Las Vegas, Nevada
Over the past decade, no other city in the country has grown faster than Las Vegas. The gaming, convention and hospitality industries have flourished, and as a result, so has the Las Vegas, Nevada job market. Despite recent troubles to the housing market, the economy in Las Vegas continues to be strong in many aspects. Those moving to Las Vegas will find a cost of living that is below the national average and well below the average of other western cities. Las Vegas is a great city to visit, and even better place to live.
History:
Spanish explorers, who gave the site its name because of the verdant grassland fed by natural aquifers, were the first to discover Las Vegas. In 1855, Mormon missionaries established a settlement, cultivating the land and building a fort to provide protection to travelers on the Salt Lake/Los Angeles Trail. They abandoned the place two years later when the enterprise became unprofitable. In 1864 Fort Baker, a U.S. Army post, was built nearby. And in 1867, Las Vegas was detached from the Arizona territory and became part of the Nevada territory. The town was incorporated in 1911. Construction on the Hoover Dam on the Colorado River began in 1931, bringing to the area thousands of men seeking employment. Another significant event occurred in 1931 with the legalization of casino gambling in Nevada. The gaming and entertainment industries boomed in Las Vegas after World War II. A street lined with large, glittering casino hotels came to be known as the "Strip"; downtown, in Casino Center, lavish palaces featured the country's top entertainers. By the 1950s, Las Vegas, dubbed the "Entertainment Capital of the World," had become synonymous with the unique form of recreation it had created. Since the 1930s, Las Vegas’ population has steadily increased, jumping from slightly fewer than 8,500 people in 1940 to nearly 25,000 people in 1950. And, between 1980 and 1990, the city experienced a more than 60 percent increase. In the 1990s, an average of 6,000 to 7,000 people moved to Clark County each month; that figure remains in the mid-2000s. Las Vegas' population continues to grow rapidly with no real signs of slowing.
Economy:
Tourism drives the economy in Las Vegas, with 37 million people visiting the city each year. In 2004, 20 percent of all jobs were gaming-related. Although many miles away, the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, had a devastating effect on the Las Vegas economy, costing thousands who worked in the entertainment and service industries their jobs in the weeks following. While the city had mostly recovered by 2003, other problems had set in, namely difficulties in drawing tourists to the other aspects of the city, in particular the downtown area. Developments in 2004 and 2005 are helping to revitalize the downtown economy. Constant population growth means that the housing construction industry is vitally 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 each currently underway. However, recent housing market difficulties have caused setbacks to the area. While the entertainment and service industries are, collectively, the largest employers in Las Vegas, the major single employer remains the Clark County School District.
Tourism:
Families will enjoy Adventuredome Theme Park. This full sized amusement park has mountains of thrills rides all under a spectacular dome. Next, located near downtown Las Vegas in the Arts District, the Arts Factory Las Vegas is a collection of artists, architects, photographers, graphic designers and galleries all gathered under one roof. For the golfer, head to Bali Hai. Recognized by GolfWeek as one of the "Top 40 Resort Courses in America," Bali Hai transports golfers to a tropical island paradise. The course features seven acres of water hazards, 4,000 trees and 100,000 tropical plants. Shopping? Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino is a 1.2-mile retail and entertainment complex at the heart of the Las Vegas Strip. Miracle Mile Shops boasts streamlined and modernized storefronts, people movers, state-of-the-art LED video screens and color-coded kiosks. Of course, there is no shortage of casinos offering everything from blackjack tables, slot machines and seasonal shows to help keep you entertained.
Colleges/Universities:
• University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• College of Southern Nevada
• Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Las Vegas
Interesting Facts:
• Amount in miles of lighted neon tubing on the Strip and Downtown 15,000.
• Howard Hughes stayed at the Desert Inn for long enough that they eventually asked him to leave. Instead of leaving, he purchased the hotel.
• Over 37.5 million people visit Las Vegas each year.
Helpful Links:
• Las Vegas Real Estate
• Las Vegas Storage Facility
• Las Vegas Dental Offices
• Las Vegas Box Companies
• Las Vegas Moving Companies