1. Las Vegas and Media Convergence

2. Las Vegas and Cultural Religion

3. Developments Contributing to Cultural Religion: –Personal Religiosity Trend –Affinity for Pop Culture –Simulacra

4. Research Questions: –How do Las Vegas entertainment media incorporate religion? –How do Las Vegas religious groups incorporate entertainment? –Is convergence a useful concept in understanding these relationships?

5. Holistic Concept of “Media” Needed –“City as Medium” –“Informational City” –“Media Environment”

6. Field Studies –Observations –Unstructured Interviews –Cross - Validation on Internet

7. Three Levels of Convergence –pseudo church – nightclub –authentic church as entertainment –casino – temple

8. exterior

9. interior

10. MGM Grand

11. Roadside churches

13. Television Entertainment

14. Guardian Angel Cathedral

15. Roman Catholic Shrine of the Most Holy Redeemer

16. Caesar’s Palace Greco- Roman Statues

17. Dome ceiling from Venetian

18. Tropicana stained glass dome

19. More stained glass

20. Religious art

21. More art

22. Implications of the Research