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IMMERSIVE VAN GOGH EXHIBIT HEADED TO TOWN In the old days, if you wanted to see Vincent Van Gogh’s iconic and emotional “The Starry Night,” you’d have to travel to New York City's Museum of Modern Art to glimpse a painting that measures 28-by-36 inches.

Sure, nothing compares to viewing one of the most famous pieces of Western art in person … at least in terms of bragging rights. But if you want to really experience the paintings of the post-impressionist master, you need only wait until July, when the internationally acclaimed Immersive Van Gogh exhibit arrives in Las Vegas, at a “secret” location yet to be announced.

Rather than the images being constrained inside a frame, Van Gogh’s rich yellow sunflowers, thick brushstrokes and bluehued cityscapes will splash indulgently across more than 500,000 cubic feet of projections. Viewers will stand in socially distanced circles, with art on every wall and even on the floor below them.

Some of the paintings on display will include “The Starry Night,” “Sunflowers,” “Bedroom in Arles” and “The Potato Eaters.”

“The scale, the images and the effect of being inside Van Gogh’s work have led some visitors to cry,” Christina Morales wrote of the exhibit in The New York Times.

Immersive Van Gogh is designed by Italian film producer Massimiliano Siccardi, with original music by Italian composer Luca Longobardi.

The show opens July 1.

Tickets start at $60. For more information, call 844-307-4644 or visit immersivevangogh.com.

–C. Moon Reed

WEEK IN REVIEW WEEK AHEAD N EWS YO U S H O U L D K N OW A B O U T

Tuscany Suites GM Grayson McNees (left) and Circa Sports CEO Derek Stevens cut a ribbon for the official opening of a Circa Sports satellite sportsbook at Tuscany Suites on March 16. (Steve Marcus/Staff)

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IN THIS ISSUE

10 12 22 28 34

Weekly Q&A: A Downtown chat with the Plaza's CEO Cover story: Your Vegas-centric March Madness guide Neighborhoods: Downtown Summerlin suggestions The Strip: The latest Boulevard show reopenings Food & Drink: Soulbelly raises our barbecue game

STORIES FROM LAST WEEK MANK'S 10 OSCAR NOMS LEAD THE PACK David Fincher’s Mank leads nominations for the 93rd Academy Awards with 10, and for the first time, two women—Chloé Zhao and Emerald Fennell—were tapped for best director noms. The Academy Awards would typically have happened by now but were postponed this year by two months, to April 25, due to the pandemic.

CREAR RUNNING FOR MAYOR

TICKET QUOTAS TARGETED Nevada lawmakers are considering banning police departments from requiring officers to meet quotas and issue a minimum number of traffic citations. It's unclear which, if any, Nevada law enforcement agencies have official quotas, but police union representatives say they’re often used in practice.

NEVER FALL BACK?

HE SAID IT

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Las Vegas City Councilman Cedric Crear launched his mayoral campaign March 11. If elected in 2023, after Mayor Carolyn Goodman will have termed out, he would become not only the first Las Vegas-born head of the council, but also the first Black mayor.

“If we do all this, if we do our part, if we do this together, by July the 4th, there's a good chance you, your families and friends will be able to get together in your backyard or your neighborhood and have a cookout and a barbecue and celebrate Independence Day.” –President Joe Biden, March 11, in his first national address since his inauguration

L A S V E G A S W E E K LY

Daylight saving time provides an extra hour of light in the evenings but also forces people to reconcile their physical and biological clocks each March. The burden of that adjustment is at the heart of a measure being considered by the Nevada Legislature to set Nevada to a single, permanent time. But Senate Bill 153 won’t go into effect unless California also makes the switch— and until Congress allows it.

KEN TURNS 60 Ken is turning 60, two years after his best friend, Barbie, did. Mattel launched a reproduction of the original Ken doll on March 11 to commemorate his 1961 debut. The company said it is working with fashion designers to showcase Ken as an influencer.

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks March 15 during a cross-country stimulus package tour stop at the Culinary Academy of Las Vegas. Harris said the tour is not to tout, but rather to explain, the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, an economic recovery act intended to help the country out of the economic crisis caused by the pandemic. (Yasmina Chavez/Staff)

RESORTS WORLD BOOKS J BALVIN'S NEÓN EXPERIENCE FOR SEPTEMBER Resorts World Las Vegas has its first live entertainment event on the books. It’s called Neón Experience, a three-day music mini festival with events planned across the property—including Zouk Nightclub and Ayu Dayclub—that will be curated by and star J Balvin and be co-produced by the Zouk Group and Pollen Presents. It’ll take place over Mexican Independence Day weekend, September 16-19.

Balvin has been cultivating a steady presence in Las Vegas in recent years, mixing tour stops with appearances and performances during the Latin Grammys and Billboard Latin Music Awards. He was a resident artist at the former KAOS nightclub and dayclub at the Palms. –Brock Radke

TIPS FOR GETTING IN THE

COVID-19 VACCINATION QUEUE Nevada’s vaccination distribution is gaining speed as the positivity rate falls below 6%. As of March 15, vaccine eligibility in the state had been expanded to include those 55 and over who have underlying health conditions. They join food-service and hospitality workers—a group totaling more than 300,000—who became eligible March 11.

At press time, nearly 720,000 doses had been administered in Clark County, with 10.9% of the population fully vaccinated, according to the Southern Nevada Health District website. With three types of vaccines available and the federal government ramping up supplies, there were plenty of appointments available for those eligible at mass-vaccination sites at Cashman Center and the Convention Center, as well as pharmacies like Walgreens, CVS and Walmart.

Those who are not yet eligible, including people as young as 16 (the Pfizer vaccine is approved for this age group) can also try to get on a “waste list” for leftover doses at the end of each day that would otherwise be discarded. Call your neighborhood pharmacy to see if you can put your name on the list.

At Cashman, you can go early in the morning to get a number and come back later to see if there are extra doses. The Facebook group Las Vegas Vaccine Hunters (bit.ly/3vzZcpt) has helpful tips on getting on waste lists.

For the latest vaccine information, go to ImmunizeNevada.org, which gives a county-by-county update, or covid.southernnevada healthdistrict.org for the latest Nevada COVID-19 Playbook, which spells out which groups are next in line.

To make an appointment, go to vax4nv.nv.gov; covid.southern nevadahealthdistrict.org/vaccine/distribution; walgreens.com; cvs.com or walmart.com, or call 1-800-401-0946 for the statewide COVID-19 vaccination hotline. –Genevie Durano

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LV W H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S

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TRESSES IN DISTRESS How to recognize, prevent and treat hair loss and damage

BY C. MOON REED

I

t’s normal to lose 50 to 100 hairs each day, according to the Mayo Clinic.

But what if it feels like you’re losing more? Hair loss can come in many forms—a receding hairline, general thinning, a widening part and even bald patches—and for a variety of reasons.

Hair can be a good indicator of general health. Stress, pregnancy, thyroid problems, poor nutrition and weight loss can affect one’s mane. Medicines and supplements can also bring the side effect of hair loss. Moral of the story: If your hair’s starting to look unhealthy, consider seeing a doctor.

Generally speaking, the best way to protect your hair is to treat it gently, eat healthy, avoid smoking and stay out of the sun. Here are some other good things to know …

TYPES OF HAIR LOSS ANDROGENIC ALOPECIA

■ Symptoms: In men, baldness typically manifests by way of a receding hairline and thinning hair on the crown of the head. In women, hair loss begins with a thinning along the part and then along the top of the head, according to Harvard Women’s Health Watch.

■ Cause: Blame heredity, aging and hormones for this common type of hair loss, also known as male- and female-pattern baldness.

While men are most famously affected by this form of hair loss, it affects women, too. In fact, more than half of all women have thinning hair by age 70, according to the Mayo Clinic.

■ Treatment: Unfortunately, this type of hair loss is not preventable, according to the Mayo Clinic. It can be held somewhat at bay with an over-the-counter minoxidil foam such as Rogaine, but that only works as long as you use it.

(Shutterstock/Photo Illustration)

Coping with hair loss Sure, a generation of buff male entertainers have taught us it’s cool to rock the cue ball look, and we salute them for it. But for many people, hair loss can be legitimately distressing. Hair is a part of a person’s identity, and losing it can feel like losing a part of yourself. Don’t discount your feelings. Seek help from a mental health professional and/ or support group.

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LV W H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S

TELOGEN EFFLUVIUM

■ Symptoms: A bunch of hair seems to fall out at once, maybe in the shower or in a hair brush.

■ Cause: You’re not just imagining things.

Stress, shock and trauma really can make hair fall out. And it generally happens a few months after the initial cause of intense stress.

Telogen effluvium, also known as stress-related hair loss, basically causes one’s body to put hair growing on pause. The American Academy of Dermatology Association emphasizes that this is “hair shedding” rather than hair loss.

■ Treatment: Easier said than done, especially during a pandemic, but you’ve got to manage the stress. As the body exits panic mode, it will divert resources back to nonessential functions, such as hair growth. A doctor can also help with more complex treatments, if needed.

ALOPECIA AREATA

COVID-19 and hair loss Add healthy hair to the list of things negatively affected by the pandemic. COVID-19 is indeed driving us to lose our hair, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.

Hair loss can happen after any fever as the body’s response to illness. And even if you’ve managed to avoid COVID-19, the general stress of the times can cause hair shedding. The good news? It’s typically a temporary issue that’ll resolve on its own. Just focus on being as healthy and relaxed as possible.

■ Symptoms: Loss of hair in seemingly random patches. Hair generally returns in a year or less, according to Harvard Medical School.

■ Cause: Most likely, this is an autoimmune disorder in which the body attacks its own hair follicles, more often seen in people with asthma, allergies, thyroid problems and vitiligo.

■ Treatment: There’s no full cure, but there are steroid treatments that can help. Check with a doctor.

TRACTION ALOPECIA

A historic Vegas solution For 40 years, Serge’s Wigs has been helping Las Vegans look their best. With the tagline “Where the stars and showgirls buy their wigs,” this classic Vegas wig shop stocks both natural and synthetic wigs and hairpieces for all genders, ages and occasions, along with costumes. The full-service “wig salon” offers washing, styling, fitting, cutting and alterations. 4515 W. Sahara Ave., 702-207-7494, sergeswigs.com.

■ Symptoms: Thinning of the hair, usually along the hairline and temples. Warning signs include tenderness, stinging, crusting, a pulling sensation and even small bumps.

