24 Things You Should Learn About Las Vegas and the Neighboring Strip

Exactly what occurs in Vegas ... well, you know the rest. But here are 24 realities about Sin City you likely haven't heard.

1. The majority of Vegas' iconic hotels aren't technically situated in the city of Las Vegas. A good part of the Las Vegas Strip-- and the renowned "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" indication-- are in fact located in an unincorporated area called Paradise, Nevada.

2. One destination that is within Las Vegas city limits: Vegas Vic, the oversized neon cowboy that commands downtown's famous Fremont Street. It's the biggest mechanical neon indication in the world.

3. More than 41 million visitors cycle through Sin City each year ...

4. ... So it's an advantage the town boasts 14 of the world's 20 biggest hotels.

5. There's so much property for travelers to make the most of, it would take a person 288 years to spend a night in every hotel space in the city.

6. There's a secret city below the city. Miles of tunnels-- originally built to protect the desert town from flash floods-- home numerous homeless homeowners.

7. The strip's Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel and Casino got its name from founder-- and legendary mobster-- Bugsy Siegel's sweetheart. Starlet Virginia Hill passed the label "The Flamingo" due to the fact that of her red hair and long, thin legs.

8. In the mid-20th century, Las Vegas had its own set of discriminatory Jim Crow laws, which-- with the exception of low-wage service jobs-- kept African Americans out of the growing city's casinos and hotels. Even legendary performers like Louis Armstrong and Nat King Cole were forced to go into and leave the places where they were carrying out through back doors and side entryways. In 1952, acting legend Sammy Davis Jr. took a dip in the whites-only swimming pool at the New Frontier Hotel & Casino. Later on, the manager had it drained.

9. In May 1955, the Moulin Rouge made history when it became the city's first interracial casino. Legendary boxer Joe Louis, a part owner, declared, "This isn't really the opening of a Las Vegas hotel. It's history."

10. In the 1950s and early 1960s, Las Vegas was known for putting on a different type of program. At the Nevada Test Website, simply 65 miles northwest of the city, the United States Department of Energy would check nuclear devices. Las Vegas' Chamber of Commerce saw a moneymaking opportunity, and decided to distribute calendars promoting detonation times and option watching areas.

11. Legendary recluse Howard Hughes looked into the strip's Desert Inn on Thanksgiving Day 1966, leasing the whole leading two floorings. He was asked to leave when he overstayed his 10-day appointment. Rather, he began negotiations to buy the 715-room spot. His purchase was complete three months later.

12. FedEx founder Frederick W. Smith saved the delivery business with a journey to Vegas. In 1974-- 3 years after he developed the company-- the Yale grad took the venture's last $5,000 and turned it into $32,000 with a weekend of blackjack. His, er, gamble gave the business enough loan to remain afloat.

13. Do not interrupt: Vegas has more unlisted contact number than other city in the United States.

Nevada law specifies that video slot devices should pay back a minimum of 75 percent of the money deposited on average. (Though it's worth noting that in New Jersey, house to betting capital Atlantic City, it's 83 percent.).

15. It takes approximately 10 minutes to snatch a marriage license at the bureau in downtown Las Vegas, which is open every day from 8 a.m. until midnight. No marvel some 10,000 couples wed in the city every month.

16. Let them consume ... shrimp cocktails? More than 60,000 pounds of the shellfish are consumed in the city each day. That's higher than the this review here rest of the nation-- integrated.

17. The half-scale model of the Eiffel Tower, situated outside Paris Las Vegas, was initially planned to be full-size, but due to the close proximity of the airport-- just 3 miles-- it needed to be shrunk down. In contrast, the Luxor Las Vegas' Sphinx is in fact bigger than the initial Terrific Sphinx of Giza.

18. At 50 loads, the bronze lion outside the MGM Grand Hotel is believed to be the largest bronze sculpture in the western hemisphere.

19. The distinct gold color of the windows at the Mirage Hotel originates from actual gold dust.

20. There are 3933 guest rooms at Bellagio Las Vegas-- more than the number of residents in the city of Bellagio, Italy.

21. Not into gambling establishments? The city likewise features a heavy equipment play ground where building and construction lovers can drive around bulldozers for fun.

22. Before his death in 2009, Michael Jackson was looking into doing a Vegas residency. He prepared to market it with a 50-foot robot-likeness of himself that would wander the Nevada desert.

23. At Vegas diner Heart Attack Grill, waitresses gown in nurses attire and customers can order an 8000-calorie quadruple bypass hamburger with a side of flatliner fries. (Fried in pure lard!) Regrettably, in 2013, among the spot's regular clients passed away ... from an apparent cardiovascular disease.

24. From external area, the Las Vegas Strip appears as the brightest area on Earth. Who cares if it's not actually in Las Vegas?


Many of Vegas' iconic hotels aren't technically located in the city of Las Vegas. An excellent portion of the Las Vegas Strip-- and the renowned "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" indication-- are really located in an unincorporated municipality called Paradise, Nevada.

One tourist attraction that is within Las Vegas city limits: Vegas Vic, the large neon cowboy that presides over downtown's renowned Fremont Street. The strip's Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel and Casino got its name from founder-- and famous mobster-- Bugsy Siegel's girlfriend. In the mid-20th century, Las Vegas had its own set of prejudiced Jim Crow laws, which-- with the exception of low-wage service tasks-- kept African Americans out of the growing city's hotels and gambling establishments.

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