[vegaspilgrim]

I'm not sure why I like Las Vegas:
I don't gamble. (I've only played $3.00 my entire life, and that's because one night I couldn't fall asleep at 3 am so I went downstairs to the casino just because I was bored).
I'm not particularly fond being stuck in large crowds of people.
I hate cigarette smoke.
I don't do "drinking." I'll have a drink or two occasionaly, but that's about it.
I consider myself more of a laid back kind of person, not so interested in clubbing and night life and living it up. I'm more of a hiker and exploring the outdoors type.
I'm not really all that materialistic. I don't care much about expensive overpriced stuff.
I hate extreme heat (which I define as above 105). My favorite kind of weather is cool and dry; temperatures in the 60s and sunny.

But yet I LOVE Las Vegas. I don't know why. It almost feels like a spiritual place for me, in an odd sort of way. I've been there at least a dozen times (lost count), most of those visits on family road trips growing up, but also a number of times since I turned 21. I have some family who moved out to Summerlin, so I'm pretty familiar with most of the city, both on and off the strip. Fun fact: I wasn't born there and never lived there, but I wouldn't be here on this planet if it wasn't for Las Vegas.

I posted on this forum about half a year ago, asking about UNLV. Back then, I was finishing up my 4th year at Arizona State, trying to figure out where to go for a MS in Accounting program. I ended up choosing USC, which is where I'm at right now. This is a one year program. Right now the recruiters are starting to come to campus telling us how great their firms are, why we should work for them next year. So far my plan is to move back to Denver, that's where I'm born and raised (go Broncos!). But for some reason, in the last few days, the name "Las Vegas" has popped in my head again. I don't know whether or ignore it or investigate it. I see that several of the Big Four have major offices in Las Vegas that audit the companies who own the casinos (MGM Mirage, Harrah's Entertainment, Las Vegas Sands Corp, etc). And these companies also hire internal accountants and finance people directly. It sounds absolutely fascinating.

On the other hand, I've heard that the job market in Las Vegas is really bad right now-- not sure if that's true or not in my field. I'm also not sure if I'm only kidding myself if I'd actually like living in Las Vegas or not. I wasn't exactly gung ho living in Phoenix the last four years-- although I found enough things to like about it where I didn't go totally crazy-- except for the relentless barbaric heat there. How much better or worse is Vegas' heat compared to Phoenix? I hate LA-- at least the vast majority of the greater LA metropolitan area. This place is a gloomy, smoggy, stressed out, filthy dump. Fortunately I'm only here for another eight and a half months, and then I'm moving out for sure to start my career. Given my likes, dislikes, and background, am I the kind of guy who would like living in Las Vegas? Or this just a mirage?

[MomMom]

A plus is that you've been to Las Vegas numerous times, both on and off the Strip, so you know what the valley looks like.

Outdoor activities are wonderful here in the Valley, but mostly in the nearby surrounding areas, and Northern Nevada.

The heat is unbearable here to some. 108 degrees is hot no matter whether it's in Phoenix or not. We have high heat here as well. Las Vegas can be anything you want it to be. Depending on your outlook, your goals, your experience...it can be as bad as you think Phoenix was, or your own personal land of milk and honey....

You're young, seem to have a good head on your shoulders, you know what you're going to get in and out of Sin City.

Secure a job first, have a good "plan" before you get here. You've got nothing to lose and can go somewhere else without too much hassle (providing you're not a family person with kids in school) if you don't like it.


So come, you've got much to explore and enjoy

[uncle_el]

the heat in vegas is the same as the heat in phoenix. it gets hot as hell. it seems, from your post, that's a big issue for you (enough to have mentioned it more than once!).

the fact that you don't like la, and the surrounding metro la area (which is gigantic, and contains a ton of beaches)... and you don't like extreme heat... sounds to me like your heart is set in denver.

but i could be wrong.

we raiders fans and you broncos fans don't always see eye to eye.

