitude portion of the Mojave Desert, which tends to produce drastic changes of temperature between seasons, and also between day and night. The Valley generally averages less than 5 in (130 mm) of rain annually.^[8] Daily daytime summer temperatures in July and August are typically around 101 °F (38 °C) degrees.^[8] Very low humidity, however, tempers the effect of these temperatures, though dehydration, heat exhaustion, and sun stroke can occur after even a limited time outdoors in the summer. The interiors of automobiles often prove deadly to small children and pets during the summer and surfaces exposed to the sun can cause first- and second-degree burns to unprotected skin. July and August can also be marked by "monsoon season", when moist winds from the Gulf of California soak much of the Southwestern United States. While not only raising humidity levels, these winds develop into dramatic desert thunderstorms that can sometimes cause flash flooding.

Winter season temperatures in Las Vegas range from mild to chilly, with many days being quite sunny. Winter daytime highs are near 60 °F (16 °C) and winter nighttime lows are about 40 °F (4 °C).^[8] The mountains surrounding the valley are snow-covered during the winter season, but snow accumulation in the area itself is uncommon. Every few years apart, however, Las Vegas does get a measurable snowfall.

Fault zones[link]

The valley has seven known earthquake fault zones; Frenchman Mountain Fault; Whitney Mesa Fault; Cashman Fault; Valley View Fault; Decatur Fault; Eglington Fault; West Charleston Fault.^[9]

Air quality[link]

Having part of the region located in a desert basin creates issues with air quality. From the dust the wind picks up, to the smog produced by vehicles, to the pollen in the air, the valley has several bad air days.

Pollen can be a major issue several weeks a year with counts occasionally in the 70,000 plus range. Local governments are trying to control this by banning plants that produce the most pollen.

The dust problems usually happen on very windy days, so they tend to be short and seasonal with full fledged dust storms occurring rarely.

Smog on the other hand gets worst when there is no wind to move the air out of the valley. Also in winter it is possible to get an inversion in the valley air that actually traps any smog in the valley.

Since manufacturing is not a dominant industry of Las Vegas, and with Clark County working to control air quality problems, some success has been shown over the years. The constant tightening of federal requirements for allowable particles in the air, however, make the task of meeting air quality standards difficult.

Water[link]

The native flora does little to help the soil retain water. During the intense rains of monsoon season or (relatively) wet months of January and February, a network of dry natural channels, called washes or arroyos, carved into the valley floor allows water to flow down from the mountains and converge in the Las Vegas Wash which runs through the Clark County Wetlands Park. The wash system used to form a large natural wetlands which then flowed into the Colorado River, until the construction of Hoover Dam on the Colorado River led to the creation of Lake Mead. Further development in the 1980s and 1990s made Lake Las Vegas, which required directing the Las Vegas Wash into tunnels which run under Lake Las Vegas and into Lake Mead.

Nevada receives an allocation 300,000 acre feet (370,000,000 m³) of water^[10] each year from Lake Mead, with credits for water it returns to the lake. The allocations were made with the Colorado River Compact when Nevada had a much smaller population and very little agriculture. The allocations were also made during a wet string of years, which overstated the available water in the entire watershed. As a result, precipitation that is below normal for a few years can have a major impact on the Colorado River Reservoirs. The Las Vegas area uses most of this allocation with Laughlin, Nevada using most of the remaining allocation. In June 2007, the price of a cubic meter was 57 cents in Las Vegas.^[11] Las Vegas gets around 90 percent of its water from Lake Mead.^[12]

Early Vegas depended on the aquifer which fed the flowing springs supporting the meadows that gave the area its name, but the pumping of water from these caused a large drop in the water levels and ground subsidence over wide areas of the valley. Today, the aquifers are basically used to store water that is pumped from the lake during periods of low demand and pumped out during periods of high demand.

Urbanization[link]

The population doubling time in the greater metropolitan area was under ten years, since the early 1970s and the Las Vegas metropolitan area now has a population approaching two million people. This rapid population growth led to a significant urbanization of desert lands into industrial and commercial areas(see suburbia).

Economy[link]

Exterior of the Palazzo hotel at night. A major part of the city economy is based on tourism including gambling and ultra-luxury hotels

Historical Visitors and Hotel Rooms
Data through 2008, Room Projections Las Vegas Convention Authority

The driving force in Las Vegas is the tourism industry and the area has about 150,000 hotel rooms, more than any city in the world.^[13] In the past, casinos and celebrity shows were the two major attractions for the area. Now shopping, conventions, fine dining, and outdoor beauty are also major forces in attracting tourist dollars.

Las Vegas serves as world headquarters for the world's two largest Fortune 500 gaming companies, Harrah's Entertainment and MGM Resorts International.^[14] Several companies involved in the manufacture of electronic gaming machines, such as slot machines, are located in the Las Vegas area. In the first decade of the 21st century, shopping and dining have become attractions of their own. Tourism marketing and promotion are handled by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, a county-wide agency. Its annual Visitors Survey provides detailed information on visitor numbers, spending patterns, and resulting revenues.^[15]

While Las Vegas has historically attracted high-stake gamblers from around the world, it is now facing tougher competition from the UK, Hong Kong and Macau (China), Eastern Europe and developing areas in the Middle East. The financial and operating risks associated with pursuing the high-roller market will persist, but some U.S. casinos may opt out of chasing high-end players altogether as the costs to attract these players increase significantly and the relative incentive declines.^[16]

Las Vegas has recently enjoyed a boom in population and tourism. The urban area has grown outward so quickly that it borders Bureau of Land Management holdings along its edges. This has led to an increase in land values such that medium- and high-density development is occurring closer to the core. The Chinatown of Las Vegas was constructed in the early 1990s on Spring Mountain Road. Chinatown initially consisted of only one large shopping center complex, but the area was expanded with shopping centers that contain various Asian businesses. Over the past few years, retirees have been moving to the metro area, driving businesses that support them from housing to health care.

Las Vegas has been seeking to expand its manufacturing and research bases. There have been positive signs such as the World Market Center located in the city, and the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, in addition to many smaller businesses.

