History of Las Vegas Strip in Timeline
The Las Vegas Strip is a 4.2-mile section of Las Vegas Boulevard located south of the Las Vegas city limits in Paradise and Winchester, Nevada. Famous for its high concentration of resort hotels and casinos, it's a major tourist destination and entertainment hub. Often simply called "the Strip," it's a symbol of Las Vegas and its association with gambling, nightlife, and luxury.
1931: Pair-o-Dice Club Opens
In 1931, the Pair-o-Dice Club became the first casino built on Highway 91, marking an early milestone in the development of the Las Vegas Strip.
April 3, 1941: El Rancho Vegas Opens
On April 3, 1941, the El Rancho Vegas, the first full-service casino-resort on what is now known as the Las Vegas Strip, opened its doors with 63 bungalow hotel rooms.
December 1946: Flamingo Casino Opens
In December 1946, the Flamingo casino opened with funding from organized crime, marking Bugsy Siegel's foray into the growing Las Vegas gaming center.
March 1947: Flamingo Hotel Opens
In March 1947, the Flamingo hotel opened its doors, completing the resort that began with the opening of the Flamingo casino in December 1946.
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; however, casino executives lobbied for town status, leading to the creation of Paradise and Winchester.
1959: Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign built
In 1959, the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign was erected 4.5 miles outside the city limits on Las Vegas Boulevard to mark the entrance to the Las Vegas Strip.
1966: Caesars Palace Established
In 1966, Caesars Palace was established, marking a significant addition to the growing Las Vegas Strip.
November 21, 1980: MGM Grand Fire
On November 21, 1980, the MGM Grand experienced the worst resort fire in Las Vegas history due to electrical problems, resulting in 87 fatalities.
1985: Changes in Table Games Mix
From 1985, there have been some changes in the mix of table games in casinos on the Las Vegas Strip.
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: The Mirage Opens
In 1989, the opening of The Mirage raised the standard for Las Vegas resorts, paving the way for larger mega-resorts.
1990: Tropicana Country Club Closes
In 1990, the Tropicana Country Club closed on the Las Vegas Strip due to increasing land values.
1993: Mystère Show Premieres at Treasure Island
In 1993, the Cirque du Soleil's Mystère show premiered at the new Treasure Island hotel, marking a significant point in the transformation of Las Vegas Strip entertainment.
1993: Current MGM Grand Opens
In 1993, the current MGM Grand opened its doors on the Las Vegas Strip.
1995: Monorail Begins Operating
In 1995, the monorail began operating with two trains from Walt Disney World, providing transportation along the Las Vegas Strip.
1998: Bellagio Opens
In 1998, the Bellagio opened, initiating a trend towards luxury high-end resorts on the Las Vegas Strip.
1999: Venetian Opens
In 1999, the Venetian resort opened, further contributing to the trend of luxury high-end resorts on the Las Vegas Strip.
2004: CityCenter Announced
In 2004, the CityCenter project was announced, envisioning a large-scale, multi-use development on the former site of the Boardwalk hotel.
2005: Wynn Opens
In 2005, the Wynn resort opened, continuing the trend towards luxurious high-end resorts on the Las Vegas Strip.
2006: CityCenter Construction Begins
In 2006, construction began on CityCenter, an $8.5 billion multi-use project on the former site of the Boardwalk hotel.
2007: Palazzo Opens
In 2007, the Palazzo resort opened, adding to the luxurious high-end offerings on the Las Vegas Strip.
2008: Encore Opens
In 2008, the Encore resort opened, completing the ensemble of luxurious high-end resorts and contributing to the evolving landscape of the Las Vegas Strip.
2009: CityCenter Opens
In 2009, most elements of the CityCenter project opened, transforming a significant portion of the Las Vegas Strip.
2012: High Roller and Linq Promenade Construction Begins
In 2012, construction began on the High Roller Ferris wheel and The Linq Promenade, aiming to broaden the range of attractions on the Las Vegas Strip beyond casino resorts.
2014: MGM Builds Solar Array
In 2014, MGM built a solar array atop Mandalay Bay on the Las Vegas Strip.
