Enhance Your Homes Frontage with Las Vegas Landscaping Secrets
Boulder Landscaping Las Vegas
Picture this! Best vegas landscapers Nevada. Youre driving through a quiet suburban neighborhood. The sun is setting, casting long shadows over well-kept lawns and beautiful houses. Suddenly, your eyes are drawn to one particular house. Its not the largest, nor the most modern, but something about it just stands out. Its the frontage - the landscaping is simply stunning. You cant help but wonder: how did they do it? What are their secrets?
Well, folks, the answer might surprise you. This isnt the result of some high-end, excessively expensive landscaping company. No, sir! This is the magic of Las Vegas landscaping secrets. You may wonder, Las Vegas? The city of casinos and shows? Absolutely, and Ill tell you why.
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Las Vegas, despite its glitzy image, is smack dab in the middle of a desert.
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The residents there have learned, out of necessity, how to create beautiful, sustainable gardens in an environment thats far from ideal. They didnt let the harsh desert conditions deter them. Instead, they found ways to turn the negatives into positives. And you can do the same!
Firstly, youve got to understand that less is often more. In Las Vegas, water isnt plentiful, so theyve learned to do more with less. Theyve mastered the art of xeriscaping - landscaping that minimizes the need for water. But dont let that scare you! Xeriscaping doesnt mean youre restricted to cacti and rocks. There are numerous plants that can thrive in such conditions (succulents, agaves, yuccas, and so forth).
Next, focus on creating a focal point. This is a classic Vegas trick. Just as the city itself draws you in with its bright lights and grand structures, your front yard should have something that immediately draws the eye. It could be a large, beautiful tree, a statue, or even a water feature (though remember, were trying to conserve water here!).
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Finally, dont forget the importance of lighting. Vegas is known as the City of Lights, after all! Properly placed lighting can enhance your frontage tenfold, creating depth and drawing attention to your yards best features.
But remember, these are just guidelines, not strict rules. The beauty of landscaping is in its versatility and room for creativity. Dont be afraid to experiment (within reason, of course) and add your own personal touch. Because at the end of the day, its your front yard, and it should reflect your style and personality.
So, my friends, there you have it. With these Las Vegas landscaping secrets, you too can enhance your homes frontage. It might require a bit of work, a dash of creativity, and a sprinkle of patience, but trust me, itll be worth it. So go on, give it a whirl, and watch as your front yard transforms into a desert oasis!
This article's lead sectionmay be too short to adequately summarize the key points. Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of all important aspects of the article.(September 2023)
Energy-efficient landscaping is a type of landscaping designed for the purpose of conserving energy. There is a distinction between the embedded energy of materials and constructing the landscape, and the energy consumed by the maintenance and operations of a landscape.
Landscaping often refers to the practice of landscape design and gardening, which traditionally concern with designing sites with vegetation and craft for aesthetic, cultural, social, and religious purposes.
Energy-efficient landscaping falls into the categories of the latter, and it stresses the energy conservation in site operation or the creation of the site. Among its various term usage, energy-efficient landscaping can refer to the reduction of energy usage in maintenance and operation of the landscape narrowly for the user/owner of the site,[1][2] or broadly for the energy conservation of the global environment, such as mitigating urban heat island effect with reflective surface (increase albedo) or reducing the need of water treatment and sewage by using pervious pavement. Common methods of energy-efficient landscaping include reducing heat or cooling load of a building through shade, wind-blocking, and insulation; management of water; and using plants or construction material that cost less energy.
Planting trees for the purpose of providing shade, which reduces cooling costs. The mature height of the trees and their canopy shape need to be well studied. The locations of the trees should be chosen based on their height and the height of the building. Also, when trees are planted closer to the windows or walls, they will provide shade for a greater portion of the day as the Sun keep changing its relative position to the window and the trees. Planting the trees too close to the building, however, is also not desirable, as it might create the danger of touching above-ground or underground utility lines.[2]
The type of leaves of the trees is also important. Broad-leaf evergreens like Southern magnolia can be used to provide dense year-round shade. However, needle-leaf evergreens like pines and cedars can provide more air circulation though their shade is sparser and more open.[2]
Not only can tree shade be used to reduce the cooling load in building, it can also be used in parking lot, driveways, and playgrounds.[3]
Planting or building windbreaks to slow winds near buildings, which reduces heat loss. Homes loses heat through infiltration in the Winter. Windbreaks should be designed to intercept and redirect the Winter winds before they reach the house and outdoor areas with playgrounds or sensitive plants. The windbreak in the Winter should also be designed so that they would not block the sunlight in the Winter or block the wind in the Summer.[3]
Planting shrubs near the wall creates an insulating air space around the wall. This is a similar idea to the use of a tree windbreak. Shrubs should be planted at least 2 feet (0.61 m) from the wall to prevent moisture and insect problems.[2]
Earth sheltering is an example of using natural landform and geological condition to save energy in building a structure. It is believed to save energy in multiple ways: by using the rock or strong
soil as wall and ground as the floor, construction cost is greatly reduced, because the structure will need less load bearing material and there is no need for excavation and foundation construction; the wall and the floor made of natural material likely will have better insulation than artificial wall and floors; Natural walls and floors can also reduce fire hazard, because they are hard to be ignited thus reduce the need for flame retardants.[4]
In a study of simulating a structure with varying depth submerged in the ground to understand the insulating effect of natural wall and ground in cold climate,[5] it was found that the thermal transmittance of the earth-sheltered walls and floor is 16% - 45% lower than that of the structure totally above ground.
