Quote:
Originally Posted by The_Analyst
One could also argue that the new casino projects are so large that they are in effect neighborhoods onto themselves and people can walk from dining to hotel room to showroom to nightclub, etc. without a car.
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You have a great point there. Though I think that there can only be so many of these "centers". But IMO, Las Vegas is an exception because that's what makes the city so unique. I see a lot of that strip mall/office park areas quite a bit away from The Strip. Rather than another "center" they could build several 10 story wall-to-wall apartment buildings though that might not be in accordance with the zoning laws in place. But having several mid-rises would really give more of an urban vibe to the area and would in turn would be more of an organic environment.
And you are quite right about the street perpendicular to The Strip. I think they are un-pedestrian friendly and you would think some of that energy would flow away from The Strip. Hotels and restaurants need to be situated right on the street and they need to be on side streets, allowing pedestrians to turn corners and reach their destination.
I think the southern portion of the strip needs more life. Despite it being on The Strip, it just feels cut off from the action. I also notice the sidewalks to be much more narrow. Though the majority of The Strip doesn't have any retail or restaurants fronting the street, The Strip is still pedestrian friendly because of the wider sidewalks (as you said earlier).
Nevertheless, I'm excited at the fact that Las Vegas is becoming more than just a "get-away town". Actually, it's been departing from that cheap, gambling town atmosphere for quite some time now. Right now, I perceive Vegas to be more of an upscale, young, and hip town with some of the best nightlife and shopping. Now it's becoming more of a place to live and settle down. Though I think to fully shed that "get-away town" feeling, there must be more of a downtown.