Legal gambling and the construction of the Hoover Dam conjured up an entertainment capital that constantly reinvents itself

November 12, 2026 1:16 p.m.

Vegas Vic prevails over the Fremont Street Experience in Las Vegas. Robert Landau/Getty Images

Walking through the Fremont Street Experience in downtown Las Vegas is a smorgasbord for the senses. A 40-foot-tall neon cowboy stands beneath a rooftop display of flashing lights, while a couple of ziplines fill the air next to him; every once in a while, people zoom by like Superman. Below them, women dressed up as showgirls vie with a person in a gorilla costume for photo ops, while live music, busker battles and casino slot machines create a chaotic soundtrack for the scene.

Vegas is all about pushing the boundaries of what is possible—whether that’s a glittery city bursting out from the center of a barren desert or a magician levitating in the middle of a crowd .

“The story of Las Vegas is the story of magic,” says magician and illusionist Lance Rich , the…