Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas/Los Santos

Los Santos is a fictional city located in the fictional state of San Andreas, and it is featured in the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Los Santos is based on Los Angeles, California; consequently, Los Santos and Los Angeles bear many similarities. Los Santos is comprised of several distinctly different districts; the poor, crime-ridden inner-city contrasts sharply with the upper-class sections of Los Santos. The name Los Santos means "The Saints" in Spanish, a play on Los Angeles' name "The Angels".

Geography and distinguishing features

Los Santos is the largest city in San Andreas and is located in the southeastern part of the state. The city is made up of several districts. Ganton in the east and East Los Santos and Las Colinas in the northeast are some of the gang-ridden slums of the city. The poorest districts are Willowfield and El Corona, both in the southeast, and Idlewood, located in the east. In contrast, Mulholland, Vinewood and Rodeo are the more wealthy districts of Los Santos and cater to upper-class citizens. These areas of the city feature skyscrapers, as well as high-end businesses and retail shops.

Landmarks

Los Santos is filled with references to famous L.A. landmarks, including the Walk of Fame, The Shrine Auditorium, the Watts Towers, the Capitol Tower (called Blastin' Fools Records in the game), the U.S. Bank Tower, the Bonaventure Hotel, Beverly Hills City Hall, the Hollywood Sign (dubbed the Vinewood Sign in the game), the Los Angeles City Hall, the Theme Building from LAX, the Twin Towers Correctional Facility and the Santa Monica Pier. There are also many real Los Angeles Skyscraper look-alikes, such as the Two California Plaza, the Gas Company Tower, The Biltmore Hotel Office tower, The Century Plaza Hotel (called the Rodeo Hotel in-game), The St. Regis Los Angeles Hotel & Spa, Rodeo Drive Shops, and the Sunset Vine Tower. Also, like Los Angeles, Los Santos suffers from severe smog. This can be seen hovering above Downtown Los Santos throughout the day as well as many other districts of Los Santos.

• Biltimore Hotel
• Two California Plaza
• Los Angeles River
• Santa Monica Pier
• Los Angeles County Medical Center
• Union Station
• Rodeo Drive
• Grauman's Chinese Theater
• Metrolink
• Metro Red Line
• Hollywood Blvd
• Sunset Blvd
• Mulholland Drive

• Color Steps
• North Broadway Viaduct
• 6th Street Bridge
• Carney's Express Limited
• South Central Los Angeles
• Vincent Thomas Bridge
• Griffith Observatory
• Los Angeles Convention Center
• Randy's Donuts
• Hollywood Walk of Fame
• The Great Western Forum
• Santa Monica Mountains
• Venice Boardwalk

• Stahl House
• Chemosphere
• El Capitan Theatre
• Figueroa Tower
• Pershing Square
• The Argyle Hotel
• Union Station
• The Roxy Theatre
• House of Blues
• Beverly Hills Hotel
• Melrose Avenue
• The Beverly Wilshire Hotel
• Muscle Beach

Storyline

In Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, the game's events and plot points are mostly separated by San Andreas' three metropolitan cities. The events that occur in Los Santos occur first in the game, as well as after the events of Las Venturas, San Andreas. Los Santos is the hometown of Carl "CJ" Johnson, who returns from living in Liberty City for five years, after his brother informs him of their mother's death. The game starts then, and the story revolves around a lengthy gang war between CJ's gang, the Grove Street Families (named after a street in the Ganton district of the city, from which the gang based its activities), and the Ballas. Hispanic gang rivals the Los Santos Vagos and the Varrios Los Aztecas are also present.

Eventually the Grove Street Families slowly regain their strength and influence, only to be betrayed by OGs Big Smoke and Ryder, who are revealed to be working with the Ballas and corrupt C.R.A.S.H. (Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums) officers Frank Tenpenny and Eddie Pulaski. As such, a major offensive launched by Carl's older brother Sweet against the Ballas was already anticipated and the GSF was decimated in the ensuing gun battle. Sweet was wounded and imprisoned, while Tenpenny effectively banished Carl from Los Santos, blackmailing him into working for C.R.A.S.H. by threatening the welfare of Sweet in prison. The story leaves Los Santos and moves into the countryside and then San Fierro.

Carl returns to Los Santos later in the game after becoming the manager of disgraced rapper Madd Dogg, who desires to take back his mansion from a drug dealer, Big Poppa. Carl discovers that the GSF have been virtually wiped out, the Ballas and Vagos own all of the turf in East Los Santos, and drugs are everywhere. Luckily for Carl, Mike Toreno returns with one more dangerous mission in exchange for Sweet's freedom. After Carl is successful, Toreno lives up to his end of the bargain and has Sweet released from prison. Carl and Sweet bring back the GSF and slowly but surely regain their turf once more.

Meanwhile, Tenpenny and Pulaski are charged with murder and sexual assault. At a court hearing, Tenpenny (alone, as Pulaski had previously been killed by Carl in the desert) was released when the judge dropped all charges. The entire city, outraged that Tenpenny walked free after horrendously heinous charges, erupted in riots. During this chaotic time, Carl killed his former friend turned cocaine drug lord Big Smoke. Carl then chased after Tenpenny, who died when his stolen fire truck drove off the side of an overpass. When news of Tenpenny's death reached the people of Los Santos, the city riots came to a stop.

Districts

Apart from famous Los Angeles landmarks being emulated, a number of districts and neighborhoods are as well.

• Downtown Los Santos - Downtown Los Angeles
• Commerce - Civic Center/Jewelry District/Fashion District
• Conference Center - Los Angeles Convention Center
• East Beach - Long Beach
• East Los Santos - East Los Angeles
• El Corona - El Sereno
• Ganton - Compton
• Glen Park - Echo Park/MacArthur Park
• Jefferson - Watts
• Idlewood - Inglewood
• Las Colinas - Los Feliz
• Los Flores - Boyle Heights
• Los Santos International Airport - Los Angeles International Airport
• Little Mexico - Montebello
• Marina - Marina del Rey
• Mulholland - Hollywood Hills
• Market - West Hollywood
• Ocean Docks - San Pedro
• Pershing Square - Pershing Square
• Playa del Seville - Playa del Rey
• Richman - Bel-Air
• Rodeo - Beverly Hills
• Santa Maria - Santa Monica
• Temple - North Hollywood
• Unity Station - Union Station
• Verdant Bluffs - Griffith Park
• Verona Beach - Venice Beach
• Vinewood - Hollywood
• Willowfield - Willowbrook