Is the Stratosphere on the Official Las Vegas Strip?

Is the Stratosphere on the Las Vegas Strip? I remember Bob Stupak claiming that it was, but I also thought the actual "Strip" starts at Sahara Avenue. What does LVA say?

Though Bob Stupak advertised his casino, Vegas World, as being on the Las Vegas Strip, when Anthony Curtis interviewed him in the mid-1990s, the maverick casino owner admitted that Vegas World wasn't actually on the Strip; he couldn't refute the fact that his hotel-casino was in the city of Las Vegas, while the Strip wasn't.

Thomas Hull built the El Rancho Vegas on the southwest corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Sahara Avenue in 1941 specifically to locate in unincorporated Clark County, thereby avoiding the more onerous regulations in the city of Las Vegas. So did every hotel-casino builder after Hull who built to the south -- except Stupak, who opened his World Famous Million-Dollar Historic Gambling Museum and Casino in 1974 (that burned a year later; he opened Vegas World in 1979).

Only when Stupak was building the Stratosphere did he officially change his tune, claiming that his tower would be so iconic, it would actually extend the Strip north the couple of blocks necessary to include it.

Did he succeed?

Maybe. The Stratosphere is certainly a noteworthy landmark. In our recent poll about what Las Vegas shapes to include in the Vegas Strong silhouette, the tower placed fourth with nearly 10% of the vote.

In addition, if you consider "the Strip" to be more of the essence of the character of Las Vegas than a strict geographic boundary, as many people do, then Stratosphere, in our opinion, would qualify.

On the other hand, the fact that geography, history, and policy have separated the Strip from the city for nearly 80 years can't exactly be ignored.

And here's a last piece of the puzzle to consider. Few people would disagree that the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign, which went up in 1959, marks the southern end of the Strip. Right? Still, technically, the sign is in the township of Paradise, not Las Vegas.

So tell us what you think. After reading all the pros and cons in this answer, is the Stratosphere on the Las Vegas Strip?

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Comments

Flaxx Jan-28-2019

No ...

... because tourists walk the Strip from one end to the other; nobody walks to the Strat. Or if they do, they're speedwalking through the dead zone in between. It's also why SLS struggles, and the Riv failed. The center Strip buildup by Harrah's, et al., killed the north end and narrowed the definition of the Strip to mean only the place where tourists meander.

Brent Peterson Jan-28-2019

Strat Not On Strip

I consider the Strip to be from the welcome sign to SLS. I think when most people think of the Strip, they are thinking from Tropicana Ave. to Desert Inn Rd. From what I understand, most of the Strip is in the township of Paradise, so I'm not sure what the point of that argument in the answer was.

Stewart Ethier Jan-28-2019

Yes

I'm looking at the Strip right now, from 15 miles to the east.  The Strat is closer to the cluster of high rises on the Strip than it is to downtown.  I say the Strip goes from MBay to the Strat.

Patrick Jan-28-2019

The Strip

Agree with Mandalay Bay to the Stratosphere as, "The Strip".  The completion of Resorts World may help in sending tourists further along the north end to the Stratosphere.

Jackie Jan-28-2019

Hmmm

A Vegas visitor since the 60's and resident since 2004 I only knew of two casino tourist areas (so called locals not included).  That was Downtown and The Strip with the Strat included. Even a one time only visitor friend of mine to Vegas for a business meeting included the Strat as a recommended choice of hotel to stay at since her meeting was at the Bellagio.  She wasn't a gambler and wanted to save money on the trip so I said the Strat was her best choice.

Roy Furukawa Jan-28-2019

My Two Cents...

"The Strip" isn't a legal definition of any boundary, so I say it is. Besides, without colorful characters like Stupak, Las Vegas wouldn't be Las Vegas.

Dave Jan-28-2019

Downtown?

The Strat isn’t exactly “downtown” either, even though it’s numbers are part of downtown’s totals. 

Yes, it’s on the Strip.

Ray Jan-28-2019

What about South Point and M

If the definition of "Strip" is by boundaries, then use that definition, otherwise acknowledge that "Vegas" not Las Vegas, is an ever-changing fluid area. So many casinos near but not on Las Vegas Blvd are so close they are not considered locals casinos either.

Bill Jan-28-2019

NO!

The Strip ends at Sahara Avenue. If someone buys the Silver Nugget in North Las Vegas and builds a new resort and hotel tower on that property, are we going to extend the Strip up to there, too? No, the Strip is and always has been defined by the stretch of road OUTSIDE the city limit of Las Vegas. The Strat tower certainly is part of the skyline, as is downtown. Doesn't make it part of the Strip. SLS is south of Sahara Avenue. It is on the Strip. For corn's sake, it WAS the legendary Sahara!

Kevin Rough Jan-28-2019

No

I know the Strat's owners say it is on the Strip.  But that area of LV Blvd looks nothing like the Strip.  I always thought the Strip was the area from Russell to Sahara.  And even the area north of the Wynn is looking less Strip-like.

Mary Jan-28-2019

Nope

I never knew that the Strip was not part of Las Vegas but I always felt it stopped at Sahara. I walked many times from the old Sahara to Circus Circus or Riviera at all hours and never felt unsafe. Yet, I never walked to the Strat even in daytime even though it may be just as safe. That area by the Strat doesn’t feel like the Strip but feels more like “that area you have to go through to get from the Strip to Downtown.”

Sheila Fuerst Jan-28-2019

local & out-of-towner

I've been coming to Vegas since the mid 50's. There was no "strip", just Las Vegas Bl. Hotels from the Sahara (which was a classy major hotel) down to the Hacienda (now Mandalay Bay). There was no "Walking" from hotel to hotel. You drove. There was no upper or lower, they were equally spread with lots of land in between and easy parking.There was no reason to walk. The word "Strip" came later, again Sahara to Hacienda. There was no Vegas World. (Stratosphere). Once the Theme hotels started in 1989 with the Mirage, people started walking the Strip because of all the outdoor attractions also people didn't dress up at night anymore. No more suits, furs and high heels and gloves. All the action was inside the hotel. The STRIP is more of concept rather than geography. Every era Vegas reinvents & redefines itself. It is a shadow of its early days.

Norman Braverman Feb-14-2019

Strat on Strip

I think it's part of the Strip.  If the Riviera is considered part of the Strip, and the Strat is across the street, then it should be considered part of the Strip.  It doesn't matter if you do or do not walk there, or if it's located in Paradise or the City of Las Vegas.  The Strip is probably more a state of mind than a actual geographic border.

Bob Nelson Feb-14-2019

Nope

The Strat is on Las Vegas Boulevard but it isn’t on the strip.

Question of the Day - 28 January 2019

Comments