The world's largest gambling city: I advise you not to gamble

today

Let's go to Las Vegas, known as the "Temple of Consumption"

Demystifying the rationality of consumerism

Some people describe this place

One side is "heaven", the other side is "hell"

Desire fills the streets

Achieving wealth overnight can also ruin your dreams

(The "world's largest gambling city" referred to in this article is the city with the highest GDP among all cities with the gambling industry as its pillar industry; the picture below shows the Las Vegas Boulevard and the mountains in the same frame, the picture source is @Visual China)

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No modern city

As dreamy as it is, as crazy as it is

As magical as it is sinful

As desolate as it is, as tempting as it is

(Las Vegas is both the "Entertainment Capital" and the "Sin Capital"; the picture below shows the famous concert held by the Irish rock band U2 at the MSG Sphere in Las Vegas, which is like "painting the dome of the cyber cathedral with electronic brushstrokes", picture source @Visual China)

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(MSG Sphere is currently the world's largest and most popular spherical building; the picture below shows the cute emoji displayed on the external LED screen of MSG Sphere, photographer @HenrixLiu)

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It is the world's largest casino

Las Vegas

Nearly 40 million people per year

He resolutely devoted himself to this land of only 20,000 square kilometers.

"The Colorful World"

(The above data all refer to the "Las Vegas metropolitan area", which is slightly larger than Beijing; the picture below is a schematic diagram of the "Las Vegas Boulevard". This approximately 6.8-kilometer-long avenue is full of hotels and is the "soul" of Las Vegas. Map by @Gao Liqian/Planet Research Institute)

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But this "gambling city"

At first it was just a desert

It never changed destiny

Place on the gaming table

01

Desert Rose

If we raise our perspective

In fact, it is not difficult to find

Las Vegas is not far from the ocean

(Geographical location of Las Vegas, map by @Gao Liqian/Planet Research Institute)

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but

Sierra Nevada and other high mountains

Blocking the water vapor from the ocean

The eastern side of the mountain range was formed

Hot and dry Mojave Desert

(Sand dunes in the Mojave Desert, photographer @Ray Cao)

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Las Vegas

Located in the eastern desert

Summer temperatures can reach 47°C

The eroded red sandstone looks like the earth is burning

Desolate and boundless

Only those desert plants and animals that can tolerate drought

Disturbing the rare vitality

(Joshua Tree, one of the representative vegetation in Las Vegas, and other plants and animals, picture source @Visual China, map @冯艺卓/Planet Research Institute)

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Although

Mid to late 19th century

Gold discovered in the Sierra Nevada

The Westward Journey attracted a large number of American immigrants

May be accompanied by rapid depletion of resources

Miners scattered, shops closed

Until 1905

When Las Vegas was founded as a western railway transit station

The population is still small

Under the constraints of resources

How can Las Vegas turn things around?

(Las Vegas looks bleak in the daytime under the wind and sand, picture source @Visual China, map @Gao Liqian/Planet Research Institute)

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Contrast with drought and desolation

The Rocky Mountains east of the desert are over 4,000 meters above sea level.

Snow covered the whole body of the hero

The gurgling stream meanders down from the mountains

(The spectacular three-dimensional ecological landscape of the Rocky Mountains, image source: @Visual China)

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Known as

Colorado River, the "Mother River" of the Western United States

Gathered from this

It surges and rushes

Flood runoff

It is twice as big as Niagara Falls.

To develop its water energy

In 1936, the largest concrete building on earth at that time was built.

" Hoover Dam "

(Overlooking the Hoover Dam, image source @Visual China, map @冯艺卓/Planet Research Institute)

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Dam construction location

Just southeast of Las Vegas

The canyon here is of moderate height and width, with low-lying water storage areas.

Can save a lot of construction costs

total

50,000 machines, 6.6 million tons of cement, more than 5,000 workers

Taming the unruly river

(Lake Mead, formed by river water, is one of the largest artificial lakes in the United States. Image source: @shutterstock, map by @高麗倩/Planet Research Institute)

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Several river pipelines extend out

Assisting production along the route

More than ten hydroelectric generators rotate day and night

Light up the city

The nearest "desert city" can be described as "reborn from the water"

Abundant water resources and inexhaustible electricity

Gradually nourished an attractive

Desert Rose

(The night in Las Vegas directly expresses the yearning for extravagance and decadence, picture source: Visual China)

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But who would have thought

Under that beautiful appearance

The actual dangers

02

Sweet Trap

Looking back to 1929

The Great Depression that affected the entire world has arrived

Nevada, the "Desert Ocean"

