RENO — Daniel K. Bubb, author of Landing in Las Vegas: Commercial Aviation and the Making of a Tourist City, will talk about and sign copies of his new book at an event sponsored by and being held at The Nevada State Museum, on Saturday, from 1 to 3 p.m. The opening of McCarran International Airport’s Terminal 3 this coming week is a timely backdrop to this book which examines the close historic ties between the gaming industry in Las Vegas and the airlines, resulting in the growth and expansion of both industries.   

At the beginning of the twentieth century, Las Vegas was a dusty, isolated desert town. By century’s end, it was the country’s fastest-growing city, a world-class travel destination with a lucrative tourist industry hosting millions of visitors a year. This transformation came about in large part because of a symbiotic relationship between airlines, the city, and the airport, facilitated by the economic democratization and deregulation of the airline industry, the development of faster and more comfortable aircraft, and the ambitious vision of Las Vegas city leaders and casino owners. Landing in Las Vegas is a compelling study of the role of fast, affordable transportation in overcoming the vast distances of the American West and binding western urban centers to the national and international tourism, business, and entertainment industries.

“No other book so clearly demonstrates the close historic ties between the commercial passenger aviation industry and the economic growth and vitality of Las Vegas in the broader context of aviation history and the history of the American West,” said Daniel Rust, author of Flying Across America: The Airline Passenger Experience.

Daniel K. Bubb is Director of Academic Assessment at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

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