Sports and Recreation

The biggest games in this town are played at green felt tables, not sports arenas. Yet despite more money being bet on sports in Las Vegas than is ever taken in at the turnstiles, the city nevertheless presents a fine selection of spectator sports. College basketball, especially, has a rich tradition in Las Vegas.

Auto Racing
Fans of automobile racing will find plenty of company at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, 7000 Las Vegas Blvd. N., 17 miles northeast of Las Vegas off the I-15 Speedway Boulevard exit. The facility, set on 1,500 acres, has 24 race tracks, seating for 140,000, plus 75,000 square feet of meeting and exhibit space. The complex hosts NASCAR and Winston Cup events; phone (702) 644-4444 for information. Nearby, the Carroll Shelby Museum at 6755 Speedway Blvd. displays 35 years of performance cars, including Shelby Cobras. Tours of the manufacturing facility are available; phone (702) 942-7325.

Baseball
The Las Vegas 51s appear for professional baseball at Cashman Field, 850 Las Vegas Blvd. N., just after 7 in the evening April through the first week in September. These Class AAA, Pacific Coast League affiliates of the Los Angeles Dodgers adopted an unusual team logo: a bald-headed space alien. Their name refers to Area 51, the top secret U.S. Air Force base north of the city where some speculate that extraterrestrials visit. Phone (702) 386-7200 for ticket and schedule information. The Runnin' Rebels of UNLV play at the on-campus Earl E. Wilson Baseball Stadium during the college season.

Basketball
The Rebels of UNLV hope to one day live down an outlaw image that's swirled like an Old West legend around the team for years--often overshadowing enormous success with a truly exciting style of basketball. The basketball program came to national prominence under former coach Jerry "Tark the Shark" Tarkanian, who first took the Rebels to the NCAA Final Four in 1977. Tarkanian built the program into a perennial powerhouse and an object of local idolatry. The Rebels play on the UNLV campus at the Thomas & Mack Center between November and February; phone (702) 895-3761.

Boxing
Vegas and professional boxing have had a close relationship for nearly 40 years. Despite a rocky history--government scrutiny, a confusing mishmash of championship titles (IBF, WBA and WBC) and the scurrilous out-of-ring antics of a few of the sport's biggest names--heavyweight title fights have always captured the public interest. The absurdly high purses, flamboyant promoters, glamorous ringside spectators and attendant media hoopla all seem appropriate against a Las Vegas backdrop. Some of the sport's most memorable bouts have taken place here: Muhammad Ali vs. Floyd Patterson, Ali vs. Leon Spinks, Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Marvin Hagler. In November 1997 Evander Holyfield--none the worse for wear after being bitten by Mike Tyson 4 months earlier--defeated Michael Moorer for the IBF crown at the Thomas & Mack Center. Most big fights now take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena; phone (702) 891-7777 for event information. The Las Vegas Convention Center and Caesars Palace also host fights.

Golf
Golf enthusiasts enjoy the excellent playing conditions of Las Vegas' desert climate. Numerous championship and less demanding golf courses are open to the public.

Horseback Riding
Nobody but Dan Tanna would ride a palomino into the lounge at Caesars, but you can sit tall in the saddle if you giddyup to the outskirts of town. Bonnie Springs Old Nevada offers an Old West experience that includes rides through the beautiful Red Rock Canyon area west of Las Vegas; phone (702) 875-4191.

Jogging and Walking
Drive out of the city to public land trails, drive a few blocks to a city park or to the university track, or just step outside your hotel door and pound the Strip. Serious runners will find the nearby mountain trails a tempting respite from summer's oven heat. Realize, however, that elevations above 3,000 feet hold different challenges. Try these urban areas: Bob Baskin Park, 2801 W. Oakey, is nestled in a quiet residential area, and the park's walking path is cushioned; Pueblo Park, at Buffalo Drive and Lake Mead Boulevard west of the Strip, has a delightfully undeveloped feeling; conversely, Sunset Park, 2601 E. Sunset Rd., is bustling and urban. About 20 miles west of the city, the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area has several trails of varying lengths from which to choose--not to mention spectacular scenery. A trail map is free at the visitor center.

Tennis
Tennis players seldom have difficulty finding an empty court, since there are many public courts scattered throughout the city. Those that follow have at least two lighted courts: Paradise Park Recreation Center, 4770 S. Harrison Dr.; Sunrise Recreation Center, 2240 Linn Ln.; Sunset Park, 2601 E. Sunset Rd.; Whitney Community Center, 5700 Missouri Ave.; Winchester Recreation Center, 3130 S. McLeod; and Winterwood Park, Sahara Avenue and Winterwood Boulevard. Phone Clark County Recreation at (702) 455-8200 for more information about municipal facilities. Many resort hotels and private clubs have tennis courts that visitors are allowed to use, but it is always a good idea to confirm the hotel's current visitor policy by phone. Hotels with tennis facilities include Paris Las Vegas, (702) 739-4111, and the Flamingo Las Vegas, (702) 733-3111. The Frank and Vicki Fertitta Tennis Complex on the UNLV campus requires reservations and charges a fee, but it is considered the city's finest tennis facility; phone (702) 895-4489.

Water Sports
Many swimming pools are open daily Memorial Day through Labor Day. Contact the Las Vegas Parks and Recreation Department for information about pools and their schedules; phone (702) 229-6309. The 1.5 million acres of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, which is twice the size of Rhode Island, hold nearly limitless outdoor recreation opportunities--all just 35 miles east of the neon Strip. Lake Mead and Lake Mohave serve up great sport fishing for rainbow trout, striped bass, channel catfish, crappie and blue gill. Steady breezes and large expanses of open water lure board and boat sailors as well as powered watercraft. Annual passes are available by mail; write Lake Mead NRA Fee Office, 601 Nevada Hwy., Boulder City, NV 89005; phone (702) 293-8491. Guided kayaking trips beginning at the base of the Hoover Dam down the Colorado River, with a stop at a hot springs, are offered by Evolution Expeditions. The company also offers kayaking lessons and full-moon paddling trips; phone (702) 259-5292.

Winter Sports
Less than an hour's drive northwest of Las Vegas is Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. Within the forest is Mount Charleston, which includes the Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort. The resort, which has a day lodge and three double chairlifts, is open Thanksgiving to Easter; chairlifts are open off-season Friday through Sunday to provide scenic views. Phone (702) 593-9500 for snow conditions, (702) 385-2754 for general information or (702) 645-2754 to make ski reservations.