Captivated by what he saw, he decided to write his thesis on Las Vegas architecture and turned it into a book after recognizing the subject matter's appeal to a large demographic.

He decided to write his thesis on Las Vegas architecture before turning it into a book after recognizing the subject matter's appeal to a large demographic.

He cited Al's chronicling of the Baptist preacher Old Bill Williams, who chose Las Vegas as the base for his crew of Native American horse bandits.

Calling Las Vegas "a highly visual experience", Senko said he liked the sizable 8x10 pages, which enabled the rendering of large-scale historical images and replications of building designs and posters.

Senko further praised how the "quirkiness" of the subheading names provided "wonderful pause[s]", citing "Casino Suburbanism", "American Babylon", and "Disney À La Vegas".

Regarding how the author repeatedly contextualizes the Strip's evolution alongside modern urban development, Mulherin said "[the] placement is logical and flows smoothly with the narrative, without feeling forced into the text".

[11] The Strip's casinos were managed and financed by the mob, so their leaders' preferences shaped resorts' architecture, leading to the constructions of properties like Miami's Fontainebleau and Eden Roc that followed the mid-century modern style.

[11][12] The mobster Bugsy Siegel's Flamingo casino, which featured bungalows, live performances, and giant swimming pools, transformed Las Vegas into the "Entertainment Capital of the World".

The Caesars Palace resort gave vacationers the opportunity to watch shows at the Circus Maximus and consume cocktails while riding a cruising a "Cleopatra's barge" vessel.

"[8] The book covers key milestones in the evolution of Las Vegas during the time period including the nuclear weapons testing at Nevada Test Site, the demand for electricity exceeding the Hoover Dam's output capacity, the casino resort Caesars Palace's debut, and Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown's seminal book Learning from Las Vegas.

Al writes that the Strip's signage reverted to being buildings' "inferior reference", while neon bulbs were supplanted with less expensive "white acrylic reader boards".

[8] The chapter profiles the businessmen Howard Hughes and Kirk Kerkorian and evaluates the Bauhaus design institution with the Las Vegas architecture of the era.

The chapter links wider socioeconomic shifts—like how the government loosened controls on interest rates for consumers—to advancements in Las Vegas casinos and lodging.

The Luxor's Nile was covered up, while MGM Grand excised every reference to The Wizard of Oz only three years removed from having constructed a replica of the Emerald City.

[8] As cities like New York for Times Square attempted to cleanse dirty areas, Las Vegas presented imitations that were sanitized and regulated representations of reality.

[17] To construct the CityCenter complex, MGM Mirage enlisted the renowned architects Helmut Jahn, Daniel Libeskind, César Pelli, Rafael Viñoly, and Maya Lin and the artist Jenny Holzer.

[7] The buildings were ornamented with pop art decorations including the large sculpture "Typewriter Eraser" created by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen.

[12] Touching upon subjects central to modern urban studies, he discusses green buildings, public spaces, celebrity culture, arts patronage, and museums.

[1] In the UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal, Marta Soligo praised the book for "definitively fill[ing] a gap in today's scholarship" and having "beautiful pictures and an enjoyable writing style" as well as being "particularly rich in historical and architectural details".

Al's overview of the Strip resorts' foundational years "lacks the serious architectural analysis" that he gives more contemporary architects of Las Vegas buildings.

According to Hess, Las Vegas's original designers were both deeply knowledgeable about and instrumental in the developments in architecture and urban planning as cars became more popular in the years following 1920.

Hess said that Wayne McAllister, for example, had a deep grasp of how cars were transforming city urban layouts and lifestyles, going beyond—as the book suggests—merely copying automobiles' visual style.

[9] The San Francisco Chronicle's John King called the book a "wisecracking and well-illustrated design history of Sin City's Main Street", while Choice's L.B.

[18][19] In a positive review, Ray Bert wrote, "Lavishly illustrated with both current and vintage photographs, The Strip is a well-told piece of narrative research that should grip both design buffs and those who relish tales of capitalism and culture—regardless of your feelings about Las Vegas.

"[15] Writing for the Journal of Planning Education and Research, Stephen Mulherin praised the book for providing "a quality analysis of a significant urban area" and for having an "impressive" overview of numerous structures.

He suggested that the book barely discusses the momentous shift of Las Vegas from a traditional car-centric layout in the 1950s and 1960s to a more pedestrian-friendly urban design.

[11] The University of Pennsylvania's Lauren Hertzler said the book "brings alive amusing characters" while "taking readers creatively and chronologically" through Las Vegas's seven stages.

[17] In a positive review, Jeremy Senko of Spacing found the book an "an exhaustive yet accessible look" and a "wonderfully interesting and fun ride through one of the world's strangest locations".

[6] The Los Angeles Times columnist Carolina A. Miranda said that the "engaging" book covers the "colorful history" of Las Vegas architecture.

[20] Praising Al's overview of the Las Vegas strip as "erudite" and "entertaining", Publishers Weekly said the book was "a story of the American national identity, and once you've bought in, this compulsive read won't lose you a dime".