Floyd Mayweather win against Manny Pacquiao wasn't magical but it was a masterclass from the best illusionist in Las Vegas

 

 

 

 

 

Manny Pacquiao fans flood the streets in Manila but are left feeling glum after Floyd Mayweather beats 'people's champ' in Las Vegas Floyd Mayweather beats Manny Pacquiao on points in unanimous decision at MGM Grand in Las Vegas Pacquiao says he felt he should have won the fight but judges all agree on Mayweather victory Thousands of fans watch Pacquiao in Manila but are left disappointed While Manny Pacquiao was given a boxing masterclass by Floyd Mayweather in Las Vegas, over 7000 miles away in his home country fans watched on in despair. Pacquiao is the national hero in the Philippines, proving how much one man can do, bridging the gap between poverty and super-stardom with his fast hands and devastating blows in what has been a phenomenal career. But on Saturday night it seemed to be just one step too far, taking on the best in the business in the undefeated Mayweather and losing on points in what was a unanimous decision. +10 Fans watch on in Manila but people's champion Manny Pacquiao wasn't able to find his way to victory against Floyd Mayweather +10 +10 Thousands of fans lined the streets to watch their man in action on a screen from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas +10 Filipino spectators react during a fight which was largely one-sided with Mayweather keeping his undefeated record +10 Fans of the local boxing icon watch on in despair as Pacquiao lost on points to Mayweather in Las Vegas +10 Fans were 7384 miles away and 15 miles ahead of the fight in Las Vegas And back in Manilla, thousands of fans caught a glimpse of the fight anyway they could, only to be left disappointed. The entire population of Manny fans were asked by their government to switch off their refrigerators before and during the fight to prevent an electrical black out across the country. Incredible pictures show fans lining up 7384 miles away from the MGM Grand in the streets of the capital in the Philippines, 15 hours ahead of Las Vegas with the time of the fight coming at midday in the Asian nation. Still though, fans stuck by their man - who is on the board of the Philippine House of Representatives - and many were posting 'you are still our champ' on Twitter. Crime rates in the country fall to near zero when Pacquiao fights according to police, while the streets are deserted when it comes to traffic. But fans had to return to normality after the bout, some of them heading straight back to work.   +10 Fans flocked to gather round any screen they could find - in this case one on the side of a lorry +10 Traffic virtually grinds to a hault while Pacquiao stops, as do crime rates according to the police In General Santos City, some fans cried while others called for an immediate rematch, saying Pacquiao deserved the win as he had been the aggressor, chasing Mayweather around the ring for much of the 12-round fight. 'It's a home court decision,' said Karlo Alexei Nograles, a lawmaker from Davao City. 'Manny should've won. He had Mayweather running and cornered on the ropes. Manny did not disappoint Filipinos, he gave it his all.' The fight left streets deserted and brought the country to a virtual standstill as Filipinos packed into cinemas, hotels and parks to watch on big screens, while army bases across the Philippines also showed the fight for the troops. President Benigno Aquino thanked Pacquiao for inspiring his countrymen to strive for better lives. 'He fought for respect, not points,' Edwin Lacierda, the president's spokesman, said. 'He won the hearts of the world.' While many fans vehemently disagreed with the result, some agreed Mayweather had come out on top. 'I am sad, let's accept the decision,' Isidro Santos, a shopping mall guard, told Reuters. 'Manny will remain my idol, he lost to a better fighter, a clever boxer.' +10 Mayweather unified one more belt after defeating Pacquiao after 12 rounds at the MGM Grand +10 Mayweather connected more of his punches against Pacquiao who didn't look his normal self   Manny Pacquiao lives up to Mr Nice Guy reputation as boxing superstar hands out food supplies to children in the Philippines Manny Pacquiao lost to Floyd Mayweather at the MGM Grand on May 3 The 36-year-old will spend up to a year on the sidelines to undergo surgery Pacquiao returned to the Philippines and handed out supplies to children Manny Pacquiao has been called Mr Nice Guy on many occasions and the boxing superstar certainly lived up to his reputation as he handed out school supplies and food to the children of Sarangani, Philippines. Pacquiao has been enjoying some time away from the boxing ring after his defeat to Floyd Mayweather last month. The Philippines-born boxer returned home to lend a hand and give out supplies to local children in Sarangani. Manny Pacquiao hands out food to children in Sarangani +6 Manny Pacquiao lived up to his Mr Nice Guy reputation as he handed out food to children in the Philippines +6 Pacquiao has been enjoying some time away from the boxing ring after his defeat to Floyd Mayweather  Pacquiao wrote on Instagram: 'Distribution of school supplies and food to the children of Sarangani! Lord, thank you for your blessings. Thank you for letting us help those around us. "Emmanuel and Jinkee's Heart Foundation." @jinkeepacquiao' The 36-year-old will spend up to a year on the sidelines as he prepares to undergo surgery on his torn rotator cuff, an injury he suffered in training ahead of his fight with the Money Man. Following his loss, the boxer revealed he almost pulled out of the fight after he sustained the injury three weeks before the 'Fight of the Century'.  He was accused of dishonesty after failing to disclose his shoulder injury in pre-fight medical questionnaire. +6 Mayweather preserved unbeaten record as a professional with a unanimous decision victory over Pacquiao +6 +6 After the fight, Pacquiao revealed he had injured his shoulder less than three weeks before the fight Mayweather preserved his unbeaten record as a professional with a unanimous decision victory over Pacquiao in their welterweight mega-fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 2. The 38-year-old American made a surprisingly strong start, then withstood some aggressive counter-punching by the Filipino southpaw in the later rounds as he improved his career record to 48-0. Though Pacquiao repeatedly forced Mayweather to backpedal, the wily American blunted his opponent's best efforts by using his renowned defensive skills while getting in several telling jabs and punches of his own. The showdown between the two best boxers of their generation had been more than five years in the making and is expected to be the biggest-grossing prize bout of all time. +6 Pacquiao will spend up to a year on the sidelines as he prepares to undergo surgery on his torn rotator cuff

