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London is a thriving city – undoubtedly one the world’s best. It is a city that has never looked back or slowed down since the time of its first founding. Everything that you would want can be found within its center. As you would expect, a city that offers so much is a great place to visit and not somewhere that you could get bored. You could spend a lifetime exploring the place, but if you have just a few days, you can still get a real feel of what the city is about.

In fact, the history of London is a good place to start. The city’s history is rooted in everything from medieval times gone by to the crown jewels of the monarchy. It does not matter if you are a history buff or if you have not opened a book since elementary school social studies. London’s rich, full history is sure to interest everyone. A trip to London is not complete without a trip to the world-famous Madame Tussauds wax museum to visit the almost unsettlingly lifelike wax denizens inside. Be also sure to enter the London Dungeon to encounter the terrible dark side of the city. You will be able to see and learn about a side of London that few outside of the UK know about.

One museum you cannot miss is The British Museum with one of the largest and most extensive collection of archaeological artifacts in the world.The crown jewels are found inside the Tower of London and here you will hear stories of curious prisons reserved for only the most famous prisoners. History and art come together at the National Portrait Gallery. Portraits of Britain’s most famous figures are on display in its halls. The British Museum, containing one of the world’s grandest collections of archaeological artifacts, is a necessity for any itinerary. Additionally, there are numerous, smaller museums and art galleries that are worth a visit.

A trip to Oxford Street is recommended for avid shoppers, and nearby Hyde Park is must for those who want to experience an English countryside setting despite being in the middle of a huge metropolis. Not far away is the Portobello Market, which is one of the most popular of London’s many outdoor markets. Scattered around London’s most areas and landmarks are quaint streets of times past, a walk down which will feel like you have stepped back in time. Seeing all of London’s glory from a bird’s eye view is possible thanks to the London Eye, which is essentially a massive Ferris Wheel that allows you to see for miles in all directions.

As day turns to night, it is time to catch up with some friends at the local pub. You are sure to find at least one beer on tap that will hit the spot. Once your thirst is slaked and you are properly hydrated, it is time to dance. An international city like London is brimming with clubs filled with all kinds of dancing; everything from techno, to trance, to hip hop can be found. You are sure to find a rave and some Latin and ethnic dancing too. You can also attend a rugby or football contest if one of London’s countless teams is playing.

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On a cold, gray morning in late January 2000, the historic Mapes Hotel in Reno was imploded by 75 pounds of explosives tucked into the art-deco structures support columns. The controlled demolition came despite years of effort by a number of groups within the community and nationally to preserve the building with lawsuits, redevelopment proposals, and grass roots lobbying efforts.

While the efficacy and justification of demolishing the Mapes is debatable, one thing that is not is the glorious history of the hotel. It was built in’47, and signaled the start of the modern era of casino gambling. Despite the notoriety of Bugsy Siegel and the Flamingo in Las Vegas, it was the Mapes that became the first building in the nation to have a hotel, casino and live entertainment under one roof. It also became the hotel of choice for celebrities staying in Northern Nevada. Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe stayed at The Mapes during the filming of ‘The Misfits’. Joseph McCarthy, America’s famed anti-Communist crusader, admitted to a reporter over cocktails in the Mapes Lounge that he really didn’t have a list of Communists in the US despite his frequent and vitriolic insistence to the contrary.

In the 50s and 60s it became, along with Lake Tahoes Cal-Neva Lodge the place to be seen in Northern Nevada. The top floor, window-walled Sky Room showcased performances by the legends: Sinatra, Louis Prima, Mae West, Milton Berle, Sammy Davis, Jr., and the Marx Brothers among others. Subsequent years were not kind to downtown Reno but the Mapes prospered during the 60’s and 70’s. The hotel finally closed in’82, due more to financial difficulties experienced by the Mapes family caused by one of their other Northern Nevada gaming properties than anything else.

While the last twenty years brought an amazing boom in the population and economy of Southern Nevada, the Northern part of the state didn’t see much of it at all. For that reason, the urgency of destroying the Mapes is even more questionable. In the Las Vegas area, its easy to justify the demolition of older hotels with simple economics–the older properties simply can’t compete in the current mega-resort dominated marketplace. Furthermore, the insane valuation of the land on which they sit makes it financially unfeasible to preserve them as pop culture museums.

This is not the case in Reno, where land and buildings for development in virtually every casino area are abundant. The city argued that the land on which the Mapes stood was necessary for their redevelopment efforts–a somewhat absurd position given the realities of downtown Reno and the lack of any real development on the property since the demolition. Despite receiving a number of viable concepts for the Mapes Building, the City Redevelopment Authority rejected all of them and the Mapes was destined for demolition.

The role of the City Redevelopment Authority was questioned throughout the process. Overlooking the Truckee River, the hotel was on a prime location between the downtown casino area and the riverfront district. A number of sound financial proposals were presented that would preserve the integrity of the structure including condominiums, office space, and perhaps most viable, upscale senior apartments. Oddly, all of these proposals were turned down by the citys Redevelopment Agency which continued to maintain that demolition was the only viable option despite copious evidence to the contrary.

After the demolition of The Mapes Hotel, the lot remained vacant for almost a year until a temporary ice skating rink was constructed in the winter of 2001. The site now houses a permanent ice skating rink which, while not a bad use for the land, brings into question the insistence by the City Redevelopment Agency that none of the proposals to preserve the building were viable. Clearly, they had no specific plan or even general idea of what to do with the land but for some reason wanted to see the hotel come down. This has led to all manner of speculation, ranging from financial self interest to a rumor that the structure was ‘haunted’ and needed to be destroyed to forestall future paranormal activity in Washoe County. Whatever the reason, the city of Reno lost a valuable landmark of a more civilized era.

Ross Everett is a widely published widely published freelance sports writer and respected authority on sports betting odds comparison. He writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and betting odds portal sites. He lives in Northern Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.

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