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There are four prosperous casinos in the world: Macau, Monte Carlo, Atlantic City, and Las Vegas. These cities are centered around the gambling industry. Las Vegas, in particular, is unique as a city that never sleeps, surrounded by desert mountains, known by various names like Sin City, Entertainment Capital of the World, and more. Las Vegas is famous not just for being a gambling city but for its peculiar landscapes that attract people from all over the world. Due to its location in the heart of the desert, leaving the city leads to a barren area, but the scenery is exceptionally unique.
In 1829, Mexican traders first discovered this vast valley in Nevada, and people began to settle here. However, a group of Mormon pioneers from Utah moved in, and Las Vegas, meaning "fertile meadows" in Spanish, was established. Why would an area in the desert be called a meadow? It turns out that Las Vegas had springs that formed an oasis, surrounded by arid land and desert. As more people moved in, roads were constructed, making it a transit station to other places. In 1854, Mormons built a small town here, but later, they moved away. The U.S. military then used it as a garrison, and even though there were people, very few lived here. In the mid-19th century, an Army lieutenant heading to Las Vegas expressed despair about the environment, vowing never to return. Little did he know that Las Vegas would become a bustling city.
During the gold rush era, Las Vegas gained fame, attracting many seeking fortune when the U.S. established gambling cities. The gambling industry became a gold mine. Subsequently, wealthy Americans, investors, and even members of the Arabian royal family, Japanese wealthy individuals, and famous actors came to invest in Las Vegas, turning its gambling industry into a global attraction. In 1946, Las Vegas developed into a large-scale casino city. In the 1950s, it became a tourist destination, with gambling as its primary source of income. The surrounding desert also provided a resort area. The unique landscapes nearby added to its allure. Thus, Las Vegas, tourism, hotels, dining, entertainment, and gambling became a sought-after destination. Among the 38.9 million tourists who visit Las Vegas every year, the majority come for shopping, fine dining, and rarely for gambling.
The period after the 1970s was a period of rapid development for Las Vegas, where the gambling culture gradually became its city's hallmark. Today, people from all over the world gather here daily to experience a city that boldly expresses money, luxury, and sensuality. |
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