■ Cause: Wearing tight hairstyles, weaves and wigs can damage the scalp and cause bald spots, hair thinning and even scarring in severe cases, according to University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics (uihc.org). Rough style techniques, hot tools and harsh chemicals can also cause damage.

■ Treatment: If caught early, hair will grow back. Otherwise, hair loss can be permanent.

To improve or prevent traction alopecia, be gentle with your hair. Wear loose, large braids, rather than small, tight ones, and low ponytails instead of high ones. Take regular breaks from hair extensions, switch up your style often and wear a satin wig cap.

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GOLDEN

Talking 50th anniversary and Downtown development with Plaza CEO Jonathan Jossel

BY BROCK RADKE

T

he Plaza is a true Vegas icon, with its flashy, instantly identifiable porte cochere and gleaming hotel tower immortalized in movies, music videos and other pop culture moments. This year marks the Downtown casino-resort’s 50th anniversary, and while special events and promotions for guests are in the works (or currently available at plazahotelcasino.com/50-yearsroom-offer), there are other exciting developments on the way.

The Greyhound bus station’s 50year lease on the space adjacent to the Plaza’s parking facility runs out soon. (The station closed February 23, in preparation for a move to the RTC South Strip Transfer Terminal.)

It’s a big deal for several reasons, perhaps most notably because it opens up further Downtown growth while connecting to the City of Las Vegas’ planned pedestrian bridge, from the Symphony Park area to Main Street.

Plaza CEO Jonathan Jossel recently brought us up to speed on the intriguing present and exciting future of a Las Vegas landmark.

(Jonathan Jossel/Courtesy)

How would you characterize the overall vibe Downtown as Las Vegas seems to be emerging from the worst part of the pandemic?

There was definitely a period in December and early January that felt like, uh-oh, how does this come back?

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THE WEEKLY Q&A

OPPORTUNITY But in the last 30 days, you can see a shift. People obviously want to get out—they’ve had enough of watching Netflix and ordering UberEats—and the vaccine helps all of that. When you talk about the hotels Downtown … there’s a much better energy, it’s busier, people are more relaxed, and that doom and gloom feels like it’s behind us. I think this will be not just be a comeback, but a great comeback in the next six months.

The Greyhound bus station on the Plaza property closed last month.

How big of a difference will that make for the property and that area of Downtown in general, and what are you planning for that space? A lot of people are asking what is coming next, and it doesn’t actually matter what comes next. The goal was just them leaving. It’s addition by subtraction. Nothing against Greyhound, but they’ve been here 50 years. They had a great purpose back then, but for Downtown and where it’s evolved, that’s a central piece coming through Main Street. It has become a strategic focal point with the 800-unit residential project being built just to the west. And it not only frees up future development, it gives Downtown a different image and perception. Two things that have always been a challenge are safety and parking, and this cures both.

What can you say about specific plans for that part of the property? We’ve got a few things on the table we’re looking at, and there are two concepts I particularly like … [but] we’re open to ideas and not

ruling out anything. We’re not going to decide what to do for another six months, because technically, [Greyhound] still has the space until the end of July. But the two options are both entertainment-based projects and very complementary to the Plaza and the other buildings Downtown, and also could be great for people that live Downtown. And when I say entertainment, I’m not necessarily talking about music or live entertainment. Everything is on the table.

On the other side of Fremont, you have a shiny new neighbor. How has Circa changed Downtown so far? Well, remember that we sold them that location, the [Las] Vegas Club, with the knowledge this was coming. We knew it would be a nice, shiny new hotel and it has already attracted a lot of people to Downtown to come see it. It’s hard to judge on the first five months—

there are a lot of large-scale events on the pool deck and at the sportsbook they haven’t been able to do properly, so I’m excited to see the full effects of that. But it’s a great place, and it will certainly bring wider groups of people down here.

What other developments have you been working on at the Plaza?

In the next couple of weeks, we’re going to announce two new bars we’re doing at the hotel [that] I think are really important. We’ve done a great job remodeling our convention space [and] our bingo space. We’ve added the outdoor arena and remodeled our hotel rooms. Now we want to tie all those things together.

After Oscar’s closes, we don’t have

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a venue for [nightlife], so getting some later-in-the-night entertainment is a bigger focus for us—not a nightclub, just different outlets to entertain customers. We are the second-biggest hotel Downtown, but we’re the biggest in terms of footprint, and the Plaza deserves to be well-known and recognized.

That’s why we’ve done the murals on the side of building—to create that awareness.

There’s nothing like a monumental anniversary to bring some more awareness to a classic Vegas property. We are turning 50 this year, and we’ve been working to maintain that classic history of Las Vegas everybody loves and making it more modern for today’s world. The actual anniversary is July 2, and we had planned an event with some great local music and fireworks for July 4, but obviously with the pandemic we haven’t been able to confirm. We’re waiting on a bit more clarity on that, but this anniversary deserves to be recognized, and we’re going to find a way to do that.

The Plaza (Wade Vandervort/Staff)

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Quashed in 2020, the NCAA Basketball Tournament roars back into Las Vegas this month

OF THE

RETURN MADNESS

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SOONER THAN LATER

Las Vegas product Jalen Hill aims to take Oklahoma deep into the tournament

BY CASE KEEFER ■ In the wake of the cancellation of last year’s college basketball postseason, then-Oklahoma freshman Jalen Hill returned home to Las Vegas and allowed himself a week or so to rest up and get over the disappointment.

Then it was time to get back to work on his game, an objective that proved far more challenging than expected.

He knew practicing in an indoor gym would be impossible with the country on lockdown after the coronavirus outbreak, so he canvassed local parks hoping to find a hoop.

No luck.

“Every single court I tried to go to, the rims were all down,” Hill recalls. “So my friend who had a basketball court in his backyard let me use that. I used that the whole time in quarantine, even in 100-degree weather.”

The hard, hot and lonesome hours put in by the 6-foot-7, 225-pound forward for several months before he returned to Norman, Oklahoma, in the fall have contributed significantly to the Sooners’ success this season. Oklahoma has looked like a Final Four contender at times throughout the year, with Hill, now a sophomore, showing off the same unselfish, versatile style he showcased at Clark High from 2015 to 2019.

Hill has served as a steadying, energetic presence off the bench and a spot starter as Oklahoma has climbed as high as No. 9 in the Top 25 polls.

A four-game losing streak to end the regular season dropped the Sooners to a No. 8 seed in the NCAA Tournament,

but Hill seems confident they can regain their form when it matters most.

Oklahoma opens play in the round of 64 against No. 9 seed Missouri in Indianapolis, March 20 at 4:25 p.m.

Vegas time.

“We’ve realized how good we can be, and we still think we can go as far as there is to go,” he says. “We’re our own biggest enemy, but we’re willing to do whatever it takes.”

Oklahoma made history in January by becoming the first team in 25 years to beat three straight top 10 opponents and the first team since 1974 with four top 10 victories in a single month.

Hill had one of the most memorable highlights of the run when he soared through the air for an acrobatic one-handed dunk in an upset win over Alabama.

You could say Hill began setting up the play during his summer sessions over the spring and summer, when, he says, he focused on ballhandling and jump-shooting, working to render scouting reports on him useless. During Hill’s freshman college season, in which he appeared in 30 games with one start, opponents sagged off, dared him to shoot rather than risk an open lane to the rim.

That proved fatal for archrival Texas, then ranked No. 5 in the nation, when it hosted Oklahoma on January 26. Hill knocked down three 3-pointers as part of an 80-79 victory. The win over Alabama came next, and Hill says that’s when he began noticing defenders playing him tighter—and took advantage with his highlight-reel bucket.

(AP Photos/Photo Illustration)

RETURN OF THE MADNESS

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Continued from Page 13

2007, but he learned about it later while in high school.

“When I was getting recruited by Coach Kruger to go here, I was going through some old stuff in my closet, and I found a UNLV book with Coach Kruger on the front page, talking about all that stuff,” Hill says. “It just kind of clicked with me then that this is the right guy to go play for.”

Hill’s own favorite NCAA Tournament memory is one Kruger and Sooner fans remember less fondly: Villanova’s 2016 national championship win, which instilled Hill’s own Final Four dreams while he was a freshman in high school.

After beating Oklahoma in the national semifinals, Villanova famously upset North Carolina with a buzzer-beating, 40-foot shot from Kris Jenkins to win the title. Hill recalls hearing about how Jenkins, who was roughly the same size Hill is now, was never much of a shooter until he worked hard in college to diversify his playing style.

Hill hopes he’s on a similar path, albeit one with an interesting detour that found him practicing alone in the desert heat instead of chasing a championship to end his first year in college. Having gone through that experience, he’s even more determined to make the most of the NCAA Tournament.

“I missed out last year, so this is very exciting for me,” Hill says. “These are new experiences coming up, and I hope we can go far. I think we can go to the Final Four, to the championship.”

RETURN OF THE MADNESS

Mwani Wilkinson

LOCAL TIES

“It’s opened up my game a lot more,” he says. “My ability to make people respect my jump shot has been something for me.

They have to close out, so I’ve been driving more and hopefully dunking on somebody.”

But scoring isn’t, nor has it ever been, the best part of Hill’s game. He averaged 17 points per game through his junior and senior seasons at Clark, yet coaches often preached about him being more aggressive in taking over games offensively.

Hill says he was more concerned with getting teammates involved, and doing “the dirty work,” as he calls it—crashing for rebounds and guarding opposing scoring threats. That mentality has translated well at talent-rich Oklahoma.

Hill has averaged 4.3 points and three rebounds this season for the Sooners, but coach Lon Kruger told the Oklahoman that the impact goes beyond the numbers.

“Not all of it shows up in the box score,” Kruger said of Hill’s production. “He’s always talking defensively, communicating. He’s always in the right spot defensively. He’s blocking out every time. He doesn’t always get the rebound, but he doesn’t give up rebounds, either.”

Hill first met Kruger as a child, while the latter coached UNLV from 20042011, but he’s too young to really remember the Rebels’ last deep tournament run under his current coach.

Hill was just 5 when Kruger led UNLV to the Sweet 16 in

Root for these Vegas prep products as you tune in to the tourney

BY CASE KEEFER

MEN’S TOURNAMENT REGGIE CHANEY (Houston, junior) Chaney provides frontcourt depth off the bench for one of the nation’s best teams. He played at Arkansas for two seasons after coming out of Findlay Prep in Henderson before he transferred to Houston this year.