Both industry and agriculture are unsustainable

Financial difficulties are getting worse

(Las Vegas belongs to Nevada; the picture below shows a client of a brokerage firm reading a newspaper outside the New York Stock Exchange after the stock market crash, picture source: @Visual China)

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then

Can harvest happiness in a false way

The entertainment industry that provides a short escape from pain is booming

Wonderful social atmosphere

Make "underground gambling" tear off its "moral mask"

Boldly on stage

(People gambling in Las Vegas in 1942, photo courtesy of @alamy)

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Back in the "Gold Rush"

Miners who have a boring life often gamble for fun

Las Vegas already has casinos

Six gambling licenses were issued in 1931

The taxes paid by casinos are pocketed by governments at all levels.

All gambling revenue belongs to the casino.

A magical " wealth accumulation " has begun

(Nevada is the first state in the United States to legalize gambling; the picture below is a magnificent professional gambling venue, picture source @Visual China)

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Even if you haven't set foot here yet

The overwhelming publicity has come to you

Astronomical awards, celebrity concerts, free meals

The endless stream of gimmicks makes people restless

No need for too many documents

Walk into any church and pay a low fee

The policy of "flash marriage"

It also attracted many tourists to stop by

(Las Vegas is also known as the "wedding capital"; the picture below shows a couple taking photos under the classic Las Vegas road sign, picture source @shutterstock)

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Both sides of the road

Architecture that is very different from the minimalist aesthetic

From time to time

(Various huge sculptures in Las Vegas almost submerge the streets. Image source: @shutterstock & Visual China)

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Can circle halfway around the equator

Neon

A unique city skyline

(Various huge neon lights in Las Vegas, picture source: @Visual China)

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Released in 1958

"Stardust Hotel" neon sign

It has tens of thousands of light bulbs and thousands of meters of neon tubes.

Light can penetrate up to 1,000 meters away

In that era of hegemony obsessed with colonizing space

Even some Americans praised

“Center of the Universe”

(The neon lights of the Stardust Hotel, which have been lost in the dust of history, image source: @Visual China)

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These avant-garde pioneers

Easy-to-understand graphic packaging

Replaced the merchants' hawking

Quickly win the consumer market

Various bars and casinos are crowded

(A gambler placing a bet gestures, image source: @Visual China)

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Farewell to the heat

Enter the air-conditioned interior

Low ceiling, blurred space, dim lighting

And the intricate corridors

Creating a "casino atmosphere" that isolates rationality

Immerse yourself in the world

(Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas, image source @Visual China, map @Feng Yizhuo/Planet Research Institute)

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In the air

The smell of alcohol and perfume

Waitress with heavy makeup

Passing by you with a tray

The male waiter who deals the bill always has a standard smile on his face

(Casino waiter, photo courtesy of @alamy)

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Losers sigh, winners scream

Stimulate the nerves of every gambler and potential gambler

Some casinos even have oxygenators

Ensure gamblers stay excited and forget fatigue

Even the daily clock is deliberately not put

Eliminate the concept of time with "physical means"

(Immersed gamblers watching the game and betting at the same time, picture source: Visual China)

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This is the maze of desire.

It is also a man-made paradise

Forgetting birth, aging, illness and death, partying like the end of the century

If your last line of defense collapses

Will receive more careful " service and care "

Hundreds of gambling games have appeared from ancient times to the present.

Nearby pawnshops, supporting loans

They are responsible for taking away all your valuables.

(Common gambling game rules are shown below. Under these rules, the casino is always the winner. Graphic by @冯艺卓/Planet Research Institute)

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(Common gambling game scene, picture source @Visual China, map @冯艺卓/Planet Research Institute)

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There are some special games

It's called " Catch the Flying Money "

Thousands of US dollars are placed in a huge glass box

Blown away by electric fan

Onlookers buy numbers to draw lots

The winning gamblers enter the glass box and grab the money within a limited time.

Although this kind of thing

Not mainstream in Las Vegas

But the banknotes flying in the wind

It is the symbol of the casino's flying money and silver

(Las Vegas is about to open its home stadium at dusk, picture source: Visual China)

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1980s

The rapid development of the electronics industry

Directly subverted the traditional ecology of the gambling industry

" Slot Machine "

This machine allows bets as small as 1 cent

Originally a supporting role in the casino

However, the upgrade was completed due to the addition of electronic systems

More than 1,200 individual parts

As well as engineers, mathematicians, designers, psychologists, etc.

