History of Las Vegas Strip in Timeline

The Las Vegas Strip, a 4.2-mile section of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada, is famous for its high concentration of resort hotels and casinos. Located just south of Las Vegas city limits in the unincorporated towns of Paradise and Winchester, it's commonly called simply 'Las Vegas'. The Strip is a major tourist destination, known globally for its vibrant entertainment and extravagant architecture.

1931: Pair-o-Dice Club Opens

In 1931, the Pair-o-Dice Club was the first casino built on Highway 91, which later became part of the Las Vegas Strip.

April 3, 1941: El Rancho Vegas Opens

On April 3, 1941, the El Rancho Vegas opened as the first full-service casino-resort on what is currently called the Strip, featuring 63 bungalow hotel rooms.

1942: Hotel Last Frontier Opens

In 1942, the Hotel Last Frontier opened near the El Rancho Vegas, marking the continued growth of the Las Vegas Strip.

December 1946: Flamingo Casino Opens

In December 1946, the Flamingo casino opened, funded by organized crime figures.

March 1947: Flamingo Hotel Opens

In March 1947, the Flamingo hotel opened, completing the resort funded by mob money.

1950: Effort to Annex the Las Vegas Strip

In 1950, Mayor Ernie Cragin sought to annex the Las Vegas Strip to expand the city's tax base. Gus Greenbaum of the Flamingo led casino executives to lobby for town status instead.

1950: Desert Inn Resort Opens

In 1950, Wilbur Clark's Desert Inn resort opened, with funding provided through the American National Insurance Company.

1959: Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign built

In 1959, the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign was built exactly 4.5 miles (7.2 km) outside the city limits on Las Vegas Boulevard.

1966: Caesars Palace Established

In 1966, Caesars Palace was established on the Las Vegas Strip.

1969: International Hotel Opens

In 1969, the International Hotel opened with 1,512 rooms, marking the beginning of the era of mega-resorts. It is now known as Westgate Las Vegas.

1973: MGM Grand Hotel and Casino Opens

In 1973, the first MGM Grand Hotel and Casino opened with 2,084 rooms on the Las Vegas Strip.

1975: Nevada Supreme Court Blocks Annexation

In 1975, the Supreme Court of Nevada struck down a state law that would have folded the Strip into the City of Las Vegas.

November 21, 1980: MGM Grand Fire

On November 21, 1980, the MGM Grand suffered the worst resort fire in Las Vegas history, resulting in 87 fatalities due to electrical problems.

1986: MGM Grand Sold and Renamed

In 1986, Kirk Kerkorian sold the MGM Grand to Bally Manufacturing, and it was subsequently renamed Bally's.

1989: Opening of The Mirage

In 1989, the opening of The Mirage set a new standard for the Las Vegas experience, leading to the development of larger mega-resorts.

1990: Tropicana Country Club Closed

In 1990, the Tropicana Country Club closed on the Las Vegas Strip.

1993: Current MGM Grand Opens

In 1993, the current MGM Grand opened, part of an effort to attract families to the Las Vegas Strip.

1993: Mystère Show Launch

In 1993, the launch of the Mystère show at the new Treasure Island hotel by Cirque du Soleil transformed Las Vegas Strip entertainment.

1995: Monorail Begins Operating

In 1995, the monorail began operating with two trains from Walt Disney World.

2000: Bali Hai Golf Club Opened

In 2000, Bali Hai Golf Club opened just south of Mandalay Bay and the Las Vegas Strip.

2004: MGM Mirage Announces CityCenter Plans

In 2004, MGM Mirage announced plans for CityCenter, a $7 billion multi-use project on the site of the Boardwalk hotel and adjoining land.

2009: CityCenter Project Opens

In late 2009, most elements of the CityCenter project opened on the Las Vegas Strip.

2012: High Roller and Linq Promenade Construction Begins

In 2012, ground was broken for the High Roller Ferris wheel and The Linq Promenade to diversify Las Vegas Strip attractions.

2014: Renovations and Rebrandings on the Strip

In 2014, renovations and rebrandings like The Cromwell Las Vegas and the SLS Las Vegas transformed the Las Vegas Strip.

2014: MGM Initiates Solar Power

MGM initiated solar power on the Las Vegas Strip by building a solar array on top of the Mandalay Bay in 2014.

2015: Las Vegas Festival Grounds Opens

In 2015, the Las Vegas Festival Grounds opened on the Las Vegas Strip.

2015: Show Attendance Comparison

Show attendance in 2015 was higher than in 2019.

2016: Mandalay Bay Solar Array Expansion

In 2016, MGM expanded the solar array at the Mandalay Bay, making it one of the largest commercial rooftop solar arrays in the United States.

2016: T-Mobile Arena, The Park, and Park Theater Open

In 2016, T-Mobile Arena, The Park, and the Park Theater (now Dolby Live) opened on the Las Vegas Strip.

2016: TopGolf Opened

In 2016, a TopGolf facility opened near the Las Vegas Strip.

2017: Wynn Golf Club Closed

In 2017, the Wynn Golf Club closed, but the development was canceled and the course was renovated and reopened in 2019.

2017: Show Attendance Comparison

Show attendance in 2017 was higher than in 2019.

2018: Show Attendance Comparison

Show attendance in 2018 was higher than in 2019.

2018: Gambling Budget Increase

The average trip gambling budget was increased from 2018.

2019: Pedestrian Traffic on the Strip

As of 2019, approximately 50,000 pedestrians walked the Las Vegas Strip on an average day.

2019: Show Attendance Statistics

During 2019, 51% of visitors on the Las Vegas Strip attended shows, which was a decrease from 2015, 2017, and 2018. More people went to Broadway/production shows, while fewer saw lounge acts, comedy shows, or celebrity DJs.

2019: Changes in Table Games Mix

From 1985 to 2019, there were changes in the mix of table games in casinos on the Las Vegas Strip.

2019: Gambling Statistics on the Strip

In 2019, about 81% of visitors gambled in Las Vegas, spending an average of 2.7 hours and $591.06, with 89% gambling on the Strip Corridor. Big Las Vegas Strip Casinos had over $6B in annual gaming revenues, about 26% of their total.

2019: Wynn Golf Club Reopened

In late 2019, the Wynn Golf Club was renovated and reopened after a planned development was canceled.

2020: Monorail Acquired by LVCVA

In 2020, the monorail was acquired by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA).

2021: Pinball Hall of Fame Moves & Resorts World Opens

In 2021, the Pinball Hall of Fame moved near the "Fabulous Las Vegas" sign. Later that year, Resorts World Las Vegas opened on the site of the former Stardust Resort and Casino.

2021: Increase in Taxi Passengers

In 2021, there was an increase in taxi passengers on the Las Vegas Strip due to declines in rideshare drivers and rideshare surge pricing.

2023: The Sphere and Fontainebleau Las Vegas Open

In 2023, The Sphere opened on the Las Vegas Strip. Also, the Fontainebleau Las Vegas opened on the site of the former El Rancho Hotel and Casino and Algiers Hotel.