While the cost of housing spiked up over 40% in 2004, the lack of business and income taxes still makes Nevada an attractive place for many companies to relocate to or expand existing operations. Being a true twenty-four hour city, call centers have always seemed to find Las Vegas a good place to hire workers who are accustomed to working at all hours.

The construction industry usually accounts for a large share of the economy in Las Vegas. Hotel casinos planned for the Strip can take years to build and employ thousands of workers. The same could be said of the housing boom. With the introduction of Turnberry Towers, developers discovered that there was a large demand for high-end condominiums. At the end of 2004, several major condominium towers were in various stages of development, however, by 2008, the construction industry was in a downturn due to the credit crunch.

Constant population growth means that the housing construction industry is important. In 2000 more than 21,000 new homes and 26,000 resale homes were purchased. In early 2005 there were 20 residential development projects of more than 300 acres (120 ha) each underway. During the that same period, Las Vegas was regarded as the fastest-growing community in the US. However, the financial crisis of 2007-2010 and the accompanying business downturn has sent business and growth tumbling, with Las Vegas recording one of the highest home foreclosure rates in the country. The disappearance of disposable consumer income and the backlash against corporate entertainment spending sent the hospitality industry into a tailspin from which it has yet to fully recover as of summer 2010.

Other promising residential and office developments have begun construction around downtown Las Vegas. New condominium and high-rise hotel projects have changed the Las Vegas skyline dramatically in recent years. Many large high-rise projects are planned for downtown Las Vegas, as well as the Las Vegas Strip.

In recent years rapid Manhattanization and Vancouverism has occurred in Las Vegas.

Construction[link]

Construction on The Strip

Construction in Las Vegas is a major industry and quickly growing with the population. In March 2011, construction employed 40,700 people and is expected to grow with the recovering economy.^[17] Since the mega resorts that have defined Las Vegas today, began going up in the early 1970s, construction has played a vital role in both commercial and non commercial developments. Cranes are a constant part of the Las Vegas Skyline. At any given time there are 300 new homes being constructed in Las Vegas. Downtown and The strip always have at least one hospitality project under construction. In addition, in recent years Las Vegas has seen a spike in high-rise housing units. Luxurious condos and penthouse suites are always being built. New suburban master planned communities are also becoming common in Las Vegas ever since The Howard Hughes Corporation began work on Summerlin, an upper-class community on the west side of the valley.

The massive project CityCenter broke ground on June 26, 2006. Now completed at 3780 Las Vegas Boulevard South, it is the largest privately funded building complex in the world. At a cost of $9.2 billion, CityCenter was one of the largest projects in Vegas history. It put a massive strain on the construction ability and workforce of the area due to number of laborers and amount of materials required. Because of this, prices of almost any construction project in Las Vegas doubled. It is currently held by MGM Resorts International and has three hotels, two condo towers, and a hotel-condo building along with a large shopping and entertainment center.

Construction is expected to increase slowly in 2011 and 2012 however will pick up in 2013 with significant spending and millions of new jobs in the industry.^[18] In the near future, five years to a decade, it is estimated that Las Vegas will see an increase in commercial skyscraper developments in the Downtown area. A World Jewelry Center tower is planned for Downtown. It would stand as the tallest and only non hospitality or residential tower in Las Vegas.^[19] This will hopefully attract other developers and businesses in industries such as banking, finance, real estate, insurance, and media.

Housing[link]

Suburbs in the Valley are testament to the rapid urbanization in the region.

Slab-on-grade foundations is the common base for residential buildings in the area.

Traditionally, housing consisted primarily of single-family detached homes. Apartment complexes generally were two story buildings. There have been exceptions, but they were few and far between. In the 1990s, Turnberry Associates constructed the first high rise condominium. Prior to this, there were only a handful of mid-rise multi-family buildings. By the mid 2000s, there was a major move into high rise condominiums towers, which had an impact on the region's skyline around the Strip.

U.S. housing market collapse[link]

Las Vegas has been one of the top areas in the nation adversely affected by the recent subprime mortgage crisis and United States housing market correction, resulting in a free fall in home prices and mass foreclosures. As of January 2008, 1.9% of homes in the Las Vegas area were in the foreclosure process, almost triple the rate of a year earlier.^[20] The problems, as it was mostly nationwide, was rampant speculation from house flippers, who sought quick profits and never intended to live in the homes they purchased. Also, resetting of many mortgage rates increased foreclosures. As of April 2008, 51% of the more than 22,000 homes for sale in the area were vacant, according to Las Vegas real estate research firm SalesTraq.^[21] This downturn also negatively affected rental properties by placing downward pressure on rent prices. However, since the first quarter of 2010, the rental market has shown some signs of rebounding with average rent increasing 2% in the last six months.^[22]

Changes in house prices for the area are publicly tracked on a regular basis using the Case–Shiller index; the statistic is published by Standard & Poor's and is also a component of S&P's 10-city composite index of the value of the residential real estate market.

Technology companies[link]

Some technology companies have either relocated to Las Vegas or were created there. For various reasons, the Las Vegas has had a high concentration of technology companies in electronic gaming and telecommunications industries.

Some current technology companies in southern Nevada include: Bigelow Aerospace, CommPartners, Datanamics, eVital Communications, Petroglyph, SkywireMedia, Switch Communications, WorldDoc and Zappos.

Companies that originally were formed in the Las Vegas region, but have since sold or relocated include Westwood Studios (sold to Electronic Arts), Systems Research & Development (Sold to IBM), Yellowpages.com (Sold to Bellsouth and SBC), and MPower Communications.

Tourism[link]

The iconic Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign

The major attractions in Las Vegas are the casinos and the hotels. The most famous hotel casinos are located on Las Vegas Boulevard on the segment known as the Las Vegas Strip. These larger casinos are located outside of the city. Many of these hotels are massive, providing thousands of rooms, and have large adjoining casino areas. There are many hotel casinos in the city's downtown area as well, which was the focal point of the city's gaming industry in its early days. Several large hotels and casinos are also located somewhat off the Strip, as well as in the county around the city.

Nevada divides the area's casinos into several groups which cover the valley, these are the Boulder Strip, Downtown Las Vegas, LV Strip, North Las Vegas and the rest of Clark County, which also includes large areas that are outside of the valley.

