Sun, Sin & Suburbia: The History of Modern Las Vegas, Revised and Expanded

by Geoff Schumacher

More than forty million visitors per year travel to Sin City to visit the gambling mecca of the world. But gambling is only one part of the city’s story. In this carefully documented history, Geoff Schumacher tracks the rise of Las Vegas, including its vital role during World War II; the rise of the Strip in the 1950s; the explosive growth of the 1990s; and the colossal collapse triggered by the real estate bust and economic crisis of the mid-2000s. Schumacher surveys the history of the iconic casinos, debunking myths and highlighting key players such as Howard Hughes, Kirk Kerkorian, and Steve Wynn.

Schumacher’s history also profiles the Las Vegas where more than two million people live. He explores the neighborhoods sprawling beyond the Strip’s neon gleam and uncovers a diverse community offering much more than table games, lounge acts, and organized crime. Schumacher discusses contemporary Las Vegas, charting its course from the nation’s fastest-growing metropolis to one of the Great Recession’s most battered victims.

Sun, Sin & Suburbia will appeal to tourists looking to understand more than the glitz and glitter of Las Vegas and to newcomers who want to learn about their new hometown. It will also be an essential addition to any longtime Nevadan’s library of local history.

First published in 2012 by Stephens Press, this paperback edition is now available from the University of Nevada Press.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

344 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2004

About the author

Geoff Schumacher grew up in Souther Nevada and has beena reporter, columnist and editor in Las Vegas for 16 years.
Currently, Schumacher is the director of community publications and a weekly columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal"

Reviews

[Kevin Schafer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another Las Vegas book. God, this blew. A series of essays about the past, present, and future of Las Vegas, the author has the most naive love of the city and lacks any critical thinking about the city and its impact. What truly drives me the craziest is that he SHOULD know better, citing the previously-reviewed book.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read, a little slow and hard to push through in some places as it felt a little repetitive but all in all informative

[Grace Michaelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that this was a really amazing history of Las Vegas. It covered every aspect of the city, from the Strip to the suburbs to Howard Hughes to economics and education. The book hasn’t been updated since 2012 though, so I feel like it could use another update, but other than that, I loved it!

[Shannon Urban · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vegas is one of our go-to spots for a quick vacation, especially around late spring for some much needed sun and heat when our Washington winter just wont end. We’re not big gamblers, but love checking out all of new stuff that has popped up every time we go. We always seem to walk up and down the strip with questions of what things used to look like and how one thing evolved into another. This book definitely answered a lot of those questions. The author presents a very thorough history of Vegas, going so far as to correct the myths we have latched onto about Bugsy and the Flamingo. I learned more than I had set out to about some topics. He goes into a lot of detail about the development of suburban areas around the city while I would have savored more details about the development of the strip including more architectural facts. The book doesn’t always flow easily and reads a bit like a text book, but it wasn’t enough of a negative to detract from finishing the book. This is his second edition and although it’s only been six years, a third one may be in order. This book leaves off at 2012 when Vegas was just pulling out of the recession. Much has happened in the past six years. The crowds have returned in full force - to the point that maneuvering around the Strip on a Friday or Saturday night is nearly impossible. The author predicted that the city would have a professional sports team by 2015. He came pretty darn close as the Golden Knights were formed in 2016. And, the Raiders are in their way. But, please tell me more about the change in the Monte Carlo, more about what happened with the Harmon building and if anything different will ever be built there. What kind of impact will an NFL stadium right off of the strip have? Will Boyd actually get the north end of the strip developed? It’s still barren at this time which, to the untrained eye, just looks like money waiting to be made. The monorail didn’t ruin the taxi business as some predicted, but what impact has Uber/Lyft had? (Seems like the monorail would have been a great idea if it had been built in a more logical spot than way in the back of the eastern strip resorts). Is City Center operating the way it was intended? Why is the area between the MGM and Planet Hollywood so dumpy when it seems like prime acreage? So many unanswered questions!

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book about the history of every aspect of Las Vegas along with some predictions.

The thing is, the book is already 3 years old and a lot has changed since this book was written and I'm sure the next update will include stuff about that regarding the new president, The Raiders, T Mobile Arena, legalization of gay marriage and marijuana.

But still an excellent book about how things were, snapshots of different things and how things have come along.

Actually my favorite parts were the discussion regarding where things were/are and specific dates and what it was like back then...such as Flamingo Road didn't exist past I 15. Street names that used to be one thing and are now another.

I would love to see in the next version, like a map of Vegas with street names from like the 50s or 60s compared to a street map today.

I loved the discussions about the land swaps between Bureau of Land Management and different corporations for what is now today, Summerlin, Peccole Ranch, etc.

[Justus · Rating 3 out of 5]

As you may have noticed, I am currently on a Las Vegas reading kick. This book is nothing special except that it focuses its energy on the the suburbs surrounding Las Vegas. Its just a historical survey of where things are at with a healthy bit of LV boosterism which is to be expected from a book of this type. There isn't much analysis but its a good overview.

