The only minor difference is about 80 years of economic activity; and a few super secret military projects, including one that helped launch the atomic age.

Also the two cities both have modern engineering marvels in their own right. Just one had a really tall building that served as a symbol of power, but with no real purpose. The other has a massive dam that took amazing diplomacy and bureaucracy to convince 7 states and Mexico to agree to tame a wild and destructive river; in exchange for generating power, and using the revenue to fund itself.

It's bad but it's not that bad. Vegas is cool if your definition of cool matches what a 50 years old recently divorced person with too much money/time and not enough hobbies finds cool.

Dubai is cool if your definition of cool is "money" (and you're fairly tolerant with slave labor and human right violation)