History UsefulNotes / LasVegas

*** In the case of the NBA, it has been speculated that T-Mobile Arena, the home venue of the Golden Knights, might serve as a home venue for an expansion team, following the grand tradition of NHL and NBA teams sharing the same arenas. Additionally, rumors have abounded that superstar UsefulNotes/LeBronJames and holding company Fenway Sports Group[[note]]Who already own the [[UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueBaseball Boston Red Sox]], [[UsefulNotes/NationalHockeyLeague Pittsburgh Penguins]], and [[UsefulNotes/EnglishPremierLeague Liverpool FC]].[[/note]] have expressed interest in owning a Las Vegas NBA team. In 2023, the NBA established a presence in the city though announcing that their new In-Season Tournament[[note]]To explain in layman's terms, imagine UsefulNotes/TheWorldCup format inside an NBA schedule, and every game except the final counts towards the regular season record.[[/note]] would have its semifinals and final be played at T-Mobile Arena.

** To further demonstrate how much the NFL evolved on Vegas as an acceptable city for professional football, in December 2021, [[https://www.nfl.com/news/raiders-allegiant-stadium-named-host-site-for-super-bowl-lviii-in-2024 the NFL announced]] that the Raiders' new Allegiant Stadium would be the venue of UsefulNotes/SuperBowl LVIII in 2024.

** Much like the Raiders, the UsefulNotes/{{Oakland}} Athletics of [[UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueBaseball MLB]] announced in April 2023 of their intentions to relocate to Las Vegas[[note]]Specifically at the [[https://theathletic.com/4431782/2023/04/20/oakland-athletics-las-vegas-stadium-agreement/ site of the Tropicana]].[[/note]] as well, following troubles trying to get a new ballpark (as their old stadium was the same one they shared with the Raiders) of their own in Oakland.[[note]] Additionally, they couldn't look at anywhere else in the Bay Area, as the neighboring UsefulNotes/SanFrancisco Giants control the rest of the market space and would veto any stadium plan in cities like Palo Alto or San Jose.[[/note]] The relocation vote was unanimously approved in November, confirming that the A's would move to Nevada no earlier than 2025, after their deal with their Oakland stadium expires.

* Creator/FrankSinatra

*** MLS's case is less clear cut, on account of the league's relatively young age. Currently the highest level soccer team in the city are Las Vegas Lights FC, who currently play in the second-level USL Championship. Nonetheless with MLS currently at 29 teams going on 30 and not looking to stop any time soon, it has been constantly rumored that Las Vegas will be one of the upcoming cities to call an MLS team home, though it'd have to compete with cities like Sacramento, Indianapolis, Phoenix, and Detroit for that spot. Additionally, with the A's relocating to Las Vegas in the near future, there has been speculation that the San Jose Earthquakes might do the same on account of both teams sharing John Fisher as owner.

*** In the case of the NBA, it has been speculated that T-Mobile Arena, the home venue of the Golden Knights, might serve as a home venue for an expansion team, following the grand tradition of NHL and NBA teams sharing the same arenas. Additionally, rumors have abounded that superstar UsefulNotes/LeBronJames and holding company Fenway Sports Group[[note]]Who already own the [[UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueBaseball Boston Red Sox]], [[UsefulNotes/NationalHockeyLeague Pittsburgh Penguins]], and [[UsefulNotes/EnglishPremierLeague Liverpool FC]].[[/note]] have expressed interest in owning a Las Vegas NBA team. In 2023, the NBA established a presence in the city though announcing that their new In-Season Tournament[[note]]To explain in layman's terms, imagine UsefulNotes/TheWorldCup format inside an NBA schedule, and every game except the final counts towards the regular season record.[[/note]] would have its semifinals and final be played at the T-Mobile Arena.

*** In the case of the NBA, it has been speculated that T-Mobile Arena, the home venue of the Golden Knights, might serve as a home venue for an expansion team, following the grand tradition of NHL and NBA teams sharing the same arenas. Additionally, rumors have abounded that superstar UsefulNotes/LeBronJames and holding company Fenway Sports Group[[note]]Who already own the [[UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueBaseball Boston Red Sox]], [[UsefulNotes/NationalHockeyLeague Pittsburgh Penguins]], and [[UsefulNotes/EnglishPremierLeague Liverpool FC]].[[/note]] have expressed interest in owning a Las Vegas NBA team. In 2023, the NBA established a presence in the city though announcing that their new In-Season Tournament[[note]]To explain in layman's terms, imagine the UsefulNotes/WorldCup format inside an NBA schedule, and every game except the final counts towards the regular season record.[[/note]] would have its semifinals and final be played at the T-Mobile Arena.