2014: Renovations Transform the Strip
In 2014, renovations and rebrandings, including The Cromwell Las Vegas and the SLS Las Vegas, continued to transform the Las Vegas Strip.
2015: Las Vegas Festival Grounds Open
In 2015, the Las Vegas Festival Grounds opened, providing a new venue for events and entertainment on the Strip.
2015: Visitor Show Attendance
In 2015, visitor show attendance was at its highest.
2016: MGM Solar Array Expanded
In 2016, MGM expanded its solar array atop the Mandalay Bay, making it one of the largest commercial rooftop solar arrays in the United States.
2016: New Venues Open
In 2016, T-Mobile Arena, The Park, and the Park Theater (now Dolby Live) opened, adding new entertainment and recreational options to the Las Vegas Strip.
October 1, 2017: Mandalay Bay Shooting
On October 1, 2017, a gunman opened fire from the Mandalay Bay hotel, killing 60 people in a nearby concert, marking the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.
2017: Wynn Golf Club Closes
2017: Visitor Show Attendance
In 2017, visitor show attendance was at its highest.
2018: Gambling Budget Increase
In 2018, the average gambling trip budget increased compared to previous years.
2018: Visitor Show Attendance
In 2018, visitor show attendance was at its highest.
2019: Pedestrian Traffic on the Strip
As of 2019, approximately 50,000 pedestrians walked the Las Vegas Strip on an average day.
2019: Changes in Table Games Mix
From 2019, there have been some changes in the mix of table games in casinos on the Las Vegas Strip since 1985.
2019: Visitor Show Attendance
In 2019, 51% of visitors attended shows on the Las Vegas Strip, a decrease from 2015, 2017, and 2018, with a shift towards Broadway/production shows and fewer lounge acts, comedy shows, or celebrity DJs.
2019: Gambling Statistics on the Strip
In 2019, 81% of Las Vegas visitors gambled, spending an average of 2.7 hours gambling with an average budget of $591.06, and approximately 89% of these visitors gambled on the Strip Corridor.
2019: Wynn Golf Club Re-opens
In late 2019, the Wynn Golf Club was renovated and re-opened, following a closure in 2017.
2020: LVCVA Acquires Monorail
In 2020, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) acquired the monorail, taking over its operation.
2021: Pinball Hall of Fame Moves
In 2021, the Pinball Hall of Fame relocated near the 'Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas' sign at the south end of the Las Vegas Strip.
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.
September 2023: The Sphere Opens
In September 2023, The Sphere opened, marking a new addition to the Las Vegas Strip.
2023: Las Vegas Grand Prix
In 2023, the Las Vegas Grand Prix became part of the Formula One World Championship, marking its debut on the Las Vegas Strip.
July 2024: The Mirage Closes
In July 2024, The Mirage closed its doors, with plans to reopen as the Hard Rock Las Vegas in 2027.
October 2024: Tropicana Demolished
In October 2024, the Tropicana was demolished to make way for a new Bally's Las Vegas resort and New Las Vegas Stadium, future home of the Athletics.
November 2024: BLVD Shopping Center Opens
In November 2024, BLVD, a three-story shopping center, opened with several tenants on the Las Vegas Strip.
March 2025: Equivalent value of CityCenter project
As of March 2025, the $8.5 billion cost of the CityCenter project in 2009 is equivalent to $16.1 billion.
2026: Additional BLVD Tenants to Open
In 2026, additional tenants are set to debut at the BLVD shopping center on the Las Vegas Strip, following its initial opening in November 2024.
2027: The Mirage Reopens as Hard Rock Las Vegas
In 2027, The Mirage is set to reopen as the Hard Rock Las Vegas, following its closure in July 2024.
2028: New Las Vegas Stadium and Bally's Las Vegas Resort Set to Open
In 2028, the New Las Vegas Stadium and new Bally's Las Vegas resort are set to open for the 2028 MLB season.
2028: Oakland Athletics Relocation
In 2028, the Oakland Athletics are set to relocate to the Las Vegas Valley and will play in the New Las Vegas Stadium on the Las Vegas Strip.
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