DEVON COOPER (Morehead State, junior) The guard has gone from Findlay Prep role player to Morehead State star, earning second-team all-conference honors in the Ohio Valley after averaging 12 points and five rebounds per game this season.

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Julian Strawther

Sam Thomas

WOMEN’S TOURNAMENT

(AP Photos/Photo Illustration)

ISAIAH COTTRELL (West Virginia, freshman) The former Bishop Gorman big man won’t be playing for the Mountaineers in the tournament after going down with an injury midseason, but he was a key contributor before. Mountaineers coach Bob Huggins says his absence “really hurts us.”

KYLER EDWARDS (Texas Tech, junior) Edwards refined his game by playing his senior high school season at Findlay Prep, and he’s continued to get progressively better, averaging 10 points per game this season.

TADAS KARARINAS (Drexel, senior) The big man moved from Lithuania to Henderson to play for Findlay Prep and now provides depth for a Dragons’ team set to take on Illinois, one of the tournament favorites, in the first round.

NATHAN MENSAH (San Diego State, junior) The former Findlay Prep center has elevated to a starting role with the Mountain West Conference champions.

JULIAN STRAWTHER (Gonzaga, freshman) In his first season in Spokane, Washington, Liberty High’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder is contributing off the bench with the tournament favorites.

CONNOR VANOVER (Arkansas, sophomore)) The 7-foot-3 Vanover patrolled the paint and gobbled up rebounds for Findlay Prep before playing a similar role at Arkansas.

MWANI WILKINSON (LSU, freshman) A late bloomer who starred in Bishop Gorman’s most recent state championship run, Wilkinson serves as the Tigers’ sixth man in his first season in Baton Rogue, Louisiana.

RAE BURRELL (Tennessee, junior) The Liberty High product averaged 17 points per game during the regular season and made the All-SEC second team as a star for one of the most storied programs in women’s college hoops.

DRE’UNA EDWARDS (Kentucky, sophomore) Another former Liberty High forward, Edwards won the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year award at Utah two seasons ago before transferring to Kentucky and becoming a starter for one of the SEC’s top teams.

SAM THOMAS ((Arizona, senior) A threeyear captain at Arizona, the onetime Centennial High great has helped turn the Wildcats from perennial doormats to championship contenders as they make their first tournament appearance in 16 years.

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HOOP HEAVEN Regional? Check. Final Four? Coming soon?

Las Vegas adds to its NCAA tournament legend

BY CASE KEEFER The NCAA Basketball Tournament’s first weekend traditionally draws one of the year’s largest tourism crowds to Las Vegas, before visitation tails off notably for the event’s conclusion over the following two weekends.

That’s about to change. In 2023, T-Mobile Arena will host the tournament’s West Regional—the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 rounds—for the first time ever, a development that could cement Las Vegas as a regular tournament host site. And it happened sooner than expected.

“It was our first bid cycle, and I don’t think anyone was expecting it,” says Lisa Motley, director of sports marketing for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. “[But] the NCAA knew there was popularity in Las Vegas, so I think that helped lay the groundwork. It was very nice that we were able to get one of those marquee events right away. We’re thrilled about it.”

MGM Resorts headed the effort to land the basketball regional, but Motley was involved in support and in charge of submitting hundreds of other bids across numerous college sports and levels of competition. In the city’s first time eligible to host events since the NCAA scrapped a law against holding championships in states with legalized sports betting, Las Vegas landed everything from Division II golf regionals in 2023 and 2024 to the 2026 Frozen Four NCAA hockey finals.

It’s all seen as a precursor to the ultimate prize—putting on a men’s hoops Final Four at Allegiant Stadium.

“I don’t think it’s a secret about the Final

Four,” Motley says. “We’ve been working on NCAA stuff for 10-plus years, and we’ve had a preliminary strategy in place since 2018. Now it’s in our lap to figure out, ‘Who are the players?’

What does our strategy look like?’”

Final Four host sites have already been awarded through 2026, but Las Vegas is seen as a good bet to land one of three still available before the end of the decade. The proposal process for the next set of dates kicks off this fall, and Motley’s team has already begun preparing its bid.

With 150,000 available hotel rooms and ample space for ancillary events, Las Vegas comfortably meets the NCAA’s required criteria for a Final Four location. The city also has a track record of success in college basketball, with five conferences—the Pac-12, Mountain West, Western Athletic, West Coast Conference and Big West—having played their postseason tournaments here this year.

Some have taken to colloquially referring to the period from the first conference tournament (typically in early March) through the conclusion of the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament as “Vegas Madness.” With a regional upcoming and a potential Final Four looming, that local madness appears to be extending.

“The Final Four is not just a basketball game at Allegiant Stadium. There are fan fests and parties all through the destination. It’s a citywide event,” Motley says. “It will drive incremental visitation just with a Final Four and what that means, and who wouldn’t want to be in the destination when the Final Four is happening here? I think we’re a natural fit.”

UNLV’s Anderson Hunt scores a basket as teammate Larry Johnson looks on during an NCAA Tournament first-round win over Montana on March 15, 1991. (Lenny Ignelzi /AP Photo)

RETURN OF THE MADNESS

A few prime, socially distanced viewing locations around the Valley

W H E R E ’ S

T H E

PARTY?

CIRCA The Downtown resort’s massive new sportsbook offers a slew of seating options from which to view its 78-million-pixel screen, along with in-seat delivery from restaurants like Victory Burger & Wings and Saginaw’s Delicatessen.

Circalasvegas.com.

THE COSMOPOLITAN The resort’s annual Hoops & Hops celebration returns to the Chelsea, with reserved stadium and sofa seating available—including access to an open bar.

Cosmopolitanlasvegas. com.

ELLIS ISLAND The Front Yard beer garden offers morning and evening sessions and all-day passes, paired with unlimited food and Ellis Island beers.

Bit.ly/3tsj1NP.

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IT’S BEEN 30 YEARS …

Despite its Final Four loss.

UNLV’s ’91 team remains one of history’s absolute best

BY RAY BREWER As the ball left Anderson Hunt’s hands, we naturally assumed it would find its mark, desperate and deep as the 3-pointer might have been in the waning seconds of the national semifinal game.

Hunt never seemed to missed big shots, and the Rebels were on a historic run during which they seemed unbeatable … until the shot hit the back of the rim and bounced away.

Thirty years later, that 79-77 upset loss to Duke in the 1991 Final Four still stings. At the time, we knew the defeat ended UNLV’s undefeated season after 34 wins. We didn’t know it would also mark the beginning of the end of the program’s reign as a national power.

UNLV hasn’t been back to the Final Four, reached the

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SAHARA Venues across the property will offer seating, drink deals and game-day food specials throughout the tournament, including the Theatre, Casbar, Tangier and Paradise lounges.

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Sweet 16 just once in the ensuing three decades and hasn’t even played in the tournament since 2013.

Still, those of us who grew up with Jerry Tarkanian’s Rebels will tell you, there’s been no team better in the history of college basketball history than those 1990-1991 Runnin’ Rebels, even without a championship cherry on top.

Coming off the 1989-1990 title season, UNLV got every team’s absolute best shot the next year. Yet the Rebels were untouchable, outscoring opponents by nearly 30 points on average.

They were ranked No. 1 the entire season and had just one game decided inside double digits, a 112105 road win at Arkansas—a squad that went on to claim one of the other three No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament.

UNLV’s roster included three of the eventual top 12 picks in the 1991 NBA Draft: Larry Johnson (first overall), Stacey Augmon (9th) and Greg Anthony (12th). A fourth player, George Ackles, went in the second round.

Any of them could have left early for the NBA, but they returned to try for title No. 2 under their Hall of Fame coach. It’s difficult to imagine a group like that making such a decision

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in today’s pro-oriented environment.

Johnson earned the Naismith College Player of the Year award. Augmon was an award-winning defender and an elite finisher near the rim. And Rancho High product Anthony, the point guard, was the glue that held it all together.

If Anthony didn’t get into foul trouble against Duke, we’d almost certainly be talking about UNLV’s back-to-back championships today. And many still question the charging call that knocked him from the game with under four minutes to play. With Anthony on the bench, UNLV managed just three points the rest of the way.

Many locals can tell you exactly where they were when Hunt’s shot just missed its mark. We can also describe in great detail the championship game the previous year, a 103-73 victory over Duke.

That remains the largest margin of victory in any tournament final—an amazing achievement

by UNLV’s fantastic title team. Yet for my money, there was no greater team in college basketball than the one that came next, even if its final shot happened not to go through the hoop.

WESTGATE At press time, tickets to the SuperBook’s Hoops Central viewing parties were sold out, but it’s worth checking back, with Vegas capacities still in flux.

Bit.ly/3tmx1IH.

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CHEAT SHEET Scouting reports on this year’s NCAA Tournament contenders

BY CASE KEEFER Brackets have deadlines, but betting is continuous throughout the NCAA Tournament. It’s never too late to get into the action in local sportsbooks—betting opportunities will persist all the way through the national championship game, scheduled for April 4 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

More than likely, it’ll be one of the top teams on the betting board celebrating at the conclusion of the tournament. In the past 30 years, only one national champion—Connecticut in 2014—has overcome pre-tournament odds higher than 30-to-1.

That means one of the nine teams at the top of the betting board at the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook is the most likely champion. But for the sake of this exercise, let’s double it and look at every team listed at 60-to-1 or less.

These are the 17 teams that will in all likelihood define the 2021 NCAA Tournament, and therefore, determine personal betting success.

Here’s why you should like— and dislike—each of them, along with their current SuperBook odds to win the championship.

BAYLOR BEARS Odds to win: 6-to-1 Seed: South No. 1 Record: 22-2 ■ Why they’ll succeed: The tournament’s best backcourt. If the cliché about guard play being the most important thing in March holds up, the Bears will be tough to beat behind Jared Butler, MaCio Teague and Davion Mitchell.

■ Why they won’t: They’re not playing their best. The Bears started the season 18-0 but have now lost two of their past six, and escaped narrowly in a couple of others, after a coronavirus outbreak.

GONZAGA BULLDOGS Title odds: 9-to-5 Seed: West No. 1 Record: 26-0 ■ Why they’ll succeed: They’re the best team. Gonzaga is undefeated and historically efficient, having played just one game decided by less than double digits all year—a win over fellow contender West Virginia.

