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What Is the Future of Professional Sports

May 25, 2020 By Royal

By ALSD

Las Vegas’ new NHL club is not the only professional sports team or league with an eye towards Sin City, but talk is cheap, and a Vegas franchise, as Bill Foley knows, isn’t. So do other teams and leagues have a future in the desert? Here are some of the facts that may or may not lead one to believe that Las Vegas will be the next big destination in sports.

Pros
The city has tripled in size since 1990.
League leadership among the five major leagues has softened its stance on gambling.
There is no shortage of private money in Las Vegas.

Cons
The city still lacks a traditional corporate base for sponsorships and premium contracts.
The citizens of Las Vegas often have allegiances to other teams or work on gamedays.
There is pushback from the city on the possibility of any public funding for a new venue.

National Hockey League
Out of all 30 existing NHL teams, there is only one U.S. market (Raleigh) that possesses an NHL franchise as its only professional sports organization. The other four one-team markets are all in Canada, where the majority of the big five leagues are less likely to set up shop. Every one of these markets is significantly smaller than Las Vegas in terms of metro population, suggesting that the city’s new hockey squad will be here to stay. So who might follow suit?

Major League Soccer
From a strict growth standpoint, the MLS seems like a viable option. Of the six markets that possess an NHL team and one other franchise, half of them are accompanied by an MLS team. This may be attributed to the MLS’s effort to enter less saturated markets where there is also strong support for soccer, such as in Canada.

The MLS product (in addition to MLB) has the least conflict with the NHL schedule. As for progress, David Beckham attended a meeting with Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis about the possibility of bringing an MLS expansion franchise to Vegas. Currently, any possibility seems contingent on the NFL securing a stadium.

How Art And Culture Affect Our Society?

May 22, 2020 By Royal

By We-Heart

Ask any star of popular culture who’s endured their ‘moment of shame’: reputations are hard to shake. Cities, though, are usually many things to many people. A cornucopia of diversity from gritty emerging neighborhoods with artist-led gentrification to glitzy districts renowned for haute couture or gastronomy. Barcelona may have a reputation for pickpocketing, but its embarrassment of cultural riches, its beaches, and balmy weather, soon put petty criminals to the back of the mind.

The ‘entertainment capital of the world’ is different. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Its reputation stays longer. Stag parties to high rollers, eloping lovebirds to drunken partygoers, it’s the city that feels like an eternal festival, and one easily pigeonholed by anyone the slightest familiar with Sin City. Slots, poker and debauchery; bright lights to the scorching sun; sleepless nights; and fat Elvis.

A Brief History of Las Vegas as We Know It Today

May 18, 2020 By Royal

By The Culture Trip

Prehistoric Las Vegas

The area that Las Vegas occupies was once an abundant wet marshland filled with rich vegetation. But as the marsh receded and waters disappeared from the landscape, the region evolved into arid desert land. Miraculously, water that was trapped underground sporadically rose to the surface to water the vigorous plants that survived, forming an oasis.

Spanish exploration

During the 19th century, Mexican explorer Antonio Armijo was forging the way from New Mexico to California on the first commercial caravan, which would later become known as the Old Spanish Trail. En route to Los Angeles, the group veered from the traditional path in 1829, settling 100 miles (161 kilometers) northeast of present-day Las Vegas. Rafael Rivera, along with his scouting party, rode west to find water; Rivera left the group to venture into the desert on his own, setting his eyes upon the oasis of Las Vegas Springs. The land was named Las Vegas, meaning “the meadows,” after the verdant grasses found growing in the valley.

Mormon settlers

Over the course of the next century, Mexican and Mormon settlers filtered in and out of Las Vegas, many en route to California via the Old Spanish Trail or to take advantage of the California Gold Rush. Mormons in Salt Lake City traveled to Las Vegas to protect a mail route; they built adobe structures, planted fruits and vegetables, and mined for lead. But by 1858, they had abandoned the area.

Why You Should Visit Las Vegas at Least Once in Your Lifetime

April 14, 2020 By Royal

By Culture Trip

There are many reasons why one should visit Las Vegas. Known as the ultimate playground, the city is colorful and vibrant, making it an ideal destination for various travelers looking to explore its entertainment, cuisine, and nightlife scene.

Las Vegas attracts visitors from all corners of the world who are looking to explore the city’s best tourist attractions. From the famous Las Vegas Strip to the wild pool parties, uncover the beauty of Sin City and find out why you should visit Las Vegas at least once in your lifetime.

Sportsbooks Are Dark and Odds Are Long In Las Vegas

April 7, 2020 By Royal

By Associated Press

No big national championship game bets, no wagers on Tiger Woods to win the Masters. No sports means no action, even for the most hardcore gamblers.

About the only thing degenerate sports bettors could do was go online and find a Russian table tennis match to put their money on.

“Russian pingpong has stolen the show,” said Nick Bogdanovich of the William Hill betting chain. “You can’t even find it streaming anywhere to watch, but people are betting on it.”