Shopping[link]

Las Vegas has expanded its attractiveness to visitors by offering both affordable and high-end merchandise in many shops and shopping malls. Many hotels on the Las Vegas Strip also have adjacent shopping malls, giving the Las Vegas area the highest concentration of shopping malls in any four mile stretch of road. In addition to the malls on the Strip, there are several outlying malls in the City of Las Vegas, Henderson, and the surrounding area. The monorail, lying somewhat east of the Strip, facilitates north-south travel, including stations at several casinos and the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Major malls include:

Culture and the arts[link]

The "First Friday" celebration, held on the first Friday of each month, exhibits the works of local artists and musicians in an area just south of downtown, now called the "Arts District".^[23]

The Southern Nevada Zoological-Botanical Park, also known as the Las Vegas Zoo, exhibits over 150 species of animals and plants.

The Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay is the only aquarium that is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums in the state of Nevada. It features over 2,000 animals and 1,200 species in 1.6 million gallons of seawater.

The $485 million Smith Center for the Performing Arts is located downtown in Symphony Park. The center is appropriate for Broadway shows and other major touring attractions as well as orchestra, opera, and dance performances.

Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art is a facility presenting high-quality art exhibitions from major national and international museums. Past exhibits have included the works of Andy Warhol, Alexander Calder, and Peter Carl Fabergé. A self-guided audio tour is also offered. The nearby CityCenter complex also includes several public art displays that are scattered throughout the complex.

The Las Vegas Natural History Museum features robot dinosaurs, live fish, and more than 26 species of preserved animals. There are several "hands-on" areas where animals can be petted.

The Atomic Testing Museum, affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution, houses artifacts from the Nevada Test Site and records the dramatic history of the atomic age through a series of interactive modules, timelines, films, and actual equipment and gadgets from the site.

Festivals[link]

Gardens[link]

Libraries[link]

Museums[link]

Parks and Attractions[link]

Theaters[link]

Wildlife[link]

1. ^ ^{a b c d e} While outside of the valley, generally consider to be a Vegas destination

Communities[link]

Cities[link]

• Henderson
• Las Vegas
• North Las Vegas

Some Las Vegas neighborhoods[link]

The Las Vegas Valley has an area that is considered similar to the Platinum Triangle in Los Angeles. This area consists of The Ridges in Summerlin South, Southern Highlands Golf Club in southwest Las Vegas, and MacDonald Highlands in Henderson and is most commonly referred to as the "Diamond Outskirts" due to all three neighborhoods being located on the edge of their respective cities. The Las Vegas "Diamond Outskirts" consists of some of the most extravagant homes in the United States.

Census-designated places[link]

The Las Vegas Strip in 2004, as seen from the top of the Rio. The Strip is largely within Paradise.

Other communities[link]

• Arden
• Sloan

Media[link]

Broadcast[link]

Las Vegas is served by 22 television and 46 radio stations. The area is also served by two NOAA Weather Radio transmitters (162.55 MHz located in Boulder City and 162.40 MHz located on Mount Potosi).

• Radio stations in Las Vegas
• Television stations in Las Vegas

Newspapers[link]

• Gamingwire an online news service about gaming and related topics
• Henderson Home News is a defunct weekly newspaper serving Henderson, owned by Greenspun Media Group, publishers of the Sun. It was closed in 2010.^[25]
• Las Vegas Advisor
• Las Vegas Business Press
• Las Vegas CityLife is the oldest alternative weekly newspaper in Southern Nevada.^{[citation needed]}
• Las Vegas Review-Journal
• Las Vegas Sun
• Las Vegas Weekly is an alternative weekly paper owned by Greenspun Media Group, publishers of the Sun.
• Summerlin News and its sister West Valley News serving Summerlin and Spring Valley, owned by Greenspun Media Group, publishers of the Sun.
• Valley Times is a defunct newspaper that was discontinued around 1985. It covered the North Las Vegas area in the 1970s and 1980s.

Magazines[link]

• 215-South
• Las Vegas Style
• QVegas
• S Las Vegas

Public relations[link]

• Sarah Thornton Public Relations

Transportation[link]

The Las Vegas Monorail pulling into the Sahara Station in Paradise.

McCarran International Airport.

A jetBlue's jet is taking off from McCarran International Airport.

McCarran International Airport (LAS) provides commercial flights into the Las Vegas. The airport serves domestic, international, and cargo flights, as well as some private aircraft. General aviation traffic, however, will typically use the much smaller North Las Vegas Airport, or other airfields in the county. Public transportation is provided by RTC Transit. Numerous bus routes cover Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, and other suburban areas.

The Las Vegas Monorail runs from the MGM Grand Hotel at the south end of the Strip to the Sahara Hotel and Casino at the north end of the Strip. The street numbering system is divided by the following streets:

• Westcliff Drive, US 95 Expressway, Fremont Street and Charleston Boulevard divide the north-south block numbers from west to east.
• Las Vegas Boulevard divides the east-west streets from the Las Vegas Strip to near the Stratosphere, then Main Street becomes the dividing line from the Stratosphere to the North Las Vegas border, after which the Goldfield Street alignment officially divides east and west.
• On the east side of Las Vegas, block numbers between Charleston Boulevard and Washington Avenue are different along Nellis Boulevard, which is the eastern border of the city limits.
• All city street signs begin with a N, S, W, or E designation.

Until 1997, the Amtrak Desert Wind train service ran through Las Vegas using the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) rails that run through the city; Amtrak service to Las Vegas has since been replaced by Amtrak's Thruway Motorcoach bus service. Plans to restore Los Angeles to Las Vegas Amtrak service using a Talgo train have been discussed but no plan for a replacement has been implemented. The Las Vegas Amtrak station was located in the Plaza Hotel. It had the distinction of being the only train station located in a casino.

