What happens in Vegas ... well, you know the rest. Here are 24 truths about Sin City you likely have not heard.
1. Most of Vegas' iconic hotels aren't technically situated in the city of Las Vegas. A good part of the Las Vegas Strip-- and the famed "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign-- are in fact located in an unincorporated area called Paradise, Nevada.
2. One destination that is within Las Vegas city limits: Vegas Vic, the large neon cowboy that commands downtown's well known Fremont Street. It's the biggest mechanical neon check in the world.
3. More than 41 million visitors cycle through Sin City each year ...
4. ... So it's a good thing the town boasts 14 of the world's 20 greatest hotels.
5. There's so much realty for tourists to make the most of, it would take an individual 288 years to spend a night in every hotel room in the city.
6. There's a secret city below the city. Miles of tunnels-- originally developed to secure the desert town from flash floods-- house hundreds of homeless citizens.
7. The strip's Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel and Gambling establishment got its name from founder-- and legendary mobster-- Bugsy Siegel's sweetheart. Starlet Virginia Hill went by the nickname "The Flamingo" since of her red hair and long, thin legs.
In the mid-20th century, Las Vegas had its own set of discriminatory Jim Crow laws, which-- with the exception of low-wage service jobs-- kept African Americans out of the growing city's gambling establishments and hotels. In 1952, acting legend Sammy Davis Jr. took a dip in the whites-only swimming pool at the New Frontier Hotel & Casino.
In May 1955, the Moulin Rouge made history when it ended up being the city's first interracial casino. Famous boxer Joe Louis, a part owner, declared, "This isn't the opening of a Las Vegas hotel.
10. In the 1950s and early 1960s, Las Vegas was understood for placing on a various type of show. At the Nevada Test Site, simply 65 miles northwest of the city, the United States Department of Energy would check nuclear devices. Las Vegas' Chamber of Commerce saw a moneymaking chance, and decided to distribute calendars promoting detonation times and option watching areas.
11. Legendary recluse Howard Hughes checked out the strip's Desert Inn on Thanksgiving Day 1966, leasing the whole leading 2 floorings. He was asked to leave when he overstayed his 10-day reservation. Instead, he started negotiations to buy the 715-room area. His purchase was total three months later on.
FedEx creator Frederick W. Smith conserved the shipment business with a journey to Vegas. In 1974-- 3 years after he produced the business-- the Yale grad took the venture's last $5,000 and turned it into $32,000 with a weekend of blackjack.
13. Do not disrupt: Vegas has more unlisted telephone number than any other city in the United States.
Nevada law states that video slot machines must pay back a minimum of 75 percent of the money transferred on average. (Though it's worth keeping in mind that in New Jersey, house to betting capital Atlantic City, it's 83 percent.).
15. It takes approximately 10 minutes to catch a marital relationship license at the bureau in downtown Las Vegas, which is open every day from 8 a.m. till midnight. Not surprising that some 10,000 couples wed in the city every month.
More than 60,000 pounds of the shellfish are consumed in the city each day. That's greater than the rest of the nation-- combined.
17. The half-scale design of the Eiffel Tower, situated outside Paris Las Vegas, was originally planned to be full-size, but due to the close distance of the airport-- simply three miles-- it had to be shrunk down. On the other hand, the Luxor Las Vegas' Sphinx is in fact bigger than the initial Fantastic Sphinx of Giza.
18. At 50 loads, the bronze lion outside the MGM Grand Hotel is believed to be the largest bronze sculpture in the western hemisphere.
19. The distinctive gold color of the windows at the Mirage Hotel originates from real gold dust.
20. There are 3933 guest spaces at Bellagio Las Vegas-- more than the variety of locals in the city of Bellagio, Italy.
21. Not into casinos? The city also features a heavy devices play ground where building and construction lovers can drive around bulldozers for enjoyable.
22. Prior to his death in 2009, Michael Jackson was checking out doing a Vegas residency. He planned to advertise it with a 50-foot robot-likeness of himself that would roam the Nevada desert.
23. At Vegas restaurant Cardiovascular disease Grill, waitresses gown in nurses attire and customers can order an 8000-calorie quadruple bypass hamburger check this blog with a side of flatliner french fries. (Fried in pure lard!) In 2013, one of the area's regular patrons passed away ... from an evident heart attack.
24. From external space, the Las Vegas Strip appears as the brightest area on Earth. Who cares if it's not really in Las Vegas?
Most of Vegas' renowned hotels aren't technically situated in the city of Las Vegas. A great portion of the Las Vegas Strip-- and the renowned "Invite to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign-- are in fact situated in an unincorporated town called Paradise, Nevada.
One attraction that is within Las Vegas city limitations: Vegas Vic, the large neon cowboy that presides over downtown's renowned Fremont Street. The strip's Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel and Gambling establishment got its name from founder-- and famous mobster-- Bugsy Siegel's sweetheart. In the mid-20th century, Las Vegas possessed its own set of discriminatory Jim Crow laws, which-- with the exception of low-wage service tasks-- kept African Americans out of the growing city's hotels and casinos.