What takes place in Vegas ... well, you know the rest. Here are 24 facts about Sin City you likely haven't heard.
1. Many of Vegas' renowned hotels aren't technically situated in the city of Las Vegas. A good portion of the Las Vegas Strip-- and the famous "Invite to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign-- are actually located in an unincorporated area called Paradise, Nevada.
2. One destination that is within Las Vegas city limits: Vegas Vic, the oversized neon cowboy that administers over downtown's renowned Fremont Street. It's the largest mechanical neon check in the world.
3. More than 41 million visitors cycle through Sin City each year ...
4. ... So it's an advantage the town boasts 14 of the world's 20 greatest hotels.
5. There's a lot real estate for tourists to make the most of, it would take an individual 288 years to invest a night in every hotel space in the city.
6. There's a secret city underneath the city. Miles of tunnels-- originally developed to safeguard the desert town from flash floods-- home numerous homeless residents.
7. The strip's Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel and Casino got its name from founder-- and famous mobster-- Bugsy Siegel's sweetheart. Starlet Virginia Hill went by the nickname "The Flamingo" because of her red hair and long, thin legs.
8. In the mid-20th century, Las Vegas possessed its own set of prejudiced Jim Crow laws, which-- with the exception of low-wage service tasks-- kept African Americans from the growing city's casinos and hotels. Even legendary performers like Louis Armstrong and Nat King Cole were required to get in and leave the places in which they were performing through back doors and side entrances. In 1952, acting legend Sammy Davis Jr. swam in the whites-only pool at the New Frontier Hotel & Gambling Establishment. Afterwards, the manager had it drained.
9. In May 1955, the Moulin Rouge made history when it became the city's first interracial gambling establishment. Famous fighter Joe Louis, a part owner, stated, "This isn't really the opening of a Las Vegas hotel. It's history."
In the 1950s and early 1960s, Las Vegas was known for putting on a various type of show. Las Vegas' Chamber of Commerce saw a moneymaking opportunity, and decided to distribute calendars promoting detonation times and choice viewing places.
11. Famous recluse Howard Hughes looked into the strip's Desert Inn on Thanksgiving Day 1966, leasing the whole leading 2 floorings. When he overstayed his 10-day reservation, he was asked to leave. Instead, he started negotiations to buy the 715-room spot. His purchase was complete three months later on.
12. FedEx founder Frederick W. Smith saved the delivery company with a trip to Vegas. In 1974-- three years after he created the company-- the Yale grad took the venture's last $5,000 and turned it into $32,000 with a weekend of blackjack. His, er, gamble provided the company enough cash to survive.
13. Do not disrupt: Vegas has more unlisted contact number than other city in the United States.
Nevada law specifies that video slot machines need to pay back a minimum of 75 percent of the money deposited 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 roughly 10 minutes to snatch a marriage license at the bureau in downtown Las Vegas, which is open every day from 8 a.m. until midnight. No surprise 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 model of the Eiffel Tower, located outside Paris Las Vegas, was originally prepared to be full-size, however due to the close proximity of the airport-- just three miles-- it had actually to be shrunk down. In contrast, the Luxor Las Vegas' Sphinx is actually bigger than the original Great Sphinx of Giza.
18. At 50 tons, the bronze lion outside the MGM Grand Hotel is thought to be the biggest bronze a fantastic read sculpture in the western hemisphere.
19. The distinct gold color of the windows at the Mirage Hotel comes from real gold dust.
20. There are 3933 guest spaces at Bellagio Las Vegas-- more than the number of citizens in the city of Bellagio, Italy.
21. Not into casinos? The city also includes a heavy devices play area where building enthusiasts can drive around bulldozers for fun.
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 stroll the Nevada desert.
At Vegas restaurant Heart Attack Grill, waitresses dress in nurses garb and clients can purchase an 8000-calorie quadruple bypass burger with a side of flatliner french fries. In 2013, one of the spot's regular customers passed away ... from an obvious heart attack.
24. From deep space, the Las Vegas Strip appears as the brightest spot on Earth. Who cares if it's not in fact in Las Vegas?
Most of Vegas' iconic 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 actually 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 girlfriend. In the mid-20th century, Las Vegas possessed its own set of inequitable Jim Crow laws, which-- with the exception of low-wage service jobs-- kept African Americans out of the growing city's hotels and gambling establishments.