September 15, 1971: Elton John, then 24, makes his Las Vegas debut with a concert at the Convention Center. He returns many times over the years, including regular appearances at Andre Agassi’s charity galas and hundreds of shows at Caesars Palace in a multi-million dollar residency deal.

September 16, 1981: In a brutal, classic fight at Caesars Palace, Sugar Ray Leonard defeats Thomas Hearns by a 14th round TKO to become the undisputed welterweight champion. In a rematch eight years later at the same place, they fight to a controversial draw that many thought Hearns should have won.

September 17, 1998: Ted Binion, controversial son of casino magnate Benny Binion, is found dead at his Las Vegas estate of an apparent drug overdose. His girlfriend and her boyfriend are convicted of killing him to steal millions buried in a vault at his home, but are acquitted of murder in a second trial.

September 18, 2011: Singer/songwriter Bruno Mars is arrested for cocaine possession in a bathroom at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, where he was performing. Charges are later dismissed after he completes court-ordered drug education classes and community service.

September 19, 1957: The U.S. government stages the first underground nuclear test in a tunnel 100 miles north of Las Vegas. There’s no mushroom cloud for tourists to gawk at, as in previous tests, but the seismic waves from the 1.7 kiloton explosion are felt in Vegas and up to 2,000 miles away.

September 20, 2010: Paris Hilton pleads guilty to drug possession a month after she was arrested for having cocaine in her purse. She said it wasn’t hers, but the plea bargain keeps her out of jail. Steve Wynn bans her from his hotels after the arrest, but the decree is lifted a year later.

September 21, 2004: Former NFL placekicker Cole Ford is arrested after firing a gun into the Las Vegas compound of Siegfried and Roy. No one is hurt. Felony charges are later dismissed in a deal that included mental health treatment.

--Researched and written by Mike Precker