■ Why they won’t: They’re not battle-tested. The lone knock on the Bulldogs is their lack of competition, as the West Coast Conference has given them an easier regular-season path than every other team at the top of the board.

ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI Title odds: 9-to-2 Seed: Midwest No. 1 Record: 23-6 ■ Why they’ll succeed: Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn. No team has a better onetwo, inside-outside punch than the Illini with their combination of a playmaking, sharpshooting wing in Dosunmu and dominating bigman in Cockburn.

■ Why they won’t: Their path is fraught is peril. Conventional wisdom has Illinois’ draw as the toughest facing a No. 1 seed, and oddsmakers’ power ratings would agree.

MICHIGAN WOLVERINES Title odds: 8-to-1 Seed: East No. 1 Record: 20-4 ■ Why they’ll succeed: They have the best résumé.

The Big Ten was the best conference all year, and Michigan won its regular-season title and started league play by winning 13 of 14 games.

■ Why they won’t: They just lost one of their best players.

Senior swingman Isaiah Livers, the Wolverines’ second-leading scorer, will reportedly miss the tournament after suffering a stress fracture in his foot during the Big Ten Tournament.

HOUSTON COUGARS Title odds: 14-to-1 Seed: Midwest No. 2 Record: 24-3 ■ Why they’ll succeed: They have no weaknesses.

Offense, defense, rebounding—the Cougars are solid across the board and rank near the nation’s best in every conceivable category.

■ Why they won’t: They don’t have starpower. Unlike the teams ahead of them, the Cougars don’t have a surefire All-American, and thus probably won’t have the best player on the floor if they get deep into the tournament.

ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE Title odds: 20-to-1 Seed: East No. 2 Record: 24-6 ■ Why they’ll succeed: They own the 3-point line. The Crimson Tide play a smart, uber-modern style that has them shooting lot of 3-pointers and guarding against their opponents making lots of 3-pointers.

■ Why they won’t: The 3-point line can be volatile. Relying on long-range shots increases variance, and if they aren’t falling in a game, the Tide might be in trouble.

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Baylor’s Jared Butler (12) goes to the basket against Oklahoma State in January. (Sue Ogrocki/AP Photo)

RETURN OF THE MADNESS

IOWA HAWKEYES Title odds: 20-to-1 Seed: West No. 2 Record: 21-8 ■ Why they’ll succeed: The nation’s best offense.

Likely National Player of the Year Luka Garza can score at will—and so can many of his teammates.

■ Why they won’t: An increasingly mediocre defense.

Shootouts are the norm with Iowa, and most of its eight losses have come when it’s wound up on the wrong side of them.

OHIO STATE BUCKEYES Title odds: 25-to-1 Seed: South No. 2 Record: 21-9 ■ Why they’ll succeed: They’re experienced. Few, if any other teams on this list have five upperclassmen among their top six scorers, and the outlier—sophomore E.J. Liddell—is a two-year starter and arguably their most proven player.

■ Why they won’t: They’re inconsistent.

A seven-game winning streak midseason was followed by a four-game losing streak to end the regular season, representative of the Buckeyes’ erratic nature.

TEXAS LONGHORNS Title odds: 25-to-1 Seed: West No. 3 Record: 19-7 ■ Why they’ll succeed: Talent.

Coach Shaka Smart’s years bringing in highly ranked recruiting classes are finally paying off, as the Longhorns can overwhelm with athleticism.

■ Why they won’t: Carelessness. Texas ranks 236th in the nation with a 20.1% turnover rate, per kenpom.com.

TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS Title odds: 40-to-1 Seed: South No. 6 Record: 17-10 ■ Why they’ll succeed: Tenacity.

No one wants to play the Red Raiders, who grind opponents down and impose the same physical style they used to reach the national championship game in 2019.

■ Why they won’t: They’re reeling.

Texas Tech has lost five of eight games and shown little of the ability that had some thinking it was a contender earlier in the season.

PURDUE BOILERMAKERS Title odds: 40-to-1 Seed: South No. 4 Record: 18-9 ■ Why they’ll succeed: Trevion Williams. Purdue’s big man might have been Player of the Year-worthy in any other conference, but was overshadowed in the talent-rich Big Ten. ■ Why they won’t: Depth. The Boilermakers allot the fewest number of minutes to their bench of any contender, which could be their undoing if they experience foul trouble or fatigue.

Illinois Ayo Dosunmu (left) dives for the ball against Iowa’s Luka Garza (55) earlier this month. (Michael Conroy/AP Photo)

OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS Title odds: 50-to-1 Seed: Midwest No. 4 Record: 20-8 ■ Why they’ll succeed: Cade Cunningham. The imminent first pick in the upcoming NBA Draft is the most electric player in college basketball.

■ Why they won’t: They’re otherwise ordinary. Cunningham elevates the Cowboys, but their statistical profile otherwise speaks of a team that would be lucky to advance past the first two rounds.

WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS Title odds: 50-to-1 Seed: Midwest No. 3 Record: 18-9 ■ Why they’ll succeed: Their new scheme. Coach Bob Huggins has adapted to the profile of his players and implemented a more methodical game plan around the strengths of Derek Culver and Miles McBride.

■ Why they won’t: Their new scheme.

West Virginia’s old “Press Virginia” style used to be a big asset in the tournament, and now it’s gone.

KANSAS JAYHAWKS Title odds: 50-to-1 Seed: West No. 3 Record: 20-8 ■ Why they’ll succeed: They’re playing their best at the right time. The Jayhawks have won eight of nine games—with the only loss coming in overtime versus Texas—as they’ve enlivened what had been an anemic offense.

■ Why they won’t: They’re not that talented. This is not a vintage Kansas team after losing two All-Americans from a 2020 squad ranked No. 1 overall before the season got canceled.

ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS Title odds: 60-to-1 Seed: South No. 3 Record: 22-6 ■ Why they’ll succeed: They’re healthy and peaking. Once they finally got their full team aboard after a couple months of setbacks, the Razorbacks reeled off eight straight wins before losing to LSU in the SEC Tournament.

■ Why they won’t: They’ve been the luckiest team on this list. Arkansas has caught a lot of breaks in close games—including wins in their last three decided by six points or less—and that tends to regress.

FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES Title odds: 60-to-1 Seed: East No. 4 Record: 16-6 ■ Why they’ll succeed: Explosiveness.

The Seminoles can blow opponents away when five-star freshman Scottie Barnes and senior counterpart M.J. Walker are fully activated.

■ Why they won’t: Mistakes. The Seminoles are often just as likely to blow themselves away with one of the tournament’s highest turnover rates and defensive indifference.

VIRGINIA CAVALIERS Title odds: 60-to-1 Seed: West No. 4 Record: 18-6 ■ Why they’ll succeed: System and pedigree. The Cavaliers are always going to shorten the shot clock and work for the best look, a strategy they used to win the last tournament in 2019.

■ Why they won’t: Coronavirus. After winning the ACC regular-season title, Virginia pulled out of the conference tournament after positive COVID-19 tests, went into quarantine and isn’t expected to practice before the NCAA Tournament.

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L A S V E G A S W E E K LY

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LOCAL

NEIGHBORHOODS

Try these Vegas-born spots in Downtown Summerlin

BY LESLIE VENTURA

T

here’s so much to do in Downtown Summerlin, from a TruFusion hot yoga class to brunch on the patio at Lazy Dog. The outdoor shopping center also boasts some great Vegas-born spots— here are five mom-and-pop businesses ready for exploring.

Brooklyn Martell, owner of Carrie Lynn’s Plants, inside her Downtown Summerlin shop (Christopher DeVargas/Staff)

CARRIE LYNN’S PLANT SHOP Owned by Las Vegan Brooklyn Martell and named after her mom, Carrie Lynn’s is more than a place to pick up a succulent. It originated as a pop-up plant swap before opening its first location at Fergusons Downtown.

Now, the store has planted new roots in Downtown Summerlin, and offers fresh foliage, home decor and lighting, housewares, clothing and more.

Let’s just say it’s a vibe. 1955 Festival Plaza Drive #140, 702-910-1118.

FRANKIE’S UPTOWN Restaurateur Frank Lee (a partner at Dom DeMarco’s Pizzeria & Bar) designed this neighborhood bar with community in mind, and it has become a Summerlin happy hour staple.

“Up”petizers include sweet chili fried shrimp, bacon-wrapped jalapeños, cauliflower gratin and more, but Frankie’s true claim to fame might be its signature “Stroll.” Halfway between a stromboli and a calzone, it’s the doughy, cheesy vessel you didn’t know you needed. 1770 Festival Plaza Drive #190, 702-228-2766.

MAKERS & FINDERS The Latino-owned kitchen and coffee shop first opened on Main Street Downtown and has since expanded to Downtown Summerlin. (It also has a new sister shop, Take It Easy Coffee Roasters, in Chinatown.) Makers & Finders provides cozy, hip ambiance and a place to gather around good coffee and comfort foods. Whether you’re in the mood for breakfast, need a snack to tide you over or you want something boozier, this local café has something sure to satisfy. 2120 Festival Plaza Drive #140, 702-586-8255.

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FAVORITES Drinks at Frankie’s Uptown (Francis George/Courtesy)

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Cupcakes from Wonderland Bakery (Wade Vandervort/Staff)

RED ROCK CHOCOLATE FACTORY Decadent truffles, caramel apples and chocolate-covered strawberries are just a few of the sweet treats on offer at this family-owned chocolatier. Candy not your thing? Red Rock also serves lattes, hot chocolate and fruit-flavored smoothies, ensuring that you won’t leave empty-handed.

2025 Festival Plaza Drive #110, 702228-9443.

WONDERLAND BAKERY Whether you’re looking for cupcakes, cake pops, chocolates or a festive, dimensional cake for a big celebration, Wonderland has you covered. It also hosts culinary workshops in which patrons can learn to make chocolates, cakes or works of art using fondant.

And it’s a dream destination for birthday parties, with themes ranging from pirates and princesses to tea parties and more. 2010 Festival Plaza Drive #150, 702-363-3333.

