From the Last Frontier to the new Cosmopolitan: A history of casino public relations in Las Vegas

This research examines the use of public relations by the casino gaming industry in Las Vegas, NV. Many are familiar with Las Vegas's extraordinary growth into a tourist destination and cultural icon, but few realize that public relations played a significant part in promoting this growth. Based on archival research, this paper identifies ways in which public relations activities – even when not identified by that particular title – played a role in advancing Las Vegas's casinos into the modern era of corporate ownership and international prominence.

► Few know about the role that public relations played in the growth of Las Vegas, NV. ► Public relations has been used to promote customer loyalty and encourage both first-time and repeat visitors. ► Public relations has promoted Las Vegas to leisure and business markets, helping fuel its growth. ► As Las Vegas casinos became increasingly corporatized, public relations efforts helped establish their legitimacy as business operations. ► PR originally focused on promoting the city itself as a tourist destination, rather than individual casinos.