Floyd Mayweather win against Manny Pacquiao wasn't magical but it was a masterclass from the best illusionist in Las Vegas Floyd Mayweather beat Manny Pacquiao on points at the MGM Grand It was chess in a boxing ring, and did not ignite the sport as was hoped David Copperfield performs at the MGM Grand, but Mayweather is probably the best illusionist in all of Las Vegas He made up to $200million disappear into his bank account by putting on a show in which he expended the necessary minimum of effort Floyd Mayweather will stand taller than Manny Pacquiao not only in the ring but in the pantheon of boxing’s all-time greats. Yet the fight which put beyond all argument that he is the finest boxer of his generation will not rank even close to the epic encounters of the prize-ring’s golden age. None other than Sugar Ray Leonard himself was among the many hoping that the Money Man versus the PacMan would put the fight game back atop the glorious pedestal once occupied by himself, Tommy Hearns, Marvin Hagler and Roberto Duran. No such luck. +16 Floyd Mayweather beat Manny Pacquaio in the Fight of the Century, but it did not live up to expectations +16 Mayweather poses with his welterweight belts - the one he was awarded for this latest victory is worth $1m Floyd Mayweather: Manny Paquiao is a remarkable fighter Not that Mayweather needed any to fend off a challenge from Pacquiao which was spirited but not relentless, willing but not thrilling, adequate but not eye-catching of the judges. All he had to do was fight his usual, masterly, defend-and-counter, hit and run, adapt as he goes fight. That is not to deny the brilliance of his craftsmanship. This is a very clever act indeed. Never mind David Copperfield, who also performs at the MGM Grand, Mayweather is probably the best illusionist in Las Vegas. He has just made up to $200million disappear into his well-stuffed bank account by putting on a show in which he expended only the necessary minimum of effort and which failed to bring the house down. +16 The Money Man is the best illusionist in Las Vegas - he made up to $200m disappear into his bank account +16 Mayweather expended only the necessary amount of effort to brush Pacquaio aside at the MGM Grand Floyd Mayweather: I made you all eat your words Here was an admirable example of an intelligent, orderly disciplined exposition of the noble art of self defence. Yet as a Saturday night out at the theatre it was neither dramatic nor exciting. This was chess in a boxing ring, which caught the intellect without entertaining the audience. It was not, as had been hoped, the fight to ignite the sport. It was sufficient for Mayweather to preserve his cherished unbeaten record, now 48-0, after adding Pacquiao’s WBO welterweight belt to the WBC and WBA titles he already owned. But through no real fault of his own it does not put the final seal on his claim to be The Best Ever. Just as the fight did not compare with those of yore, the manner of the victory holds him back from the company of such as Sugar Ray Robinson, Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard and Joe Louis. What had been sold so hysterically as some kind of cross between the Second Coming and the greatest event in the history of the universe materialised into what Mayweather always said it would be: ‘Just another fight.’ +16 The fight had been sold by some as the greatest event in the history of the universe, but it was far from that +16 The stars turned out in force - pictured are Beyonce and Jay-Z - but many left Las Vegas disappointed A fairly good fight, yes. But nothing that special. In part this was because because Pacquiao did not oblige Mayweather. The principal hope that this event might live up to the hype, the heat of the media and the high expectations was that Pacquiao would force Mayweather into a pitched battle. When he failed to do so he lost the attention of not only much of the crowd but the judges. There was revelation after the defeat of a shoulder injury which almost persuaded Pacquiao to seek a postponement. Evidently, the financial cost of that did not bear thinking about. And perhaps his right hand was hampered to some extent. But although the speed still blurred the eye, the boundless energy and non-stop combinations were less in evidence than usual. +16 Pacquaio claimed that he was hampered by a shoulder injury, but Mayweather brushed the excuse off +16 Mayweather said 'We all carry injuries. I had both hands injured tonight' in response to Pacquaio's injury claim Not that I agree with the margins by which the officials garlanded Mayweather with his latest victory. The judge who called it 118-110 was as out of kilter as many Mayweather admirers think I was in scoring it a draw. Even the other two officials at 116-112 