Out of the bleakness of a vast desert arose a city built on indulgence, opulence and wish fulfillment. Unencumbered by tradition or notions of good taste, a neon filled paradise has grown according to the whims of culture and the dictates of commerce. For fifty years Las Vegas has taken its visitors to the edge of their imaginations, transporting them to glamorous Hollywood, decadent Rome, the wind-swept South Seas, ancient Egypt, and bustling New York City. Within one medium-sized city stands eleven of the world’s twelve largest hotels-gateways to the biggest playground on earth.