Two major freeways—Interstate 15 and Interstate 515/U.S. Route 95—cross in downtown Las Vegas. I-15 connects Las Vegas to the Southern California coastal urban centers of Los Angeles and San Diego, and heads northeast to and beyond Salt Lake City, Utah. I-515 goes southeast to Henderson, beyond which US 93 continues over the Hoover Dam towards Phoenix, Arizona and the Arizona Sun Corridor. US 95 connects the city to northwestern Nevada, including Carson City and Reno. US 93 splits from I-15 northeast of Las Vegas and goes north through the eastern part of the state, serving Ely and Wells, and US 95 heads south from US 93 near Henderson through far eastern California. A three-quarters beltway has been built, consisting of Interstate 215 on the south and Clark County 215 on the west and north. Other radial routes include Blue Diamond Road (SR 160) to Pahrump and Lake Mead Boulevard (SR 147) to Lake Mead.

With the notable exceptions of Las Vegas Boulevard, Boulder Highway (SR 582), and Rancho Drive (SR 599), the majority of surface streets outside downtown Las Vegas are laid out along Public Land Survey System section lines. Many are maintained by the Nevada Department of Transportation as state highways.

Airports[link]

• McCarran International Airport
• North Las Vegas Airport
• Henderson Executive Airport
• Ivanpah Valley Airport (planned)

Rail and bus[link]

While the Las Vegas area does not have any passenger rail service, proposals to revive passenger trains to Las Vegas have included the Desert Xpress high-speed train from Victorville, California; the California-Nevada Interstate Maglev, which would extend to Anaheim, California, with its first segment being to Primm, Nevada. The Las Vegas Railway Express; and the Z-Train, which would travel six days a week between Los Angeles Union Station and a new Z-Train Station adjacent to the Strip; and the Desert Lightning to Los Angeles and Phoenix. Las Vegas receives about 30 freight trains per day in 2004, and serves as a district crew change point, requiring all trains to stop in downtown. Freight traffic was 179,284 cars in 2004.^[26]

Existing services[link]

• Las Vegas Monorail
• RTC Transit

Roads[link]

Two major freeways—Interstate 15 and U.S. Route 95—cross in downtown Las Vegas. I-15 connects Las Vegas to Los Angeles and San Diego, and heads northeast to and beyond Salt Lake City. Interstate 515 goes southeast to Henderson, beyond which U.S. Route 93 continues over the Hoover Dam towards Phoenix, Arizona. US 95 connects the city to northwestern Nevada, including Carson City and Reno. US 93 splits from I-15 northeast of Las Vegas and goes north through the eastern part of the state, serving Ely and Wells, and US 95 heads south from US 93 near Henderson through far eastern California. A three-quarters beltway has been built, consisting of Interstate 215 on the south and Clark County 215 on the west and north. Other radial routes include SR 160 to Pahrump and SR 147 to Lake Mead.

With the notable exceptions of Las Vegas Boulevard, Boulder Highway, and Tonopah Highway (better known as the northern part of Rancho Drive), the majority of surface streets outside downtown Las Vegas are laid out along Public Land Survey System section lines. Many are maintained by the Nevada Department of Transportation as state highways.

East-west roads, north to south^[27]

North-south roads, west to east

Fuel[link]

The Las Vegas area is dependent on imported gasoline, diesel, and aviation fuel as is most of Nevada, which has only one refinery. The region is dependent on the Calnev Pipeline as its single supply. Limited diesel is delivered to a dedicated terminal in North Las Vegas by rail. Diversified supply is dependent on the planned UNEV pipeline.

Electricity[link]

About 25% of the electric power from Hoover Dam goes to Nevada,^[28] and about 70% of power to Southern Nevada comes from natural gas fired power stations.^[29]

Sports[link]

Las Vegas is the home of the following minor league teams:

Recreation[link]

Las Vegas has many recreational options.

There are several multiuse trail systems within the valley operated by multiple organizations. The River Mountains Loop Trail is a 35-mile (56 km) long trail that connects the west side of the valley with Hoover Dam and Lake Mead.^[30] Summerlin offers more than 150 miles of award winning trails within the 22,500-acre (9,100 ha) community.^[31] There are also the 3-mile (4.8 km) Angel Park Trail, Bonanza Trail, and the county's Flamingo Arroyo Trail,^[32] I-215 West Beltway Trail (5 miles (8.0 km)), I-215 East Beltway Trail (4 miles (6.4 km)), Tropicana/Flamingo Washes Trail and the Western Trails Park Area Equestrian Trails (4 miles).^[33][34]

Education[link]

Primary and secondary[link]

The Clark County School District operates all of the public primary and secondary schools in the county with the exception of a few which are contracted out to a private organization.

Private schools

Alexander Dawson School

American Heritage Academy

Bishop Gorman High School

Faith Lutheran Jr/Sr High School

Calvary Chapel Christian School

Calvary Church Christian School

The Milton I. Schwartz Hebrew Academy

Las Vegas Day School

The Meadows School

Merryhill School

Mountain View Christian School

Paradise Christian Academy

Shiloh Christian School

St. Viator School

Trinity Christian School

New Horizons Academy

University Baptist Academy

Colleges and universities[link]

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) is in Paradise, about three miles (5 km) south of the city limits and roughly two miles east of the Strip. The University of Nevada Medical School has a campus near downtown Las Vegas. Several national colleges, including the University of Phoenix, have campuses in the Las Vegas area. Nevada State College, National University and Touro University Nevada are nearby Henderson. The College of Southern Nevada has campuses in Las Vegas, North Las Vegas and Henderson. Henderson also is home to DeVry University and the Keller Graduate School of Management, as well as the University of Southern Nevada. Other private entities in the Las Vegas Valley include Apollo College and ITT Technical Institute.