were ungenerous to Pacquiao. But in a fight with so many close rounds the assessment frequently comes down to a preference for a style. And never discount that this is Mayweather fighting at home, in the city to which, on nights like this, he is worth a fortune bigger than his own. In my view Pacquiao’s aggression kept him on level terms when weighed against Mayweather’s running, holding and sporadic accuracy. The impression of Mayweather domination was reinforced by television commentary but there were others at ringside who went further than myself by marking Pacquiao the winner. +16 The judges voted in favour of Mayweather (left) but Jeff Powell and others did not think it was a domination +16 After the fight, Pacquaio genuinely believed he had won, but the judges voted heavily in favour of Mayweather In truth, when the rounds are this close there is not much arguing with a narrow win either way, or a good old score draw. The punch statistics, by the way, which hardly acknowledged a PacMan blow of any significance, were laughable. For what it’s worth, Pacquiao honestly believed he won. Where Mayweather definitely outscored the idol of the Philippines was with this retort to the shoulder injury claim: ‘We all carry injuries. I had both hands injured tonight. But if he’d won I would just have congratulated him and told him that he was the better man on the night.’ Ouch. This is a hard old game and that one hurt. What we do know for certain is that not even Mayweather The Magician will be able to conjure up another half a billion dollars for a rematch., As one night stands go this was anything but sexy and few in Sin City or out there in pay-per-view country would want to watch it again. The buzz which 16,507 fans had brought in with them from the over-flowing Strip evaporated in the Grand Garden. +16 Many were left underwhelmed and told fans outside that it wasn't worth the exorbitant money some had paid +16 Sportsmail's Jeff Powell admits the overall experience of being at the fight was greater than the actual event As they filed back out they told the thousands left outside, the many who could not afford the exorbitant tickets but just wanted to be around on the big night, that it wasn’t worth the money — anything from $1,750 to $350,000 a seat. For most of us, the overall experience has been greater than the actual event. With Pacquiao misfiring at times and as a consequence Mayweather more comfortable in there than he might have anticipated, they pretty much cancelled each other out. That can happen when two excellent practitioners meet in the ring and on this occasion the flashes of genius were intermittent. Pacquiao will regret keeping something in reserve on the defining night of his career. The animated Filipinos present were still lionising him later but neither the result or the performance will have boosted his eventual campaign to become president of his country. +16 Muhammed Ali reminded Mayweather last week that the title of 'The Greatest' is already taken +16 Mayweather had insisted that wants to retire with a 49-0 record... but he will perhaps make it to the big 50 Mayweather, criticised as he is for his spending extravagance and domestic conduct outside the ring, has simpler choices to make. Money, and plenty of it, is the primary objective. He also craves to be recognised as The Greatest, although Muhammad Ali reminded him last week that that the title is taken. The one last fight, back here in September, will not take care of either ambition. There will not be a financial bonanza to approach this Fight of the Century, whoever the opponent. But assuming he wins, he will draw level with Rocky Marciano, who retired undefeated with a 49-0 record. +16 Huge crowds gathered in the Philippines to watch the fight, but they were left disappointed after the fight +16 Their 'People's Champion', a potential future president of the country, was defeated by Mayweather in Vegas Manny Pacquiao: I thought I won the fight Why wouldn’t he want to go again just once more and force open those doors to the Halls of Valhallah where the immortal fighters reside? ‘No, it’s time to hang up the gloves,’ he insists. Then he says: ‘But I do contradict myself. I’m not perfect.’ That last sentence referred to his life — not his boxing — and he clarified that by adding: ‘I do not give account to all the bad things that are said and written about me. For one thing I’m a good father to my four kids and I try to do my best in all things.’ No, the contradiction refers to the historic Marciano record and he adds: ‘I didn’t come into this game to try to overtake what other great boxers before have achieved. I just wanted to be me. But who knows if I do get to 49-0…….’ Floyd baby knows but he’s just not telling us. Not just yet.

