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Las Vegas : the social production of an all-American city / M. Gottdiener, Claudia C. Collins, and David R. Dickens.

By: Contributor(s): Material type: TextTextPublication details: Malden, Mass. : Blackwell, 1999.Description: xiii, 290 p. : ill., maps ; 24 cmISBN:
  • 1577181360 (hc)
Subject(s): DDC classification:
  • 306.09793 GOT
Contents:
From desert oasis to glitter capital of the world -- Corporations and the advent of megaresorts -- Media Vegas: hype, boosterism, and the image of the city -- Advent of metropolitanization: rapid population growth and a booming economy -- Normalization process I: the construction of community life by the private sector -- Normalization process II: the production of civic culture by the public sector -- Living in Las Vegas -- Local politics and community interests -- Las Vegas: an All-American metropolis.
Holdings
Item type Current library Call number Copy number Status Date due Barcode
Standard Loan LSAD Library Main Collection 306.09793 GOT (Browse shelf(Opens below)) 1 Available 39002100387969

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Most writing about Las Vegas focuses on the spectacular story of casino gambling and tourism. This book is different. Written by two renowned urban studies scholars and a local Las Vegas journalist, combining scholarly research with investigative reporting First academic book to provide a synthesis on the recent growth of Las Vegas Appropriate for courses in urban studies, economic development and tourism, communities and cultural studies

Includes bibliographical references (p. [274]-283) and index.

From desert oasis to glitter capital of the world -- Corporations and the advent of megaresorts -- Media Vegas: hype, boosterism, and the image of the city -- Advent of metropolitanization: rapid population growth and a booming economy -- Normalization process I: the construction of community life by the private sector -- Normalization process II: the production of civic culture by the public sector -- Living in Las Vegas -- Local politics and community interests -- Las Vegas: an All-American metropolis.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

  • List of Tables (p. vii)
  • List of Maps (p. viii)
  • List of Figures (p. ix)
  • Acknowledgments (p. x)
  • Preface (p. xi)
  • 1 From Desert Oasis to Glitter Capital of the World (p. 1)
  • The Early Days (p. 1)
  • The Paradigm Shift in Urban Sociology (p. 4)
  • The Federal Trigger (p. 9)
  • A "Good Government" Town (p. 12)
  • Saved by the War (p. 14)
  • From Town to City: The Role of Venture Capital and Real Estate (p. 16)
  • Venture Capital and the 1950s Growth Spurt (p. 20)
  • Las Vegas' Growth, Like Every Place Else (p. 24)
  • State Politics and Change in the 1960s (p. 27)
  • 2 Corporations and the Advent of Megaresorts (p. 30)
  • The Fifth Phase of Growth: From The 1980s to the Present (p. 30)
  • Out with the Old (p. 40)
  • Financing Las Vegas' Development (p. 42)
  • New Forms of Competition (p. 49)
  • Downtown Fights Back - The Frernont Street Experience (p. 52)
  • A World-Class Airport (p. 57)
  • The New Face of Las Vegas (p. 64)
  • 3 Media Vegas: Hype, Boosterism, and the Image of the City (p. 68)
  • The Image of the City (p. 68)
  • Hollywood Vegas (p. 69)
  • Hype, Boosterism, and Advertising (p. 76)
  • The Physical Transformation of Las Vegas into a Cultural Icon: Neon Signs and Fantasy Themes (p. 85)
  • The Allure of Gambling (p. 88)
  • 4 The Advent of Metropolitanization: Rapid Population Growth and a Booming Economy (p. 94)
  • Boomtown in the Desert (p. 94)
  • Las Vegas Sub-Populations (p. 101)
  • Rapid Economic Growth (p. 111)
  • The Casino/Tourist Economy (p. 118)
  • Economic Diversification of the Region (p. 123)
  • 5 The Normalization Process I: The Construction of Community Life by the Private Sector (p. 127)
  • Master-Planned Communities (p. 128)
  • Effects of Mass Residential Development on Regional Land Use (p. 153)
  • Uneven Development (p. 155)
  • Fragmented Communal Identities (p. 161)
  • 6 The Normalization Process II: The Production of Civic Culture by the Public Sector (p. 164)
  • Libraries as Community Cultural Centers (p. 164)
  • Local Political Culture and Normalization (p. 179)
  • Public Sector Support for Neighborhoods (p. 180)
  • Learning in Las Vegas: Public Sector Support for Education (p. 183)
  • 7 Living in Las Vegas (p. 192)
  • The Unusual as Usual, or Normalization of the Odd (p. 192)
  • Las Vegas - Like Living Anywhere Else (p. 207)
  • Land of Duality (p. 215)
  • 8 Local Politics and Community Interests (p. 219)
  • The Framework of State and Local Politics (p. 220)
  • Interests and Dominance in the Political Process (p. 222)
  • Competing Elites (p. 224)
  • Political Issues in the Rapidly Growing Region (p. 234)
  • Environmental Concerns (p. 244)
  • 9 Las Vegas: An All-American Metropolis (p. 254)
  • The Metropolitan Future (p. 257)
  • The Limits of Weak Government (p. 257)
  • Growing Pains and Uneven Development (p. 261)
  • The Future of the Tourist-Based Economy (p. 264)
  • The Future Quality of Life (p. 270)
  • Conclusion (p. 272)
  • References (p. 274)
  • Index (p. 284)

Author notes provided by Syndetics

M. Gottdiener is Professor and Chair of the Sociology Department at the State University of New York at Buffalo
Claudia C. Collins is an Associate Professor at the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension
David R. Dickens is Professor of Sociology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas

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