Jump to content

ManchVegas: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Content deleted Content added
Pokeresq (talk | contribs)
m External Links: Added a link
Jayron32 (talk | contribs)
mergeto Manchester, New Hampshire
 
(38 intermediate revisions by 24 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
#REDIRECT [[Manchester, New Hampshire]]
<!-- Importance of this phrase was established back in January, 2006, with [[Wikipedia:Articles_for_deletion/ManchVegas|this discussion]]. Please consider removing this tag, or explaining further why you feel its necessary. It is inappropriate.
{{importance}}
-->

'''ManchVegas''' (also '''Manch-Vegas''') is a local colloquial nickname for [[Manchester, New Hampshire]], often used by residents and visitors to the area (especially young people.)

The term is a [[portmanteau]] of ''Manchester'' and ''[[Las Vegas]]''.

The origin of the term "ManchVegas" was derived from illegal gambling in local businesses during the late 80's or early 90s. Many pizza shops and local bars had video poker machines that would pay out real money. Following a city-wide bust of these machines, brothers Jim and Bill O'Mahony, of Manchester, coined the nickname. It was then followed by the younger crowd as a lampoon of the city's limited entertainment opportunities. Recently the term has grown into a source of pride as the city's entertainment scene has grown during the late 1990s and early 2000s.

A 2003 [http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/North_America/United_States_of_America/New_Hampshire/Manchester-831355/Local_Customs-Manchester-R-1.html note] on Virtualtourist.com notes, "Residents reflect the regional dry humor by referring to sedate Manchester as 'ManchVegas'."

The use of the term is not limited to youth circles, however. An [http://www.hippopress.com/pubnote/pubnote05818.html article] in Manchester's [[Hippo Press]] newspaper (a local alternative weekly) in August, 2005, noted that then-Manchester Mayor [[Robert A. Baines]], "is pushing to replace the nickname ManchVegas with Manchhatten" (meaning Manchester+Manhattan).

As of January, 2006, nine businesses in New Hampshire had registered with the New Hampshire Secretary of State's Corporate Division to use the name "ManchVegas" in their business. The earliest was registered [[August 11]], [[1998]]. Manch Vegas T-shirts are also becoming popular.

The term is frequently used on the [[Internet]], especially on message boards such as [[MySpace]].

Other notable nicknames are "ManchAngeles" (Manchester+Los Angeles), "Manchentucky" (Manchester + Kentucky) and Manchvegistan (Referencing the cities large immigrant population)
== External Links ==
* [http://www.alexdakoulas.com/manchvegas/ Manch Vegas Is Hardcore]
* [http://www.unionleader.com/pda-article.aspx?articleId=11cfd129-6a77-4625-be5d-df6704734e8a ManchVegas: Love it or hate it, the Queen City's other name has stuck] by Scott Brooks, New Hampshire Union Leader. Sept. 26, 2005. (Requires registration)
* [http://manchvegastshirts.blogspot.com/ Gambling on T-Shirts]

{{NewHampshire-stub}}

[[Category:Geographic portmanteaus]]
[[Category:Manchester, New Hampshire]]

Latest revision as of 02:49, 7 June 2010