Question of the Day - 23 November 2018

While I’m sure locals see it however they see it, here’s how I as an outsider see it: Las Vegas is a metropolitan area with a couple million people and a slew of neat, non-Florida things to do, which include nature, Jack In The Box, the Hoover Dam, locals casinos, desert sights, etc, as well as the obvious, the resort district. “Vegas”, as I see it, is a relatively small area that looks like a rectangle that covers a half-mile or so east and west of the the strip and runs from Paul Russell road to Charleston road. Basically, when I rent a car, I consider it a “Las Vegas” trip. When I take an Uber from the airport, I don’t plan to leave the resort area, and this, consider it a “Vegas” trip.

People call things what they are comfortable with like Frisco or Vegas.  In both cases, the locals, and not so local, call each by such preferred names.  That doesn't diminish either one iota as it is more a term of affection than one to demean.  Even in nick names like The Big Apple for New York, NY or Cowtown for Fort Worth, TX.  Even if I were to say Lost Angels you would know I mean Los Angeles, CA.  So to some, saying Vegas is cool, while other may not see it that way but bottom line, we all know where they speak of.

Actually, it seems to me that "Vegas" is a popular appellation because of the agonizing difficulty many people have in successfully articulating a word or phrase of more than two syllables, especially when drunk.

I agree with Mikescud that "Las Vegas" is an actual city where actual people live, while "Vegas" is an alternate dimension with casinos, buffets, and insanely overpriced entertainment. When you live in Las Vegas, you might visit Vegas occasionally.

Also, the local hockey ball team is never referred to as the "LAS Vegas Golden Knights," so it looks like all those people from Angeles, Francisco, Louis, Orleans, and Falls (Montana and Texas) are right.

As an outsider that loves this crazy town, I've always felt that "Las Vegas" referred more to a geographic area, but not necessarily the city itself, while "Vegas" was more of a state of mind, a place people go to have fun.

Mind you both of these can refer to areas inside or outside of the official city limits. After all, far outside the city limits, mail addressed to "Las Vegas" will still arrive at it's intended destination. And McCarran, like airports at many other cities, are located outside of their city, but still welcome arriving passengers to that city.

Bottom line: I LOVE VEGAS!

Seeing as how Las Vegas starts at Sahara Avenue and goes north from there, when you are on the strip you are actually in Paradise, NV.. so it would seem the abbreviated Vegas would be more appropriate when visiting there. But wherever you are and whatever you call it....this is the greatest metropolitan area in the world!!!

I am both, have been coming to this crazy town since the early 50's with my family. In the early days before being a local my parents always called it "Vegas". There weren't any locals in those days. The same was true in those days in "LA". If I were out of state and someone said "where do you live, my answer would be Los Angeles as well as where are you going on your vacation "Las Vegas". 

I always thought the same thing.  But when you names your hockey team the Vegas Golden Knights, I figured it didn't apply anymore.

All I know is my official t-shirt says, “Vegas Golden Knights” on it. 

I've been coming here since 1963.  Have had a weekend condo since 2003 and have lived here permanently since 2013.  I CRINGE when I hear "Vegas." Nobody says, "Angeles" for Los Angeles, or "York" for New York, or "Diego" for San Diego.  And those cities are as vibrant and tourist oriented as Las Vegas.  So for me, it's something tourists say, and is "uncool" or whatever.  There is a city of Las Vegas, a city of North Las Vegas, the Las Vegas Valley, and the sign says, "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas."  For those who think of the strip as "Vegas," well, that's ridiculous -- call it "UCC Baby!"  Unincorporated Clark County. 

When Mom and Dad lived in Vegas, none of the locals I met seemed to care. This Chi-town boy doesn't get it. I'll bet the casinos don't care as long as you bring money.

Saying "Vegas" is not parallel to saying "Frisco". Not even close. When we say "Vegas" we simply omit the "Las"; nobody simply omits "San" and refers to San Francisco as "Francisco". If you were to simply say "Francisco", nobody would know what you're talking about; people would ask themselves "Why is this person mentioning a guy named 'Francisco'?" But when anyone says "Vegas", everyone knows you're talking about Las Vegas. Bay Area folks are defensive about "Frisco" because the word is a bastardization (while "Francisco" would not be); it lightly connotes both Crisco and Fresca. Just saying "Vegas" does no such thing. I can see how "Frisco" can seem disrespectful. But "Vegas" is not disrespectful. It's a Spanish word that means "meadows". Omitting "Las" merely omits "the", which is absolutely no big deal. So this is nothing to be sensitive or priggish about.