News

The Rio hotel and casino has been a hallmark of Vegas, and is widely considered as one of the best managed properties. But its history and its future may not be the same. The off-Strip property is beginning to show its age, and no longer commands the interest and respect that it once did. Most tourists are keeping to the Strip or Downtown, and seldom travel to other properties. Though no clear number are available to compare the Rio with past years, a visit to its lobby is enough to suggest that the rumors of trouble are real. Read more…

Cannabis has become big business in Las Vegas, and seeks new opportunities. Recent changes may allow for dispensaries to establish cannabis lounges which could provide a new breed of entertainment venue for the city. Vegas has always been a city of freedom and vice. And this has been true when it comes to the legalization and deregulation of controlled substances. Cannabis is one such pillar of a new Vegas economy, but has been confined to dispensaries as a point of sale. Read more…

Las Vegas housing prices have not been rising of late, putting some real estate agents and investors on edge. Although the number are not too alarming, it is thought some people have postponed listing their properties. The market is cyclical, and highs are always followed by lows. No one can say whether this depression will be anything like the collapse of the last decade. There is good news, however. The average price of the median home has increased by 3. Read more…

McCarran International Airport connects Las Vegas to the world, and helps bring millions of tourists to the city every year. So it is no wonder that number of flights and visitors are closely tracked. This April saw a slight increase in traffic, nearly 2.2 percent over last April. It is too early to tell if 2019 will be a record year, but hopes are high. New expansions and routes are in the offering as McCarran administrators plan for the following decade. Read more…

This year, a Las Vegas landmark turns 60. Entering the Strip, everyone is greeted by the internationally famous sign welcoming the next tourist, lucky gambler, and local resident. It has remained throughout the decades as a piece of history and heritage. Though not much is known about the sign, its shape is reminiscent of a key fob in homage to the many hotels which helped build Las Vegas in the desert. Read more…

One thing is true, the Las Vegas Strip is always changing. But instead of a new hotel, restaurant, or casino, it will be adding 3,000 cement bollards to improve the security of tourists and residents. The four foot tall bollards will be able to stop trucks traveling at 55 mph, and prevent such tragedies as seen in England, France, and Germany. Part of a government project, the security measure is one in a slew of improvements and modifications which should ensure the quality of pedestrian traffic on the Strip for decades to come. Read more…

What goes up, must come down. Recent helium scarcity has caused a sudden upset in the supply of the non-renewable gas. It is not known when shortages will abate, if ever, forcing local business to adapt. “All of the sudden they just said no more,” said the owner of Balloons With A Twist, Michele Rothstein. “We felt [helium shortages] a few times over the years and it always kind of comes around. Read more…

Business is on the rise. Las Vegas has been awarded $45 million in federally-funded New Market Tax Credits to promote small business in underserved and low-income communities. The U.S. Treasury Department considers this a sound plan to foster economic improvement across Southern Nevada. The Las Vegas Community Investment Corporation (LVCIC) is managing the funds and lending them to appropriate borrowers. This continues their efforts to repair the economic damages seen in the last decade. Read more…