Other than Earth Sheltering, a simpler way of taking advantage of natural landform is using geology, such as mountains, for shade.
Often, landscape design and architecture refers to the design in ground surface; in many contexts, specifically, the design guidance and topics are for a typical residential landscape in suburban housing, where there is a yard (garden), a driveway, and a house. In the crowded urban area, however, there is not abundant ground surface for landscape design. Green roofs, then, become an appealing option to add some aesthetics and green to the crowded cities. Not limited to the cities, green roofs can be applied to wherever it will fit. Most of times, actually, the decision to build Green roofs is based on local climate and policy. It is because other than its aesthetics, green roofs are used often for their ability to conserve energy, such as increasing insulation of the building roof, retaining and infiltrating rainwater, and potentially reducing urban heat island effect when it was installed to a certain scale. In Germany, for example, partly because of EU's regulation, 17% of the new roof construction are green roofs. In Washington DC, green roofs are used as an alternative storm-water retention technique.[6]
Reducing building energy consumption by increasing the roof insulation: In total energy consumption reduction, green roof would have the best performance relative to a bare roof in a colder climate, which require nighttime heating. The reduction in heating load of the building increase as the soil depth of the green roof increase, though an increased soil depth would mean heavier roof. On the other hand, if a building is cooling-dominated, leaf area index is more important. In peak energy consumption reduction, green roof also has a notable effect, and the leaf area index and soil depth are both positively related to its performance.[7]
Rainwater retention and evapotranspiration: 3-4 inches of soil can retain about 1 inch of rainwater. That is about 75% of precipitation in most areas in United States.[8] By retaining the rainwater in soil, the water would not become runoff, instead they would result in evapotranspiration.
Water runoff quality: When green roof is not able to hold the amount of the precipitation, the excessive rainwater will become runoff. In a field experiment where contaminated water is dripped into a green roof section to mimic rainfall in the green roof, the exfiltrate water was studied and analyzed. It was found that since the average level of suspended solid, nitrogen, and phosphorus concentrations in Green roof water outflow is significantly higher than that in conventional roof outflow, extensive green roofs will become a source of nutrient contamination in urban water environment.[9]
Fire Hazard: Green roofs can be more easily ignited than conventional roofs; it is a concern that when the green roof caught fire, the high temperature would damage the roof structure itself. Not only the idea of damaging the roof is contradictory to energy conservation and sustainability, the fire and the roof damage could cause safety issue to the residents. It remains a matter of debate as to whether a green roof will exacerbate or mitigate the effects of a fire. Some argue that, because vegetation is about 95% water, the green roof actually reduces chances of a fire. On the other hand, some argue that during autumn and winter, when the vegetation is dry, fire hazard is increased. A recent study has found, through mathematical modelling, that [10] when the vegetation itself caught fire, heat does penetrate downward (rather slowly as the thermal conductivity of soil is low), eventually damaging the roof itself. Thus the key to whether ignited vegetation will damage the roof or not depends on the thickness of the soil. The study also found that by installing a gypsum layer beneath the soil layer, the possibility of damaging the roof can be greatly reduced.
Additional structural load: Most old buildings were not designed for the extra roof dead load of the green roofs. If more energy is consumed in building the additional load bearing structure for the green roofs than the energy saved through insulation enhancement and water retention, it would be contradictory to the idea of energy conservation. By study, common green roofs types in the market would increase the load on the rood by 1.2 to 2.43 kilo-newton per square meter.[11]
A lot pavement in urban and suburban areas is impervious, this likely would result the contaminated stormwater runoff. In pre-development area, averagely 50% of storm-water would result in evapotranspiration, 5% in runoff, and 45% in infiltration, whereas in post-development area, only 35% storm-water result in evapotranspiration, and 50% in runoff, and 15% in infiltration. This change has caused various problem, such as flooding, infrastructural damage due to rapid movement of water, and water contamination.[12]
By using pervious paving, however, the amount of infiltrated storm-water will be increased in post-development area, and the pollutants in the filtrated water can be reduced; thus the problem can be mitigated. In Low Impact Development 2008 Conference, ASCE performed two bench-scale study to examine the effectiveness of permeable interlocking concrete pavement in terms of water flow rate and the role of microbial colonies in pollutant removal in the micro-environment of porous pavement.[13] The experiment shows 84% relative total suspended solids (TSS) removal on average, yet the increased relative removal over time suggests there is potentially solid buildup, and that may result system clogging and system failure. The evidence in pollutant removal proved the conclusion of the previous study that the annual pollutant runoff from the driveways was 86% lower for pervious driveways than impervious driveways.
