The History of Sin City: Las Vegas

The History of Sin City: Las Vegas

It began as a mostly forgotten village established by railroad employees and Gold Rush settlers. Still, it swiftly expanded to become a gambling haven, a vacation spot, and everything in between. The Sin City, from the glitz of the 1950s to the bust of the 1980s and the newly discovered vigor of the new century.

Introduction

Nowadays, Las Vegas is equated with the numerous casinos that call the city home. Vegas, though, wasn’t always about casinos and resorts; in fact, there were long times in its past when gambling was mostly prohibited. The casino business has had many ups and downs to get where it is now, and its history is lengthy and complicated.

Las Vegas is referred to regarded as “Sin City” for a reason, and that reason dates back to the time when the mafia controlled the city. Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel and Meyer Lansky were two of the most infamous organized crime figures that helped shape Las Vegas into what it is today.

Meyer Lansky started expressing interest in investing in Las Vegas casinos in 1946. He appointed his friend Bugsy Siegel to supervise the development of The Flamingo, the Valley’s first casino.

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The Background of Las Vegas’s Casino Business

Without considering the city’s origins, it is hard to understand the history of Las Vegas casinos. A caravan of Mexican traders found the location to be a convenient resting place along the trading route to Los Angeles, giving rise to the name Las Vegas, which is Spanish for “The Meadows.”

After the Mexican-American War in the middle of the nineteenth century, Las Vegas was still a part of Mexico at this time. Even though there were regulations against games of chance, prospectors coming through the area continued to enjoy gambling throughout the rest of the 1800s.

These regulations first imposed severe penalties on individuals who operated and engaged in gambling, but as the century ended, the restrictions became a little laxer. Finally, in 1869, gambling was declared legal.

The Emergence of the Casino Sector

Despite the state’s 1910 ban on gambling, underground casinos remained open until 1931, when gambling was once again made lawful. The two initial blocks of Fremont Street, where gambling, ladies of the night, and alcohol were all widely available, are said to be where the moniker Sin City first appeared. El Rancho Vegas, the first hotel resort to operate on the Las Vegas Strip, is ascribed to Thomas Hull.

But New York City criminal Bugsy Siegel introduced Vegas to the extravagant casinos that would eventually rule the region. The Flamingo, his casino, debuted in 1946. The following year, Siegel was shot to death, but his influence persisted, and the city saw the emergence of an increasing number of mobster-funded resorts.

Hollywood Visits For A Vacation

By the 1930s, Las Vegas had already made a name for itself as a well-liked vacation spot, mainly for Los Angeles residents and those working in the Hollywood film business. Las Vegas’ population surpassed 5,000 by 1930 and almost doubled in the next ten years, drawn by the city’s pleasant temperature, gaming, and Nevada’s recently loosened divorce rules.

Gambling Is Forbidden (And Legalized Again)

Gambling was decriminalized for a few decades before the Progressive Movement could achieve laws outlawing several games of chance in 1909. So naturally, many people continued to gamble at secret locations from Las Vegas to Reno. However, the regulations against gambling grew laxer over time, just as they had in the previous century.

A significant year for Las Vegas was 1931. The Nevada government eventually approved the permanent legalization of gambling. Additionally, this was when work on the Boulder Dam, or Hoover Dam as it is now called, started. The influx of workers searching for someplace to decompress at the end of the workday increased the demand for gaming businesses.

Marriage Customs in Las Vegas

Las Vegas was the ideal location for couples hoping to be married quickly and affordably. However, it wasn’t simply a popular spot to get divorced. Nevada became a well-liked location for weddings since its marriage laws didn’t demand blood testing or protracted waiting periods like most other states.

The first two wedding chapels in Las Vegas opened in 1940 to accommodate the rising demand of prospective newlyweds. A Little White Chapel, which has held weddings for celebrities including Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, Michael Jordan, Britney Spears, and many more, is the most well-known.

The Flamingo & Notable Mobsters of Las Vegas

Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel and Meyer Lansky were two of the most infamous organized crime figures that helped shape Las Vegas into what it is today. When he arrived in Las Vegas, Siegel had great expectations and wanted The Flamingo to be the best structure money could buy, but he unintentionally went beyond. His checks started to bounce as expenses rose. Only the casino, bar, restaurant, and theater were complete when The Flamingo debuted in 1946.

The Flamingo was rapidly leaving the business due to construction noise, unfinished rooms, and the first air conditioning system in the desert that routinely broke down. Even though there were attendees at the opening, they were greeted by obtrusive drop cloths hanging from the ceilings and loud construction noises.

The Flamingo had lost $275,000 after two weeks. In his Beverly Hills, California, residence, Bugsy Siegel was shot and died on June 20, 1947. That evening, an unidentified intruder shot a.30 caliber military M1 rifle at him through the glass, striking him multiple times, twice in the head.

Only 20 minutes after Siegel passed away, Lansky’s cronies entered The Flamingo and seized control of the property. The death of Siegel was not the subject of any charges, and the case is still unresolved.

Conclusion

The Rat Pack and Howard Hughes helped change Las Vegas’ reputation from an outlaw Wild West city to the one we know today. The development of the large resorts that now make up a large portion of Las Vegas, including the MGM Grand, Bellagio, and Treasure Island, began in the 1980s and 1990s.

And although Las Vegas had some economic downturns in the 2000s, along with the rest of the nation, the city is again on the path to expansion. As a result, the casino sector will always significantly impact the town’s history, even as the city looks to innovative methods to draw visitors to the region, emphasizing renewable energy and the city’s surrounding natural assets.