The Ruins of Las Vegas

Photographers Spencer Platt and Ethan Miller document the fall of Las Vegas -- from abandoned McMansions to stalled, half-completed hotels [Slideshow].

1 minute read

October 29, 2010, 10:00 AM PDT

By Michael Dudley


Huffington Post illustrates the sorry state of Las Vegas' economy with a graphic slideshow filled with derelict properties and people hit hard by the recession.

"With an economy tied to consumer spending and the housing industry, Sin City region has gone from one of America's bright spots to one of its most troubled. The Las Vegas area is among the most economically stressed in the country, according to the Associated Press's monthly ranking...Factoring in the underemployed and those who have given up looking for work, Nevada's true unemployment rate may be 20 percent, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

In the state's flagship city, however, the housing boom and job crisis have created more than a few veritable ghost towns and have stalled large developments on the Las Vegas Strip."

Thursday, October 28, 2010 in Huffington Post

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

April 20 - Streetsblog USA

Close-up on BLM sign on Continental Divide Trail in Rawlins, Wyoming.

BLM To Rescind Public Lands Rule

The change will downgrade conservation, once again putting federal land at risk for mining and other extractive uses.

April 20 - Public Domain

Calvary Street bridge over freeway in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Indy Neighborhood Group Builds Temporary Multi-Use Path

Community members, aided in part by funding from the city, repurposed a vehicle lane to create a protected bike and pedestrian path for the summer season.

April 20 - Smart Cities Dive