My only true gripe is that it does not include a map. This is a huge pet peeve -- why do authors who write about a specific city not insist on putting a map in the book, it seriously affects the geographic comprehension that they are trying to convey.

Another interesting note is that this book was written in the boom years in the early 2000's. As such it has a certain optimism that is cute, but we do know that a real estate crash did happen and it would be interesting to see his thoughts on it. Even though all books of this type get dated, it is interesting how LV books get dated so quickly.

[Rory · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the greatest books ever published about the history of Las Vegas, especially in its relatively current state. Schumacher sees the actual reality of Las Vegas, not as it's colored by the big lights and energetic nature of the Strip. People live here, and in his book is how they have lived and how they live today (an expanded edition covering the years after this book was published is expected in October), the social and infrastructure-related issues they deal with, along with the never-ceasing question of growth. Schumacher knows it all and he writes it with a steady hand and a keen mind, the benefit of also being a 16-year resident.

[Derek · Rating 2 out of 5]

There's some really interesting history in this book, but most of the book seems like an advertisement for tract homes, or at least a celebration of them. The chapters are not held together by strong transitions, they seem like free-standing essays, some of which aren't essays at all, but name-dropping praise for housing developers.

[Mark Wojtowicz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Feels like he’s talking about his home with love and toughness. Made me feel comfortable while reading it. One of those books your real estate agent should gift to you if you are new to the area.

[Graham Bates · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sun, Sin, & Suburbia is essential reading for someone who knows little about Las Vegas. Schumacher's style of writing lends itself well to the uninitiated newby who knows little about the history of Las Vegas. Temporarily living in Iowa, Schumacher uses his distance to provide a more outsider's perspective to the history. It has lasted better the last eight years than the earlier edition did (based on the author's own admission). A great book to read.

[John Creighton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an excellent introduction to Las Vegas and its surrounding suburban cities, including extensive history and discussion of the different personalities and organizations that have shaped Clark County over the decades. It was updated in 2012 so it is one of the most recent perspectives on Las Vegas in terms of books currently available.

[Joshua Dewald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actually read the second edition from 2015. This was pretty much exactly what I was looking for; a history of the city of Vegas not just "here's how the mob ran casinos". Probably more interesting for us locals, but if you have any interest in the growth of the city and it's various neighborhoods, this is a great find. There's tons of discussion on the casinos as well of course!

[Garrett Cash · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting take on the greater city of Las Vegas from a local reporter who actually did some in-depth research that isn't normally covered in other Vegas books. Would be great if he did a 20th anniversary update next year.

[Steven Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reads a bit like a textbook at times, but very informative. This one was a bit different in that the history of Las Vegas doesn't go back that far, so it stands out somewhat in that regard.

[Roxanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great history of Las Vegas during the war years, and the first Las Vegas that I went to, the Rat Pack Years, then Las Vegas was becoming old and not fabulous until Steve Wynn came along and started building them hotels so families with children could come also, Then I went to the Next Las Vegas and saw all these fabulous new things and hotels. The last time I went was 2005. Then in 2008 the construction bust happened and things got put on hold. Then they started building again and this time the hotels do not seem to have themes but are high rised galls towers. So Las Vegas keeps on changing.

[London · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the intricate details of the master planned communities can get a little dry, this book excels at showing the reality of modern Las Vegas. Scumacher does his best to balance his subjective reference material that bounces between scathing critique and glowing praise, and often ends up in a nice middle that's believable, informative, and terribly interesting for a Vegas nerd. A special thanks for to the author for appending the book after the burst of the real estate bubble and following up on current events, such as the monorail, CityCenter, and (personal favorite) The Cosmopolitan.

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I might have found this a better read if I was a native of Las Vegas or, at the very least, if I were more familiar with southern Nevada as a whole. I enjoyed the sections focusing on the Strip, Howard Hughes, environmental preservation, and the Yucca Mountain plans, but the chapters on planned communities were not as interesting to me.

[Katrinka · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book provided a good general overview of contemporary Las Vegas history-- but seemed a little too cheerleading at times. It did finally mention problem areas, such as water usage and availability, but essentially passed them by. Lots of facts about master-planned communities and housing developments.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bits are redundant (or reinforced if you are forgiving) and the most modern information doesn't include much analysis, but there is a load of insight and history in here, all of which is probably more intriguing if you've got a grasp (or map) of the Las Vegas geography.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Couldn't finish it, the last half of the book read like it was for developers.

[Dawn Mohl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written and interesting history of Las Vegas. It's a little outdated by the time I read it in Dec. 2011.

[David John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting read. What a great history!

[Howard Brooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent history of modern Las Vegas. It's highly readable, and provides the most definitive modern history of Las Vegas that I've encountered.