About Las Vegas

Each month, a spectacular 2.5 million visitors and 6,000 new residents flock to Las Vegas to enjoy its warm climate, fabulous resorts, unparalleled entertainment, southwestern lifestyle and economic prosperity. The current population is estimated at 1.6 million. Las Vegas may be the only city in the United States in which anyone who has been in town for more than five years is considered a native. More than one-half of the residents have moved here within the last decade. For the entire decade of the 1990s and now into the 21st century, Las Vegas has been the fastest growing metro area in the nation! Low unemployment, an expanding skilled labor force, an exceptional tax structure, a probusiness environment and a great climate all give Las Vegas the “total package.” 

History

From its earliest beginnings, Las Vegas has catered to the traveler. A nomadic tribe of Indians called the Paiutes settled the area around the turn of the last millennium and occupied most of the area from Mt. Charleston to the Colorado River. Several traders and explorers including Jedediah Smith in 1826 and John C. Fremont in 1844 traveled through the area and made contact with the Paiutes.

 Read More…

Las Vegas Neighborhoods

Why do so many people love living in Las Vegas? Las Vegas is one of the fastest growing, most livable cities in America. From 2003 to 2004, the population grew to 1.7 million, a 6.4 percent increase from the previous year. In 2004, 29,472 new homes and 64,168 resale homes were purchased. The rapid growth of the Las Vegas metropolitan area has transformed numerous locations from raw desert into finely-tuned, well-established neighborhoods, each with its own unique style and personality.

Homes to fit every lifestyle, income and location preference can be found in the Las Vegas Valley. From the heart of the city to the furthest outlying neighborhoods, new residents can choose from existing homes in and around Las Vegas to newly furnished models in master-planned communities.

Boulder City

Boulder City is located 25 miles southeast of downtown Las Vegas and 10 miles southeast of Henderson. Boulder City is best known as the city that was born during the construction of Hoover Dam. The town housed more than 4,000 workers during construction, which took place from 1931 to 1935. The triangular shaped Boulder City is the only city in Nevada without gaming. The city’s residents enjoy security, lush parks and a small-town atmosphere. Strict regulations govern further growth. Instead of master-planned communities and mega-resorts, the city fathers are implementing a 15,000-tree program – an effort to plant one tree for every resident in the city.

 Read More…

Fast Facts

County: Clark

Zip Code: 89101-89147

Population: 1,641,529

Male: 50.76%

Female: 49.24%

Population Density: 6,850.3

Ethnic Makeup:

Afro American: 8.6%

Asian: 6.7%

Hispanic: 23.1%

Native American: 0.8%

White/Caucasian: 56.0%

Median Age: 35.2

Home Appreciation: 7.65%

Home Median Value: $148,023

Homes owned: 49.91%

Sales Tax: 7.25%

Unemployment Rate: 7%

Cost of Living: 108.5%

Median Income: $44,645

Property Crime index: 4

Student/Teacher Ratio: 19.3/1

Climate

By Car

Driving on Las Vegas Blvd, AKA the Strip, especially during the weekend, is a sure way to raise your blood pressure a few points.  Save yourself the trouble, and take I-15, which runs parallel to the Strip and is just a half mile west.

If you do drive on the Strip, be extra vigilant, because the road is famous for fender benders.  Traffic is high, some of the drivers have been drinking, and there are ample distractions because of the shows outside of the casinos.

Public Transportation

Citizens Area Transit
Bus Services-Schedules/Routes (214) 979-1111
www.catride.com

Las Vegas cannot yet be classified as a big city, but it faces many of the same challenges when it comes to transportation. An ever growing population and rising tourist numbers place substantial demands on every roadway in the city, resulting in dozens of ongoing construction efforts either to add new thoroughfares or to widen those already in use. Southern Nevada invests $500 million a year in surface transportation, and the result has been more stress free commutes in less time.

Public Transportation has also become a priority. The Citizens Area Transit (CAT) bus system operates routes throughout Southern Nevada, and a long-overdue fixed guide way transit system has finally been approved.

A monorail system launched operations in July 2004. Linking seven stations over four miles to eight resorts and the Las Vegas Convention Center, the sleek, driverless monorail provides a quick and comfortable ride through the heart of the resort corridor.

Inter-City Transportation
Amtrak (800) 872-7245
Greyhound Bus (800) 231-2222

Service from City to numerous locations throughout the United States.

Air Transportation

McCarran International Airport
5757 Wayne Newton Boulevard
Las Vegas, Nevada 89119
www.mccarran.com

Getting into and out of Las Vegas has become easier with the addition of 26 more gates at McCarran International Airport. The city recently purchased 6,500 acres near Jean, south of Las Vegas, for a proposed second airport site, which could handle an additional 30 million passengers annually.

Television

Radio

Newspapers

Las Vegas Review Journal
www.lvrj.com

Las Vegas Sun
www.lasvegassun.com

Dining & Nightlife

Once a vast wasteland of buffets, Las Vegas has come of age in the past decade. Added to the list of celebrities are some of the top names in the culinary world. Visitors now have their choice of fine dining experiences, both on and off the strip.

Famous for his California-style food and original restaurants, Wolfgang Puck has graced the city with five ventures. One of his establishments, Chinois, provides you with relaxed patio dining or join a few famous guests in the private rooms. The influence of new epicurean alternatives has breathed new life into the older gourmet rooms as well. Palace Court in Caesars Palace recently added French cuisine to the lineup. Topping both the Zagat survey and the Las Vegas Review Journal’s Reader’s Poll, Drai’s Restaurant serves dinner and high tea. Located inside the Barbary Coast Hotel, this enchanting restaurant also offers excellent live entertainment three nights a week. If you like a fine dining experience with a spectacular view, ascend to the top of the Stratosphere Tower for an evening at the Top of the World Restaurant. There is not a bad seat in the house since the room slowly rotates one complete turn each hour.

Read More…

Attractions

From the talented to the absolutely amazing, Las Vegas offers the best in magic, theater, dance, song and comedy. The gaming areas themselves provide sufficient entertainment for many guests. Gambling draws the majority of tourists and Las Vegas houses a variety of games in each venue. Every casino is vying for the tourist; to set themselves apart, the casinos build creative themes that dazzle your imagination.

One of the first casinos to use its architecture as a billboard was Caesars Palace. While impressive during the day, this building is stunningly lit at night to accent its Roman columns and beautiful fountains. Next door, you will find the Mirage, which boasts a towering, exploding volcano. Then there is Treasure Island where the Buccaneer Bay Pirate Show plays each night and you can watch a British frigate sink and be resurrected every hour. Combine music and water and you have the breathtaking performance of the Bellagio Fountains.

Read More…

Recommended Tours

Las Vegas rarely gets the credit it deserves. As a city of more than 1 million inhabitants, it seems to be only known by its “Sin City” reputation. Certainly, the casinos and nightlife are what bring visitors here, but there really is life away from the slot machines and showrooms.

Nature Lover’s Tour

Mount Charleston serves as an escape for many during the summer months. Summer temperatures are pleasantly lower in the mountains, usually by about 30 degrees Fahrenheit. Often temperatures fall below freezing during winter. The drive to Mount Charleston is short, approximately 40 minutes from the Strip hotels, and the roads are accessible year-round. Take US-95 North to exit 157, also known as Kyle Canyon Road. Desert landscapes change to greenery as the elevation increases. During spring, the area is dotted with wildflowers. There are two hotels on Mount Charleston, which locals lovingly refer to as the Old Lodge and the New Lodge. The New Lodge, formally called the Mount Charleston Hotel, is lower down the mountain so you will see it first.

Read More…