Las Vegas Facts
Interesting facts, figures, history and people of Las Vegas.
Famous people who were born in Las Vegas but not necessarily reside in Las Vegas today, are numerous. Here is a list of some of those people.
Adam Seward – Born June 15, 1982 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Adam Seward is a pro football player drafted by The Carolina Panthers in the 2005 NFL Draft. Plays a Middle/Outside Linebacker and played all three linebacker positions for UNLV.
Andre Agassi – Noted by some as “America’s Tennis Player” married Steffi Graf on October 22, 2001. Andre is a retired professional tennis player living in Las Vegas. He lost his last bid to regain a number 1 ranking at the 2006 U.S. Open Tennis Tournament in the third round. Having a stellar career as an eight-time Grand Slam champion and No. 1 ranked tennis player in the world.
Carey Hart – Owner of Hart and Harrington Tattoo located in The Palms Hotel, Carey is a phenomenal motorcycle freestyle rider and is also married to the female vocalist, Pink. Carey is quite the Vegas character with a “bad boy” attitude. Most noted for motorcycle freestyle antics, VH1’s hit series “The Surreal Life” and A&E’s “Inked”
Jenna Jammeson – This very sexy and controversial porn star was born on April 9, 1974 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Jenna has a best-selling book, appears on the E! Channel, VH1 and produces adult films through her own company.
The Killers – Super swank newly acclaimed Alternative rock band members all born in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Kurt Busch – Born on August 4, 1978 in Las Vegas, Nevada and is now a professional racecar driver For NASCAR.
Greg Maddux, Born April 14, 1966 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Greg is a National League pitcher most noted as an Atlanta Braves Pitcher, winning several World Series and Several Cy Young Awards.
Jimmy Kimmel, host of Jimmy Kimmel Live, This comedian was born in Las Vegas, Nevada on November 13, 1967. Most noted for the Man Show and Jimmy Kimmel Live.
Other famous people associated with Las Vegas but not born in Las Vegas.
Wladziu “Walter” Valentino Liberace, officially known as “Liberace” in the early ‘50s when he started his career, opened at The Riviera Hotel in 1955 as the highest paid gay entertainer in Las Vegas. Nobody knew he was gay at the time… go figure. He died of AIDS in 1987.
Wayne Newton know as Mr. Las Vegas, a Vegas Icon. Wayne was born In Virginia and grew up in Phoenix where he was discovered by a Las Vegas talent scout. Wayne is best known for his 1963 hit “Danke Schoen.” He recorded the hit song when he was 21.
The “Vegas Visionary” Howard Hughes moved to Las Vegas in 1966. With his willed fortune, he bought four hotels, six casinos and thousands of acres of land in the Las Vegas Valley. With failing health and living in seclusion at the Desert Inn, Howard eventually lost control of his business affairs. In 1970, Hughes left Las Vegas and died in 1976 in Houston.
The Hoover Dam was completed in 1935. It took a total of 21,000 men five years to complete the structure. The building of Hoover Dam started the tourism industry as visitors came to see the dam being built in the early ‘30’s. It is said that several men lost their lives and are buried in the massive concrete structure. This myth was de-bunked on a recent Travel Channel Special. Hoover Dam was built in the 1930s at a cost of $160 million.
The first hotel and casino to open in Las Vegas was the Nevada Hotel and Casino. Room and board was a modest $1 per day. Rooms were small with electricity. No air conditioning was invented for buildings as of yet. Original rooms with modern improvements are still in use today. The Hotel was renamed Golden Gate Hotel and thrived through prohibition and the illegalization of gambling in Vegas. Legalized casino gambling came back in 1931. Golden Gate advertised and sold shrimp cocktails for 50 cents back in 1957 and have probably sold zillions of shrimp since then. In 1925 the first paved street in Las Vegas was the original Freemont Street. Fremont Street was closed to traffic in 1994 and was reopened as the Fremont Street Experience in 1995.
Implosions
Dunes was imploded on October 29, 1993 and is now home to Bellagio.
The Landmark was shut down and imploded on November 7, 1995 and is now a 22-acre parking lot for the Las Vegas Convention Center.
The Venetian sits where The Sands originally stood. The Sands was imploded on November 26, 1996.
Hacienda was a south Strip favorite and was imploded on December 31, 1996 to make room for the fabulous Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino.
The Aladdin was blown up to make room for the New Aladdin… Funny… That happened on April 27, 1998.
El Rancho Vegas October 3, 2000 2:30a.m. Now: Turnberry Place Condominiums
Desert Inn was imploded for the New Wynn Casino on October 23, 2001.Tropicana was closed on April 14, 2006 and has no implosion scheduled.
Did you know “Las Vegas” is Spanish for “the meadows”?
Did you know Mormon missionaries established Las Vegas?
Did you know that the famous “Welcome to Las Vegas” neon sign was created in 1959?
Did you know that Las Vegas became a city in 1911?
Did you know that Las Vegas is considered “Gaming Capital of the World”.
