1. In 1937, the Hoover Dam was officially dedicated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The dam, which spans the Colorado River, was constructed in just five years and provided jobs and electricity to the region.

2. On August 7, 1959, the Desert Inn hotel and casino opened on the Las Vegas Strip. The hotel, which was owned by Howard Hughes, was famous for its luxurious atmosphere and hosted many famous guests over the years.

3. In 1976, the last nuclear test was conducted at the Nevada Test Site. The site had been used for nuclear testing since the 1950s, and the final test marked the end of the Cold War era arms race.

4. On this day in 1999, the MGM Grand hotel and casino reopened after a major renovation. The hotel, one of the largest in the world, had been closed for almost a year while the renovation took place.

5. Finally, in 2007, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) announced that it had received a donation of $25 million from the Harrah's Foundation. The donation was used to establish the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration, which is now one of the top hospitality programs in the world.