The birth of Sin City: AND NOW

 

 

 

 

 

The birth of Sin City: Rare retro photos reveal how Las Vegas transformed from a one-horse town to the glitzy City of Lights Despite its reputation for excess and surrealism, as a natural oasis in the desert Las Vegas was born from necessity Established in 1829 by merchants as a trade route stop between Mexico and California - the Old Spanish Trail It quickly became popular for its gambling, resulting in the creation of a central strip of entertainment venues Stars flocked in their droves, including Elvis Presley, Brigitte Bardot and Gene Kelly to name a few Las Vegas. The desert metropolis which thrives on 24-hour gambling, showgirls and casinos without a clock in sight to remind revellers of the world outside.  Synonymous with hedonism, this adult playground has grown to attract millions of visitors annually, each bringing with them trillions of dollars to its Nevada location. Despite its reputation for excess and surrealism, as a natural oasis in the Mojave desert, America's City of Lights was actually established in 1829 for practical reasons. Mexican explorer and merchant, Antonio Armijo, first sought to open up the area as a trade route between Mexico and California, called the Old Spanish Trail.  When the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad were created in 1905, the small settlement quickly became known as 'Sin City.'  With pink limousines, tacky souvenirs and the gigantic Vegas strip, the larger-than-life city became a beacon in the desert over the years - but it didn't always look that way. Revealed in rare retrospective photographs are the vintage cars parked outside casinos for a weekend escape, swim-up gambling tables, and the glamour of 1950's showgirls. The city that lured Hollywood's glitterati including Elvis Presley and Gene Kelly is strikingly different to the illuminated, bustling hot spot of today.  In its first flush of popularity the rich and famous of the golden era were greeted by empty desert streets and a handful of burgeoning venues only hinting at their future fortunes. Scroll down for video  +28 First glimmer: The main strip in Las Vegas during the golden era hints at its potential for growth. The open expanse reveals the desert backdrop in all its glory and the Dunes Hotel is the only focal point in the foreground +28 City of Lights: In dramatic contrast, today's main strip in Las Vegas is vibrantly illuminated by hotels and casinos as far as the eye can see +28 Unearthed: This 1906 picture of the city shows its early days and the original settlement before it became a thriving metropolis +28 Nostalgia: With the odd car driving down Fremont Street in Las Vegas, this image is far cry from the packed main strip tourists witness today Take a drive down Fremont Street with this retro footage   +28 The Apache Hotel, originally built in 1932, was the first building in Las Vegas to have a lift and also featured stained glass windows- an original detail which still remains today +28 Playing a game of chance: Gamblers crowding around a roulette table at a casino in 1935, Las Vegas +28 A view of the pool at the El Rancho Vegas hotel and casino in July 1942 in Las Vegas in Nevada   Neon Signs Outside Pioneer Club in 1951 (left) and The House of Jack Pots (right) greeted the visitors to the burgeoning Nevada outpost +28 Hosting legends: As the city grew in popularity it started to attract big names. Pictured in 1955 is Frank Sinatra surrounded by elaborately-dressed women at the Dunes Hotel Archive footage shows Las Vegas Casino entertainment   +28 Golden glamour: The Gabor sisters pose at a cocktail party to celebrate their show at the Last Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas in 1955. From left to right Zsa Zsa, Magda and Eva +28 Heyday: Noel Coward, the English playwright, was an entertainer at the Desert Inn, Las Vegas. Here pictured in 1955 +28 International artists:The Bluebell Girls, from the Lido Nightclub in Paris, perform on suspended platforms above the audience at the Stardust Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada in 1958     A flamboyant Bluebell girl (left) from the Lido de Paris adjusts her costume prior to appearing onstage at the Stardust Hotel in Las Vegas in 1958. The famous sign signalling entry into Sin City (right) +28 Signs of growth: An aerial view of Las Vegas in 1964 shows the city as hotels and casinos start to line the city's roads +28 A vintage postcard depicts the entrance of the Flamingo Hotel flanked by a line of vintage automobiles in the foreground +28 An audience with the King: Singer Elvis Presley entertains amused onlookers at the Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas +28 French film star Brigitte Bardot and her new husband, German industrialist Gunther Sachs Von Opel leave their plane after a flight from Las Vegas, where the couple were married in a surprise ceremony in 1966  +28 Don't drop your chips: Gambling tables in swimming pools allowed guests to keep on playing without leaving the pool  +28 Tanya, the Siamese elephant who performed on stage at Dunes Hotel and Casino, joins gamblers at a blackjack table in 1966 +28 The adorned elephant aids gamblers during their game of craps at the Dunes Hotel and Casino in 1966 +28 Rock 'n' roll crooner Elvis Presley performs at the Las Vegas International Hotel in the August of 1969 +28 Practise makes perfect! Elvis Presley pictured during a filmed rehearsal before a Las Vegas show in July 1970 +28 It's a hard life: Gene Kelly (centre) pictured with the elaborately dressed Folies Bergere showgirls in 1970 +28 Name in bright lights: A giant board signalling Elvis Presley is performing in Las Vegas in 1972 +28 Vintage postcard showing the entrance to the Dunes Hotel with huge neon sign and vintage automobiles parked in the drive +28 The Cal Neva Lodge in Crystal Bay in the early 1980's. Before the Las Vegas Strip ruled the gambling world, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. helped make the Cal Neva Lodge one of Nevada's coolest casinos in the 1960s

