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Electricity is pretty cheap I understand, compared to the rest of the US. Due to hydro and solar?

So, perfect for a place that has lots of air-con and lights.

On my visit there we were amazed that we could swim in near freezing air temp in the huge heated outside pool (more than double the size of an olympic.)

Yes it's an extravagance, but at the same time where else might you get that experience except at natural hot springs locations?

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It's not about electricity. Las Vegas is literally the worst place to build a large city with extravagant outdoor swimming pools, fountains, etc because those things require water and those things lose water at a ridiculous rate in the middle of a desert. Water is also not generally abundant in a desert (by virtue of it being a, uh, desert)

Deserts are dry on average, but some parts are quite wet :-)

FWIW, Las Vegas water rates are lower than the average US city.

That could be because the cost is subsidised by gambling and perhaps it doesn't includes the cost of say building Hoover Dam.

But also the infrastructure is more modern than the typical US city.

For comparison, Atlanta's water rates are MUCH higher than Las Vegas despite it having 10 times the annual rainfall.

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