The waters? What waters?

A piece in the Las Vegas Review-Journal makes this odd point about its namesake city:

Water is the reason most cities are where they are, and Las Vegas is no exception.

I’ve been to Las Vegas. And while it might once have been true that the nucleus of that desert town once formed around a creek, the image seems a bit odd today. The wording reminded a friend of mine of that famous exchange in Casablanca between Rick and Captain Renault:

Captain Renault: What in heaven’s name brought you to Casablanca?

Rick: My health. I came to Casablanca for the waters.

Captain Renault: The waters? What waters? We’re in the desert.

Rick: I was misinformed.