ts of disparate cultures. The process of appropriation is readily apparent in many of the structures found on the Strip û from the canals and bridges of Venice to ParisÆs Eiffel Tower to a Mayan pyramid. At issue in the present context, however, is whether or not these architectural structures û created with respect to theme by private developers and realized through the design and engineering efforts of architects, engineers, technicians, construction workers, and decorative artisans û are truly ôartö or simply ôthemed entertainment.
Venturi, Brown, and Izenour (1978) offered an assessment of Las Vegas in which it was argued that a new architecture had been created in America in which signs and symbols or icons from the American past and the past of other cultures was being reinterpreted. While Venturi, Brown, and Izenour (1978) recognized that Las Vegas had an almost entirely commercial purpose, they nevertheless believed that this purpose was linked to a new aesthetic. Over time, the Las Vegas Strip has mutate
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