The sun rises from the East, moves South, and sets in the West. Thus, a rule of thumb for design is to avoid south-facing windows when trying to decrease cooling load of the building and increase south-facing windows when trying to decrease heating load of the building. The reality, however, is more complicated. The sun rises from East and sets in West perfectly only on the autumnal and vernal equinoxes, and during the vast majority of the year, Sun travels slightly southward and eastward depending on whether it is summer or winter and on whether the observer is in the Northern Hemisphere or the Southern Hemisphere.[14]
To design for the best performance of the site, the designer needs to well understand the local climate and the site's location relative to equator.
In agreement with the city to build a resilient and sustainable landscape, Massachusetts Institute of Technology has initiated several energy efficiency upgrade projects, these projects include:
Planting trees and using the tree canopy to provide shade for pedestrians, which also would give students more incentive to walk
Landscape filters are added to (partly) treat rain water
Storm-water storage are installed to mitigate flood
Lighter color pavement for reducing heat island effect
Landscape architecture is the style of exterior areas, sites, and frameworks to achieve ecological, social-behavioural, or visual end results. It includes the methodical style and general design of various structures for building and human usage, investigation of existing social, environmental, and soil conditions and procedures in the landscape, and the style of various other interventions that will generate preferred outcomes. The scope of the career is broad and can be partitioned into numerous sub-categories consisting of professional or qualified landscape engineers that are managed by governmental companies and possess the knowledge to develop a large range of frameworks and landforms for human use; landscape style which is not a licensed career; site planning; stormwater monitoring; disintegration control; environmental repair; public world, parks, entertainment and urban planning; aesthetic source monitoring; eco-friendly framework planning and stipulation; and exclusive estate and house landscape master planning and design; all at differing ranges of style, planning and monitoring. A practitioner in the profession of landscape style might be called a landscape engineer; however, in jurisdictions where specialist licenses are required it is frequently only those that possess a landscape architect certificate who can be called a landscape designer.
"Vegas", "Sin City", "City of Lights", "The Gambling Capital of the World",[1] "The Entertainment Capital of the World', "Capital of Second Chances",[2] "The Marriage Capital of the World", "The Silver City", "America's Playground", "Hawaii's Ninth Island"[3][4]
Las Vegas was settled in 1905 and officially incorporated in 1911.[10] At the close of the 20th century, it was the most populated North American city founded within that century. Population growth has accelerated since the 1960s and into the 21st century, and between 1990 and 2000 the population increased by 85.2%.
In 1829, Mexican trader and explorer Antonio Armijo led a group consisting of 60 men and 100 mules along the Old Spanish Trail from modern day New Mexico to California. Along the way, the group stopped in what would become Las Vegas and noted its natural water sources, now referred to as the Las Vegas Springs, which supported extensive vegetation such as grasses and mesquite trees. The springs were a significant natural feature in the valley, with streams that supported a meadow ecosystem. This region served as the winter residence for the Southern Paiute people, who utilized the area's resources before moving to higher elevations during the summer months. The Spanish "las vegas" or "the meadows" (more precisely, lower land near a river) in English, was applied to describe the fertile lowlands near the springs. Over time, the name began to refer to the populated settlement.[17][18][19]
Eleven years later, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chose Las Vegas as the site to build a fort halfway between Salt Lake City and Los Angeles, where they would travel to gather supplies. The fort was abandoned several years afterward. The remainder of this Old Mormon Fort can still be seen at the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and Washington Avenue.
Las Vegas was founded as a city in 1905, when 110 acres (45 ha) of land adjacent to the Union Pacific Railroad tracks were auctioned in what would become the downtown area. In 1911, Las Vegas was incorporated as a city.[24]
The year 1931 was pivotal for Las Vegas. At that time, Nevada legalized casino gambling[25] and reduced residency requirements for divorce to six weeks.[26] This year also witnessed the beginning of construction of the tunnels of nearby Hoover Dam. The influx of construction workers and their families helped Las Vegas avoid economic calamity during the Great Depression. The construction work was completed in 1935.
Following World War II, lavishly decorated hotels, gambling casinos, and big-name entertainment became synonymous with Las Vegas.
This view of downtown Las Vegas shows a mushroom cloud in the background. Scenes such as this were typical during the 1950s. From 1951 to 1962, the government conducted 100 atmospheric tests at the nearby Nevada Test Site.[28]
In 1951, nuclear weapons testing began at the Nevada Test Site, 65 miles (105 km) northwest of Las Vegas. During this time, the city was nicknamed the "Atomic City." Residents and visitors were able to witness the mushroom clouds (and were exposed to the fallout) until 1963 when the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty required that nuclear tests be moved underground.[28]
In 1955, the Moulin Rouge Hotel opened and became the first racially integrated casino-hotel in Las Vegas.