*** In the case of the NBA, it has been speculated that T-Mobile Arena, the home venue of the Golden Knights, might serve as a home venue for an expansion team, following the grand tradition of NHL and NBA teams sharing the same arenas. Additionally, rumors have abounded that superstar Creator/LeBronJames and holding company Fenway Sports Group[[note]]Who already own the [[UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueBaseball Boston Red Sox]], [[UsefulNotes/NationalHockeyLeague Pittsburgh Penguins]], and [[UsefulNotes/EnglishPremierLeague Liverpool FC]].[[/note]] have expressed interest in owning a Las Vegas NBA team. In 2023, the NBA established a presence in the city though announcing that their new In-Season Tournament[[note]]To explain in layman's terms, imagine the UsefulNotes/WorldCup format inside an NBA schedule, and every game except the final counts towards the regular season record.[[/note]] would have its semifinals and final be played at the T-Mobile Arena.

** With the NFL and NHL now sitting at 32 teams each, UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueBaseball[[note]]In 2021, the UsefulNotes/{{Oakland}} Athletics, in a similar fashion to the aforementioned Raiders (with whom the Athletics shared ''the exact same stadium''), began exploring possibilities to relocate to Las Vegas due to disputes with the city of Oakland over a replacement for the Oakland Coliseum, [[https://theathletic.com/4431782/2023/04/20/oakland-athletics-las-vegas-stadium-agreement/ before ultimately settling on a site adjacent to the Strip]] in April 2023 [[/note]] and the NBA are rumored to expand to 32 as well, with Las Vegas often mentioned as a leading candidate for expansion and [=/=] or relocation of an existing team. As of April 2023, it's looking more and more likely that MLB will be the next league to stake a claim to Vegas, since the Oakland Athletics have committed to buying land for a new ballpark.[[note]]In the case of the NBA, it has been speculated that T-Mobile Arena, the home venue of the Golden Knights, might serve as a home venue for an expansion team, following the grand tradition of NHL and NBA teams sharing the same arenas.[[/note]]
* Speaking of basketball, Vegas is also a regional hub for college tournaments, with the Big West, Mountain West, Pac-12, West Coast, and Western Athletic Conferences all holding their postseason tournaments here. Since the 2018–19 season, all but the Big West have held both men's and women's tournaments in Vegas; the Big West first brought its tournaments here in 2021–22. (Before 2018–19, the Pac-12 only brought its men's tournament to Vegas.)

** Much like the Raiders, the UsefulNotes/{{Oakland}} Athletics of [[UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueBaseball MLB]] announced in April 2023 of their intentions to relocate to Las Vegas[[note]]Specifically at the [[https://theathletic.com/4431782/2023/04/20/oakland-athletics-las-vegas-stadium-agreement/ site of the Tropicana]].[[/note]] as well, following troubles trying to get a new stadium (as their old stadium was the same one they shared with the Raiders) of their own in Oakland.[[note]] Additionally, they couldn't look at anywhere else in the Bay Area, as the neighboring UsefulNotes/SanFrancisco Giants control the rest of the market space and would veto any stadium plan in cities like Palo Alto or San Jose.[[/note]] The relocation vote was unanimously approved in November, confirming that the A's would move to Nevada no earlier than 2025, after their deal with their Oakland stadium expires.

** Much like the Raiders, the UsefulNotes/{{Oakland}} Athletics of [[UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueBaseaball MLB]] announced in April 2023 of their intentions to relocate to Las Vegas[[note]]Specifically at the [[https://theathletic.com/4431782/2023/04/20/oakland-athletics-las-vegas-stadium-agreement/ site of the Tropicana]].[[/note]] as well, following troubles trying to get a new stadium (as their old stadium was the same one they shared with the Raiders) of their own in Oakland.[[note]] Additionally, they couldn't look at anywhere else in the Bay Area, as the neighboring UsefulNotes/SanFrancisco Giants control the rest of the market space and would veto any stadium plan in cities like Palo Alto or San Jose.[[/note]] The relocation vote was unanimously approved in November, confirming that the A's would move to Nevada no earlier than 2025, after their deal with their Oakland stadium expires.

