Have you ever wondered why the Las Vegas Strip is so iconic? The Las Vegas Strip is a stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard known for its concentration of resort hotels and casinos. The Strip is a must-see. It is more than just bright lights and gambling.
The Las Vegas Strip is about 4.2 miles long. It sits south of the Las Vegas city limits. Paradise and Winchester are the towns that contain it. However, many people simply say “Las Vegas.”
Many of the world’s largest hotels, casinos, and resorts are on the Las Vegas Strip. The Strip’s hotels, casinos, restaurants, and entertainment have made it a top tourist spot. It drives Las Vegas’s economy. The Las Vegas Strip is a designated All-American Road. The North and South Las Vegas Strip routes are scenic byways.
Historically, casinos sat outside the city limits on Las Vegas Boulevard. In 1959, the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign was built 4.5 miles outside the city limits. The sign is now just south of Russell Road. This is about 4.2 miles from the Sahara.
In the strictest sense, the Las Vegas Strip is the stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard between Sahara Avenue and the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign. Clark County calls the area the Resort Corridor. This includes Las Vegas Boulevard between 215 Beltway and Sahara Avenue.
Clark County considers the Sahara the Strip’s northern end. Travel guides often extend it to the Strat, which is 0.4 miles north. Mandalay Bay is the southernmost resort on the Strip. Clark County says the southern end is the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign. Some argue for Russell Road.
The Pair-o-Dice Club was the first casino built on Highway 91 in 1931. The El Rancho Vegas was the first full-service casino-resort. It opened in 1941. Its success led to the Hotel Last Frontier in 1942. Bugsy Siegel and other organized crime figures funded the Flamingo. The Flamingo casino opened in December 1946. Wilbur Clark’s Desert Inn opened in 1950.
Las Vegas Boulevard South was previously called Hwy 91. Guy McAfee, a Los Angeles police officer, named the Strip. He named it after the Sunset Strip in Hollywood.
In 1950, the mayor of Las Vegas wanted to annex the Las Vegas Strip. This was to expand the city’s tax base. Casino executives lobbied for town status instead. Paradise and Winchester were created.
The International Hotel opened in 1969 with 1,512 rooms. This began the era of mega-resorts. It is now the Westgate Las Vegas.
The first MGM Grand Hotel and Casino opened in 1973 with 2,084 rooms. In 1980, a fire killed 87 people. It reopened eight months later. In 1986, it was renamed Bally’s.
The opening of The Mirage in 1989 raised the bar. Smaller hotels made way for mega-resorts. More than 12 new hotels opened in the 1990s. These included themed hotels like the Luxor and Mandalay Bay. The Bellagio cost $1.7 billion. It was the most expensive hotel in the world at the time.
In 1993, Cirque du Soleil’s Mystère show at Treasure Island transformed Las Vegas Strip entertainment. Resorts offered more attractions for families. The current MGM Grand opened in 1993.
In addition to hotels and casinos, the Las Vegas Strip has attractions. These include M&M’s World and the Fashion Show Mall.
With the opening of Bellagio and other resorts, the Las Vegas Strip became more luxurious in the 2000s. Some older resorts added expansions.
In 2004, MGM Mirage announced CityCenter. This was a $7 billion project on the site of the Boardwalk hotel. Most of it opened in 2009.
In 2012, the High Roller Ferris wheel broke ground. Renovations such as The Cromwell Las Vegas transformed the Strip in 2014. The Las Vegas Festival Grounds opened in 2015. In 2016, T-Mobile Arena opened.
In 2021, the Pinball Hall of Fame moved near the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign. Resorts World Las Vegas opened on the site of the former Stardust Resort and Casino. The Sphere opened in 2023. The Fontainebleau Las Vegas also opened.
In October 2024, the Tropicana was demolished. It will be replaced with a new Bally’s Las Vegas resort and stadium. The Mirage closed in July 2024. It will reopen as the Hard Rock Las Vegas.
The Las Vegas Strip has a colorful and unbelievable history. It is one of the most diverse and unique places in the United States.