Much of what makes Las Vegas “Las Vegas” is its over the top architecture and flamboyant buildings, with a healthy dose of neon lighting to call as much attention to landmark buildings as possible. Las Vegas is unique, though, as far as its penchant for re-inventing itself every few decades, so you won’t find much in the way of truly historic buildings; the city itself has only really been on the map since its explosive growth in the 1940s and 1950s after gambling became legal (decades before you could play slots online and other casino games from the comfort of your home).
In a city where every new hotel and casino that opens vies to be the biggest and best, many older buildings are simply imploded to make way for the new, with old-school Vegas buildings such as the Dunes, the Sands, and the Landmark now distant memories and replaced by newer, flashier mega-casinos and hotels. Vegas architecture doesn’t really do subtle or modern, although the new CityCenter comes very close, and with a final price tag of over $9 billion is the largest privately-financed building project in the history of the US.
But Vegas does do big and bold very, very well, and it’s had not to marvel at buildings such as the Stratosphere, Paris Las Vegas, and the Venetian, with each adding its own unique and personal spin to the clamor of the Las Vegas strip. Add in the roller coaster at New York New York flying by, the fountains of the Bellagio, and the old-world charm of Caesar’s Palace and you have a few continuous miles of some of the most interesting architecture in the entire world.
While it may be more convenient and cost-effective to stay at home and play roulette online for real money, every gambler should make at least one visit to Sin City, just to soak up the amazing atmosphere and architecture that makes Vegas what it is. It may not be pretty or elegant but the vibrant city continues to offer millions of visitors each year a spectacle and adventure that can’t be duplicated anywhere else on Earth.