Public schools

University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) is the major higher education institution in Las Vegas

University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) also has a campus for the School of Medicine in Las Vegas

Nevada State College located in Henderson, Nevada

College of Southern Nevada—formerly known as the Community College of Southern Nevada and Clark County Community College

Private schools 4 year+

Design Institute

National University of Nevada

Touro University Nevada

University of Phoenix-Nevada

University of Southern Nevada, Doctor of Pharmacy degree

Venues in Las Vegas[link]

• Music venues in Las Vegas
• Sports venues in Las Vegas

See also[link]

• Architecture of Las Vegas

References[link]

v t e  State of Nevada Carson City (capital) Topics Delegations Geography Government History People Transportation Visitor attractions Society Crime Demographics Economy Education Politics Regions Black Rock Desert Eagle Valley Great Basin Lake Mead Lake Tahoe Las Vegas Valley Mojave Desert Pahranagat Valley Sierra Nevada Truckee Meadows Metro areas Las Vegas–Paradise Reno–Sparks Carson City Counties Churchill Clark Douglas Elko Esmeralda Eureka Humboldt Lander Lincoln Lyon Mineral Nye Pershing Storey Washoe White Pine Cities and communities Alamo Amargosa Valley Austin Baker Battle Mountain Beatty Boulder City Caliente Carlin Carson City Elko Ely Enterprise Eureka Fallon Fernley Gardnerville Ranchos Gerlach Goldfield Hawthorne Henderson Incline Village Las Vegas Laughlin Lovelock Mesquite Minden North Las Vegas Pahrump Paradise Pioche Primm Rachel Reno Spanish Springs Sparks Spring Creek Spring Valley Stateline Summerlin South Sun Valley Sunrise Manor Tonopah Virginia City West Wendover Winnemucca Whitney Winchester Yerington Former counties Bullfrog Ormsby Roop

Las Vegas
—  City  —
City of Las Vegas
A montage of the city of Las Vegas; from top to bottom: Las Vegas, Vegas Vic, Binion's Horseshoe, Fremont Street Experience, and Plaza Hotel & Casino
Flag Official seal of Las Vegas Seal
Nickname(s): The Gambling Capital of the World,[1] Sin City, The Entertainment Capital of the World, Capital of Second Chances,[2] The Marriage Capital of the World
Location of the city of Las Vegas within Clark County, Nevada
Las Vegas Location within the contiguous United States of America
Coordinates: 36°10′30″N 115°08′11″W / 36.175°N 115.13639°W / 36.175; -115.13639Coordinates: 36°10′30″N 115°08′11″W / 36.175°N 115.13639°W / 36.175; -115.13639
Country	United States
State	Nevada
County	Clark
Founded	May 15, 1905
Incorporated	March 16, 1911
Government
• Type	Council–manager
• Mayor	Carolyn G. Goodman (I)
• City Manager	Betsy Fretwell
Area
• City	135.8 sq mi (352 km2)
• Land	135.8 sq mi (352 km2)
• Water	.05 sq mi (0 km2)
Elevation	2,001 ft (610 m)
Population (2010)[3]
• City	583,756
• Density	4,298.1/sq mi (1,659.5/km2)
• Urban	1,314,356
• Metro	1,951,269
	(30th most in the U.S.)
Demonym	Las Vegan
Time zone	PST (UTC−8)
• Summer (DST)	PDT (UTC−7)
ZIP code
Area code(s)	702
FIPS code	32-40000
GNIS feature ID	0847388
Website	www.lasvegasnevada.gov

Las Vegas (/lɑːs ˈveɪɡəs/) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County.^[4] Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous for its consolidated casino–hotels and associated entertainment. A growing retirement and family city, Las Vegas is the 28th-most populous city in the United States, with a population at the 2010 census of 583,756. The 2010 population of the Las Vegas metropolitan area was 1,951,269.^[3]

Established in 1905, Las Vegas was incorporated as a city in 1911. At the close of the 20th century, Las Vegas was the most populous American city founded in that century (a distinction held by Chicago in the 19th century). The city's tolerance for various forms of adult entertainment earned it the title of Sin City, and this image has made Las Vegas a popular setting for films and television programs. There are numerous outdoor lighting displays on Fremont Street, as well as elsewhere in the city.

Las Vegas often refers to the city plus some areas beyond the city limits, especially the resort areas on and near the Las Vegas Strip, and sometimes the entire Las Vegas Valley. The 4.2 mi (6.8 km) stretch of South Las Vegas Boulevard known as the Strip is mainly in the unincorporated communities of Paradise, Winchester, and Enterprise.^[5][6]

History[link]

Southern Paiutes at Moapa wearing traditional Paiute basket hats with Paiute cradleboard and rabbit robe

The first reported European visitor to the Las Vegas Valley was Raphael Rivera in 1829.^[7] Las Vegas was named by Spaniards in the Antonio Armijo party,^[8] who used the water in the area while heading north and west along the Old Spanish Trail from Texas. In the 19th century, areas of the valley contained artesian wells that supported extensive green areas or meadows (vegas in Spanish); hence the name Las Vegas.

On May 3, 1844, while it was still part of Mexico, John C. Frémont led a group of scientists, scouts, and observers for the United States Army Corps of Engineers into the Las Vegas Valley.^[9] On May 10, 1855, following annexation by the United States, Brigham Young assigned 30 missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints led by William Bringhurst to the area to convert the Paiute Indian population to Mormonism. A fort was built near the current downtown area that served as a stopover for travelers along the "Mormon Corridor" between Salt Lake and the briefly thriving colony of saints at San Bernardino, California. Mormons abandoned Las Vegas in 1857, during the Utah War. Las Vegas was established as a railroad town on May 15, 1905, when 110 acres (45 ha) owned by the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad in what is now downtown Las Vegas was auctioned off. Among the railroad's most notable owners and directors were Montana Senator William A. Clark, Utah Senator Thomas Kearns, and R.C. Kerens of St. Louis.^[10] Las Vegas was part of Lincoln County until 1908, when it became part of the newly established Clark County. The St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church near 4th and Bridger in downtown was founded in 1910.^[11] Las Vegas became an incorporated city on March 16, 1911; Peter Buol was the first mayor.

Las Vegas started as a stopover on the pioneer trails to the west, and became a popular railroad town in the early 20th century. It was a staging point for mines in the surrounding area, especially those around the town of Bullfrog, that shipped goods to the rest of the country. With the proliferation of the railroads, Las Vegas became less important, but the completion of the nearby Hoover Dam in 1935 resulted in growth in the number of residents and increased tourism. The dam, located 30 mi (48 km) southeast of the city, formed Lake Mead, the largest man-made lake and reservoir in the US. Today, tours are offered into lesser-known parts of the dam. The legalization of gambling in 1931 led to the advent of the casino hotels for which Las Vegas is famous. Major development occurred in the 1940s, "due almost entirely" to the influx of scientists and staff from the Manhattan Project, an atomic bomb research project of World War II. Atomic test watching parties were sometimes thrown.^[12] American organized crime figures such as Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel and Meyer Lansky managed or funded most of the original large casinos.^[13] The rapid growth of Las Vegas is credited with dooming Galveston, Texas; Hot Springs, Arkansas; and other major gaming centers in the 1950s.^[14]

Geography and climate[link]

Desert scene in the Las Vegas area

Las Vegas is situated within Clark County in an arid basin on the desert floor, surrounded by dry mountains. The Spring Mountains lie to the west. Much of the landscape is rocky and dusty; the environment is dominated by desert vegetation and some wildlife, and the area is subject to torrential flash floods. The elevation is around 2,030 ft (620 m) above sea level. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 135.86 sq mi (351.9 km²), of which 131.81 sq mi (341.4 km²) is land and 0.05 sq mi (0.13 km²) (0.03%) is water.