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5-MINUTE EXPERT

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PRIMARY FORMATS

PLAY BALL! Everything you wanted to know about fantasy baseball (but were afraid to ask)

BY SPENCER PATTERSON

E

ven if you don’t play fantasy football yourself, you surely know folks who do. Estimates put the number of Americans who play fantasy football each season at more than 40 million, which means you probably have co-workers, friends and family members participating in what has grown into a multibillion-dollar annual industry.

But fantasy baseball? That’s further out on the fringe, mostly because it requires more time and effort than its gridiron counterpart. NFL squads play 16 regular-season games over the course of four months; MLB teams normally rack up 162 games spanning half a calendar year.

Which is to say, fantasy baseball isn’t recommended for the casual player. If you’ve got the interest and the energy, however, it can be highly rewarding—a welcome daily distraction and a way to combine your sports and game-playing acumen. Intrigued? There’s still time to join a league, or create one yourself, before April 1, baseball’s opening day.

WHAT IS IT?

As with most other fantasy sports, participants (also known as managers or owners) form teams comprising real-life athletes, and then compete based on the combined statistical accomplishments of those players—often with prize money at stake.

Rotisserie Casually known as Roto, this longtime version uses statistical categories to award points. If a league has 10 managers, the one whose team compiles the most home runs over the course of the season receives 10 points toward his or her total; the team in second place receives nine points, and on down.

Traditional Rotisserie leagues utilize either four (batting average, home runs, RBIs and stolen bases) or five (those plus runs) hitting categories and four (wins, saves, ERA and WHIP) or five (those four plus strikeouts) pitching categories, though some leagues have shifted toward more modern categories such as onbase percentage, slugging percentage, quality starts and holds.

Head-to-Head (points) More similar to traditional fantasy football, in that managers go head-to-head for a week at a time, with wins and losses awarded to determine seasonlong standings.

Points are gained and lost throughout the week based on players’ statistical achievements—hits, runs, total bases, RBIs, innings pitched, baserunners allowed, strikeouts and so forth— to determine each matchup’s winner and loser.

Head-to-Head (categories) A hybrid of Roto and Head-to-Head (points), it runs weeklong matchups between managers and awards wins and losses based not on total points, but within a group of categories. Head-to-head leagues can be better for keeping managers interested throughout the season; in Rotisserie leagues, attention might fade once a team falls too far behind in too many categories to contend.

THE DRAFT

There are two primary ways teams select their players: ■ Snake draft: Managers are randomly assigned positions for Round 1 (1-10 in a 10-team league). Round 2 heads back in reverse order (10-1), then back for Round 3 (1-10) and so on until rosters are filled. Pro: It’s quicker.

Con: Managers can only choose between the players available when they select.

■ Auction/Salary Cap draft: Managers have a certain amount of (fake) money— typically $260—to spend on their entire roster, with a required minimum of $1 per player. Pro: Every player is technically available to every manager. Con: It typically takes far longer to complete.

POSITIONS ■ Rosters usually comprise some combination of the following positions: catcher, first baseman, second baseman, third baseman, shortstop, outfielder and pitcher.

■ Most leagues also utilize hybrid positions, such as corner infielder (a first or third baseman), middle infielder (a second baseman or shortstop) and utility player (any non-pitcher).

■ Some leagues divide their outfielders by position (left, center, right) and their pitchers by role (starter, reliever).

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5-MINUTE EXPERT

25I

TOP PICKS

According to ESPN.com, the topranked fantasy players for Roto leagues heading into the 2021 season are …

Hitters 1. Mookie Betts, OF, Dodgers 2. Ronald Acuña Jr., OF, Braves 3. Fernando Tatís Jr., SS, Padres 4. Juan Soto, OF, Nationals 5. Trea Turner, SS, Nationals 6. Mike Trout, OF, Angels 7. Trevor Story, SS, Rockies 8. Jose Ramirez, 3B, Indians 9. Freddie Freeman, 1B, Braves 10. Christian Yelich, OF, Brewers Pitchers 1. Jacob deGrom, Mets 2. Gerrit Cole, Yankees 3. Shane Bieber, Indians 4. Yu Darvish, Padres 5. Trevor Bauer, Dodgers

And if you’re curious where some of Las Vegas’ top products rank …

16. Bryce Harper, OF, Phillies (Las Vegas High/CSN) 95. Kris Bryant, 3B, Cubs (Bonanza High) 104. Joey Gallo, OF, Rangers (Bishop Gorman High) 116. Tommy Pham, OF, Padres (Durango High)

WHERE TO PLAY

Founding Father “ONLY” LEAGUES

Though most fantasy baseball leagues draw players from the full Major League Baseball universe, some opt to up the challenge by limiting the pool to either just the American League or National League. In such a league, it’s generally far tougher to find quality players available for pickup after the draft. “Only” leagues also must determine rules for when existing players depart and new ones enter that league through real-life MLB trades.

2020 ■ The most traditional starting roster configuration is: two catchers, first baseman, second baseman, third baseman, shortstop, corner infielder, middle infielder, five outfielders, utility player, nine pitchers.

Daniel Okrent, the first public editor of The New York Times, invented Rotisserie League Baseball—considered by many to be the game’s purest version—in 1979. It drew its name from the site of an initial meeting on the topic with friends, Manhattan’s La Rôtisserie Française restaurant.

■ Some leagues utilize bench spots (players’ stats don’t count on days when they aren’t in the starting lineup) and injured list slots on their rosters.

BRYCE HARPER

KEEPERS

Though many leagues redraft from scratch at the start of each season, some allow managers to carry a portion of their rosters over to the following season. Those players are known as keepers. In auction leagues, players’ draft prices can become their salaries for the following season, which are then subtracted from their managers’ total draft budget. Keeper leagues also sometimes employ contracts—limiting the number of years a manager can keep a player— and/or prospects, i.e., minor league, college or other players who have yet to reach the major leagues.

2021

BRYCE HARPER

Photos (AP); (Shutterstock/Photo Illustrations)

Unless someone in your league has infinite free time to tabulate statistics and handle daily transactions, you’ll need an online hosting site to do that for you.

Some of the most popular, free options are: ■ CBSSports.com ■ ESPN.com ■ Fantrax.com ■ Yahoo.com

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BIG THIS WEEK

DINOSAUR JR. & BUILT TO SPILL Remember when bands toured? It’ll be a while until that’s a regular thing again, but Las Vegas’ Brooklyn Bowl has staked claim to this pairing of indie rock heavyweights, set for February 4, 2022. Tickets are on sale now, starting at $30. bit.ly/3rTEYF5

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THE FOOD THAT BUILT AMERICA

Tenors of Rock players Dai Richards, Chris Cicchino and Tim Sorbs teamed with Atomic Saloon Show’s naughty cowboy Colin Scott Cahill to form classic rock cover outfit Original Chaos, which has been entertaining tourists with marathon weekend sets at the outdoor Carnaval Court bar at Harrah’s. This weekend the boys get to do what they want at the Space, and what they want is a front-to-back performance of Guns N’ Roses’ epic 1987 debut Appetite for Destruction. Cicchino shredding Slash’s classic solos will be worth the price of admission, in person or online. March 20, 8 p.m., $20 in person or $10 livestream, thespacelv.com. –Brock Radle

Caught your breath from WandaVision? Marvel’s second Disney+ series, arriving mere weeks after the conclusion of its first, also continues stories begun in Marvel’s Cinematic Universe. This time, it’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier’s Falcon, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) and Winter Soldier, Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) grudgingly joining forces to face down new threats. Expect movie-quality action and lots of fun bickering between two actors with great comic chemistry.

Other returning performers from the Captain America movies include Daniel Brühl and Emily VanCamp. Fridays, Disney+. –Geoff Carter

There are some brands so ingrained in our cultural identity that they’re instantly recognized all over the globe. Nothing’s more American than Coca-Cola, McDonald’s or Kellogg’s Corn Flakes. And this podcast—based on the History Channel documentary series—dives into the past to tell the origin stories of food-industry titans like John Pemberton, a morphine addict who invented Coke and then sold the formula, now worth $84 billion, for a measly $1,750 back in 1886. Apple Podcasts. –Genevie Durano

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STATH LETS FLATS Stath, an hapless rental agent played by showrunner Jamie Demetriou, is a classic cringe-comedy type in the style of The Office’s David Brent. His sister Sophie (Demetriou’s real-life sister Natasia, of FX’s What We Do in The Shadows) lends a sweet counterpoint.

HBO Max.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (Disney+/Courtesy) Go

OUR PICKS FOR THE WEEK AHEAD

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AUTHOR APPEARANCE

JEFF KINNEY AT THE WRITER’S BLOCK Diary of a Wimpy Kid might be one of the most popular children’s books series of the millennium. Now, author/ cartoonist Jeff Kinney is promoting spinoff book Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Spooky Stories with an interactive, socially distanced appearance at Downtown’s favorite bookstore. For access to the ticketed event, attendees must pre-purchase the book and reserve an arrival time at thewritersblock.org. They can then experience a themed drive-thru, featuring creatures and monsters from the story. At the end of the adventure, Kinney will deliver a signed copy of Spooky Stories to each car by way of a 6-foot cemetery shovel(!). March 23, 6:30-8 p.m. $15, 519 S. 6th St. #100. –C. Moon Reed

TV

RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE RuPaul’s back for a socially distanced 13th season, and, despite the pandemic, the show is bigger and better than ever. Longtime fans will love the over-the-top outfits and larger-than-life attitude, but the latest Drag Race is also groundbreaking. The show notably cast its first trans man—the audacious and mesmerizing Gottmik— paving the way for more diversity and inclusivity within the Drag Race empire.

Fridays, 8 p.m., VH1. –Leslie Ventura

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STILL GROWING …

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Vegas show reopenings continue as capacities expand

BY BROCK RADKE

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he past two Fridays have been marked by significant announcements from Nevada Health Response, which have quickly changed the live entertainment landscape in Las Vegas.

On March 5, Gov. Steve Sisolak signed an emergency directive that immediately reduced the required minimum distance between performers and audience in showrooms, theaters and other venues. The previous 25 feet was chopped down to 12 feet, or just 6 if everyone onstage is masked.

Then on March 12, the state streamlined the process for the planning and approval of gatherings and events larger than 250 people, including potential shows and concerts.

Various venues can now plan events up to 50% of their total capacity, if their plans are approved by the department of Business & Industry.

Several Las Vegas Strip productions were already planning to resume live performances this month, before these moves to ease restrictions were made, and some of them can now seek additional audience capacity and sell more than 250 tickets per show. But don’t expect to see bigger events like headlining music residencies and Cirque du Soleil shows suddenly return to their Vegas stages.

