Bob Lazar's Story of Area 51

Bob Lazar claimed to have a master's degree from both Caltech and MIT, but there is no record of him holding either of these. He stirred up the controversy around Area 51 by telling his story in 1989 interview. So much so that Area 51 and Rachel Nevada started to generate a tourist economy centered around the base. Pilgrims began coming to try their hand at catching a glimpse of UFOs and other strange and exciting things near Area 51. Locals opened bars like the Little Alien and sold alien-themed t-shirts and other souvenirs.