Within the city there are many lawns, trees, and other greenery. Due to water resource issues, there is now a movement to encourage xeriscapes. Another part of the water conservation efforts include scheduled watering groups for watering residential landscaping. A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grant in 2008 funded a program that analyzed and forecast growth and environmental impacts through the year 2019.

Climate[link]

Snowfall in Las Vegas is rare, but possible. December 2008.

Las Vegas' climate is a subtropical desert climate (Koppen climate classification BWh), typical of the Mojave Desert in which it lies. The city enjoys abundant sunshine year-round: it has an average of about 300 sunny days per year with more than 3,800 hours of sunshine.^[15]

The summer months of June through September are very hot and mostly dry, with average daytime highs of 94 to 104 °F (34 to 40 °C) and night-time lows of 69–78 °F (21–26 °C). There are an average of 133 days per year above 90 °F (32 °C), and 72 days above 100 °F (38 °C), with most of the days in July and August exceeding that benchmark. Humidity is very low, often under 10%.

Las Vegas' winters are of short duration and the season is generally mild, with daytime highs near 60 °F (16 °C) and nighttime lows around 40 °F (4 °C). The mountains surrounding Las Vegas accumulate snow during the winter but snow is rare in the Las Vegas Valley itself.^[16] Temperatures can sometimes drop to freezing 32 °F (0 °C) but winter nighttime temperatures will rarely dip below 30 °F (−1 °C).

Annual precipitation in Las Vegas is roughly 4.5 in (110 mm), which on average occurs on 29 days per year.^[17] Most of the precipitation falls in the winter, but the driest month (June) has only 2.9 fewer average days of precipitation than the wettest month (March).

Demographics[link]

Downtown Las Vegas and Red Rock Canyon behind

According to the 2010 Census, the racial composition of Las Vegas was as follows:^[20]

• White: 62.1% (Non-Hispanic Whites: 47.9%)
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 31.5% (24.0% Mexican, 1.4% Salvadoran, 0.9% Puerto Rican, 0.9% Cuban, 0.6% Guatemalan, 0.2% Peruvian, 0.2% Colombian, 0.2% Honduran, 0.2% Nicaraguan)
• Black or African American: 11.1%
• Asian: 6.1% (3.3% Filipino, 0.7% Chinese, 0.5% Korean, 0.4% Japanese, 0.4% Indian, 0.2% Vietnamese, 0.2% Thai)
• Two or more races: 4.9%
• Native American: 0.7%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: 0.6%

Source:^[21]

The city's most populous ethnic group, non-Hispanic White,^[22] has declined from 72.1% in 1990 to 47.9% in 2010.^[23]

As of the census^[24] of 2010, there were 583,756 people, 211,689 households, and 117,538 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,222.5 /sq mi (1,630.3 /km²). There are 190,724 housing units at an average density of 1,683.3 /sq mi (649.9 /km²).

As of 2006, there were 176,750 households, out of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.3% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.20.

In the city the population was spread out with 25.9% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 103.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $53,000 and the median income for a family was $58,465.^[25] Males had a median income of $35,511 versus $27,554 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,060. About 6.6% of families and 8.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.4% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.

Las Vegas has one of the highest suicide and divorce rates of the U.S.^[26][27] A study that found Las Vegas residents are 40% less likely to commit suicide if they leave Las Vegas and visitors are more than twice as likely to commit suicide there as elsewhere^[28][29] was published in the Las Vegas Sun newspaper in 2008.^[30] The city's high divorce rate is not wholly due to Las Vegans themselves getting divorced. Since divorce is easier in Nevada than most other states, many people come from across the country for the easier process.

For similar reasons, Las Vegas has one of the highest marriage rates of U.S. cities, with many licenses issued to people from outside the area (see Las Vegas weddings).

Economy[link]

The primary drivers of the Las Vegas economy are tourism, gaming, and conventions, which in turn feed the retail and restaurant industries.

Tourism[link]

The major attractions in Las Vegas are the casinos and the hotels. Most of the hotel casinos are in the city's downtown area, which has been the focal point of the city's gaming industry since its early days.

Most major casinos are downtown on the Fremont Street Experience, The Stratosphere being the major exception. Fremont East, adjacent to the Fremont Street Experience, was granted variances to allow bars to be closer together, similar to the Gaslamp Quarter of San Diego, the goal being to attract a different demographic than the strip attracts.

Downtown casinos[link]

Golden Nugget Las Vegas

Las Vegas got its start with casinos in 1931 with the opening of the Northern Club (now the La Bayou).^[31][32] The most notable of the early casinos may have been Binion's Horseshoe (now Binion's Gambling Hall and Hotel) while it was run by Benny Binion. Boyd Gaming has a major presence downtown operating the California Hotel and Casino, Fremont Hotel and Casino and the Main Street Casino. The Golden Gate Hotel and Casino is the oldest hotel in the Fremont Street Experience. The Golden Nugget is the largest hotel and casino in the city. The Plaza Hotel & Casino on Main Street was the railway station until Amtrak discontinued service. Other casinos include the El Cortez, The D, Four Queens, Gold Spike Hotel and Casino and the Las Vegas Club.

Las Vegas Strip[link]

The gambling and entertainment industry in Las Vegas is mostly focused in the Las Vegas Strip. The Strip is not actually located in city limits, but instead in the surrounding unincorporated communities of Paradise and Winchester. The largest and most notable casinos and buildings are located there.