A lot of work still needs to be done to ramp back up and get those massive productions back on track, and 50% of ticket sales won’t make financial sense for those blockbusters, which are looking ahead to May and June.

Here are the latest Vegas shows to come back online:

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THE STRIP Absinthe (May 17) Spiegelworld has been one of the most outspoken entertainment producers in terms of lobbying for the loosening of restrictions in recent months, and one of the most adventurous in terms of installing additional safety measures and innovations. Absinthe, its cornerstone show, became one of the first Strip events to return on October 28, and after the holiday season restrictions cut audiences to just 50 people, the show gave it a go for nearly a month before closing again. It returned to its Caesars Palace tent on St. Patrick’s Day with an adjusted seating plan for 153 people at distanced cabaret tables, with Spiegelworld planning to gradually add to the capacity.

Wednesday-Sunday, 7 & 9 p.m.

The Australian Bee Gees Show (March 15) This overlooked but consistently popular musical tribute will celebrate 10 years of Strip residency at Excalibur this year. It’s also one of several reopening shows that only ran for a few weeks during the past year. “One of the biggest things that’s changed in our lives [is] not being able to get together at sporting events, concerts and live shows,” says Aussie Michael Clift, who co-created the show in 1996 and toured the world before landing in Vegas.

“That’s the biggest chunk taken out.

And people will want to embrace that again when it’s safe. … The Bee Gees music is really fun and really heartfelt.

There’s soul music as well as the disco stuff.” Sunday-Monday & Wednesday-Friday, 6 p.m.

David Copperfield (March 21) The iconic illusionist returned to his own 750-seat showroom at MGM Grand on November 6, but shut the show down again when the 50-person cap was installed a few weeks later.

Copperfield’s magic spectacular is expected to resume with an audience of 250 this week, but the show could push closer to 375 soon due to the traditional booth-and-table fixed seating in the venue. Sunday-Friday, 7 & 9:30 p.m.; Saturday, 4, 7 & 9:30 p.m.

Terry Fator (March 18) The headlining ventriloquist, singer and comedian remained in his own sort of limbo in 2020, since he was in the middle of moving his show when the pandemic struck. “We couldn’t announce anything, because we were kind of vetting three or four different venues to find out which was going to be the best,” Fator says. “And then I didn’t get a chance to finish signing a contract before everything just shut down.” After 11 years at the Mirage, he’s opening a limited engagement of new show Who’s the Dummy Now? at New York-New York, in the 1,260-seat theater left vacant by the closing of Zumanity. “I am so excited about getting back onstage live,” he says. “I think I’ve continued to be creative this year, but it’s so much harder when you don’t have a real, live audience in front of you.” Through April 4; Thursday-Friday, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 7 p.m.

Jabbawockeez (March 11) The Jabbas’ new show ,Timeless— which debuted just before the pandemic shutdown last spring—marked one of the most intriguing reopenings of the fall, since the dance crew moved into the cavernous MGM Grand Garden Arena for socially distanced audiences of 250. It closed in November and opened again last week, and it’s expected to expand ticket sales soon to make the most of that big space. Thursday-Monday, 7 & 9:30 p.m.

MJ Live (March 18) The Michael Jackson tribute with the full live band is back in the theater at the Strat this week, another production that first came back for just a few weeks in November. With live music in the recently renovated Remix Lounge and nightly laughs at the L.A. Comedy Club, the north Strip resort is adding depth to an already compelling entertainment lineup. Thursday-Sunday, 7 p.m.

Absinthe, MJ Live (Christopher DeVargas/Staff); Terry Fator (Courtesy)

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NOISE

FEELING GOOD

Ziona brings her second musical act to Las Vegas

BY LESLIE VENTURA

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iona beams with excitement from within our Zoom call. The Florida-born, Germany-raised singer has already been through trials and tribulations, and now, she’s ready to claim her seat at the table.

The 26-year-old, who simply goes by her first name, drops a debut EP, Stuck in Your Head, on March 19.

And while tracks like “I’m That Bitch” radiate the Kardashian-esque confidence you’d expect from a cusp millennial, Ziona’s real-life demeanor says far more.

She’s confident but approachable, bubbly yet possessing a serious work ethic. If it seems like she’s done this before, that’s because she kind of has.

“I took a step back from music for a long time,” Ziona says, referring to her years at the University of Tampa.

At the time, comedian Chelsea Handler had picked up one of Ziona’s low-budget music videos and parodied it on her TV show, Chelsea Lately. “It destroyed me,” Ziona says, adding that her peers would find her dorm room and harass her regularly. “I felt so alone.”

After traveling to Las Vegas for her 21st birthday, Ziona immediately fell in love with the city. “I didn’t want to go home,” she says. “I was like, ‘I’m going to move here,’ and six months later, I moved.”

For a social butterfly like Ziona, Vegas was the perfect place to find her wings. “Everyone was like, ‘Why are you going to Vegas? This is the perfect place to destroy a 21-year-old,’” she says. “What people didn’t realize was, there’s so much else to offer, and you can have a normal life here.”

As Ziona approaches her sixth year in town, she has rekindled her love of pop music, releasing the vibey single “Do You Know” last year, followed by the girl-boss track “Get It Girl.”

“When the pandemic hit, I was so f*cking depressed,” she says. “I felt like I had no purpose, and I was just in a low, low place. I had to have an honest conversation with myself and get back into what’s going to give me life, and it was always music. Now I feel comfortable doing it again.”

Ziona (Ryne Belanger/Courtesy)

Ziona recorded the six songs on Stuck in Your Head at Las Vegas’ Junxion Sound studios and enlisted Morgan Matthews (Alicia Keys, Miguel) of Addictive Music Group to produce three of the tracks.

“I want to be versatile,” Ziona says. “I have songs that have hip-hop vibes, R&B vibes and songs that have a little bit of an alternative sound. What I’m striving to do is to have something for everyone—except country,” she laughs. “I’ve never been so confident, especially coming from such a dark place.”

Ziona knows the importance of lifting people’s spirits—and it’s something she plans to continue doing, no matter what obstacles get in the way.

“Once you figure out what your purpose is and your passion and how much you’re willing to work and what you’re willing to give up, it changes you as a person,” she says. “With every song, I want to make the [listener] feel good about themselves.”

ZIONA Instagram.com/zionaofficial Spoti.fi/2Q1XDjP

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ART

ART IN THE

AFTERMATH Artists and survivors memorialize victims of police violence

BY C. MOON REED

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ot many Las Vegas art exhibits include a graphic content warning. But this one does, alerting viewers to depictions and narratives of police violence and its aftermath.

“Some emotions may arise during the exhibit, such as fear, anger, frustration, pain. Let us allow us to feel these feelings, accept them and use these growing pains so that we can heal,” Micajah Daniels says in a brief video viewers are invited to watch before experiencing Water Slipping Through Our Fingers: An Art Memoriam to Lives Impacted by Police Violence.

Daniels is one of the many people who’ve helped bring Water Slipping Through Our Fingers to life. The heartbreaking exhibit is a tour de force of artistic collaboration: Families United 4 Justice Las Vegas, Desert Arts Action Coalition, Forced Trajectory Project (of which Daniels is a member) and the West Las Vegas Library came together to tell the stories of people affected by police violence.

On an individual level, Las Vegas artists collaborated with family members and survivors, using multimedia to capture these unfathomable personal tragedies. Sometimes, it was a direct pairing, like the acrylic portraits artist Sean C. Jones made of Nicholas Farah’s family and artist Robin Slonina made of victim Jorge Gomez.

Sometimes, the art of victims is presented directly, as with the art of police homicide victim Rafael Olivas and police brutality survivor Cristina Paulos.

Other times, it’s a group collaboration: Artist and longtime political advocate Diane Bush collaborated with the families of 15 victims to make “Say My Name,” a banner inspired by Tibetan prayer flags. The flags are colorful and beautifully sewn. If you didn’t know the context, you might assume they were celebrating prize winners. But the reason is far more somber—each name is a victim of police violence.

“I love the idea of having some way to participate in

“Jorge,” a portrait of Jorge Gomez by Robin Slonina

Families United 4 Justice Las Vegas family member representatives of police homicide victims Byron Williams, Sharmel Edwards, Rafael Olivas and Joseph Justin (Nissa Tzun/Forced Trajectory Project.)

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WATER SLIPPING THROUGH OUR FINGERS

(Photos courtesy Forced Trajectory Project, Desert Arts Action Coalition & Families United 4 Justice Las Vegas)

Through March 30; Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Friday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; free. West Las Vegas Library Gallery, 951 W. Lake Mead Blvd., 702-507-3980. Online version at forcedtrajectory.com/art-memoriam.

Diane Bush, “Say My Name,” fabric, thread and rope

the community, because I’m basically isolated here,” Bush said during February’s virtual panel discussion, which took place on Facebook Live (watch it on the Forced Trajectory Project Facebook page). “I didn’t feel it was safe for me to go on the marches that were happening. I [wanted] to contribute in some way; this gave me an outlet, so I was very happy to do it.”

Artist Kate St-Pierre collaborated with Jackie Lawrence Stolen to create a haunting installation.

It depicts a New Year’s Eve party that victim Keith Childress Jr. never got to attend. Black and gold decorations, including black balloons, depict the overlapping feelings of joy and grief, of celebrating and mourning.

There are so many collaborators, so many names, so many stories, that absorbing it all can feel overwhelming. For that reason, the organizers invite viewers to take in the show in small chunks, rather than all at once.

“We believe strongly in the transformative role art can play in times like these,” FTP co-founder Nissa Tzun writes in a description of the exhibit. “Art has the ability to inform and invoke change. We hope that your time with us will invite you to stay engaged in the topic of policing and public safety in our community, so that we can see real systemic transformation in our lifetime.”

A photo by Tzun is one of the many powerful images in the exhibit. Her lens captures Trinita Farmer at her Las Vegas home with her two granddaughters.

She poses with a framed portrait of her son Tashii Brown, who died from police violence on the Strip in 2017. The subjects stare into the camera, a casual family portrait revealing the love and loss they carry every day.