During the 1960s, corporations and business tycoons such as Howard Hughes were building and buying hotel-casino properties. Gambling was referred to as "gaming," which transitioned it into a legitimate business. Learning from Las Vegas, published during this era, asked architects to take inspiration from the city's highly decorated buildings, helping to start the postmodern architecture movement.
In 1995, the Fremont Street Experience opened in Las Vegas's downtown area. This canopied five-block area features 12.5 million LED lights and 550,000 watts of sound from dusk until midnight during shows held at the top of each hour.
Las Vegas is situated in a basin on the floor of the Mojave Desert,[31] and is surrounded by mountain ranges. Much of the landscape is rocky and arid, with desert vegetation and wildlife. It can be subjected to torrential flash floods, although much has been done to mitigate the effects of flash floods through improved drainage systems.[32]
The city's elevation is approximately 2,030 ft (620 m) above sea level, though the surrounding peaks reach elevations of over 10,000 feet (3,000 m) and act as barriers to the strong flow of moisture from the surrounding area. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 135.86 sq mi (351.9 km2), of which 135.81 sq mi (351.7 km2) is land and 0.05 sq mi (0.13 km2) (0.03%) is water.
After Alaska and California, Nevada is the third most seismically active state in the U.S. It has been estimated by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) that over the next 50 years, there is a 10–20% chance of an M6.0 or greater earthquake occurring within 50 km (31 mi) of Las Vegas.[33]
Within the city are many lawns, trees, and other greenery. Due to water resource issues, there has been a movement to encourage xeriscapes. Another part of conservation efforts is scheduled watering days for residential landscaping. A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grant in 2008 funded a program that analyzed and forecast growth and environmental effects through 2019.[34]
Las Vegas has a subtropicalhot desert climate (Köppen climate classification: BWh, Trewartha climate classificationBWhk), typical of the Mojave Desert in which it lies. This climate is typified by long, extremely hot summers; warm transitional seasons; and short winters with mild days and cool nights. There is abundant sunshine throughout the year, with an average of 310 sunny days and bright sunshine during 86% of all daylight hours.[35][36] Rainfall is scarce, with an average of 4.2 in (110 mm) dispersed between roughly 26 total rainy days per year.[37] Las Vegas is among the sunniest, driest, and least humid locations in North America, with exceptionally low dew points and humidity that sometimes remains below 10%.[38]
The summer months of June through September are extremely hot, though moderated by the low humidity levels. July is the hottest month, with an average daytime high of 104.5 °F (40.3 °C). On average, 137 days per year reach or exceed 90 °F (32 °C), of which 78 days reach 100 °F (38 °C) and 10 days reach 110 °F (43 °C). During the peak intensity of summer, overnight lows frequently remain above 80 °F (27 °C), and occasionally above 85 °F (29 °C).[35]
While most summer days are consistently hot, dry, and cloudless, the North American Monsoon sporadically interrupts this pattern and brings more cloud cover, thunderstorms, lightning, increased humidity, and brief spells of heavy rain. Potential monsoons affect Las Vegas between July and August. Summer in Las Vegas is marked by significant diurnal temperature variation. While less extreme than other parts of the state, nighttime lows in Las Vegas are often 30 °F (16.7 °C) or more lower than daytime highs.[39] The average hottest night of the year is 90 °F (32 °C). The all-time record is at 95 °F (35 °C).[35]
Las Vegas winters are relatively short, with typically mild daytime temperatures and chilly nights. Sunshine is abundant in all seasons. December is both the year's coolest and cloudiest month, with an average daytime high of 56.9 °F (13.8 °C) and sunshine occurring during 78% of its daylight hours. Winter evenings are defined by clear skies and swift drops in temperature after sunset, with overnight minima averaging around 40 °F (4.4 °C) in December and January. Owing to its elevation that ranges from 2,000 to 3,000 feet (610 to 910 m), Las Vegas experiences markedly cooler winters than other areas of the Mojave Desert and the adjacent Sonoran Desert that are closer to sea level. The city records freezing temperatures an average of 10 nights per winter. It is exceptionally rare for temperatures to reach or fall below 25 °F (−4 °C).[35]
Climate chart for Las Vegas
Most of the annual precipitation falls during the winter. February, the wettest month, averages only four days of measurable rain. The mountains immediately surrounding the Las Vegas Valley accumulate snow every winter, but significant accumulation within the city is rare, although moderate accumulations occur every few years. The most recent accumulations occurred on February 18, 2019, when parts of the city received about 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5.1 cm) of snow[40] and on February 20 when the city received almost 0.5 inches (1.3 cm).[41] Other recent significant snow accumulations occurred on December 25, 2015, and December 17, 2008.[42] Unofficially, Las Vegas's largest snowfall on record was the 12 inches (30 cm) that fell in 1909.[43] In recent times, ice days have not occurred, although 29 °F (−2 °C) was measured in 1963.[35] On average the coldest day is 44 °F (7 °C).[35]
