I would add that Las Vegas is a city built for VISITORS. For some reason, I often compare and contrast the Las Vegas area with the Phoenix area. The Phoenix area, I believe is built more for the people who LIVE THERE, rather than for those who visit. You see a lot more money (my perception) put into beautification, infrastructure, and higher end shops, restaurants, amenities, schools, etc, for locals. In Las Vegas, the strip is glamourous, but if you venture into the area where people live, it is a lot less so. There are a lot of strip malls, and not much in the way of architecture, landscaping, etc. Phoenix is building a light rail system. Las Vegas has busses. Without doing any research, I'd guess that Phoenix area schools are better and nicer than those in Las Vegas. My last trip to Scottsdale, I was walking around near Old Town and there was a vibrant scene of locals hanging out at local bars with outdoor patios and local music. In Vegas, entertainment is far more visitor-centric.

All that said, I think that as Vegas has changed over the year plus that I've lived here, it's starting to "get it." There are more "local" places opening up, like the new Town Square. And there are several more places like it in the works.

http://www.vegastodayandtomorrow.com

...is a great site to see what's happening here.

It may not be the nicest place to live for those who LIVE here, but it's getting better, in my opinion. It can definitely chew you up and spit you out if you're not careful. But, if you don't get caught up in the materialistic culture, it can be a great place to live. Personally, I like it a lot.