Las Venturas, San Andreas

Las Venturas, San Andreas is a fictitious city and county in the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, based on Las Vegas, Nevada. Like its real-life counterpart, Las Venturas is a gambling city located in a desert region, with casinos such as The Camel's Toe and Caligula's Palace. The city also is notable for it's freeway system. The Julius Thru-Way is a freeway that circles the whole city. Freeways from both Los Santos and San Fierro intersect with it. Another freeway is the Harry Gold Parkway, which runs through the middle of the city and intersects twice with the Julius Thru-Way and then leads to Los Santos (though it is not called the Harry Gold Parkway once it leaves the city).

Storyline
Las Venturas appeared to be under the influence of several Mafia families, which included:


 * The Sindaccos;
 * The Forellis; and
 * The Leones; with Ken Rosenberg (of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City fame), responsible for running daily operations and playing the role of mediator amongst the families.

The Mountain Cloud Boys, a Triad group led by the blind Wu Zi Mu, is also operating in the city from the newly openned Four Dragon's Casino.

At one point in the game, the game's protagonist, Carl "CJ" Johnson, pulls off an Ocean's 11-esque heist in the Caligula's Casino, subsequently fermenting relationships between Carl Johnson and Salvatore Leone.

Casinos


The main casinos include (Real-life counterparts in Las Vegas):
 * Four Dragon's (Imperial Palace)
 * The Pink Swan (The Flamingo)
 * The High Roller (Bally's Las Vegas)
 * Pirates In Men's Pants (Treasure Island Hotel and Casino)
 * The Visage (The Mirage)
 * The Emerald Isle (Fitzgeralds Las Vegas)
 * The Starfish Casino (Barbary Coast Hotel and Casino)
 * The Clown's Pocket (Circus Circus)
 * Caligula's Palace (Caesar's Palace)
 * Royale Casino (Casino Royale)
 * The Camel's Toe (Luxor Hotel)
 * Come-A-Lot (Excalibur Hotel and Casino)
 * The V-Rock Hotel (Hard Rock Hotel and Casino)

Old Las Venturas is north of the Strip. The casinos in Old Las Venturas have no names, but are modeled after the largest casinos in downtown Las Vegas:


 * (Binion's Horseshoe)
 * (Golden Nugget Las Vegas)
 * (Fremont Hotel and Casino)
 * (The Four Queens Hotel and Casino)

Curiously, some noteworthy Las Vegas casinos which existed in 1992 (when the game takes place) but were later demolished do not appear in Las Venturas- these include the Dunes Hotel and the Sands Hotel.

Behind the Clown's Pocket Casino, a large pink dome is under construction. The pink Adventuredome behind the Circus Circus Casino in Las Vegas was also under construction in 1992.

Locations

 * The Brown Streak Railroad, which serves the whole state of San Andreas, has three stations in Las Venturas, all on the edge of the city. This makes Rail travel the more viable option in Las Venturas. The three stations are as follows:
 * Linden Station: Located off the Julius Thruway East, most northern exit. Located in the Linden-Side District.
 * Sobell Rail Yard: Mostly used for Brown Streak workers, passengers can use the stop via thier own judgement.
 * Yellow Bell Station: Serves the residents of Prickle Pine.
 * Airport - The only airport in Las Venturas is Las Venturas Airport, with regular flights to both Los Santos and San Fierro. The airport is located to the East of the city, in between the Julis Thru-Way and the Harry Gold Parkway, with exits from both freeways.
 * Binco - located off The Strip and Redsands West
 * Zips - located off The Strip and Pilgrim
 * Sub Urban - located in Creek Mall
 * Victim - located in Creek
 * 24/7 - there are seven located throughout Las Venturas
 * Burger-Shot - there are five burgershots (Spiny Bed, Whitewood Estates, Redsands East and two on the Old Venturas Strip
 * Cluckin' Bell - there are four in the city (The Strip, Creek Mall and two on the Old Venturas Strip
 * Well Stacked Pizza - there are four (Roca Escalante, Creek Mall, Pilgrim and Redsands East (Interestingly enough, there is also a Well Stacked Pizza Co. promiently displayed in the Old Strip; however, access to it is denied.)
 * Ammu-Nations - There are two Ammu-Nations in the city - one next to the South end of The Strip and one near the Old Venturas Strip - just off the Julius Thru-Way.
 * Below-the-Belt - The city's main gym is located in Redsands East, near the Emerald Isle and off The Strip.
 * Gay Gordo's/Tattoo Parlor - the city's only personal grooming shops are both located in Redsands East, right next to one another
 * Hospital - There is also only one hospital in the city, Las Venturas Hospital located in Redsands West, just north from the airport and off the Harry Gold Parkway.
 * There is only one police station in the city - the LVPD station - located in Roca Escalante. This is the most expansive police station in the game, compared to the Los Santos station.