The highest temperature officially observed for Las Vegas is 120 °F (48.9 °C), as measured at Harry Reid International Airport on July 7, 2024.[35][44] The lowest temperature was 8 °F (−13 °C), recorded on two days: January 25, 1937, and January 13, 1963.[35] The official record hot daily minimum is 95 °F (35 °C) on July 19, 2005, and July 1, 2013. The official record cold daily maximum is 28 °F (−2 °C) on January 8 and 21, 1937.[35] July 2024 was the hottest month ever recorded in Las Vegas, with its highest recorded mean daily average temperature over the month of 99.9 °F (38 °C), its highest recorded mean daily maximum temperature of 111.5 °F (44 °C), and its highest recorded mean nightly minimum temperature of 88.3 °F (31 °C).[45]
Due to concerns about climate change in the wake of a 2002 drought, daily water consumption has been reduced from 314 US gallons (1,190 L) per resident in 2003 to around 205 US gallons (780 L) in 2015.[46]
Las Vegas, Nevada – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Approximately 5.8% of residents are under the age of five, 22.8% under the age of eighteen and 15.6% over 65 years old. Females are 50.0% of the total population.[53]
Map of racial distribution in the Las Vegas area, 2020 U.S. Census. Each dot is 25 people:
⬤ White
⬤ Black
⬤ Asian
⬤ Hispanic
⬤ Native American
⬤ Mixed or Other
From 2019 to 2023, Las Vegas had approximately 244,429 households, with an average of 2.63 persons per household. About 55.7% of housing units were owner-occupied, and the median value of owner-occupied housing was $395,300. Median gross rent during this period was $1,456 per month (in 2023 dollars).[53]
The median household income in Las Vegas from 2019 to 2023 was $70,723, while the per capita income was $38,421 (in 2023 dollars). Approximately 14.2% of the population lived below the poverty line during the same period.[53]
About 33.0% of residents aged 5 and older speak a language other than English at home. 20.9% of residents are foreign-born.[53]
The mean travel time to work for residents aged 16 and older was approximately 25.8 minutes between 2019 and 2023. The vast majority of households in Las Vegas are digitally connected, with 95.6% having a computer and 89.1% subscribing to broadband internet services.
Filipinos make up the largest Asian population in Las Vegas. 31,931 Filipinos live within the city limits, making up 4.8% of the population.[54] In the Las Vegas area as a whole, there are 162,802 Filipinos, making up 7% of the population.[55] Native Hawaiians are also a major demographic in the city, numbering 20,829 in the city and surrounding suburbs,[56] with some Hawaiians and Las Vegas residents calling the city the "ninth island of Hawaii" due to the major influx of Hawaiians to Vegas.[57]
According to a 2004 study, Las Vegas has one of the highest divorce rates.[58][59] The city's high divorce rate is not wholly due to Las Vegans themselves getting divorced. Compared to other states, Nevada's nonrestrictive requirements for divorce result in many couples temporarily moving to Las Vegas in order to get divorced.[60] Similarly, Nevada marriage requirements are equally lax resulting in one of the highest marriage rates of U.S. cities, with many licenses issued to people from outside the area (see Las Vegas weddings).[60]
According to the 2010 Census, the city of Las Vegas had a population of 583,756. The city's racial composition had shifted slightly, with 47.91% of the population identifying as White alone (non-Hispanic), 10.63% as Black or African American alone (non-Hispanic), 0.41% as Native American or Alaska Native alone (non-Hispanic), 5.93% as Asian alone (non-Hispanic), 0.53% as Pacific Islander alone (non-Hispanic), 0.19% as Other Race alone (non-Hispanic), and 2.91% as Mixed race or Multiracial (non-Hispanic). Hispanic or Latino individuals of any race represented 31.50% of the population.[51]
According to the 2000 census, Las Vegas had a population of 474,434 people. The racial makeup of the city was 58.52% White alone (non-Hispanic), 10.19% Black or African American alone (non-Hispanic), 0.51% Native American or Alaska Native alone (non-Hispanic), 4.72% Asian alone (non-Hispanic), 0.41% Pacific Islander alone (non-Hispanic), 0.14% Other Race alone (non-Hispanic), and 2.52% Mixed race or Multiracial (non-Hispanic). Hispanic or Latino individuals of any race made up 23.81% of the population.[50]
The major attractions in Las Vegas are the casinos and the hotels, although in recent years other new attractions have begun to emerge.
Most casinos in the downtown area are on Fremont Street, with The STRAT Hotel, Casino & Skypod as one of the few exceptions. Fremont East, adjacent to the Fremont Street Experience, was granted variances to allow bars to be closer together, similar to the Gaslamp Quarter of San Diego, the goal being to attract a different demographic than the Strip attracts.
The Golden Gate Hotel and Casino, downtown along the Fremont Street Experience, is the oldest continuously operating hotel and casino in Las Vegas; it opened in 1906 as the Hotel Nevada.