Infographic reveals the 20 largest hotels in the world... and six of the top ten are in Las Vegas boasting nearly 30,000 rooms between them The MGM Grand in Las Vegas is the largest hotel in terms of rooms The First World Hotel in Genting Highlands, Malaysia ranked second There are only six non-U.S. hotels in the top 20 shortlist With partying going on from dusk until dawn from the 40 million tourists visiting each year, it's little surprise Las Vegas in the U.S. has a plethora of luxury hotels. But you might still be surprised to learn that six of the 10 largest hotels in the world are found in Sin City. And out of the top 20, 14 are located in the U.S. Topping the pile is the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino. Housing 6,852 rooms and suites, the site is very popular with the rich and famous, including Prince Harry. +26 The top 20 largest hotels in the world, according to the number of rooms and suites +26 The MGM Grand Hotel and Casino has the largest number of rooms in the world with 6,852 +26 Lavish: The MGM Grand is a popular resting place for celebrities +26 The MGM Grand is located by the Arena giving show headliners the perfect spot to rest It is located beside the MGM Grand Arena which, with a capacity of over 16,000 and known for hosting first class shows and sporting events, means the hotel is always busy. First opened in 1993, the hotel has consistently moved with the times, and has now added two luxury 'wings' to the existing development. The 'Skylofts' are 51 two-storey lofts located on the top two floors, and the The Signature at MGM Grand are three distinct towers each with 576 suites; most suites offering private balconies. The front entrance of the main hotel features a 100,000-pound bronze lion statue, located at the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Tropicana Avenue. The 45-foot-tall lion, perched on a 25-foot pedestal, is the largest bronze statue in the U.S. The lion is framed by LED screens, water fountains, Atlas-themed statues and mesmerising landscaping.   Few hotels outside the US broke into the list, but The First World Resort in Genting Highlands, Malaysia (left), came second and the Sheraton Macao in China (right) was in 13th place +26 The First World Hotel in Malaysia is as colourful as it is imposing +26 This Sports Resort forms part of three main resorts at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando. The property came third in the overall list Matthew Walls, vice president of Hotels.com EMEA told MailOnline Travel: 'Year on year we see an increase in popularity for hotels in Las Vegas, and it is clear that the larger ones are hugely popular with travellers. 'When looking at our Hotel Price Index data we can see that even throughout last year Las Vegas was one of the top destinations to witness an increase in average hotel room rates, as the specific hotels are aware of the demand for luxury and larger hotels to stay in. 'For many, a larger hotel allows for a range of activities on the holiday, with more to keep them entertained, while also providing more conversation and holiday memories for when they return home. 'With such high competition to draw in large amounts of travellers, the hotels in Las Vegas are clearly looking to be grander and larger than others in the world. We have seen that when celebrities holiday, or even take up residence on the Strip, that the demand to visit Nevada increases further. 'Prince Harry famously stayed in Vegas several years ago, causing hotel searches to the area to increase a staggering 123 per cent overnight, while Britney Spears' residency sparked further searches to increase 52 per cent.' +26 Russia's sole entry in the top 20 is Moscow's Izmailovo Hotel, fourth in the rankings +26 Fifth is the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas, flanked by a raft of boutique shops and stores +26 The Wynn Hotel is full of art, bringing the outside inside +26 You might be forgiven for thinking you were in Egypt on approaching the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas +26 The Luxor sits in sixth spot in the rankings of the world's largest hotels Runner-up in the world's largest hotel list is the First World Hotel in Genting Highlands, Malaysia. With 