Las Vegas History Timelines IV

Added on November 22, 2024, in Las Vegas by Gambling Gurus

Las Vegas History Timeline IV | 1999 to 2007

The fourth installment of the Las Vegas History Timeline reveals that the late 1950s saw the construction of the city’s first convention center. This development drew in a greater number of tourists and business visitors.

Las Vegas has gotten its name as an easy city to be in because there are fewer limitations.

There is no personal income tax or corporate income tax in Nevada, individuals can get a marriage license immediately and the lenient divorce proceedings and the City’s tolerance for various forms of adult entertainment have earned it the title of Sin City.

Continued From: Las Vegas History Timeline ~ Part III

1999 Continued – In April, Japan Airlines adds a fourth nonstop flight per week from Tokyo to Las Vegas. Phase I of the Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino opened on May 3rd with 3,036 suites. The Las Vegas Convention Center celebrated its 40th birthday. Circus Circus Enterprises changes its name to the Mandalay Resort Group. Paris Las Vegas Casino Resort opened it’s doors on September 1st.

2000 – A $3 billion deal closed to sell Caesars World Inc., including Caesars Palace on the Las Vegas Strip, to Park Place Entertainment. The Resort at Summerlin changes its name to The Regent Las Vegas. Station Casinos plans a $55 million dollar expansion for its Texas Station in North Las Vegas.

MGM Grand Inc. announces the purchase of Mirage Resorts Inc., which created the largest corporate buyout in gaming history. The Clark County Department of Aviation unveils a $1 billion plan for expansion and renovation of the McCarran International Airport. Virgin Atlantic Airways begins it’s first regular flights from England to Las Vegas. Station Casinos purchases the Santa Fe hotel-casino for $205 million.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority awards a $113 million contract to PCL Construction Services to expand the Las Vegas Convention Center. The two largest carriers to the Las Vegas market; Southwest Airlines and America West add 2,762 seats. Construction begins on Station Casinos’ latest hotel-casino resort, the Green Valley Ranch. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority opens an affiliate office in Sydney, Australia. Caesars Palace announced plans to build a third hotel tower.

2001 – The Orleans plans a $100 million expansion that will include the addition of a 620-room hotel tower, a 9,000-seat arena and a 40,000-square-foot casino. Aloha Airlines announced daily round trips to Las Vegas from Honolulu and Maui. The Mandalay Resort Group announced plans to add a 1.8-million-square-foot convention center to Mandalay Bay. ESPN Regional assumes ownership of the Las Vegas Bowl from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

2002 – Neonopolis Entertainment Center opens up downtown at the Fremont Street Experience. JetBlue Airways announced daily service from Las Vegas to Long Beach. For the first time, La Cumbre, the world’s largest trade show promoting travel to the United States among residents of the Caribbean, Mexican, and Central and South America markets, comes to Las Vegas. Wynn Resorts goes public with IPO for $1.85 billion mega-resort called Le Rêve.

2003 – The $105 million dollar, 40’s themed property, The Cannery opened its doors. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority debuts its new advertising campaign, “Vegas Stories” with the tagline, “What Happens Here, Stays Here.” America West increases its number of daily trips between Las Vegas and Denver, Phoenix, San Diego, San Jose, Calif., and San Francisco. The Stratosphere releases plans for its latest thrill ride, a teeter-totter like device situated nearly 900 feet above the Las Vegas Boulevard, aptly called “X Scream”.

2003 Continued – Steve Wynn changes the name for Las Vegas’ newest mega-resort from Le Rêve to “Wynn Las Vegas”. Las Vegas Premium Outlets open for business in downtown Las Vegas. The Fashion Show mall completes a $1 billion expansion, including a towering outdoor multimedia platform called, “The Cloud”. McCarran International Airport introduces a new electronic ticketing kiosk system. Mandalay Bay opened it’s new 1,120-suite tower, called “THEHotel”. Park Place Entertainment Corp. officially changed its name to Caesars Entertainment.

2004 – Mergers abound in Las Vegas. Harrah’s Entertainment purchased Binion’s Horseshoe. Boyd Gaming Corporation merged with Coast Resorts. MGM Mirage announced plans to purchase the Mandalay Resort Group. One month later, Harrah’s Entertainment announced it’s plans to purchase Caesars Entertainment. The Las Vegas Monorail system, a $654 million mass transit system, opened to the public. Las Vegas Sands releases new details about its planned $1.6 billion Palazzo Casino Resort on the Strip.

2004 Continued – The Strip dims its lights in honor of President Ronald Reagan’s passing. Other dignitaries that received such a remembrance upon their passing have included President John F. Kennedy; Rat Pack members Sammy Davis, Jr., Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin; and George Burns. The Las Vegas Hilton was sold to Colony Resorts for $280 million.