A total of nearly 300 people participated in the production

"Electronic Morphine" that attracts players to continuously contribute time and money

Begins to sweep across major casinos

(Slot machines are also called "French Kiss", which eats your money without you knowing it, picture source @alamy)

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Seat in front of the machine

Eliminated the harsh edges

To prevent numbness in your legs

Carefully crafted color matching, just the right brightness

Avoid looking away

Coins become stored value points

The game process will not be interrupted by coin insertion

(Slot machine players of all ages, image source: Visual China)

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The card position is lowered

It can prevent the effort of lifting your arms

If you have other needs during the process

Please touch the service menu on the touch screen

Staff responded immediately

You just need to be like an assembly line worker

Click the button at hand

" Next round! Next round! Next round! "

(Chinese cultural elements on slot machines, photographer @冷子纯)

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What is less noticed is

Compared with simple mechanical

Electronic chips distort players' perception of probability

Looks like a near win

In fact, it is the setting of the program script

(Slot machine "virtual rotation mapping" diagram, drawing by @冯艺卓/Planet Research Institute)

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Slot machines

Like a "cocoon"

Implementing " happy imprisonment " on each player

1990s

There are tens of thousands of slot machines in Las Vegas

From gas stations to fast food restaurants

From department stores to airport halls, you can find them everywhere

(The giant "canopy" on Fremont Street in the old district of Las Vegas is crowded with tourists, and slot machines appear from time to time on the street. Image source: @Visual China)

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Plus countless casinos and gambling stalls

Las Vegas Strip only

Generates over $ 6 billion in profits each year

Equivalent to all theme parks in the United States

It can be said

Almost no smoke industry

But he is extremely rich and fat

Las Vegas

It is truly a world-class and truly

" Big Gambling Den "

(The lights of Las Vegas, image source: Visual China)

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Even when you get away

The membership card you are using

All gambling data is still retained

Including bet size, wins and losses, keystroke frequency

Even what food to buy

Through personalized algorithms

Produce thousands of customer portraits

So as to trap the gambler next time

The corresponding points reward

It also gave rise to the strange phenomenon of " gambling by the way "

(A Las Vegas gift shop opens a casino to attract customers. Image source: @shutterstock)

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What cannot be ignored is

The bizarreness created by the gambling industry

The crime never left

Countless gambling addicts

Eventually they lose everything, or even collapse and commit suicide.

(Homeless people begging on the streets of Las Vegas, photo courtesy @shutterstock)

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In the midst of feasting and revelry

Uncontrolled hormones breed erotic hotbed

(Sex trade is prohibited in Las Vegas, but explicit advertisements can be seen everywhere. Image source: Visual China)

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Delusion of cheating

The "Brave Man" Gambling with the Casino

Being lynched by violence, paying the price with one's body

(The Las Vegas Mafia Museum records the "sins" of the past, image source @Visual China, map @冯艺卓/Planet Research Institute)

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This is

A world that seems to be ruled by luck

Full of invisible " sweet traps "

A game that seems to be dominated by desire

So realistic, so calculated, so cruel

But because of this

How can the “Casino City” be satisfied with this?

Money never ends

03

Kingdom of Wonders

1966

Desert Inn in Las Vegas

Welcoming a special guest

Howard Hughes

(Howard Hughes was a former American pilot, picture source: Visual China)

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He rented the top floor room for longer than the reservation time.

The staff asked him to leave.

To reserve a room

This eccentric rich man

Buy the hotel directly

And other casino hotels in Las Vegas

Go on a buying spree

Eventually controlled about 1/3 of the local gaming revenue

(Please watch in horizontal mode, the changes in the urban construction area of ​​the Las Vegas metropolitan area from 1984 to 2024, map by @冯艺卓&高麗倩/Planet Research Institute)

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This

An outrageous operation

It also marks the end of an era

past

Casinos are extensive businesses

Whether it is development model or management method

Often infiltrated by the Mafia

Walking on the edge of crime

(The Flamingo Hotel was founded by Mafia member Siegel, picture source @Visual China)

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1960s

Corporate Gambling Bill Passed

Allow anyone to acquire or build a casino

The consortium far away on Wall Street

I couldn't help but stare at this

(Las Vegas legendary "gambling king" Sheldon Adelson and other gambling kings, picture source @Visual China, map @冯艺卓/Planet Research Institute)

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Reshuffle by external capital