6,118 rooms and suites, the colourful hotel is as imposing as it is enchanting. The hotel also houses a 500,000 sq feet indoor theme park, a shopping mall and lots of dining stops, with 11 restaurants. Completing the top three with 5,524 rooms is the Disney All-Star Resort Hotel in Orlando, Florida. +26 The Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas is luxurious and comes complete with a river and gondolas +26 The architecture inside the Venetian is rooted in Italy. The hotel features in eighth position on the list +26 You might be forgiven for thinking you've gone back in time with a stay at the medieval-looking Excalibur Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip - ninth largest hotel +26 Las Vegas' Aria Resort and Casino, completes the top 10 with 4,004 rooms and suites +26 The inside of the Aria is illuminated with a multitude of colours The resort comprises three separate sites, a Sports Resort, a Movies Resort,and Music Resort. The Movies resort features a giant Herbie The Love Bug car, and lots of enormous playful puppies from 101 Dalmatians. The Sports hotel has five themed areas – American football, baseball, basketball, tennis and surfing, and at the Music hotel, the buildings are decked out with huge saxophones, guitars and drums. +26 The flower red fountain and blue sky above Caesars Palace hotel in Las Vegas +26 The scene greeting visitors to the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas +26 The Circus Circus Hotel and Casino in Vegas has 3,774 rooms +26 The flamingo at The Flamingo Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. This came in 16th position with 3,565 rooms Leon Markovitz, who designed the infographic and carried out the research, told MailOnline Travel: 'The results are definitely surprising, not only for Las Vegas but for the US in general. 'But I'm curious about how often these hotels are at capacity, since Vegas is full of mega-hotels. 'Also, the MGM is the largest, yet it was opened in 1993.' +26 The Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island in the Bahamas has 3,414 rooms and takes 17th spot in the list +26 Hawaiian Villahe in Honolulu in Hawaii is another non-Las Vegas based hotel making the top 20, with 3,386 rooms seeing it bag 18th spot +26 The luxury hotel and casino Palazzo sneaks in to the top 20 in 19th, having 3,068 rooms and suites +26 The Mirage in Las Vegas completes the top 20, with 3,004 rooms     Fairy lights and fake palm trees blamed for Cosmopolitan blaze: Hip hotel owners blame electrical fault on rooftop display for inferno Fire Chief Greg Cassell said fake palm trees made fire 'move so fast' at the hotel on Saturday afternoon He said an electrical fire was also possible due to decorative lights adorning the artificial plants The blaze broke out at the hotel's Bamboo Pool at the West End tower and burned through fake palm trees and cabanas Two people suffered smoke inhalation and there were no burn injuries, according to officials Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas said the Bamboo Pool was reopened at 10am on Sunday with full service except for its West Bar; guest rooms on the 14th floor are still closed Cabanas and artificial palm trees helped fuel the fire that broke out at a luxury hotel in Las Vegas on Saturday, fire officials said. The blaze started at The Cosmopolitan's Bamboo Pool at the West End tower and quickly spread through the fake palm trees touching each other and the canopy covering a portion of the area, Clark County Assistant Fire Chief Sandra Baker said, according to ABC. Two people were injured and hundreds of others were forced to flee after the fire broke out at the luxury hotel on Saturday afternoon. There were no burn injuries, officials said. 