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The One and Only Las Vegas

Viva Las Vegas!

In the desert it’s sometimes hard to tell the differences between fantastic dreams, mirages and unimaginable realities: this is where Las Vegas belongs.

Once a mere stop along a long and mostly dusty highway between the US East and West coasts, Las Vegas began its life as a concept about life and how it might be lived; a kind of adult Disneyland, where whatever people dreamed could be made “true.” It catered to people’s dreams of unfettered freedom, placing few limits on heights of fantasy and more.

Las Vegas is beautiful both in the way its desert lands and surrounding mountains are beautiful, but it is also beautiful because it lights up at night like a flower that can only be experienced in neon light, casting its glow on a dry and barren land.

 But what brings people to Las Vegas as a destination is clear: it's all about having fun, including the thrill of risking your hard-earned cash gambling, cruising its famous bars, strip clubs, and world-famous hotels, which are worlds unto themselves where night becomes day and day becomes night, but no one notices.

“Hey, how long’s the sun been up?”

Vegas offers mind-boggling, out-of-this-world oversized casinos in every size, shape and theme. Eiffel towers, Roman palaces, Egyptian pyramids, even a Mardi Gras and the Brooklyn Bridge. The sights of Europe, Africa and the United States come to you in one destination that takes fantasy, adventure and reality and tosses them into a blender that results in a creation that is out of this world.

 While Las Vegas is unabashedly for adults, it isn’t for adults only: there are things for families to do in Las Vegas, a lot of things. Yet, if you aren't into the gambling or prostitution (legal in Nevada, but not in Las Vegas), there’s nearby Boulder City where the Hoover Dam, a mega structure from the New Deal Era in the United States and lakes, rivers parks and riverside woodlands to see.

North about 80 miles is a state park called The Valley of Fire that has beautiful rock formations and pteroglyphs. To the west straight down Charleston Boulevard is Red Rock Canyon, where you can engage in hiking and rock climbing. In Red Rock Canyon one can see the largest Aeolian sandstone cross-bedding in Nevada (see the photos in the album section).

Vegas offers all of this and more—with no jet-setting necessary. Although Las Vegas is unquestionably all about money, its is also an easy, laid-back place where food and drink ranges from free to inexpensive to the best in the world, especially its entertainment, which can be sampled at nearly every twist and turn in the city. You can have a great time in Las Vegas without spending a lot of money; the big spenders pay the tab. In fact, some of the bigger, better known casinos offer guests free drinks while they are gambling. So, stand around near your favourite gambling table and order away; just don't forget to tip the waiter or waitress.

But back to the kids! Las Vegas has many fine public libraries, outdoor parks, and recreational opportunities set aside for children. Many facilities were added over the past 20 years to cater to the needs of families so moms and dads could also enjoy their moment of excitement in the sun. Just contact the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce for more details.

Las Vegas stands alone among US cities; it is synonymous with glitter, glamour and stardom, famous for its luxury casinos and show palaces offering non-stop recreation on the “Strip” and in the downtown Casino Center. Since the late 1980s, Las Vegas has acquired another identity as a centre for business, finance, transportation, and services. Still the “Entertainment Capital of the World,” it has actively and successfully cultivated a diversified economy. Las Vegas residents can enjoy legalized gaming, yet they often will take advantage of the diverse range of cultural and recreational opportunities offered in the city and in the surrounding area.

Las Vegas (English: "The Meadows") was named by Spaniards in the Antonio Armijo party, who used the water in the area while heading north and west along the Old Spanish Trail from Texas. In the 1800s, areas of Las Vegas Valley contained artesian wells that supported extensive green areas or meadows (vegas in Spanish), hence the name Las Vegas.

The major attractions in Las Vegas are the casinos. The most famous hotels are located on Las Vegas Boulevard, better known as the Las Vegas Strip. Many of these hotels have thousands of rooms. There are, of course, large casino areas in these hotels. There are many hotel casinos in the city’s downtown area, which was the original focal point of the city’s gaming industry in its early days. Several large hotels and casinos are also located somewhat off the Strip but adjacent to it, as well as in the county around the city.

A major part of the city economy is based on tourism, including gambling and entertainment.

The primary drivers of the Las Vegas economy have been the confluence of tourism, gaming, and conventions which in turn feed the retail and dining industries. Several companies involved in the manufacture of electronic gaming machines, such as slot machines, are located in the Las Vegas area. In the 2000s retail and dining have become attractions of their own.

Tourism marketing and promotion are handled by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, a countywide agency. Its annual Visitors Survey provides detailed information on visitor numbers, spending patterns and resulting revenues.

Many technology companies have either relocated to Las Vegas or were created there. For various reasons, the Las Vegas area has had a high concentration of technology companies in electronic gaming and telecommunications industries. Some current technology companies in southern Nevada include Bigelow Aerospace, CommPartners, Datanamics, eVital Communications, Pteroglyph, SkywireMedia, Switch Communications, and WorldDoc. Companies that originally were formed in Las Vegas, but have since sold or relocated include Westwood Studios (sold to Electronic Arts), Systems Research & Development (Sold to IBM), Yellowpages.com (sold to Bellsouth and SBC), and MPower Communications.

Las Vegas shows are a big part of the excitement of this city that never sleeps. Las Vegas draws travellers from all parts of the world that come to this entertainment capitol that is open for business 24 hours a day, which means you'll never run out of things to do in Las Vegas. The infamous Las Vegas Show Girls are the highlight of many musical shows and topless reviews. Their elaborate costumes, singing and aerobic ability combine to create a truly enjoyable Las Vegas entertainment experience.

Savvy travellers may want to bear in mind the credo of Las Vegas: “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,” a statement that epitomizes this desert city’s existence as a place for law-abiding adults to let their hair down and have a good time without guilt or shame.

