Las Vegas

Las Vegas, often known as Sin City or simply Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-largest in the Southwestern United States. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city, known primarily for its gambling, shopping, fine dining, entertainment, and nightlife, with most venues centered on downtown Las Vegas and more to the Las Vegas Strip just outside city limits. The Las Vegas Valley as a whole serves as the leading financial, commercial, and cultural center for Nevada. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city had 641,903 residents in 2020, with a metropolitan population of 2,227,053, making it the 25th-most populous city in the United States.

Some of the key events about Las Vegas

1905
The city of Las Vegas was officially founded as a railroad town
1905
A railroad strike led to violence and property destruction in the young town
1931
Nevada legalized gambling, paving the way for Las Vegas to become a major casino destination
1931
Construction of the Hoover Dam led to a surge in organized crime and prostitution
1941
The first hotel-casino on what would become the Las Vegas Strip opened
1941
A deadly fire at the El Rancho Vegas hotel killed six people
1955
The Moulin Rouge Hotel became the first desegregated hotel-casino in Las Vegas
1955
Above-ground nuclear weapons testing at the nearby Nevada Test Site began, exposing residents to radiation
1966
Howard Hughes arrived in Las Vegas and began purchasing numerous hotels and casinos, sparking a corporate era in the city
1969
The International Hotel (now Westgate Las Vegas) opened as the world's largest hotel
1980
The MGM Grand Hotel fire killed 85 people, becoming one of the worst high-rise fires in U.S. history
1988
A fire at the Pepcon rocket fuel plant caused massive explosions, killing two and injuring hundreds
1989
The Mirage opened, ushering in the era of the mega-resort on the Las Vegas Strip
1993
The Luxor Las Vegas opened, featuring a distinctive pyramid shape and becoming an iconic part of the city skyline
1998
The Bellagio opened, setting a new standard for luxury on the Las Vegas Strip
2008
The Great Recession severely impacted Las Vegas, leading to high unemployment and a housing market crash
2009
CityCenter opened as the largest privately funded construction project in U.S. history at the time
2011
A helicopter crash near Lake Mead killed five people, including tourists
2017
A mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip killed 60 people and injured hundreds more
2020
The COVID-19 pandemic led to unprecedented casino closures and economic devastation in the city

Disclaimer: This material is written based on information taken from open sources, including Wikipedia, news media, podcasts, and other public sources.