[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 65 (Tuesday, May 17, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E999-E1000]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          100TH ANNIVERSARY OF FOUNDING OF CITY LAS VEGAS, NV

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JON C. PORTER

                               of nevada

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 17, 2005

  Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 100th 
anniversary of the founding of the City of Las Vegas, Nevada.
  Mr. Speaker, while all Americans have heard of Las Vegas, many may 
not be aware of the rich history we have in Southern Nevada. For 
instance, the City was named by Spanish traders traveling from New 
Mexico to California. These traders dubbed the area ``Las Vegas'' which 
means ``the meadows''.
  The first settlement in the Las Vegas valley by Westerners was a 
fortified mission colonized by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of 
Latter-Day Saints.
  Over the last century, Las Vegas has become the entertainment capital 
of the world, with world class hotels, gaming, entertainment, and 
outdoor activities for visitors of all ages.
  In the 1990s, the population of Las Vegas boomed, making it the 
fastest growing metropolitan area in the country. A record-setting 40

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million tourists visited Las Vegas in 2004 to enjoy our hospitality and 
entertainment.
  Mr. Speaker, Las Vegas has much more to offer tourists then ``the 
Strip'' alone. Visitors from around the world appreciate such 
attractions as Red Rock Canyon, Lake Mead, and the Hoover Dam.
  On May 15, 2005, and throughout all of 2005, Las Vegas is hosting a 
Centennial Celebration in honor of the 100th anniversary of the 
founding of the city. Las Vegas visitors and residents will join in the 
Centennial Celebration by participating in a variety of commemorative 
events including a centennial time capsule, an attempt to bake the 
world's largest birthday cake, a return of Helldorado Days (a Las Vegas 
tradition honoring the roots of the city in the Wild West), and a 
wedding ceremony with 100 couples.
  Mr. Speaker, I moved to Nevada in 1978, and have seen Las Vegas 
change from a desert hideaway to a burgeoning metropolis where between 
five and seven thousand people move per month. However, what never 
ceases to amaze me is that despite the explosive growth that Las Vegas 
has experienced, it has never lost the small town appeal in which we 
Nevadans take so much pride. I am also constantly struck by the 
genuinely American nature of our community. We come from all over the 
world and all over the country to make up our community, and for that I 
am particularly proud to be here today.
  When most people think of Las Vegas, visions of big hotels, casinos, 
and bad Elvis impersonators may come to mind. I conjure a different 
image--an image of the thousands of wonderful individuals who are Las 
Vegas.
  Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the City of Las Vegas on its 100th 
Anniversary.

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