Redevelopment[link]

The Strip in late 2009

Astronaut photograph of Las Vegas at night

When The Mirage opened in 1989, it started a trend of major resort development of the southern portion of the Las Vegas Strip outside of the city. This resulted in a drop in tourism in the downtown area, but many recent projects and condominium construction have increased the number of visitors to downtown.

An effort has been made by city officials to diversify the economy by attracting light manufacturing, banking, and other commercial interests. The lack of state individual and corporate income tax and very simple incorporation requirements have fostered the success of this effort.^{[citation needed]}

With the Strip expansion in the 1990s, Downtown Las Vegas (which has maintained an old Las Vegas feel) began to suffer. The city made an effort to turn around the fortunes of downtown. The city successfully lured the Internal Revenue Service operations from western side of the city to a new downtown area building that opened in April 2005. The IRS move was expected to create a greater demand for additional businesses in the area, especially in the daytime hours. The Fremont Street Experience (FSE) was built in an effort to draw tourists back to the area, and has been popular. Since the recession began in 2008, many of these shops have closed. The multi-level Neonopolis closed their 11 theaters and nearly all retail stores. Many high-rise condo projects have been under construction, but one of the highest profile buildings, The Streamline Towers, went into bankruptcy.

The city purchased 61 acres (25 ha) of property from the Union Pacific Railroad in 1995 with the goal of creating something to draw more people to the downtown area. In 2004 Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman announced plans for Symphony Park, which will include residential and office high-rises, the Lou Ruvo Brain Institute, an academic medical center, The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, and a new City Hall. After failed negotiations with The Related Co. on the development of Union Park in October 2005, San Diego-based Newland Communities was chosen by the city as the new development firm. The Newland contract calls for Dan Van Epp, Newland's regional vice president and former president of The Howard Hughes Corporation, to oversee his company's work on Symphony Park. The Lou Ruvo Brain Institute was completed in 2009.

In 2004 the city partnered with Cheetah Wireless Technologies and MeshNetwork to pilot a wide-area mobile broadband system. The pilot system is installed downtown, around the Fremont Street Experience. On a lot adjacent to the city's 61 acre site, the World Market Center opened in 2005. It was intended as a preeminent furniture wholesale showroom and marketplace to compete with the current furniture market capital of High Point, North Carolina.

On October 23, 2006, plans were unveiled to build a World Jewelry Center in Symphony Park. Similar to the World Market Center, the WJC will be a one stop shop for jewelry trade shows from around the world. The project proposes a 57-story, 815 ft (248 m) office tower.^[33] As of 2009 the project was still on hold.^[34]

Las Vegas decided to build a new city hall in the late 2000s. This had several consequences. One being that the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, which shared city hall, would have to find a new location. The second being that the old building would be vacated with the potential negative impact on the downtown area. The police department elected to build a headquarters building in another part of the city and consolidate most of its operations in one place. This increased the department's presence within the city since it would be moving in employees not presently working in the city. The second problem was address when the city and Zappos reached an agreement for Zappos to move its headquarters into the old city hall.

Nearby communities[link]

• Henderson, Nevada, incorporated
• North Las Vegas, Nevada, incorporated
• Paradise, Nevada, unincorporated
• Enterprise, unincorporated
• Sunrise Manor, Nevada, unincorporated
• Spring Valley, Nevada, unincorporated
• Boulder City, Nevada, incorporated

Culture[link]

The city is home to several museums including the Neon Museum home to many of the historical signs from the valley, The Las Vegas Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, the Las Vegas Natural History Museum, Lied Discovery Children's Museum and the Old Las Vegas Mormon State Historic Park.

On the first Friday of each month, the "First Friday" celebration is held, which exhibits the works of local artists and musicians in a section of the city's Downtown region called the "Arts District".^[35]

The Thursday prior to First Friday is known in the 18b Arts District as "Preview Thursday". This evening event highlights new gallery exhibitions just opening throughout the district.

The Southern Nevada Zoological-Botanical Park, also known as the Las Vegas Zoo, exhibits over 150 species of animals and plants.

The $485 million Smith Center for the Performing Arts (scheduled for completion in 2012) is located downtown in Symphony Park. The center will host Broadway shows and other major touring attractions as well as orchestra, opera, and dance performances.

The city hosts annual events like the Helldorado Days (Las Vegas).

Sports[link]

Las Vegas does not have major-league sports, although the metropolitan population is as large or larger than many cities that have them. The two main reasons are concern about legal sports betting and competition for the entertainment dollar. The only minor league sports team that plays in the City of Las Vegas is baseball's Las Vegas 51s of the Pacific Coast League, the AAA farm club of the Toronto Blue Jays.

Parks and recreation[link]

Las Vegas has dozens of parks,^[36] including Las Vegas Springs Preserve, a recreational and educational facility, and Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs. The city operates 4 golf courses (Angel Park Golf Club, Desert Pines Golf Course, Durango Hills Golf Club and the Las Vegas Municipal Golf Course), 5 dog parks, 9 community centers, 8 senior centers and 20 sports facilities including 9 skate parks and 6 swimming pools.

Government[link]

The City of Las Vegas government operates as a council–manager government. The Mayor sits as a Council member-at-large and presides over all of the City Council meetings. In the event that the Mayor cannot preside over a City Council meeting, the Mayor Pro-Tem is the presiding officer of the meeting until such time as the Mayor returns to his seat. The City Manager is responsible for the administration and the day-to-day operation of all of the municipal services and city departments. The City Manager maintains intergovernmental relationships with federal, state, county, and other local governments.

Much of the Las Vegas metropolitan area is split into neighboring incorporated cities or unincorporated communities. Approximately 700,000 people live in unincorporated areas governed by Clark County, and another 465,000 live in incorporated cities such as North Las Vegas, Henderson, and Boulder City. Las Vegas and nearly all of the surrounding metropolitan area share a police department, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, which was formed after a 1973 merger of the Las Vegas Police Department and the Clark County Sheriff's Department. North Las Vegas, Henderson, Boulder City, and some colleges have their own police departments.

A Paiute Indian reservation occupies about 1 acre (0.40 ha) in the downtown area.