** To further demonstrate how much the NFL evolved on Vegas as an acceptable city for professional football, in December 2021, [[https://www.nfl.com/news/raiders-allegiant-stadium-named-host-site-for-super-bowl-lviii-in-2024 the NFL announced]] that the Raiders' new Allegiant Stadium would be the venue of the 2024 UsefulNotes/SuperBowl.

* On the other hand, Las Vegas was historically the one city that none of America's Big Four major leagues ([[UsefulNotes/MLBTeams MLB]], the [[UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeague NFL]], the [[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation NBA]], and the [[UsefulNotes/NationalHockeyLeague NHL]]) would even consider putting a team in. The reason was simple: doing so would be seen as an endorsement of gambling, which the leagues regarded as corrosive to the integrity and reputation of competitive sports.[[note]]Ethical issues aside, there were also obvious, more practical reasons: The casino and live entertainment industries were often seen as too much competition in the Las Vegas area for professional sports, not to mention the fact that a significant portion of the local workforce in Vegas tends to work late at nights or on weekends (the typical airtimes of many pro sports games) at said casinos and live entertainment venues, leading the Big Four to worry whether enough prospective customers could show up at games. Another issue was the fact that over ''75 percent'' of population of the Las Vegas Valley was born in other states or countries, and that most of the sports fans in the area would follow the teams from their previous cities or states, calling into question if locals would support a Vegas-based team[[/note]] MLB in particular had the notorious "Black Sox" scandal in 1919 that saw several players on the Chicago White Sox [[ThrowingTheFight throw the World Series]] to collect on gambling bets, which nearly destroyed UsefulNotes/{{baseball}}'s reputation before the rise of Creator/BabeRuth as a superstar, and the legacy of that scandal led to the ''cordon sanitaire'' that professional sports as a whole put up around Vegas. Indeed, so great was the reluctance of the Big Four in being associated with Vegas and its gambling reputation that the leagues would threaten to sue tourism agencies and sportsbooks in Vegas if they used terms like "NBA" and "Super Bowl" in advertisements.[[note]]Which, [[YouWannaGetSued in turn]], [[WritingAroundTrademarks forced these institutions to get around this]] by using vaguely-worded terms such as "pro basketball" and "the Big Game" instead[[/note]] For many years, it was the largest metropolitan area in the US without a major professional sports team.

** With the NFL and NHL now sitting at 32 teams each, [[UsefulNotes/MLBTeams Major League Baseball]][[note]]In 2021, the UsefulNotes/{{Oakland}} Athletics, in a similar fashion to the aforementioned Raiders (with whom the Athletics shared ''the exact same stadium''), began exploring possibilities to relocate to Las Vegas due to disputes with the city of Oakland over a replacement for the Oakland Coliseum, [[https://theathletic.com/4431782/2023/04/20/oakland-athletics-las-vegas-stadium-agreement/ before ultimately settling on a site adjacent to the Strip]] in April 2023 [[/note]] and the NBA are rumored to expand to 32 as well, with Las Vegas often mentioned as a leading candidate for expansion and [=/=] or relocation of an existing team. As of April 2023, it's looking more and more likely that MLB will be the next league to stake a claim to Vegas, since the Oakland Athletics have committed to buying land for a new ballpark.[[note]]In the case of the NBA, it has been speculated that T-Mobile Arena, the home venue of the Golden Knights, might serve as a home venue for an expansion team, following the grand tradition of NHL and NBA teams sharing the same arenas.[[/note]]

*** The Vegas Golden Knights began play in the [[UsefulNotes/NationalHockeyLeague NHL]] in October 2017, becoming the city's first major-league professional sports team. The Golden Knights defied all expectations of an expansion team in their first year by not only winning their division, but also reaching the Stanley Cup Finals; however, the Knights fell four games to one against the Washington Capitals. In 2023, the Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup, being the first Las Vegas-based team out of the Big Four to win a championship.