Las Vegas is free of gangs

Entering the door to the new century

The era of commercial management

Giants in different fields

Here we are experimenting with various entertainment, service and marketing combinations

To attract all high-spending groups

With the endless wallets of gamblers

Pile up an unprecedented

" Kingdom of Wonders "

(High-rise buildings stacked like building blocks, image source: Visual China)

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1966

The first themed hotel in Las Vegas

Caesars Palace Hotel

All decorated in Greco-Roman style

Create a comprehensive experience that combines gambling, vacation and shopping

Aims to bring every customer

“Feel like Caesar”

(The rotating elevator in Caesars Palace and the sky screen simulating the alternation of day and night make it difficult to distinguish between reality and dreams. Image source: Visual China)

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1993

The name comes from the ancient Egyptian

Luxor Hotel Opens

The store is full of ancient Egyptian-style statues and murals.

The Sphinx

4407 rooms in total

Distributed on the four walls of the pyramid

Arranged at a 30° angle and extending to the top of the tower

(Ancient Egyptian elements in Luxor Hotel, picture source: Visual China)

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Tower top exterior

The world's largest searchlight

It can be vaguely seen from as far as 400 kilometers away

(The beam of a searchlight pointing to the sky, image source: @Visual China)

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1999

To recreate the scenery of Venice

The world's largest casino complex at the time

The Venetian Hotel Opens

Replica of the Bridge of Sighs, St. Mark's Square, bell tower, gondolas

Satisfy the desire to travel through time and space

(The Venetian Hotel, photo source @shutterstock)

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Maybe it's the lack of history.

Imagination can burst forth

A variety of features gathered here

Like an enlarged version of the " World Park " vividly

Outside Bellagio Hotel

The grand musical fountain

Equipped with more than 4,000 lights and more than 1,000 nozzles

The fountain sprays up to 24 stories high

(Fountain of Bellagio Hotel, photo source @shutterstock)

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Outside the Mirage Hotel

It is a "Feast of Fire"

Thousands of computers control the "volcanic eruption"

Demonstrating the spectacular scene of magma flow

("Volcano Eruption" scene, picture source @Visual China)

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If that's not exciting enough

The Stratosphere Hotel is the largest observation tower in the United States

Sky Tower " Bungee Jumping Machine "

and the roller coaster that hangs over the New York-New York Hotel

Definitely worth a try

(The highest observatory in the United States at 350 meters high is in the same frame with the moon, picture source @Visual China)

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The interior of the hotel is equally magical.

MGM Grand

The lion element of MGM Pictures is indispensable

Every day, several lions come from the wild to the hotel to "punch in for work"

(Lion sculptures outside the MGM Grand Hotel in the past, lions in the hotel, picture source @Visual China)

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Flamingo Hotel

Wildlife habitat protection areas were established

Penguins occasionally appear

(Flamingos in the hotel, photographer @NamelessSoup)

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Plus

Huge shopping mall

Swimming pool, game room, cinema

As well as luxurious restaurants with thousands of Chinese and Western dishes.

A complete living community

(Hotel swimming pool in Las Vegas, photo courtesy @shutterstock)

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The world's largest

20 hotels

More than half are concentrated in Las Vegas

The hotel owner

Blow up existing buildings at any time

Reinventing new architectural myths has become a daily routine

(The "TRUMP" building in Las Vegas was invested by the family of former US President Trump, picture source: @Visual China)

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besides

There are also some that bring the visual enjoyment to a climax

Performing Arts

Going big in Las Vegas

(Magic show, theater show, song and dance show in Las Vegas, picture source: Visual China)

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and even

The world's largest drama production company

Created by Cirque du Soleil

The most expensive show costing nearly $220 million

All performed

(Magical theater design in Las Vegas, photo courtesy of @alamy)

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Relatively low-key

High-end art exhibitions, museum exhibitions, collection exhibitions

The streets are also filled with

(Michael Jackson One show in Las Vegas, image source: Visual China)

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After the new century

Gambling gaming revenue share in Las Vegas continues to decline

Room and food revenue climbs

The "Casino City" has finally transformed into

A tourist resort with various styles

(The number of tourists in Las Vegas and the proportion of gaming revenue, drawn by @冯艺卓/Planet Research Institute)

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What’s even more interesting is

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Academic rankings are not among the best in the world

However, the hotel management major is the leader in the United States

Cultivating countless user experience masters

Committed to opening your

" Happy Valve "

(City travel guide collected in the school library, image source @Visual China)

