Every large American city is a transportation hub with a seaport or on a river except Las Vegas. It was, however a railroad hub. That’s why it initially existed. How it got big was Federalism. Before the progressive notion that everywhere in the US had to be the same. Gambling was illegal in CA and Bugsy Siegal saw opportunity.
Correct. And the reason it became a railroad hub was the large population concentration in the LA area which wanted to be linked to the east.