Las Vegas, as the county seat and home to the Lloyd D. George Federal District Courthouse, draws numerous legal service industries providing bail, marriage, divorce, tax, incorporation, and other legal services.

City council[link]

Education[link]

Primary and secondary schools[link]

Primary and secondary public education is provided by the Clark County School District, which is the fifth most populous school district in the nation (projected enrollment for the 2007–2008 school year was 314,000 students in grades K–12).

Colleges and universities[link]

The College of Southern Nevada (the third largest community college in the United States by enrollment) is the main higher education facility in the city. Other institutions include the University of Nevada School of Medicine, with a campus in the city, and the for-profit private school Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts. Many educational opportunities exist around the city. These include University of Nevada, Las Vegas and Nevada State College run by the Nevada System of Higher Education, Desert Research Institute, The International Academy of Design & Technology Las Vegas, Touro University Nevada and the University of Southern Nevada.

Transportation[link]

The Deuce bus

RTC Transit is a public transportation system providing bus service throughout Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, and other suburban areas of the valley. Inter-city bus service to Las Vegas is provided by Greyhound, many charter services, including Green Tortoise, and several Chinatown bus lines. Amtrak California operates Deluxe Express Thruway Motorcoach dedicated service between the City and its passenger rail station in Bakersfield, California.

A bus rapid transit link in Las Vegas called the Strip & Downtown Express (previously ACE Gold Line^[39]) with limited stops and frequent service was launched in March 2010, and connects Downtown Las Vegas, the Strip, the Las Vegas Convention Center, and Town Square.

With some exceptions, including Las Vegas Boulevard, Boulder Highway (SR 582), and Rancho Drive (SR 599), the majority of surface streets in Las Vegas are laid out in a grid along Public Land Survey System section lines. Many are maintained by the Nevada Department of Transportation as state highways. The street numbering system is divided by the following streets:

• Westcliff Drive, US 95 Expressway, Fremont Street, and Charleston Boulevard divide the north–south block numbers from west to east.
• Las Vegas Boulevard divides the east–west streets from the Las Vegas Strip to near the Stratosphere, then Main Street becomes the dividing line from the Stratosphere to the North Las Vegas border, after which the Goldfield Street alignment divides east and west.
• On the east side of Las Vegas, block numbers between Charleston Boulevard and Washington Avenue are different along Nellis Boulevard, which is the eastern border of the city limits.

Interstates 15, 515, and US 95 lead out of the city in four directions. Two major freeways – Interstate 15 and Interstate 515/U.S. Route 95 – cross in downtown Las Vegas. I-15 connects Las Vegas to Los Angeles, and heads northeast to and beyond Salt Lake City, Utah. I-515 goes southeast to Henderson, beyond which US 93 continues over the Mike O'Callaghan – Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge towards Phoenix, Arizona. US 95 connects the city to northwestern Nevada, including Carson City and Reno. US 93 splits from I-15 northeast of Las Vegas and goes north through the eastern part of the state, serving Ely and Wells. US 95 heads south from US 93 near Henderson through far eastern California. A partial beltway has been built, consisting of Interstate 215 on the south and Clark County 215 on the west and north. Other radial routes include Blue Diamond Road (SR 160) to Pahrump and Lake Mead Boulevard (SR 147) to Lake Mead.

East–west roads, north to south^[40]

North–south roads, west to east

McCarran International Airport

McCarran International Airport handles international and domestic flights into the Las Vegas Valley. The airport also serves private aircraft and freight/cargo flights. Most general aviation traffic uses the smaller North Las Vegas Airport and Henderson Executive Airport.

The Union Pacific Railroad is the only class-one railroad to provide rail freight service to the city. Until 1997, the Amtrak Desert Wind train service ran through Las Vegas using the Union Pacific Railroad tracks. Amtrak service to Las Vegas goes to Needles, California and continues on Amtrak's Thruway Motorcoach bus service. Plans to restore Los Angeles to Las Vegas Amtrak service using a Talgo train were discussed in the late 1990s, but the plan was not implemented. The Las Vegas Amtrak station was located in the Plaza Hotel; it held the distinction of being the only train station in the US that was located in a casino.

Walkability[link]

A 2011 study by Walk Score ranked Las Vegas 25th most walkable of fifty largest U.S. cities.^[41]

Sister cities[link]

Las Vegas has several sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International:

• Ansan, South Korea
• Jeju City, South Korea
• Huludao, Liaoning, People's Republic of China
• Phuket, Thailand
• Angeles City, Philippines
• Pamukkale, Turkey

See also[link]

• Las Vegas weddings
• List of Las Vegans
• List of Las Vegas casinos that never opened
• List of films set in Las Vegas
• List of films shot in Las Vegas
• List of mayors of Las Vegas, Nevada
• List of television shows set in Las Vegas
• Las Vegas Strip
• Radio stations in Las Vegas
• Television stations in Las Vegas

References[link]

External links[link]

Find more about Las Vegas on Wikipedia's sister projects:
	Definitions and translations from Wiktionary
	Images and media from Commons
	Learning resources from Wikiversity
	News stories from Wikinews
	Quotations from Wikiquote
	Source texts from Wikisource
	Textbooks from Wikibooks

• City of Las Vegas official website
• "The Making of Las Vegas" (historical timeline)
• Geologic tour guide of the Las Vegas area from American Geological Institute
• Las Vegas travel guide from Wikitravel
• National Weather Service Forecast – Las Vegas, NV

v t e Municipalities and communities of Clark County, Nevada, United States County seat: Las Vegas Cities Boulder City Henderson Las Vegas Mesquite North Las Vegas CDPs Blue Diamond Bunkerville Cal-Nev-Ari Enterprise Goodsprings Indian Springs Laughlin Moapa Town Moapa Valley Mount Charleston Nellis AFB Nelson Paradise Sandy Valley Searchlight Spring Valley Summerlin South Sunrise Manor Whitney Winchester Unincorporated communities Arden Cactus Springs Cottonwood Cove Coyote Springs Crystal Glendale Jean Logandale Mountain's Edge Mountain Springs Overton Primm Riverside Sloan Stewarts Point Indian reservations Fort Mojave Indian Reservation Moapa River Indian Reservation Ghost towns Rioville St. Thomas