It was called Las Vegas by the Spanish. The name means The Meadows in the Spanish language. It had a lot of these in 1854. The city is known for its dry weather, as is the rest of southern Nevada.
On April 3, 1941, hotel owner Thomas Hull opened the El Rancho Vegas. ... This changed in post-war Las Vegas when Jewish gangster Bugsy Siegel, with help from friend and fellow mob boss Meyer Lansky, poured money through Mormon-owned banks for cover of legitimacy and built The Flamingo in 1946.
My List of City Nicknames:CityNicknameLas VegasSin CityLas VegasEntertainment Capital of the WorldLas VegasCity of LightsLas Vegas, Nevada (downtown)Glitter Gulch227 more rows
The city anchors the Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area and is the largest city within the greater Mojave Desert. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city, known primarily for its gambling, shopping, fine dining, entertainment, and nightlife.