this is all too common here in vegas, people used to talk about the city in the desert. but there isn't much desert left, we've build up to almost every mountain and are now starting to build on the mountains. the valley has turned into a sprawling metropolis. and guess what... we're still growing.
(p.s. I think vegas is number 55 in the list of largest us cities, we were something like 100 about 5 years ago.)