'What made it move so fast were all the fake palm trees,' Fire Chief Greg Cassell said, according to CNN. Scroll down for video +13 Aftermath: Fire Chief Greg Cassell said the fake palm trees caused the fire to move so fast at The Bamboo Pool at the West End Tower of The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas on Saturday (the pool deck shown above with clean-up crews and investigators at the scene following the fire) +13 Reopened: Tourists and employees are let back into The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas after the fire broke out on a rooftop pool deck on Saturday +13 Chaos: It took firefighters about 30 minutes to put out the blaze, which caused traffic on the Las Vegas Strip to be closed Cassell said an electrical fire was also possible due to the number of decorative lights adorning the fake palm trees. He added that the plastic foam used to make the imitation Arecaceae 'is like solid gasoline to us' which caused the fire to take 'off like a rocket'. As large plumes of black smoke billowed into the sky, terrified guests fled to safety and more than 100 firefighters rushed to the scene. One person injured in the blaze was taken to hospital, while a second guest with minor injuries is still being evaluated at the 2,995-room hotel. The pair both suffered smoke inhalation, officials said. Cassell said firefighters extinguished the blaze around 30 minutes after arriving at the scene, KSNV reported. Early preliminary reports indicated a 'landscaping fire' but investigators were still investigating the cause, Baker said. On Sunday, the hotel said the Bamboo Pool on the 14th floor reopened at 10am with full service except for its West Bar. Hotel officials said in a statement that an area affected by the fire has been walled off by the Clark County Fire Department. A spa, fitness center and the 15th floor of the hotel's West End Tower are also open. However, guest rooms on the 14th floor are still closed. +13 Blaze: Two people were injured and hundreds of others were forced to flee after a fire broke out at The Cosmpolitan in Las Vegas on Saturday afternoon. Above, Twitter user 'ccyr17' tweeted the photo of the blaze, writing: 'Fire at the Cosmopolitan pool. #cosmopolitan' +13 Heavy smoke:The blaze started at an outside pool area on the rooftop of The Cosmopolitan and quickly spread, setting pool cabanas and trees alight. As black smoke billowed into the sky (above), terrified guests fled down 14 floors and 110 firefighters rushed to the scene +13 Burning: One person injured in the blaze was taken to hospital, while a second guest with minor injuries is still being evaluated at the 2,995-room hotel. The pair, neither of whom has been identified, both suffered smoke inhalation, officials said on Saturday evening Huge fire engulfs pool area of Las Vegas's Cosmopolitan hotel   Hotel guest Michelle Masilon who evacuated the hotel during the fire described the scene as 'something from a horror movie', according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. 'So much smoke reminded us of something from a horror movie,' she said. Her 40th-floor suite overlooked the pool. A couple from New York, Joe and Erin Santos, who were in one of the pool's cabanas when the fire broke out, said they left their phones and wallets inside a safe in the cabana, which burned up in the flames. They are returning home Sunday, but Joe Santos said he is now without his credit and identification card and money. 'We were in the cabana where it started. We noticed the palm tree next to us was on fire and I noticed it because it smelled strange. I told our waitress and she didn't realize how serious the situation was,' Erin Santos told the Review-Journal. 'The fire spread to our cabana and we all ran out. We left our phones and wallets in the safe in our cabana but they're burnt up.' Several rooms on the 14th floor of the luxury casino and hotel sustained heat damage but the fire never made its way into the hotel, Cassell said. On Saturday afternoon, the Clark County fire department announced via Twitter that firefighters had been dispatched to a blaze at The Cosmopolitan. In total, 110 firefighters and 35 vehicles, including crews from Las Vegas Fire and Rescue, responded to the fire, which started at 12.15pm local time. '@ClarkCountyFD fighting a #fire at 3708 Las Vegas Blvd So. 2nd alarm called. #CCFD #vegas,' Clark County Fire Department tweeted. It later revealed that trees and cabanas were burning on the resort casino and hotel's pool deck. 