| The 1950's were a period of development for Las | | | | The 50's were a time that hotels competed for big |
| Vegas. It had established itself as one of the premier | | | | name acts to come play in their establishments, hoping |
| places for the Hollywood crowd to showcase their | | | | to drive more tourists to their hotels because of the |
| talent and enjoy relaxation, but the town was still in | | | | fame of these entertainers. People such as Elvis were |
| relative infancy. With a population of 50,000, there had | | | | asked to perform. Acts such as the Lido do Paris |
| be stupendous growth over the previous 20 years, but | | | | were brought in to entertain thousands of Vegas |
| it wasn't until the 50's that the town started seeing | | | | tourists. The prices paid to these entertainers became |
| some of the innovations and sights that we consider | | | | more and more lavish and were driving more and |
| to be commonplace in Las Vegas today. | | | | more entertainers to the west. Nightclub owners from |
| The building of the Desert Inn, opening in 1950, was | | | | other states could not compete with what Las Vegas |
| something that Vegas hadn't seen before. They paid | | | | was paying their entertainers & this helped the city to |
| ultra-popular names to help with the opening, and | | | | become known as the place to be if you wanted to |
| offered elegance that hadn't been seen in a Las | | | | see the big names perform on stage. Stars the likes of |
| Vegas hotel, complete with an 18-hole golf course & | | | | Frank Sinatra & Wayne Newton launched their |
| tennis courts on the premises. These were things that | | | | careers on the stages of Las Vegas. |
| hadn't been seen on the strip to date. In '51 the newly | | | | Other innovations of the decade brought sporting |
| renamed Horseshoe began to host the world series of | | | | events to Las Vegas, which were nationally televised. |
| poker, a tournament that still survives to this day. In '54, | | | | The PGA Tournament of champions was a notable |
| the buffet was introduced to Las Vegas, courtesy of | | | | event that helped to publicize Las Vegas as a sports |
| the Showboat. Other innovations from that | | | | lovers destination in addition to it's entertainment roots. |
| establishment include 24 hour bing & bowling, | | | | Also, the wedding industry ramped up during the 1950's |
| something that had never been done before. | | | | and brought a lot of attention to the city for the ease |
| One of the newest things to arrive on the Las Vegas | | | | of which you could be married. There were a number |
| strip, that has since become something that is | | | | of celebrity wedding in the city that helped to publicize |
| synonymous with the city, is the high rise hotel. In 1955, | | | | this industry. |
| the Riviera opened it's doors and was the first hotel to | | | | Many of the conventions that have been used in Las |
| break the ranch style that had been so popular over | | | | Vegas to attract tourists began in the 1950's. The 30's |
| the years. At nine stories high, it was the tallest | | | | and 40's were the birth of the city & the 50's are |
| structure in the city. The Riviera paid Liberace over | | | | when it learned how to draw in massive amounts of |
| $50,000 to play in its' Clover Room, one of the biggest | | | | tourists and their money. |
| sums paid to any entertainer in the city's history. | | | | |