The center of the gambling and entertainment industry is the Las Vegas Strip, outside the city limits in the surrounding unincorporated communities of Paradise and Winchester in Clark County. Some of the largest casinos and buildings are there.[69]
In 1929, the city installed a welcome arch over Fremont Street, at the corner of Main Street.[70][71][72] It remained in place until 1931.[73][74]
In 1959, the 25-foot-tall (7.6 m) Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign was installed at the south end of the Las Vegas Strip. A replica welcome sign, standing nearly 16 feet (4.9 m) tall, was installed within city limits in 2002, at Las Vegas Boulevard and Fourth Street.[75][76][77] The replica was destroyed in 2016, when a pickup truck crashed into it.[78]
In 2018, the city approved plans for a new gateway landmark in the form of neon arches. It was built within city limits, in front of the Strat resort and north of Sahara Avenue.[79] The project, built by YESCO, cost $6.5 million and stands 80 feet (24 m) high.[80] Officially known as the Gateway Arches, the project was completed in 2020. The steel arches are blue during the day, and light up in a variety of colors at night.[81]
Also located just north of the Strat are a pair of giant neon showgirls, initially added in 2018 as part of a $400,000 welcome display. The original showgirls were 25 feet (7.6 m) tall, but were replaced by new ones in 2022, rising 50 feet (15 m).[82][83] The originals were refurbished following weather damage and installed at the Las Vegas Arts District.[83][84]
When The Mirage opened in 1989, it started a trend of major resort development on the Las Vegas Strip outside of the city. This resulted in a drop in tourism in the downtown area, but many recent projects have increased the number of visitors to downtown.
An effort has been made by city officials to diversify the economy by attracting health-related, high-tech and other commercial interests. No state tax for individuals or corporations, as well as a lack of other forms of business-related taxes, have aided the success of these efforts.[85]
The Fremont Street Experience was built in an effort to draw tourists back to the area and has been popular since its startup in 1995.
In 2005, the World Market Center opened, consisting of three large buildings taking up 5,400,000 square feet (500,000 m2). Trade shows for the furniture and furnishing industries are held there semiannually.[89]
Also nearby is the Las Vegas North Premium Outlets. With a second expansion, completed in May 2015, the mall currently offers 175 stores.[90]
City offices moved to a new Las Vegas City Hall in February 2013 on downtown's Main Street. The former city hall building is now occupied by the corporate headquarters for the online retailer Zappos.com, which opened downtown in 2013. Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh took an interest in the urban area and contributed $350 million toward a revitalization effort called the Downtown Project.[91][92] Projects funded include Las Vegas's first independent bookstore, The Writer's Block.[93]
A number of new industries have moved to Las Vegas in recent decades. Zappos.com (now an Amazon subsidiary) was founded in San Francisco but by 2013 had moved its headquarters to downtown Las Vegas. Allegiant Air, a low-cost air carrier, launched in 1997 with its first hub at Harry Reid International Airport and headquarters in nearby Summerlin.
A growing population means the Las Vegas Valley used 1.2 billion US gal (4.5 billion L) more water in 2014 than in 2011. Although water conservation efforts implemented in the wake of a 2002 drought have had some success, local water consumption remains 30 percent greater than in Los Angeles, and over three times that of San Francisco metropolitan area residents. The Southern Nevada Water Authority is building a $1.4 billion tunnel and pumping station to bring water from Lake Mead, has purchased water rights throughout Nevada, and has planned a controversial $3.2 billion pipeline across half the state. By law, the Las Vegas Water Service District "may deny any request for a water commitment or request for a water connection if the District has an inadequate supply of water." But limiting growth on the basis of an inadequate water supply has been unpopular with the casino and building industries.[46]
The city is home to several museums, including the Neon Museum (the location for many of the historical signs from Las Vegas's mid-20th century heyday), The Mob Museum, the Las Vegas Natural History Museum, the Discovery Children's Museum, the Nevada State Museum and the Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park.