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Ultimate service

Huge venue, countless guest rooms

The exhibition business was born

The world's largest consumer technology industry event

The International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is mainly held in Las Vegas

Almost all the top IT new products are launched here

Tech upstarts and business tycoons

Welcoming and seeing off

(A cool performance in Las Vegas with a sci-fi feel, picture courtesy of @alamy)

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at the same time

Experience in building recreational facilities

This place is also favored by celebrities and idols

Hosted many top concerts

(Brendan Urie and Taylor Swift performing at the 2019 Billboard Awards, photo courtesy of @Visual China)

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2018

The nine justices of the U.S. Supreme Court

By a vote of 7 to 2

A ruling was made that "there is no objection to sports betting in the United States"

Underground sports betting was once prevalent

Las Vegas is shut out by major sports organizations

On the one hand, accelerate the construction of professional alliances

(2024 NFL Super Bowl Awards Ceremony in Las Vegas, image source: @Visual China)

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Many competitions were held

Formula One World Championship (F1)

Estimated economic benefits exceed US$ 1.2 billion

Caesars Palace Hotel

Launched the " Emperor Package " with a price of $5 million

Sold out 3 months before the start of the race

Known as "the top bundle in sports"

(2023 Las Vegas F1 Grand Prix scene, picture source @Visual China)

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From downtown Las Vegas

Harry Reid International Airport is only 8 km away

Busy transporting tourists from all over the world

Nearby Silicon Valley and other technology cities

Bringing new energy to Las Vegas

(Harry Reid International Airport, photo source @shutterstock)

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September 29, 2023

Las Vegas Sands

The world's largest spherical building cost $2.3 billion to build

Entertainment and technology collide to create the ultimate experience

(MSG Sphere, a new landmark in Las Vegas, image source: @shutterstock, graphic by @冯艺卓/Planetary Research Institute)

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If you say

This is an era of "entertainment to death"

So Las Vegas

Constructing a " maze of desire "

Manipulating the " Doll of Fate "

It is the city that best embodies "entertainment to death"

It changes

Leading the trend of the times

The dream-making journey never stops

04

end

It is irrefutable that

Las Vegas wins a

A victory for the modern city

In the desert with nothing

But this victory

It shows the original sensory stimulation of human beings

Is faithful to desire

It’s an avoidance of reality

(The moment when fireworks burst in Las Vegas, picture source: Visual China)

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regardless

We love its authenticity

Still despise its indulgence

Victory in Las Vegas

They have penetrated into every corner of modern life

(Many media marketing methods use Las Vegas as their "ancestor"; the picture below is the Chinese "gambling city" Macau Lisboa Casino, picture source @Visual China)

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In these

Among the common problems

Can we see

Even the "Casino"

I never put my fate on the gambling table.

The "Desert Rose" was created from a century-long project

To the carefully designed "sweet trap"

To the "Kingdom of Wonders" with strong transformation

It's more like

A far-sighted hunter

Be patient and wait for the right moment

Exuding eternal "hunting ability"

(Overlooking the "Night City" Las Vegas, picture source @shutterstock)

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And this is

The Real Las Vegas

Desire is a rainstorm

Reason is the compass

This article was created by

Written by: Zhou Feijin

Image: Xia Xue

Design: Feng Yizhuo

Map: Gao Liqian

Reviewer: Li Chuyang&Xia Ya&Sun Shimeng&Zheng Yi

Cover image source: Visual China & HenrixLiu

External review experts

Hou Shen, Professor of History at Peking University

ps Except for Macau, gambling is strictly prohibited in our country. Please protect our beautiful life.

【References】

[1] Alan Brinkley, American History; translated by Chen Zhijie et al. Peking University Press, 2019.

[2] U.S. Department of State International Information Bureau. Geographical Overview of the United States. Shenyang: Liaoning Education Press, January 2010.

[3] Natasha Dow Schur, author; translated by Li Qi. Bait of Luck: Gambling Design in Las Vegas and the Life of Out-of-Control Robots. Beijing: Democracy and Construction Press, December 2021.

[4] Zhu Lei. The History of Gambling. Harbin: Harbin Publishing House, 2017.05.

[5] Robert Venturi, Denise Scott Brown, and Steven Ezenour. Learning from Las Vegas. Translated by Xu Yifang and Wang Jian. Nanjing: Jiangsu Science and Technology Press, September 2017.

[6] Zeng Zhonglu. Global Casino Scanning Status and Trends. Beijing: China Economic Publishing House, January 2010.