Rural Depression: Las Vegas - The Death Of The American Dream

In 1972, Hunter S. Thompson went to Las Vegas, NV in search of The American Dream. This past June, I headed there chasing The Death Of The American Dream. Many things have changed since the 1970's, including Las Vegas itself. Vegas is a tourist city, dependent on the money that casinos, gambling, and luxury stays bring in. With the recent economic decline, the city has seen a rise in unemployment, foreclosures(beating Detroit in 2010), and the ever present homeless population. The Sahara Hotel closed it's doors for the first time in 59 years this past year, as other smaller businesses flounder and fail. A walk two blocks off the glitz and glamour of The Strip reveals a Las Vegas that most tourists never see: a world of desperation, of squatting in abandoned hotels and living in the storm drains that run underneath the fabulous Strip.
The Key Largo Hotel and Casino is located two blocks off of the Strip. Once opulent, as is the manner in Las Vegas, it has since fallen into severe disrepair and is almost unrecognizable when compared to photos when it was operational. Populated by the homeless and possibly mentally ill, the grounds are not safe for the unseasoned explorer. Although the one fellow I met upon entry was amicable, a secluded corner later in the morning yielded the unmistakable stench of rotting carcass. I did not stay to investigate the source of the odor. Once a spot to stay for gamblers and vacationers, The Key Largo Hotel is now home to the unacknowledged underclass of Las Vegas.