While this show might make you want to scream or cry or bow your head in sorrow, its ultimate message is one of hope and action. “We’re going to continue to build and create a brighter future, and we’re in it for the long haul, so that means not overwhelming ourselves with depictions of violence and manifesting toxic emotions,” Daniels says in a brief postshow video. “We need to take care of our mind, body, soul and community and create a plan to decompress. … We must continue to build and challenge ourselves to dream.”

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FOOD & DRINK

RIGHT ON ’CUE

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al American barbecue. I do not go heavy bark, heavy smoke ring, heavy smoke. …

For competition purposes, it should have a certain amount of bark and a certain amount of smoke ring, and a lot of times, that’s what people abide by. I’m abiding by, is it delicious? Is it unctuous? When you slice into it, is there a sheen of beautiful, rendered fat?”

The answer to all is a resounding yes. The Texas brisket comes out sliced in long strips, perfectly smoked, the fat around the edges lending an addictive crunch. The burnt ends are its chunkier, heartier counterpart, glazed and well done. The St. Louis pork ribs have a sweet and tangy glaze, the meat tender but with enough cling on the bone, giving you the satisfaction of cleaning it off.

There’s no unseasoned real estate in the pulled pork—the shredded meat is good by itself or stuffed in a sandwich. The cider-glazed drumstick is a sticky and piquant affair, one that you’ll also nibble to the bone before licking your fingers clean. Wet wipes are provided, but we didn’t use them.

BY GENEVIE DURANO And while technique plays a huge part in arbecue is that most quintessential infusing the meat with flavor, Kalman says American way of cooking. It fosters it all starts with the highest-quality ingreconviviality and camaraderie over dients. He sources his beef and pork from large pieces of smoky meat and cold Kansas’ Creekstone Farms; the brisket is bottles of beer, a tradition that’s been sorely all-natural with no hormones or antibiotics, missed as gatherings shrank in size during and the pork is all heritage-breed Duroc. The the past year. turkey, when it’s on the menu, comes from Generally, the Weekly writes about new Northern California’s Diestel Family Ranch, restaurants after they’ve been open for a known for its high-quality birds. few weeks, to give chefs time to Of course, one can’t talk barbeSOULBELLY BBQ fine-tune their process. But when cue without discussing sides, which POP-UP we heard that chef Bruce Kalman temper the meats’ flavor punch The Kitchen had a Soulbelly BBQ pop-up going and sometimes even upstage it. at Atomic at the Kitchen at Atomic—a sort of 927 E. Fremont St., Kalman says he has a rotation of 702-534-3223. preview of his permanent restauabout 10 sides, with roughly half Thursday-Friday, rant on Main Street, which is offered each day. The mac and 3-11 p.m.; expected to open in the next couple cheese is one of the best around, Saturday-Sunday, of months—we hightailed it Downwith the chef showing off his chops noon-midnight. town for the cookout’s first Sunday learned as a chef in Italian restauinstallment. It did not disappoint. rants (Union in Pasadena and On the menu board that day were Texas Knead & Co. Pasta Bar and Market at LA’s brisket, St. Louis pork ribs, Carolina pulled Grand Central Market). The cole slaw, collard pork, burnt ends and chipotle cider-glazed greens, ranch beans and green chile and chicken drumsticks—a democratic tour of corn cheddar casserole are also outstanding, smoky flavors that would please any carniwhich makes us eager to come back and see vore, regardless of regional allegiance. And what else Kalman has in the works. it very much speaks to Kalman’s approach to “My mission from the start [was] that our his craft. sides don’t suck,” Kalman says. “Our sides “My guiding philosophy is, it needs to need to be as good, if not better, than the taste awesome,” says Kalman, a James Beard barbecue. There can’t be a slot on the menu nominee and former Top Chef and Chopped where something’s just OK. It has to be delicompetitor. “It’s a chef’s take on the regioncious; it has to be amazing.”

Bruce Kalman previews Soulbelly BBQ ahead of its Arts District opening

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Brisket, pulled pork, chicken, spare ribs and sides from Soulbelly BBQ (Wade Vandervort/Staff)

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TORTAS OR TACOS? Difficult decisions await at El Chacho

BY BROCK RADKE

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wo of the most decadent dishes in the local Mexican culinary lexicon are the stars at the sixmonth-old El Chacho eatery, located next to the Mariana’s supermarket at Flamingo and Eastern.

And honestly, it’s impossible to choose, because both make a perfectly delicious lunch right now.

Though you might be tempted to do as I do and not as I say, I won’t recommend you try to take down both the luscious torta ahogada ($9.50) and a few crispy, cheesy birria tacos ($3 each) in one lunch. It’s overkill. Each is rich and satisfying, a meal on its own that deserves to be savored and appreciated. Either can be one of the best lunches in Las Vegas.

The torta ahogada hasn’t achieved anything near the social media phenom status of those tacos, but if you’ve had a taste of the Guadalajaran masterpiece, you understand why it deserves to be celebrated. El Chacho imports bolillos from that huge city in Jalisco to make sure the texture and taste of the sandwich are just right.

Melt-in-your-mouth roasted pork and thinly sliced red onions are stuffed inside before the whole thing gets drowned in a simple salsa flavored with tomatoes and chile de arbol. It’s messy but so worth it.

El Chacho makes its birria with beef, and you might want to eat it from a bowl ($13.50 small, $15 large)— served with tortillas, lime, onions with cilantro and fried serrano chilies and onions—if you need a hearty warmup. In taco form, served with ultrasavory consommé for dipping, the tender meat is an over-the-top partner for the gooey cheese and griddle-fried tortillas also drenched in that broth. Birria tacos are a rare example of a first bite meeting the foodie hype.

No matter which road you travel, you’re going to be full and happy when you’re done at El Chacho, and that means we’ll have to go back to try the carnitas, tacos dorados, carne asada, al pastor and jericalla ($4.50), which is a sort of cross between flan and crème brûlée.

Or maybe we’ll just stay and have a second lunch.

EL CHACHO 4161 Eastern Ave. #11, 702-832-2683.

Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

El Chacho’s torta ahogada and birria tacos (Christopher DeVargas/Staff)

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FOOD & DRINK

A honey and lavender latte and (below) baked treats at Roma Coffee (Steve Marcus/Staff)

ROMA COFFEE

WINNING HAND Todd Brunson ups the ante on the neighborhood café with Roma Coffee

BY LESLIE VENTURA

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ou might be familiar with Todd Brunson from seeing him in the World Series of Poker. Or maybe you’ve heard of his father, Doyle Brunson, Poker Hall of Famer, author and two-time WSOP main event champion.

In addition to being a professional poker player and lawyer, Todd Brunson is a local business owner.

In 2017, he and some business partners purchased Roma Deli on Spring Mountain Road, and a year later, he opened a second venture, Roma Coffee on Hualapai north of Charleston, for quick food and drink options with a European flair.

The coffee shop has become a hangout for both

3700 S. Hualapai Way #109, 702-331-7071.

Monday-Friday, 6 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturday, 7 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, 7 a.m.-5 p.m.

poker players and java aficionados, but like many Valley restaurants, Brunson explains, it hasn’t been pandemic-resistant.

“It’s been really rough,” he says.

“First of all, everybody’s mindset is that they don’t want to go out, and they cut us down to 25 percent capacity. So on a daily basis at Roma Coffee, they come in and see they have nowhere to sit and just leave. We’ve got tables we can’t use.”

Despite the downturn in business, Roma Coffee has stayed open, and its offerings are just as delicious as when the café opened in 2018.

“We have an actual chef and

multiple bakers,” Bronson says, separating his spot from a corporate chain. And at what other coffee shop can you also score scratch-made lasagna Bolognese, Italian wedding soup and tiramisu?

The croissants, Brunson says, are parbaked in France—“baked halfway and then flash-frozen.” Instead of taking 40 minutes to bake, they’re done in 14 minutes, yet they taste just like the ones you’d get in Paris.

The fresh-garlic egg salad is another must-try, served as a breakfast sandwich with fresh dill, capers and your choice of croissant or bagel. It’s even better paired with a cappuccino or latte.

“One of our specialties is a honey cinnamon latte,” Brunson says. “I put a pump of vanilla in mine. It’s the best coffee drink I’ve ever had.”

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FLEURY THE

FANTASTIC

Is the Golden Knights’ goalie playing the best hockey of his career this season?

BY JUSTIN EMERSON

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arc-André Fleury has been a major factor in the Vegas Golden Knights’ success through the first two months of the season, helping carry the team to a first-place start through 26 games in the NHL’s realigned West Division.

When fellow goaltender Robin Lehner went down with an unspecified injury last month, the onus fell on Fleury to play a lion’s share of the games. Many expected him to succeed, but few could have predicted he’d succeed on this level.

The 36-year-old has thrust himself into the conversation for the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goalie, one award Fleury hasn’t captured during his storied, 17-year NHL career. He has started 20 of the Golden Knights’ first 26 games, winning 15 of them behind a .936 save percentage and 1.77 goals against average—one of the best stretches of his career.

This wasn’t supposed to happen. Fleury essentially lost the job last summer, when Lehner started 16 of the Knights’ 20 playoff games and then signed a five-year extension, becoming Vegas’ presumed goalie of the future and present. Fleury’s days in Vegas looked numbered during an offseason filled with trade rumors—and a perception that his best days were behind him.

He has responded by looking perhaps better than he ever has.

“I feel like I came into this season and put all that stuff behind me and I just played my best,” Fleury says. “I know I don’t have that much time left, and I just wanted to make sure I do my best to enjoy it and be helpful to my team.”

Last season was tough on Fleury for a number of reasons. He started off strong as one of the best goalies in the league, but then tragedy struck when his father died from lung cancer in November 2019.

Fleury posted an emotional win against Chicago in his first game back from a short leave but plummeted from there, finishing the season with a .905 save percentage, his lowest in a decade. That surely informed the Golden Knights’ decision to acquire Lehner at the trade deadline, and for the rest of the reg-

ular season, the two goalies split time before Lehner assumed the starter’s role in the playoffs.

The pair returned to splitting duties for the first 10 games this season before Lehner’s injury put Fleury back in the spotlight. And he has been nearly unbeatable ever since—at least on the ice.

Fleury and the Golden Knights received a major scare on March 11, when he tested positive for COVID-19. A day later, the entire organization exhaled when it was determined to be a false positive, allowing Fleury to return without missing any games, maintaining his momentum.