沙漠不夜城

拉斯维加斯

文/孙淼

拉斯维加斯——世界著名的“赌城”，也是一座无限精彩的城市，位于美国内华达州的东南角，距离洛杉矶466公里，每年约有4000万名来自全世界的游客慕名造访这座“世界娱乐之都”，游客数量居美国各大城市之首，并且创造了上百亿美元的收入，平均每天就有11万名游客在拉斯维加斯吃喝玩乐，尽情享受。

拉斯维加斯建于1854年，是由当时美国西部的摩门教徒建成的，后来摩门教徒迁走了，军队的进驻又使其变成一个兵站。拉斯维加斯的名称是西班牙人赋予的，意思是“肥沃的山谷”，因为它是周围荒凉的沙漠和半沙漠地带中惟一有泉水的绿洲，并且逐渐成为公路和铁路的中转站。1905年，当内华达州发现金银矿后，大量淘金者涌入使拉斯韦加斯开始繁荣，但如同西部各采矿城镇一样，一旦矿被采光就会被抛弃。

拉斯维加斯所在的内华达州被荒凉的沙漠和半沙漠地带包围的山谷地区，雨量很少，夏季炎热，冬季寒冷多风沙，偶然的暴雨会导致洪水。市内有高架铁路。总面积293.6平方公里，平均人口密度为每平方公里1630人，其中白人占70%左右，有23%是拉美裔白人，黑人占10%，亚裔占5%，除了在唐人街经商的黄种人外，在赌场中的发牌员也有很多亚裔人。

拉斯维加斯是内华达州最大的城市，也是世界上最有名的赌场及娱乐中心。20世纪30年代，随着内华达州使赌博成为合法的事业，几乎在一夜之间，市区的赌场纷纷成立。拉斯维加斯的“赌城”之名也就此传开。第二次世界大战以后，大型的度假饭店也继之而起，并且经营赌场和娱乐事业，吸引了各方观光客。除了小赌一番，游客来到拉斯维加斯的另一个重点便是观看各式的表演。大型的饭店均有夜总会、晚餐秀等的表演，有些赌场也经营表演秀，或以知名艺人为号召，插以小牌艺人的表演，或为百老汇的音乐剧或戏剧。大部分的表演历时90分钟，而且必须预约。

在赌场地带有高级的旅馆赌场和演出场所。赌场地带靠近拉斯维加斯大道南端，在这里有很壮观及较新的赌场及旅馆饭店如纽约、火鹤、凯萨皇宫等。小一点的旅馆和赌场可以在拉斯维加斯的旧市中心区找到。旧市区还提供一种特殊的体验，那就是在四条街块上提供遮盖的道路，有室内运动中心、高级餐厅、酒吧、夜总会及夜晚灯光秀。拉斯维加斯大概是世界上结婚最简单的地方，一天大约发出230张结婚证书，一年大约发出10万张结婚证书。

这里是一个充满极端的地方，在浩瀚的沙漠里存在着一个人工造成的传奇。大型的度假旅馆和巨大的水坝、壮观的岩石结构和昏暗的赌场、刺激的云霄飞车和庄严的结婚礼堂，有人讨厌这个城市，但也有很多人对这个城市流连忘返。最近的几年间，这个城市建造了不少主题度假旅馆和娱乐主题乐园。这些游乐场和主题度假旅馆提供了迷你又刺激的度假经验让人不需要踏入吃角子老虎机场或赌桌旁也可以在拉斯维加斯流连忘返。

人们常说拉斯维加斯是赌城。表面上看是这样的。酒店、飞机场候机厅、餐厅，就连加油站的旁边都摆满了老虎机。赌业经济占了拉斯维加斯以至整个内华达洲国民生产总值的很大比例。其实除了赌博业，会议展览业和旅游业，才是拉斯维加斯人眼中的骄傲。

城市经济主要依赖旅游业，集中了全市就业人口30％，每年接待游客约1000万人。市内有很多豪华夜总会、旅社、餐馆和赌场，有查尔斯顿娱乐区和死谷国家博览馆，城郊是矿区和牧场，有规模较大的内利斯空军基地、美国能源研究和开发局的内华达试验场。每年5月举行的赫尔多拉多节，居民穿着古老的西部服装举行竞技表演和游行。

拉斯维加斯的会议展览业十分发达，全球的商业会议及展览中，有三分之二是在拉斯维加斯举行。会议展览业为赌博业和酒店业提供了稳定的客源。不少酒店的开房率都高达九成以上，也造成在有会议或展览举行之时，酒店房间一房难求，价格则是上涨六七倍。拉斯维加斯的大小酒店有12万间客房，威尼斯人酒店等几家大酒店则拥有大型会展场地。由此可见赌博业和展会业及娱乐业关系，真是亲密无间。

拉斯维加斯从一个以赌博为主的城市发展成今天的“世界娱乐之都”， 许多世界级别的博览会、公司的会议都喜欢在这里举行。 近年来，拉斯维加斯又大力发展适合全家人的娱乐的项目，确实使它成为一个真正的“世界娱乐之都”。来这里你会发现，众多的游乐场、一场又一场精彩的表演、还有让你逛不完的购物街，只有拉斯维加斯的金字塔才会修在摩天大楼旁边。 世界十大顶尖酒店，有9家落户这里。米高媒大酒店拥有5000多套房，据说是世界最多房间的酒店。拉斯维加斯大道上面众多的建筑物也是世界一流的。

拉斯维加斯以其独特的经营方式改变着、进步着，吸引着全世界的游客。有人说，你能想象的奢华都能在拉斯维加斯找到，而拉斯维加斯拥有的奢华，是你想象不到的。这就是拉斯维加斯的魅力。