*** The Vegas Golden Knights began play in the [[UsefulNotes/NationalHockeyLeague NHL]] in October 2017, becoming the city's first major-league professional sports team. The Golden Knights defied all expectations of an expansion team in their first year by not only winning their division, but also reaching the Stanley Cup Finals; however, the Knights fell four games to one against the Washington Capitals.

* With so many Vegas residents having been born elsewhere, the area has produced relatively few prominent sporting figures. Probably the most notable are UsefulNotes/{{tennis}} great Creator/AndreAgassi; current MLB superstars Bryce Harper, Kris Bryant, and Joey Gallo; and UsefulNotes/{{NASCAR}} stars Kyle Busch and his older brother [[OvershadowedByAwesome Kurt]].

** With the NFL and NHL now sitting at 32 teams each, [[UsefulNotes/MLBTeams Major League Baseball]][[note]]In 2021, the UsefulNotes/{{Oakland}} Athletics, in a similar fashion to the aforementioned Raiders (with whom the Athletics shared ''the exact same stadium''), began exploring possibilities to relocate to Las Vegas due to disputes with the city of Oakland over a replacement for the Oakland Coliseum, [[https://theathletic.com/4431782/2023/04/20/oakland-athletics-las-vegas-stadium-agreement/ before ultimately settling on a site adjacent to the Strip]] in April 2023 [[/note]] and the NBA are rumored to expand to 32 as well, with Las Vegas often mentioned as a leading candidate for expansion and [=/=] or relocation of an existing team.[[note]]In the case of the NBA, it has been speculated that T-Mobile Arena, the home venue of the Golden Knights, might serve as a home venue for an expansion team, following the grand tradition of NHL and NBA teams sharing the same arenas.[[/note]]

** With the NFL and NHL now sitting at 32 teams each, [[UsefulNotes/MLBTeams Major League Baseball]][[note]]In 2021, the UsefulNotes/{{Oakland}} Athletics, in a similar fashion to the aforementioned Raiders (with whom the Athletics shared ''the exact same stadium''), began exploring possibilities to relocate to Las Vegas due to disputes with the city of Oakland over a replacement for the Oakland Coliseum [[/note]] and the NBA are rumored to expand to 32 as well, with Las Vegas often mentioned as a leading candidate for expansion and [=/=] or relocation of an existing team.[[note]]In the case of the NBA, it has been speculated that T-Mobile Arena, the home venue of the Golden Knights, might serve as a home venue for an expansion team, following the grand tradition of NHL and NBA teams sharing the same arenas.[[/note]]

* ''Series/{{Vegas}}'': A Vegas private investigator solves crime.
* ''[[Series/{{Vegas2012}} Vegas (2012)]]'': A period drama pitting the mob vs. the mayor.

* MetaphoricallyTrue: As stated before, most of the opulent casinos and other tourist attractions on the Las Vegas Strip that are popularly associated with Las Vegas are not located within Las Vegas ''the city'', but rather in a nearby unincorporated community named Paradise. However, it should be noted that the city of Las Vegas itself, Paradise, and the other surrounding suburbs and unincorporated communities collectively form the Las Vegas ''Valley,'' meaning that you can ''technically'' be honest about visiting the Strip and claiming that you were in Las Vegas.

* ''VideoGame/SubwaySurfers'': Had a stage set in Las Vegas in one of the events in the game. The character Ricky and his car hoverboard is Las Vegas-themed.

* ChannelHop: It's common for performers and even whole shows (usually small-scale ones) to move from one casino showroom to another as their popularity builds or declines. Often it's a jump from an off-Strip property to one on the Strip itself, or from a small/aging Strip property to a big-league resort, often with an corresponding jump in production values if their fortunes are on the upswing. Lounge acts are similarly mobile, if not more so.
* TheCobblersChildrenHaveNoShoes: An interesting variation of this trope. While the casinos on the Las Vegas Strip is a major tourist attraction (and, therefore, a main source of employment), [[https://www.feelingvegas.com/do-las-vegas-locals-go-to-the-strip/ most locals actually avoid going to the Strip on their time off]]. The reason is pretty simple: Since a large portion of residents in the Las Vegas area work at the casinos on the Strip, they just need time off and leave the Strip to the tourists.

* The "Desert Bus" game from ''VideoGame/PennAndTellersSmokeAndMirrors'': Drive a bus from Tucson, AZ to Las Vegas. Yes, really.