The city is home to an extensive Downtown Arts District, which hosts numerous galleries and events including the annual Las Vegas Film Festival. "First Friday" is a monthly celebration that includes arts, music, special presentations and food in a section of the city's downtown region called 18b, The Las Vegas Arts District.[96] The festival extends into the Fremont East Entertainment District.[97] The Thursday evening before First Friday is known in the arts district as "Preview Thursday," which highlights new gallery exhibitions throughout the district.[98]
Las Vegas has earned the moniker "Gambling Capital of the World," as it has the world's most land-based casinos.[99] The city is also host to more AAA Five Diamond hotels than any other city in the world.[100]
The Las Vegas metropolitan area has been the site of many prominent combat sports events, such as boxing and MMA, with Las Vegas being considered by many as the "fight capital of the world."[108] The mixed martial arts promotion, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), is headquartered in Las Vegas and also frequently holds fights in the city at T-Mobile Arena and at the UFC Apex training facility near the headquarters.[109]
The city's parks and recreation department operates 78 regional, community, neighborhood, and pocket parks; four municipal swimming pools, 11 recreational centers, four active adult centers, eight cultural centers, six galleries, eleven dog parks, and four golf courses: Angel Park Golf Club, Desert Pines Golf Club, Durango Hills Golf Club, and the Las Vegas Municipal Golf Course.[111]
It is also responsible for 123 playgrounds, 23 softball fields, 10 football fields, 44 soccer fields, 10 dog parks, six community centers, four senior centers, 109 skate parks, and six swimming pools.[112]
The city of Las Vegas has a council–manager government.[113] The mayor sits as a council member-at-large and presides over all city council meetings.[113] If the mayor cannot preside over a city council meeting, then the Mayor pro tempore is the presiding officer of the meeting until the Mayor returns to his/her seat.[114] The city manager is responsible for the administration and the day-to-day operations of all municipal services and city departments.[115] The city manager maintains intergovernmental relationships with federal, state, county and other local governments.[115]
UNLV is a public, land-grant, R1 research university and is home to the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine[133] and the William S. Boyd School of Law, the only law school in Nevada.[134] The university's campus is urban and located about two miles east of the Las Vegas strip. The Desert Research Institute's southern campus sits next to UNLV, while its northern campus is in Reno.[135]
CSN, with campuses throughout Clark County,[136] is a community college with one of the largest enrollments in the United States.[137] In unincorporated Clark County, CSN's Charleston campus is home to the headquarters of Nevada Public Radio (KNPR), an NPR member station.[138][139]
Las Vegas Review-Journal, the area's largest daily newspaper, is published every morning. It was formed in 1909 but has roots back to 1905. It is the largest newspaper in Nevada and is ranked as one of the top 25 newspapers in the United States by circulation. In 2000, the Review-Journal installed the largest newspaper printing press in the world. It cost $40 million, weighs 910 tons and consists of 16 towers.[142] Until his death in January 2021, the newspaper was owned by casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, who purchased it for $140 million in December 2015. In 2018, the Review-Journal received the Sigma Delta Chi Award from the Society of Professional Journalists for reporting the Oct 1 mass shooting on the Las Vegas Strip. In 2018 and 2022, Editor and Publisher magazine named the Review-Journal as one of 10 newspapers in the United States "doing it right."[143][144]
Las Vegas Sun, based in neighboring Henderson, is a daily newspaper. Although independently published, the print edition is distributed as a section inside the Review-Journal. The Sun is owned by the Greenspun family and is part of the Greenspun Media Group. It was founded independently in 1950 and in 1989 entered into a Joint Operating Agreement with the Review-Journal, which runs through 2040. The Sun has been described as "politically liberal."[145] In 2009, the Sun was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for coverage of the high death rate of construction workers on the Las Vegas Strip amid lax enforcement of regulations.[146][147]
Las Vegas Weekly, based in neighboring Henderson, is a free alternative weekly newspaper. It covers Las Vegas arts, entertainment, culture and news. Las Vegas Weekly was founded in 1992 and is published by the Greenspun Media Group.
Las Vegas is served by 10 full power television stations and 46 radio stations. The area is also served by two NOAA Weather Radio transmitters (162.55 MHz located in Boulder City and 162.40 MHz located on Potosi Mountain).
Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) provides public bus transportation.Harry Reid International Airport provides private and public aviation services to the city.Inside Terminal 3 at Harry Reid International Airport in Paradise
RTC Transit is a public transportation system providing bus service throughout Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas and other areas of the valley. Inter-city bus service to and from Las Vegas is provided by Greyhound, BoltBus, Orange Belt Stages, Tufesa, and several smaller carriers.[148]
The Union Pacific Railroad is the only Class I railroad providing rail freight service to the city. Until 1997, the Amtrak Desert Wind train service ran through Las Vegas using the Union Pacific Railroad tracks.
In March 2010, the RTC launched bus rapid transit link in Las Vegas called the Strip & Downtown Express with limited stops and frequent service that connects downtown Las Vegas, the Strip and the Las Vegas Convention Center. Shortly after the launch, the RTC dropped the ACE name.[155]
In 2016, 77.1 percent of working Las Vegas residents (those living in the city, but not necessarily working in the city) commuted by driving alone. About 11 percent commuted via carpool, 3.9 percent used public transportation, and 1.4 percent walked. About 2.3 percent of Las Vegas commuters used all other forms of transportation, including taxi, bicycle, and motorcycle. About 4.3% of working Las Vegas residents worked at home.[156] In 2015, 10.2 percent of city of Las Vegas households were without a car, which increased slightly to 10.5 percent in 2016. The national average was 8.7 percent in 2016. Las Vegas averaged 1.63 cars per household in 2016, compared to a national average of 1.8 per household.
Las Vegas Boulevard divides the east–west streets from the Las Vegas Strip to near the Stratosphere, then Main Street becomes the dividing line from the Stratosphere to the North Las Vegas border, after which the Goldfield Street alignment divides east and west.
