Cleared to land in the desert: Commercial air travel's role in the growth and development of Las Vegas as a world-class travel destination

This study provides a history of commercial aviation in Las Vegas, focusing on the powerful influence commercial air travel had with the financial help of the federal government on Las Vegas's growth and development as a world-class travel destination. It especially emphasizes how the airline industry was the catalyst for Las Vegas's transformation from an isolated desert town into a world-famous tourist city. Such a study is important to show while Las Vegas's story is unique it is a microcosm of a broader regional and national story where airlines played an influential role in the economic growth and development of other western and national cities. Through the use of primary and secondary sources, my dissertation proves that in order to properly understand the history of transportation in the American West, commercial aviation must be included in the story.