Las Vegas Information

Perhaps more than any other city in America, Las Vegas has come a long way!

A nomadic tribe of Indians called the Paiutes settled the area around the turn of the last millennium, and then in the early 1700s, Spanish traders en route to Los Angeles traveled along the then-unexplored Las Vegas Valley. A young scout named Rafael Rivera became the first person of European ancestry to look upon the valley. Rivera’s discovery of wild, abundant grasses and a plentiful water supply led to the area’s name: Las Vegas—Spanish for “The Meadows.”

Las Vegas was founded as a city on May 15, 1905, and in 1931, the construction of the Hoover Dam brought an influx of construction workers in the area, which started a population boom. Most important, the Dam’s four-year construction boosted the Valley’s economy, which was in the grips of the Great Depression. The legalization of gambling in 1931 led to the advent of the casino hotels for which Las Vegas is famous. Major development occurred in the 1940s, "due almost entirely" to the influx of scientists and staff from the Manhattan Project, an atomic bomb research project of World War II. Atomic test watching parties were sometimes thrown. American organized crime figures such as Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel and Meyer Lansky managed or funded most of the original large casinos. These were constructed on a two-lane highway leading into Las Vegas from Los Angeles. This stretch of road evolved into today’s Las Vegas Strip.

The Network celebrates a milestone with its 12th National Convention from February 26-29, 2012 at the fabulous Wynn Resort. With warehouse distributors, jobbers and service dealers representing Parts Plus, IAPA, Auto Pride, and CMB, attendance is expected to reach over 1,500. Make your plans to attend!