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Chapter 1: Las Vegas
Overview
1.2
How things have changed! Las Vegas
today
Today, a half a century later, Las Vegas hosts nearly 38 million visitors annually, with about half (100,000 people a day) going through McCarran airport, the world's 7th (and U.S. 5th) busiest airport. (It is located less than a mile from the strip.) A useful map of McCarran's proximity to the strip is located here.
More statistics
on the average Las Vegas visitor: Two thirds
are working; college educated; 60% are married
and have an average househood income of $50
thousand. More than half have Internet
access.
Nearly one half of Nevada's funding comes from gambling taxes. All casinos pay a 6.75% state tax on gambling revenues. And more than a third of the state's general fund goes to public education. Thanks to gambling and sales taxes paid by tourists, taxes are low ...and there are neither city, state or corporate income taxes. It is the only state where local taxes are primarily paid by non-residents. Nevada's casinos rake in nearly $10 billion a year, by far the highest amount of any state. Las Vegas area gaming revenue is nearly $9 billion annually. In recent years there has been a trend towards hotel consolidation. Three publicly owned gaming companies in Las Vegas now -- or shortly will -- control the majority of the dollars gambled on the strip. Each owns multiple gaming properties, with each appealing to different clientele.
Does this all seem a little mind
boggling? All of these properties are within a
two mile area on the same street! The question
becomes: when do you go, where do you stay. And
how do you get the best deal. We will cover
that in upcoming chapters.
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Factoid: The average
age of a visitor to Las Vegas is 48 years old.
47% of visitors arrive by plane.
Factoid: Only 46% of Las Vegas visitors went downtown to Fremont Street last year compared to 57% the year. |
Early
Fremont Street, Downtown Las
Vegas
