by Megan Buck

Created on: June 14, 2008

An Indecent Proposal

In the southwestern corner of the United States lies one state known for living in sin. Clark County, Nevada, better known as Las Vegas is the entertainment capital of the world. What started as an eighty-four square mile desert parking lot in 1911 is now home to over half a million residents. Most residents are between the ages of twenty-two and forty-four. A primarily white state with hispanics being the next majority, the average income ranges from $35,000-75,000 yearly. Only ten percent of the residents live below poverty level. Las Vegas became an official city in 1911, ironically during the Great Depression Las Vegas was relatively untouched due to job increases from the building of the railroads and the construction of the Hoover Dam. The Dam was seemingly the birth of tourism because thousands of people flocked to watch the construction that took five years to complete.

In 1931 more big changes started taking place and shaping the city we now know of today. Gambling was legalized in order to increase tax revenue; El Rancho Vegas became the first resort to open on what was to become the world-famous Las Vegas Strip. After World War II more hotels and resorts were rapidly being built, The Flamingo was even founded and backed by famous mobster Benjamin "Bugsy" Seigel. More than 30 million people visit annually and has been given the nickname of "Gaming Capital of the World" as well. Las Vegas is said to have the highest employment rate now and projected for the next five years due to the heavy annual growth. Population is also a steady growth averaging 6,000 new residents per month.
In 1971 the first legalized brothel was constructed outside Reno, Nevada and soon following ten of Nevada's seventeen counties legalized prostitution. The Mustang Ranch was closed in 1999 by the government of suspicion of tax fraud and racketeering. The prostitutes lived on the ranch during their whole shift, which lasted from several days to several weeks. During their shift, they worked 12 hours per day, serving six customers per day on average. Women not working on the ranch were not allowed in. Typical prices ranged from $100 to $500 plus tips; the house received half of anything the women made. The house rules forbade anal sex and kissing on the mouth. Customers were required to wear condoms for both intercourse and oral sex. The women were not allowed to reject a customer who was willing to pay the house minimum and stick to the rules. For the safety

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