[vegaspilgrim]

Originally Posted by MomMom

A plus is that you've been to Las Vegas numerous times, both on and off the Strip, so you know what the valley looks like.

Outdoor activities are wonderful here in the Valley, but mostly in the nearby surrounding areas, and Northern Nevada.

The heat is unbearable here to some. 108 degrees is hot no matter whether it's in Phoenix or not. We have high heat here as well. Las Vegas can be anything you want it to be. Depending on your outlook, your goals, your experience...it can be as bad as you think Phoenix was, or your own personal land of milk and honey....

I think you're right. And it's not that I thought Phoenix was an all around horrible place. In fact if Phoenix was the same exact city it is today, but located just several thousand feet higher in elevation, so it has a climate more like northern Arizona, I would probably live there forever without too many complaints. Or if it had the same exact climate it had today but it was a kick-ass, exciting city (like Las Vegas), I think it would be worth putting up with the heat. But it's neither, and I got tired of it, so I moved on. There are still some aspects about Phoenix that I miss though.

You're young, seem to have a good head on your shoulders, you know what you're going to get in and out of Sin City.

Secure a job first, have a good "plan" before you get here. You've got nothing to lose and can go somewhere else without too much hassle (providing you're not a family person with kids in school) if you don't like it.


So come, you've got much to explore and enjoy

Fortunately I don't have that problem. At least not for a long, long time.

I would only move to Vegas is if one of the firms there hired me with a really lucrative job that would really help me build my career. I wouldn't move to Vegas just to take any job I could find.

Originally Posted by uncle_el

the heat in vegas is the same as the heat in phoenix. it gets hot as hell. it seems, from your post, that's a big issue for you (enough to have mentioned it more than once!).

the fact that you don't like la, and the surrounding metro la area (which is gigantic, and contains a ton of beaches)... and you don't like extreme heat... sounds to me like your heart is set in denver.

but i could be wrong.

we raiders fans and you broncos fans don't always see eye to eye.

There are some parts of LA I like. My favorite area is the south Redondo beach/ Torrance/ Palos Verdes area. I also like parts of the San Fernando Valley, especially Studio City, and anything along Ventura Blvd. Old Town Pasadena is pretty cool. I like some of these enclaves, but I don't feel very comfortable in the majority of the LA metro area. Right now I'm living by USC, which I imagine is somewhat like living right by UNLV, probably much worse though. I'm not against all of SoCal though; I really love San Diego. Well, except for the Chargers. And fact is, while Phoenix isn't my favorite city, I did live there most of the last four years so I know what living the desert southwest is like first hand. You're correct on that last statement-- Raider Hater here.

I don't know if I even want to live in Las Vegas or not. It's just that every time I've gone there I've had a really good time and felt kind of sad to leave. I love Red Rock Canyon and the Spring Mountains. Honestly, pound for pound, once you're up there by Mt Charleston in the pine trees, it's every bit as good as being in the mountains in Colorado; it's just that Colorado has more where that came from. Vegas's ski area is a joke compared to anything in Colorado or Utah, but you can drive from anywhere in Vegas to the base of the chair lift in probably less than half the time it would take to go from the west side of Denver to even the closest ski area (Loveland or Eldora). Valley of Fire state park-- wow. I really like the Summerlin area, up and down Charleston Blvd, Rampart. I've noticed a lot of really neat strip malls on Sahara and Flamingo with a lot of unique locals oriented restaurants and businesses. I've only explored maybe about a 1/4 of the entire Las Vegas valley in detail but there's so much there, even off the strip. Just having the strip and downtown there must be incredible, even if the locals supposedly never go there. Downtown Boulder City is a pretty neat little afternoon getaway; it's kind of like the closest thing there is in southern Nevada to a "normal" town. But of course, living somewhere isn't the same as visiting.

[JenniferE]

this may be off topic, but I don't gamble or drink either, but for some reason when I go on the strip, especially at night, it has an electric feel in the air, probably because of all the lights..haha Makes you feel like gambling tho! hahah I love las vegas!!!!!