Reader Poll
If you currently live in Las Vegas, do you want to leave?
Response | Votes | ||
---|---|---|---|
Yes. | 59% | 850 | |
No. | 40% | 587 | |
Total Votes | 1437 |
Note: This is not a scientific poll. The results reflect only the opinions of those who chose to participate.
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I've lived in Vegas for 30 years, although it's treated me well for the most part. I find the quality of living a somewhat normal life to be lacking, in a town that runs 24/7 and with so many working varied shifts, weekends and holidays, I find it difficult to establish and maintain a routine of normality and relationships. We seem to be a city that focuses, and encourages the worst addictions of society, A party atmosphere of gambling, drinking, sex and drugs, not to be left out a obsessive love for money. So much focus is on the strip that when people ask me what living in Vegas is like, I tell them its much like living in a adult Disneyland, Like a movie set where everything is beautiful on the outside, yet fake from behind. Our own 24/7 Mardi Gras of sorts. We that work on the strip, work hard to provide and sustain that "What happens in vegas, Stays in Vegas" mentality. Like circus carnival hawkers that entice you to "Step right up" It really does get old. yes I'm ready to leave.
I've lived in WY, CA, HI, NM, TX, CO, UT, and NV and so far, Las Vegas is my favorite. I'm settled (probably permanently) in Summerlin and although I know the lifestyle "Myforte" describes exists, I wouldn't have a clue as to how to find it -- or the people who live such lives. (The only time I am exposed to The Strip is an occasional show: valet parking, into the theatre, and right back home afterwards.) Having said that though, you can find everything you find in Las Vegas in any city in the world if you choose to.
Las Vegas living is what you make of it, if all you see is a brown desert and the strip you need to leave ASAP. I on the other hand enjoy the many good things Southern Nevada has to offer among them would be the Colorado River, Lake Mojave, Lake Mead, off road riding, shooting, camping and hiking. Additionally no State Income Tax and more relaxed firearm laws for those of us that want to protect our family. Gambling, drinking, sex and drugs occur EVERYWHERE not just in Las Vegas. I left California after many years of living there because of the crime, over population, traffic, excessive state laws and taxation. Not to mention that most of their lakes and ocean front locations are heavily polluted and way over priced. We used to call one of the local California lakes "Diaper Lake" because there were so many diapers floating in it.
MG you're part of the problem. There's also people who really love Podunk, North Dakota, but that doesn't give them the right to tell others they should leave if they don't like it.
The common argument is that "Hey now! All the terrible stuff that's wrong with Vegas happens EVERYWHERE!!" is extremely flawed.
There are plenty of places where it is a lot less of a problem. Vegas dug itself a HUGE hole with all this growth that the city was poorly prepared for.
The two biggest annoyances of Vegas are:
1) Some of the most ignorant people in the country seem to reside here. City leadership, the guy at the power company, the coach of your child's baseball team, the 3rd grade teacher, there is NO escaping it.
2) 95% of the people here seem to be here because they've "escaped" from somewhere else (such as your California comments). They didn't come here because of a great opportunity, or because they just wanted a change in life, they're running away from something somewhere else. Those types of people are problematic, and are the transient types that never really fit in anywhere.
I'm heavily involved in a lot of community activities and meet hundreds of new locals every few weeks, and the majority of them are unhappy with Vegas, feel trapped, and plan to leave as soon as the economy rebounds.
You locals who just love it here, don't take it personal, you didn't create this mess. It's just that some people have higher standards and Vegas has fallen to the pits.
I have lived here 2 years and I love Las Vegas!!
I dig this town and probably wouldn't leave if given the chance.
My kids go to an awesome public school, there are outdoor opps a-plenty, don't have to shovel snow, within a day's drive to almost a dozen National Parks...
The only downside to living here which VegasVegas touched on is that it's a transient city. Many people don't want to form any kind of relationship whether it be a neighborly one or other. For the most part folks want to be left alone which is extremely problematic in building any kind of civic pride.
We've only been here since last September and I am having a hard time adjusting. I told my wife before we moved here that this will not be our last move. I certainly don't want to retire here. But we have to stay here now till the market comes back so we can sell these houses we were advised to buy.
I was stationed here about 4 years ago. I really didn't like the idea, but I didn't have choice. At first I hated it here. It was hot and busy and I was scared for mine and my 1yr old son's life. Mainly because I grew up in a small country town and I wasn't used to seeing people move so fast. But after a couple of years I started to enjoy it because of the variety of entertainment. If I didn't want to be bothered I'd stay at home in my nice neighborhood, but if I ever wanted to try something new, I'd visit the strip. I understand that this is an adult city, and because of that I have NEVER brought my son down to walk the strip. I've only had one bad experience with crime the first year I was here, but since then...nothing.
The schools are the worst in the country. Crime is getting worse because unemployment and the number of minorities is increasing. The police, fire, and education budgets are being cut. There's no professional sports and bad college sports. The scenery stinks. Other than that, I love it here.
A year ago I came to Vegas from SF via LA to do work and stay for the winter. I had never been to Vegas before that. When spring came, I realized that there really wasnt anywhere else I wanted to go. So I stayed. I rationalized with cheap rents and inexpensive flights almost anywhere I can escape almost anywhere.
People here say that it takes at least 9 months to settle into the swing of things here, and I would agree. No, it hasnt been easy to find work and things havent been all peaches- but all in all, Vegas may not have always been good to me but it has definitely been good FOR me.
Friends from the East when they come to visit (and theyre glad to come visit Vegas :) all say "Dude, you look so ZEN here." Yep. In fact, I would rather do a staycation in Vegas than fly elsewhere. And whenever I fly elsewhere, I am glad to get back to Vegas.
Now, excuse me while I go do a buffet for lunch. :)
Been here 13 years and counting. This is my town. I think most of the people that want to leave don't have a good support circle. I guess I was lucky. I went to UNLV and have a close group of about 50 friends. Some of our friends have left town, but if there is one thing you realize after living here, it's UNLV (U Never Leave Vegas), and they usually come back when they realize life in other parts of the country still sucks. (unless that's what you really want in life, in which case, i'm happy for you!)
Been here about 20yrs now, I think Im considered a local, anyway, its ok lots of fake people here, but when you can actually wear shorts almost daily throughout the year and not have snow up to your ears, hurricans, tonados, and only minor minor earthquakes, giveme Vegas over anywhere else. Plus the sping and falls here are the best!
Alot of these people that want to leave, came here with all these visions of "Grandeur", when the town was prospering...and now with the chips kinda working against them they wanna bail out....
Sounds to me like some of these people need to straighten out their own policies and then blame Las Vegas afterwords...just a thought...
I was born here in Vegas and am about to graduate from UNLV in December. I will be leaving as soon as I graduate. It is mostly because of the desert, I can't stand it anymore. The summers here are horrible!!! Most of my family lives on the east side of the country (Ohio) and I will stay with them until I find a job.
@ Journey: I've lived in NC, NJ, PA, CA, AZ, VA, TN, CO, AL, and NV -- and, so far, Las Vegas is my LEAST favorite. I've been here for 13 years. It was fun in a unique way at first but, after about two years, I had seen everything I wanted to see and done everything I wanted to do in this basin they call a valley.
Las Vegas is just not my cup of tea. It has nothing to do with the gambling, drinking, sex, or drugs mentioned by a few other comments. I honestly wish I could say exactly what it is makes me think, if I left, I wouldn't miss it one bit. I hope I'm not destined to spend the rest of my life here.
I compare Vegas to steamed clams: some people love them, some hate them. No explaining it either way.