If he can carry his current save percentage through the full season, it will mark the lowest of a career likely to propel him into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

“It’s pretty remarkable,” says Vegas forward Reilly Smith, a four-year teammate of Fleury’s. “I think it shows the character

Marc-André Fleury (Isaac Brekken/AP/Photo Illustration)

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Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (29) stops a Minnesota Wild shot on March 3.

(John Locher/AP/Photo Illustration)

he has. From Day 1 that I’ve been able to play with him, he shows up to the rink every day with a big smile on his face, happy to be there.”

So, is this the best Fleury has ever looked? It’s close, even though he has put together several terrific runs over the years.

During a 10-game stretch in 2012-13 with the Pittsburgh Penguins, for example, Fleury posted a .950 save percentage.

In 2007-08, it was .944 during his last 21 games, though he missed a large portion of the season with injury. Similarly, he started his Golden Knights tenure with a .946 save percentage in 16 games before missing a month with injury.

Even if this year’s number—again, .936 at press time—isn’t quite as elevated, considering the offseason circumstances and in-season durability demands, there’s a good case to be made that this is the best Fleury has ever looked.

Then again, legends are made in the playoffs, and Fleury’s season will ultimately be judged on how he performs with stakes at their highest. And don’t doubt his postseason odds— he has amassed a long track record of success there, too.

Two playoff runs, in particular, have defined Fleury’s greatness to this point. The first came in 2008, a year before his famous buzzer-beating save on Nicklas Lidstrom to win the Penguins the Cup. Pittsburgh lost to Detroit in the ’08 Stanley Cup Final but got there on Fleury’s back. The then-23-year-old put up a .938 save percentage in the Eastern Conference playoffs and tallied more shutouts (3) than losses (2). He was solid in the final with a .923 save percentage, but the Red Wings’ dominance proved too much to overcome.

A decade later, Fleury turned in a performance Golden Knights fans will never forget, going 12-3 against LA, San Jose and Winnipeg in his initial postseason with Vegas, posting a .947 save percentage, four shutouts and less than two goals per game.

Fleury was the best player on the ice almost every night, carrying the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup Final. It was objectively the most spectacular run of his career.

He still has work to do to separate this as his best-ever season, but he should at least get the opportunity. The Golden Knights are the current Stanley Cup co-favorites (alongside Tampa Bay and Colorado), and sit atop the West Division.

That positioning is in large part a testament to Fleury, both his ability to overcome adversity and to continue playing near his peak late into his career.

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(NHLI via Getty Images)

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■ PLAYER OF THE WEEKLY: DYLAN COGHLAN The rookie defenseman scored his first NHL goal in the opening period March 10 against Minnesota, then scored two more in the third to complete the hat trick. He added an assist in the next game to help the Golden Knights edge St. Louis, 5-4.

Report THIS WEEK’S VOTE 1. Dylan Coghlan 2. Mark Stone 3. Reilly Smith 4. Jonathan Marchessault 5. Shea Theodore As voted by Las Vegas Weekly’s panel, based on games March 8-14.

SEASON STANDINGS 1. Mark Stone (23 points) 2. Marc-André Fleury (19) 3. Max Pacioretty (18) 4. Jonathan Marchessault/Alex Tuch (tied, 15) 5 points for 1st place in a week, 4 for 2nd, 3 for 3rd, 2 for 4th, 1 for 5th.

UPCOMING GAMES March 19 at Los Angeles Kings, 7 p.m.

March 21 at Los Angeles Kings, 3 p.m.* March 22 vs. St. Louis Blues, 7 p.m.

Games air on AT&T SportsNet and 98.9-FM/1340-AM unless noted. *Game airs on NBC Sports Network.

STANLEY CUP ODDS: 6-TO-1 at Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook PROSPECT WATCH: JACK DUGAN The 22-year-old forward has stood out in his first pro season after graduating from Providence College. He tallied two assists against San Diego on March 14, and now has 11 assists in 12 games to go with one goal, making him a point-per-game player.

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‘Wolf of Water Street’ bullish on potential of downtown Henderson

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BY BRYAN HORWATH solation is not the preferred environment for Henderson casino owner Tim Brooks.

Brooks, owner of Emerald Island and the Rainbow Club in downtown Henderson, would much rather be telling a story and sharing a laugh with customers.

But in December, the 59-year-old Brooks tested positive for COVID-19, showing only mild symptoms.

He had to quarantine for a time in a spare bedroom at his Henderson home. That meant no contact with his wife, Jari, and the couple’s Labrador, Jagger.

“Our dog would be scratching at the door to get in,” Brooks said. “My wife would leave a grilled cheese sandwich for me at the door. For me, it just felt like the flu—I never lost my sense of smell or taste. I was lucky, because my doctor had it and was in the hospital for six weeks.”

Now, Brooks is back in downtown Henderson doing what he loves—being around people.

During a recent weekday morning, he was walking the floor of Emerald Island, talking with customers and helping a woman with a question about her loyalty club points. He co-owns the properties with his twin brother, Mike Brooks.

The casino wasn’t jam-packed, but it was busy.

Since Nevada casinos were allowed to reopen in June, business has been steady, Brooks said.

As part of their growth strategy, last year the Brooks brothers purchased the Rainbow Club Casino, which is just a short walk from Emerald Island.

They had plans for an Emerald Island renovation project last year, but the pandemic pushed that back.

Combined, Emerald Island and Rainbow Club employ more than 250 people.

Mike Brooks, who lives in California, handles much of the financial side for the casinos, leaving Tim to essentially be the face of the operation.

“I love interacting with our guests and our team every day,” Tim Brooks said. “At times, dealing with the

public can be challenging, but the good far outweighs the bad. When I had COVID, I just wanted to get back to work.”

Brooks serves on the Henderson Chamber of Commerce’s executive board and on the board of the Water Street District Business Association. He also serves on the board of directors for Boys and Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada.

Just as he has embraced downtown Henderson, it seems the city has embraced him.

“Whatever Tim’s a part of, I want to be a part of,

too,” said Scott Muelrath, president and CEO of the Henderson Chamber. “He has that type of personality. People want to be around him. That’s why they call him the Wolf of Water Street.”

Another word Muelrath used to describe Brooks—“genuine”—might best describe the casino owner. Brooks is known for greeting regular customers by name and for being quick to share a laugh.

Brooks said that despite the pandemic, he remains “bullish” on downtown Henderson and sees a bright future for the area.

Lifeguard Arena, which will house operations for the minor league Henderson Silver Knights, is now open on Water Street and the rebranded Pass Casino—formerly Eldorado—is scheduled to open in April.

In Brooks’ world, not even a would-be competitor is viewed as an adversary. He instead has taken the macro view about the pending opening of the property, which has remained closed since the mandatory casino shutdown period a year ago.

“At the end of the day, the Pass is going to be a great benefit for Emerald Island and the Rainbow Club,” Brooks said. “More people coming downtown is good for everyone.”

When he’s not working, Brooks likes to follow his beloved Los Angeles Dodgers and watch or attend Vegas Golden Knights games with his wife.

Whatever he’s doing, he’s likely to be doing it with a smile and sunny disposition.

“That seems to come naturally to me,” Brooks said.

“I like people.”

Tim Brooks, at his Emerald Island casino in downtown Henderson (Wade Vandervort/Staff)

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VegasInc Notes The National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation named Carole Fisher as the new president of the organization. Fisher has more than 35 years’ experience leading and transforming for-profFisher it and mission-driven health care organizations. Tom Koutsoumpas, who co-founded NPHI in 2014 and has since been president and CEO of NPHI will continue to serve as CEO. Elite Medical Center announced James Resendez as the facility’s new CEO. With nearly 30 years of hospital and health care leadership experience, Resendez will focus on furthering the company’s growth Resendez and expanding its community footprint throughout the greater Las Vegas area.

UNLV student and U.S. Air Force veteran Andrew Ho was named 2020 Student Veteran of the Year, a national recogni-

tion from Student Veterans of America.

He’s the second UNLV student to receive the award.

Gaming Laboratories International was named Best Laboratory in the SAGSE Awards 2020. Additionally, GLI’s vice president of Latin America & Caribbean, Karen Sierra-Hughes was named a Top Leader in the Land-based and Online Gaming categories.

Cure 4 The Kids Foundation hired Brooke Conway-Kleven to manage its physical medicine department.

Conway-Kleven is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association and holds advanced certifications Conway-Kleven in functional dry needling and precision nutrition, and is a certified exercise physiologist. She is working on her Ph.D. in public health with an emphasis in epidemiology and biostatistics.

Sahara Las Vegas promoted Candace Ochoa to executive chef of Bazaar Meat by José Andrés, where she will oversee all culinary operations for the award-winning restaurant. Ochoa has

now slicing

extraordinary order at capriottis.com for pick-up or delivery

been with ThinkFoodGroup, the company behind Chef José Andrés’ group of restaurants, for 10 years, and is the only executive chef to have worked at all of Andrés’ Bazaar locations.

Sun Commercial Real Estate announced its top producing teams/ individuals of 2020.

The Top Producers include the Investment Services Group, consisting of Cathy Davis Jones, CCIM, SIOR, Paul Miachika and Alexandria Malone; Lisa Hauger and Tim Erickson; and Pete Janemark, CCIM. In addition, Sun Commercial welcomed Amy Davis to its marketing department as a marketing specialist. Davis previously worked in the entertainment industry where she was responsible for social media management and engagement.

Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada announced Hilary Nelson, Lexicon Bank’s senior vice president of operations and compliance, joined its board of directors.

United Way of SouthNelson ern Nevada appointed five new leaders to serve on its board of directors, including Sheila Bangalore,

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chief strategy officer and general counsel of MP Materials; Michelle Mercado, regional banking district manager of Wells Fargo Bank; Patricia Morris, managing director of EY; Scott Savarda, director of sales for Nevada Group with Enterprise Holdings; and Tom Wszalek, founding partner of the SW14 Group.

The nonprofit Unshakeable appointed Korin Woods as executive director. Woods will work with organization founder and president Debbie Isaacs to foster relationships with community partners and enhance programs Woods and services, including the Empower to Employ program.

City National Bank hired Krishna Agrawal as the new relationship manager of its Tropicana branch. Agrawal joins City National from Caterpillar Financial, with nearly 10 years of experience in the finanAgrawal cial services industry.

The Vox Agency announced its newest client, Nirmy, a business-discovery app providing consumers a way to explore restaurants, retail, services, entertainment options and more throughout Southern Nevada.

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