'Update to 3708 LVBS: Trees and cabanas burned on pool deck. Very little extension to building. One patient transported at this time,' it tweeted. By the time crews had extinguished the two-alarm blaze, it had already destroyed the Bamboo Pool, which is located on the hotel's 14th floor. +13 Fiery: Firefighters put out the blaze 30 minutes after arriving at the scene, Cassell said. An investigation is ongoing +13 Smoking: One of the two injured people was treated at the scene while the other was taken to hospital. Both suffered smoke inhalation +13 An aerial view of the blaze shows how the flames ripped through palm trees and cabanas at the luxury hotel +13 Dark landscape: In total, 110 firefighters and 35 vehicles, including crews from Las Vegas Fire and Rescue, responded to the fire, which started at 12.15pm local time. Above, smokes billows from the blaze, which occurred on the outside pool area of The Cosmopolitan Announcement: The Clark County fire department tweeted about the blaze, saying that trees and cabanas were burning on the pool deck 'There was some damage to some windows; very, very minor damage to the building. It was contained to the pool area,' Baker told Reuters in a phone interview, adding that guests were evacuated from the hotel because of the huge mass of black smoke. However, she could not immediately say whether the entire hotel, or only part of it, was evacuated. Guests were let back into the casino at 1.30pm. In a press release shortly before 1pm, Baker wrote: 'Fire crews are currently on scene of a fire on the outside pool area where trees and pool cabanas were on fire. There is a report that the fire has been put out and crews are handling smoke evacuation and checking for any extension to building.' There was later found to be no extension to the hotel, it is reported. At around the same time, the Regional Transportation Commission announced that Las Vegas Boulevard was closed in both directions. +13 Terrifying: 'There was some damage to some windows; very, very minor damage to the building. It was contained to the pool area,' Clark County Assistant Fire Chief Sandra Baker told Reuters in a phone interview, adding that guests were evacuated because of the smoke +13 Aftermath: Twitter user 'Ccyr17' later tweeted this picture, along with the words 'Firefighters have taken control of the fire!! Thankfully!!!!' Fire at pool of Vegas hotel sends up plumes of black smoke   Vehicles could not pass from Tropicana Avenue to Flamingo Road. An investigation has been launched into the cause of the fire, which has not yet been determined, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The Cosmopolitan (or 'The Cosmo') is owned by The Blackstone Group and has a total of 52 floors, with two highrise towers The $3.9billion hotel opened on December 15, 2010, at a spot just south of the world-famous Bellagio hotel on the west side of Las Vegas Boulevard. In addition to a casino and its now-ruined outdoor pool area, the hotel boasts 300,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, a theater and a spa. It was rated 'The Best Hotel In The World' by Gogobot in 2013.  2,995 ROOMS, A CASINO, A THEATER, A SPA AND AN ENORMOUS GAMBLING SPACE: THE COSMOPOLITAN HOTEL Situated just south of the world-famous Bellagio hotel on Las Vegas Boulevard, The Cosmopolitan is a hit with those looking for luxury. The $3.9billion hotel, also dubbed 'The Cosmo, boasts 2,995 hotel rooms (many of which feature their own private terrace), an enormous casino, 300,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, a theater, a spa, plenty of meeting space, and a number of swimming pools. These include a relaxing pool, a day club pool and a nightclub pool. The venue, which features architecture by the Friedmutter Group, is also home to the acclaimed Marquee Nightclub & Dayclub. Owned by The Blackstone Group, the casino hotel opened on December 15, 2010. In 2013, it was rated 'The Best Hotel In The World' by Gogobot. Celebrities who have visited the venue include Kim Kardashian, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kirsten Dunst and Paris Hilton. Meanwhile, Jay-Z and Coldplay have both performed at the Marquee Nightclub. The Cosmopolitan is surrounded by other glamorous, gambling-oriented hotels on the Las Vegas Strip. +13 Luxury: Situated close to the renowned Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas, The Cosmopolitan (file image) is a hit with those looking for luxury