What happens in Vegas ... well, you understand the rest. But here are 24 truths about Sin City you likely have not heard.
1. Most of Vegas' renowned hotels aren't technically situated in the city of Las Vegas. A good portion of the Las Vegas Strip-- and the famous "Invite to Fabulous Las Vegas" indication-- are in fact located in an unincorporated town called Paradise, Nevada.
2. One destination that is within Las Vegas city limits: Vegas Vic, the large neon cowboy that administers over downtown's renowned Fremont Street. It's the largest mechanical neon check in the world.
3. More than 41 million visitors cycle through Sin City each year ...
4. ... So it's an excellent thing the town boasts 14 of the world's 20 biggest hotels.
5. There's so much realty for travelers to make the most of, it would take an individual 288 years to invest a night in every hotel room in the city.
6. There's a secret city beneath the city. Miles of tunnels-- initially constructed to protect the desert town from flash floods-- house numerous homeless residents.
7. The strip's Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel and Casino got its name from founder-- and legendary mobster-- Bugsy Siegel's sweetheart. Starlet Virginia Hill passed the nickname "The Flamingo" since of her red hair and long, thin legs.
8. In the mid-20th century, Las Vegas had its own set of discriminatory Jim Crow laws, which-- with the exception of low-wage service jobs-- kept African Americans out of the growing city's gambling establishments and hotels. Even legendary performers like Louis Armstrong and Nat King Cole were forced to go into and leave the places in which they were performing through back entrances and side entranceways. In 1952, acting legend Sammy Davis Jr. swam in the whites-only swimming pool at the New Frontier Hotel & Casino. Afterwards, the manager had it drained pipes.
In May 1955, the Moulin Rouge made history when it ended up being the city's first interracial casino. Legendary boxer Joe Louis, a part owner, declared, "This isn't really the opening of a Las Vegas hotel.
In the 1950s and early 1960s, Las Vegas was known for putting on a different type of show. Las Vegas' Chamber of Commerce saw a moneymaking opportunity, and decided to distribute calendars promoting detonation times and option viewing places.
Legendary recluse Howard Hughes inspected into the strip's Desert Inn on Thanksgiving Day 1966, renting the entire top two floors. When he overstayed his 10-day reservation, he was asked this page to leave.
12. FedEx founder Frederick W. Smith saved the shipment business with a journey to Vegas. In 1974-- 3 years after he developed the business-- the Yale graduate took the endeavor's last $5,000 and turned it into $32,000 with a weekend of blackjack. His, er, gamble offered the business enough cash to survive.
13. Do not disturb: Vegas has more unlisted phone numbers than any other city in the United States.
Nevada law mentions that video slot makers need to pay back a minimum of 75 percent of the cash deposited on average. (Though it's worth noting that in New Jersey, home to gambling mecca Atlantic City, it's 83 percent.).
15. It takes approximately 10 minutes to catch a marital relationship license at the bureau in downtown Las Vegas, which is open every day from 8 a.m. till midnight. No surprise some 10,000 couples wed in the city every month.
16. Let them eat ... shrimp cocktails? More than 60,000 pounds of the shellfish are consumed in the city every day. That's greater than the remainder of the nation-- combined.
17. The half-scale design of the Eiffel Tower, situated outside Paris Las Vegas, was initially planned to be full-size, but due to the close proximity of the airport-- simply 3 miles-- it had actually to be shrunk down. In contrast, the Luxor Las Vegas' Sphinx is actually bigger than the initial Terrific Sphinx of Giza.
18. At 50 loads, the bronze lion outside the MGM Grand Hotel is believed to be the largest bronze sculpture in the western hemisphere.
19. The distinct gold color of the windows at the Mirage Hotel originates from real gold dust.
20. There are 3933 guest rooms at Bellagio Las Vegas-- more than the number of residents in the city of Bellagio, Italy.
21. Not into gambling establishments? The city likewise includes a heavy devices play area where building enthusiasts can drive around bulldozers for enjoyable.
22. Prior to his death in 2009, Michael Jackson was looking into doing a Vegas residency. He planned to advertise it with a 50-foot robot-likeness of himself that would roam the Nevada desert.
23. At Vegas restaurant Cardiovascular disease Grill, waitresses gown in nurses clothes and customers can purchase an 8000-calorie quadruple bypass burger with a side of flatliner french fries. (Fried in pure lard!) Regrettably, in 2013, among the spot's regular clients died ... from an obvious cardiac arrest.
24. From external area, the Las Vegas Strip appears as the brightest spot on Earth. Who cares if it's not in fact in Las Vegas?
Many of Vegas' renowned hotels aren't technically located in the city of Las Vegas. A good part of the Las Vegas Strip-- and the famous "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign-- are really located in an unincorporated township called Paradise, Nevada.
One destination that is within Las Vegas city limitations: Vegas Vic, the large neon cowboy that presides over downtown's renowned Fremont Street. The strip's Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel and Gambling establishment got its name from founder-- and legendary mobster-- Bugsy Siegel's sweetheart. In the mid-20th century, Las Vegas had its own set of discriminatory Jim Crow laws, which-- with the exception of low-wage service jobs-- kept African Americans out of the growing city's hotels and gambling establishments.