Las Vegas is primarily known as the Entertainment Capital of the World famous for its casino-hotels and major attractions such as gambling, shopping, fine dining and night life. Tourism industry drives the state’s economy and stands as the leading financial center for Southern Nevada. The bulk of the revenues that flow to the state’s general budget fund mostly derived from the tourism industry where the economy is mostly dependent. Southern Nevada’s tourism industry ranks first in terms of economic output in the United States. Reports from the United States Bureau of Economic Analysis revealed that in 2007, Nevada’s gaming industry generated 22% of the states aggregate product in which the 160 gaming locations in Clark County produced more than $1 million in revenues which totaled to $22.0 billion and approximately $28.0 billion from aggregate visitor spending. The labor force continues to increase where Southern Nevada’s tourism industry supports more than 382,400 jobs which are 41.2% of the total workforce. Its hotels and casino-hotels employ an approximate of 178,800 workers and an approximate of 54,400 employees in the indirect tourism venues with a total income of $9 billion annually. In 2012, the gaming revenue increased to $9.4 billion while the Las Vegas Strip reached $6.2 billion. Part of Nevada’s tourism industry is the Convention and Meeting sector in which the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) reported that it welcomed 39.7 million visitors in 2012 and generated more than $40 billion in the local economy.
Social and Environmental Impacts
The tourism industry in Las Vegas has brought economic growth and social benefits but they were also associated with adverse impacts in terms of social and environmental factors.
Social Impact
The population boom in South Nevada brought an increase rate of violent crimes in the city’s main tourist spots which include murder, rape, robbery and assault. Guns and letting loose are permissible which attributed to more fears of danger.
The high rates of alcohol, drugs, prostitution, divorce, suicide, gambling abuse and addiction are common in poorer neighborhoods and rougher areas.
Most of the city’s infrastructure was built for gaming and hotel industry and not for educational progress, thus, Clark County has a poor public school system. Local students have to share classes with children from large immigrant population brought by unskilled labor workers at the hotels and casinos who do not speak fluent English.
Local health officials discovered that a type of bacteria has contaminated the waters on a resort in Las Vegas which causes the outbreak of Legionella disease which is a form of pneumonia.
Environmental Impact
The economic and population growth in Las Vegas has brought
ecological imbalance which resulted to depletion of water resources and
natural habitat in Clark County. The high demands of water and energy
resulted to low levels in water reservoir at Lake Mead while the loss of community atmosphere is attributed to the lack of recreational parks, museums and meeting places. Las Vegas has become an overcrowded city due to too many people both locals and tourists which resulted to inadequate supply of safe drinking water, sewage space and effective public transportation. The city relies on private vehicles which emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Cigarette and cigar smoke from gamblers in the casinos are other common contributors of air pollutants and heavy saturation of slot machines and rock music from bars everywhere created an annoying noise pollution.
The economic growth of Las Vegas is characterized by excessive liberty and privilege use of water, energy, food and land which brought damage to the environment along with its social aspects. Massive accumulation of wealth may be essential but ecological awareness and a better quality of life should be the city’s main concern. Las Vegas should take the responsibility of making alternative and ethical choices in developing the tourism industry and in achieving economic growth and progress.
References:
The Economic Impact of Southern Nevada’s Tourism Industry and Convention Sector. (December, 2008). Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. 1(2). Retrieved from
http://www.appliedanalysis.com/projects/lvcvaeis/EIS%201.2%20Economic%20Impact%20of%20Tourism%20
Shepherd, T. (March 5, 2012). Sprawl and Thirst in the Desert: The
Growth of Las Vegas. Globalist. Retrieved from
http://cosmopolis.globalist.it/Detail_News_Display?ID=23598