On the east side of Las Vegas, block numbers between Charleston Boulevard and Washington Avenue are different along Nellis Boulevard, which is the eastern border of the city limits.
^Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the highest and lowest temperature readings during an entire month or year) calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020.
^"Home". United States Air Force Thunderbirds. Archived from the original on October 20, 2019. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
^ abSimon, Steven; Bouville, Andre (January–February 2006). "Fallout from Nuclear Weapons Tests and Cancer Risks". American Scientist. 94 (1): 48. doi:10.1511/2006.57.48. ISSN0003-0996. Archived from the original on July 9, 2014. Retrieved December 18, 2020. Exposures 50 years ago still have health implications today that will continue into the future...Deposition...generally decreases with distance from the test site in the direction of the prevailing wind across North America, although isolated locations received significant deposition as a result of rainfall. Trajectories of the fallout debris clouds across the U.S. are shown for four altitudes. Each dot indicates six hours.
^"History". City of Las Vegas. Archived from the original on July 1, 2014. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
^"Flood control a success". Las Vegas Review-Journal. December 28, 2010. Archived from the original on May 1, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
^"Loss-Estimation Modeling of Earthquake Scenarios for Each County in Nevada Using HAZUS-MH"(PDF). Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology. Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology/University of Nevada, Reno. February 23, 2006. p. 65. Archived(PDF) from the original on September 10, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2016. "Probability of an earthquake of magnitude 6.0 or greater occurring within 50 km in 50 years (from USGS probabilistic seismic hazard analysis) 10–20% chance for Las Vegas area, magnitude 6".
^"DRA 2020". Daves Redistricting. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
^N.R.S. § 386.010 "Creation; power to sue." (1971). In Chapter 386: Local Administrative Organization. Archived from the original August 17, 2000. "County school districts, the boundaries of which are conterminous with the boundaries of the counties of the State, are hereby created. The Carson City School District shall be considered as a county school district. Each county school district created by this chapter is hereby declared to be a political subdivision of the State of Nevada whose purpose is to administer the state system of public education. Each school district shall have the power to sue and may be sued. [47:32:1956]—(NRS A 1967, 37; 1969, 336; 1971, 517)"
Brigham, Jay. "Review: 'Reno, Las Vegas, and the Strip: A Tale of Three Cities'." Western Historical Quarterly 46.4 (2015): 529–530. JSTORwesthistquar.46.4.0529.
Chung, Su Kim (2012). Las Vegas Then and Now, Holt: Thunder Bay Press, ISBN978-1-60710-582-4
Moehring, Eugene P. Resort City in the Sunbelt: Las Vegas, 1930–2000 (2000).
Moehring, Eugene, "The Urban Impact: Towns and Cities in Nevada's History," Nevada Historical Society Quarterly 57 (Fall/Winter 2014): 177–200.
Rowley, Rex J. Everyday Las Vegas: Local Life in a Tourist Town (2013)
Stierli, Martino (2013). Las Vegas in the Rearview Mirror: The City in Theory, Photography, and Film, Los Angeles: Getty Publications, ISBN978-1-60606-137-4
Top Landscaping Trends for Las Vegas Homes in 2025
As Las Vegas grows, so does its love for bold, modern, and sustainable outdoor spaces. This year, homeowners are embracing a fresh wave of landscaping trends tailored to desert living.
First on the list is artificial turf with stone borders. This combo offers clean lines and low maintenance—perfect for front yards and pet areas. No more brown spots or weekend lawn care!
Next, fire pits and hardscape lounges are turning backyards into true outdoor living rooms. Paver patios surrounded by succulents and native plants create a cozy yet contemporary vibe.
Vertical gardens are gaining popularity for small side yards and privacy screens. Paired with lighting and sleek fencing, they bring life to otherwise unused spaces.
Sustainability is key. Homeowners are choosing smart irrigation systems, solar lighting, and permeable pavers to reduce water use and runoff.
These trends prove that you can have a stylish, functional yard in Las Vegas without sacrificing comfort or conservation. Ready to refresh your landscape?
The Ultimate Guide to Drought-Tolerant Landscaping in Las Vegas
Las Vegas is known for its sunshine and dry desert climate, making water conservation a top priority for homeowners. Drought-tolerant landscaping isn’t just eco-friendly—it’s practical and beautiful too.
One of the best ways to save water is by embracing xeriscaping. This landscaping method uses native and drought-resistant plants like agave, desert spoon, and red yucca. These plants not only survive in Las Vegas heat but thrive with minimal irrigation.
Replacing traditional grass with artificial turf or decorative gravel is another popular choice. Not only does it reduce water bills, but it also keeps your lawn looking fresh year-round without mowing or fertilising.
Adding mulch to your garden beds helps retain soil moisture and prevent evaporation. Pair this with a smart drip irrigation system, and you’ll be watering efficiently without waste.
Drought-tolerant doesn’t mean dull. With the right design, you can create a vibrant landscape full of colour, texture, and curb appeal—all while protecting Las Vegas’ precious water resources.
