When the Mirage Resort arrived in 1989,  The Mirage set the trend for mega-resorts featuring engaging free shows, bold architecture, atrium gardens, award-winning chefs and restaurants. Even buffets have gone upscale at the Flamingo, Ballys, Harrahs, Sahara and Tropicana. In response, Caesars Palace upped its game too. By default, the Mirage signaled that cheap eats and budget hotels would not be long for the Strip.

   Then, the Mirage and Caesars Palace were surpassed by Mandalay Bay, The Wynn, Encore, Bellagio, Palazzo and Venetian resorts. And just when you thought nothing could top their mind-boggling decadence, CityCenter raises the bar with otherwordly amenties and its $11 billion price tag. It features two 5-Diamond hotels, immaculate artwork, thrilling architecture, a boatload of celebrity chef restaurants, a Cirque du Soleil show, a world-class shopping center and its own monorail. Moreover, everyone of its buildings are lauded for green design and energy conservation. But when thinking of Las Vegas entertainment value and green buildings, It's more important to think adjectives like larger and grander applied across the board.

    If you’ve seen Cirque du Soleil in your city, that was just the warm-up. In Las Vegas, they have custom-built, multi-million dollar theatres that vault performances to amazing levels. Vegas Cirque du Soleil shows are The Beatles LOVE, KA, O, Zumanity, Mystere, Criss Angel Believe, and Viva Elvis will emblazon your memories. A Michael Jackson Cirque du Soleil show is coming in 2012. Many of the best comedians and lavish stage shows help the Strip rival Broadway as the twin live entertainment capitols of America. Then championship boxing takes Las Vegas to a whole new level. High-rollers and everyday people descend on the city like bees to honey and you can bet (pun intended), the money and excitement flows.

    Meanwhile, downtown resorts attract a steady stream of visitors having an appreciation for Las Vegas nostalgia. But even downtown, a nightly light show will have you awestruck and more general attractions are coming.

    Fitzgerald's became the first major casino in Las Vegas owned by an African American. Though the historic Moulin Rouge Casino Hotel was gutted by fire, some still anticipate its long overdue return. Soulful Shows, two art galleries and Soul Food restaurants keep it real.

    In a nod to family visitors, there are spectacular free casino shows, a giant GameWorks arcade, Shark Reef Aquarium, Titanic Artifacts Exhibition and several roller coasters dot the Strip. If time permits, take a guided horseback ride in a national forest, see Hoover Dam and riverboat in Lake Mead. Another little known ecotourism attraction is the Valley of Fire State Park only 30 miles outside of town. See millions of years of natural land erosion in pastel colors and jutting mountain rock formations surrounding this desert valley. The views are as awe-inspiring as Sedona, Arizona. No wonder the world's top golf course designers make Vegas their playpen for signature projects.

    Only Las Vegas, a Shangri-La unmatched for spectacle and showmanship, has such a combination of mega-resorts, uncanny desert & mountain shapes, world-class golfing and a landmark dam to make it the envy of tourism bureaus worldwide. Here, every adult visitor can be Alice in Wonderland.

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