Las Vegas Convention Center celebrates anniversary — PHOTOS

The World Congress of Flight was the first convention held at the Las Vegas Convention Center on April 12, 1959 (Photo courtesy: LVCVA).

Las Vegas Convention Center aerials with the roof are partly completed in July of 1958 (Photo courtesy: LVCVA).

The West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center is seen in 2021. (Sam Morris, LVCVA/Las Vegas News Bureau)

The Las Vegas Convention Center shortly after opening to visitors (Photo courtesy: LVCVA).

Thousands of job seekers are seen at the annual Spring Job Fair in the Las Vegas Convention Center West Hall on Friday, March 24, 2023, in Las Vegas. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Job seekers line up for the annual Spring Job Fair in the Las Vegas Convention Center West Hall on Friday, March 24, 2023, in Las Vegas. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Preparations continue for the ConExpo-Con/Agg construction trade show in the Diamond lot outside the West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center Thursday, March 9, 2023. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto

Workers prepare the West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center for the World of Concrete convention in 2021. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

A Tesla is navigated from the West Hall to Central Hall in the Boring Company's Convention Center Loop World in 2021 in Las Vegas. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Dignitaries and government officials cut the ribbon to open the Las Vegas Convention Center's new $1 billion West Hall for the World of Concrete trade show in 2021. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Las Vegas has reinvented itself many times over the years. But the one thing that has remained constant is a variety of conventions big and small, drawing thousands of people to the city of lights.

It all started with the World Congress of Flight, which marked the grand opening of the Las Vegas Convention Center on April 12, 1959.

Since then, Las Vegas has become a world-renowned destination known for more than just gambling and the LVCC has played an important part in the tourism industry’s growth.

Over half of a century later, the LVCC has completed the nearly billion-dollar West Hall convention center expansion, making it the second largest convention center in the country with 2.4 million square feet of space. It’s the only one equipped with an underground electric car tunnel system known as the Vegas Loop, operated by the Boring Co.

The LVCC’s growth continues with a three-year rolling renovation, where work has begun and is expected to be completed by the end of 2025, according to an LVCC spokesperson.