2005 – Visitor volume is announced for 2004 that breaks previous tourism records with 37.4 million annual visitors to Vegas! Las Vegas celebrates it’s Centennial year throughout 2005, beginning with the New Year’s fireworks display. Las Vegas celebrated its 100th birthday on May 15th, 2005, with the world’s largest birthday cake and a re-creation of the 1905 land auction that started the Las Vegas community as we know it today. Wynn Las Vegas, the destination’s newest mega-resort, opened April 28th at a cost of $2.7 billion, the resort becomes the most expensive hotel and casino in the world.

2005 Continued – “Condo-Fever” hits Las Vegas. A multitude of developers ranging from Donald Trump to MGM Mirage announced plans for high-rise luxury condominium projects. Las Vegas Sands breaks ground for The Palazzo, a $1.6 billion, 3,000-room resort adjacent to The Venetian Casino Resort. The MGM Mirage announced Project CityCenter, an “urban metropolis” with 4,000 hotel rooms and 1,650 condominium units. Dubai World became a joint partner during the project’s construction phase. CityCenter was the largest privately funded construction project in the history of the United States with a total cost of approximately $9.2 billion dollars.

2005 Continued – Houston-based Landry’s Restaurants takes over downtown’s largest casino, the Golden Nugget. The National Basketball Association selected Las Vegas as the host for the 2007 All-Star game. This was the first time ever this high-profile sporting event was held in a city without an NBA team. Mega-mergers skyrocket in 2005. In June, MGM Mirage and Mandalay Resort Group completed its $7.9 billion merger. In July, Harrah’s Entertainment buys Caesars Entertainment for $9.4 billion, making it the world’s largest casino gaming company.

2005 Continued – The destination’s tag-line, “What Happens Here, Stays Here” firmly cements itself into the American lexicon of tag-lines. The wildly popular phrase is included in countless television shows such as First Lady Laura Bush’s interview on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and Billy Crystal’s opening monologue during “The Academy Awards.”

2006 – Boyd Gaming Corp. announced Echelon Place, a $4 billion development project. The 5,300-room resort is located on the 63-acre site that was previously occupied by the Stardust. The resort today is a partially built casino and hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. Construction of the casino was suspended on August 1st, 2008 due to major changes in the U.S. economic climate. The Castaways, the property formerly known as The Showboat, was imploded. Within 18 seconds, the 19-story hotel was reduced to a 20,000-ton pile of concrete and rubble. Lady Luck Hotel and Casino in Downtown Las Vegas closed for renovation.

2006 Continued – Cirque du Soleil opens its fifth resident show, ‘Love’ at The Mirage, playing in the theater space of long-time Las Vegas magicians, Siegfried & Roy. The theme of the show is based on The Beatles music. Nevada celebrates 75 years of legalized gaming! Red Rock Resort Casino and Spa, the newest property of Station Casinos opened. The property was the first billion-dollar resort to be built off the Las Vegas Strip. Fantasy Suites opens at The Palms Casino Resort. Located on the tower’s 25th and 26th floors, the Fantasy Suites took the ‘themed hotel room’ to new exotic extremes, even for Vegas.

2006 Continued – Palms Casino Resort breaks ground on Palms Place Condominium, Hotel and Spa. McCarran Airport ranked as the fifth busiest passenger airport according to the Airports Council International in North America’s annual traffic ranking. Morgans Hotel Group selected Golden Gaming to operate the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino properties. Hooters Hotel and Casino opened it’s doors for business in Las Vegas. The National Restaurant Association report showed that Nevada’s restaurant industry was growing faster than anywhere else in the country as Nevada became #1 in restaurant growth. Wynn Resorts broke ground on the Encore.

2007 – The NBA All-Star 2007 Game was hosted in Las Vegas and for the first time in history, the NBA All-Star game was played in a city without a resident NBA team. MGM Mirage’s CityCenter released it’s first residences for purchase. Monty Python’s Spamalot debuts at the Wynn Las Vegas Casino Resort. The Producers debuts at Paris Las Vegas. The ‘Fremont East Entertainment District Improvement Project’ celebrated its groundbreaking ceremony to revitalize the Downtown Vegas area.

2007 Continued – The Grand Canyon Skywalk opened. This modern-day marvel became the first-ever cantilever-shaped glass walkway to suspend more than 4,000 feet above the canyon’s floor and extend 70 feet out into the canyon from the canyon’s rim. Tropicana Resort & Casino celebrated 50 years of business on the Las Vegas Strip. The Stardust Hotel & Casino was imploded. The Aladdin Casino Resort transformed into Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. The Desert Passage Shops became the Miracle Mile Shops. Cirque du Soleil announced its seventh resident production show featuring renowned illusionist Criss Angel.

 

Related Articles:

Las Vegas History Timeline Part I

Las Vegas History Timeline Part II

Las Vegas History Timeline Part III

Las Vegas History Timeline Part V