Fantasy City - Pleasure and Profit in the Postmodern Metropolis (Hardcover)

Fantasy City analyses the post-industrialist city as a site of entertainment. By discussing examples from a wide variety of venues, including casinos, malls, heritage developments and theme parks, Hannigan probes the economic foundations and historical background of urban entertainment. Case studies include the rise and fall of the drive-in movie theatre, the history of a suburban shopping mall, the new 'family style' Las Vegas and the rise of the Hard Rock Cafe. Hannigan asks whether areas of urban fantasy destroy communities or whether they actually create new groupings of shared identities and experiences.