ASTONISHING. UNPREDICTABLE. MIND-BENDING. Omega Mart is the newest interactive experience from groundbreaking art collective, Meow Wolf. Featuring jaw-dropping work from international and local artists, Omega Mart sends participants of all ages on a journey through surreal worlds and immersive storytelling. Discover secret portals or simply soak up the innovative art as you venture beyond an extraordinary supermarket into parts unknown.
Get tickets at meow.wf/lvweekly | @
LOC_PrintAD_HalfPageVERTICAL.pdf 1 3/30/2021 2:26:07 PM
PUBLISHER MARK DE POOTER mark.depooter@gmgvegas.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER KATIE DIXON katie.dixon@gmgvegas.com EDITOR SPENCER PATTERSON spencer.patterson@gmgvegas.com
EDITORIAL Senior Editor GEOFF CARTER (geoff.carter@gmgvegas.com) Managing Editor/News DAVE MONDT (dave.mondt@gmgvegas.com) Deputy Editor GENEVIE DURANO (genevie.durano@gmgvegas.com) Editor at Large BROCK RADKE (brock.radke@gmgvegas.com) Staff Writers HILLARY DAVIS, JUSTIN EMERSON, MIKE GRIMALA, BRYAN HORWATH, SARA MACNEIL, C. MOON REED, JOHN SADLER, RICARDO TORRES-CORTEZ, LESLIE VENTURA Contributing Editors RAY BREWER, JOHN FRITZ, CASE KEEFER, WADE MCAFERTY, KEN MILLER, JOHN TAYLOR Office Coordinator NADINE GUY
CREATIVE Art Director CORLENE BYRD (corlene.byrd@gmgvegas.com) Designer IAN RACOMA Multimedia Manager YASMINA CHAVEZ Photographers CHRISTOPHER DEVARGAS, STEVE MARCUS, WADE VANDERVORT C
M
Y
DIGITAL Publisher of Digital Media KATIE HORTON Web Content Specialist CLAYT KEEFER Digital Marketing Intern EM JURBALA
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
ADVERTISING & MARKETING External Content Manager EMMA CAUTHORN Special Publications Manager JENNIFER INABA Market Research Manager CHAD HARWOOD Publication Coordinator DENISE ARANCIBIA Senior Advertising Managers BRIANNA KOURETAS, SUE SRAN Account Executives BRITTANY BURRIDGE, MIKE MALL, ADAIR NOWACKI, ALEX TEEL Events Manager SAMANTHA PETSCH
PRODUCTION Vice President of Manufacturing MARIA BLONDEAUX Production Director PAUL HUNTSBERRY Production Manager BLUE UYEDA Marketing Art Director DANY HANIFF Production Artist MARISSA MAHERAS Traffic Coordinator JEANNE GLEESON
CIRCULATION Route Manager RANDY CARLSON Fulfillment Manager DORIS HOLLIFIELD
GREENSPUN MEDIA GROUP CEO, Publisher & Editor BRIAN GREENSPUN Chief Operating Officer ROBERT CAUTHORN Editorial Page Editor RIC ANDERSON
ON THE COVER
DeAndre Esteen by Wade Vandervort Alana Litavis by Christopher DeVargas Photo Illustration
LAS VEGAS WEEKLY 2275 Corporate Circle Suite 300 Henderson, NV 89074 (702) 990-2550 www.lasvegasweekly.com www.facebook.com/lasvegasweekly www.twitter.com/lasvegasweekly
All content is copyright Las Vegas Weekly LLC. Las Vegas Weekly is published Thursdays and distributed throughout Southern Nevada. Readers are permitted one free copy per issue. Additional copies are $2, available back issues $3. ADVERTISING DEADLINE EVERY THURSDAY AT 5 P.M.
6
L A S V E G A S W E E K LY
4 .1 . 2 1
NEW RESORTS INNOVATE BY BLENDING SPORTS AND NIGHTLIFE While sports betting has spread like wildfire across the country in recent years, the concept of the Las Vegas sportsbook has evolved into a more dynamic experience. A shift is taking place at the newest resorts. When Circa opened Downtown in October, the huge Stadium Swim pool complex garnered as much attention as its massive sportsbook. And at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, which made its debut last week, a new venue set to launch in May is designed to offer a high-energy sports betting and viewing environment combined with a restaurant, bar and nightclub-style party space. It’s called Money, Baby!, and it’s the first Vegas project from the Clive Collective, a hospitality company that has launched diverse bar and restaurant concepts across the country. Sports betting and watch parties have been an essential element in the early success of Circa, which opened in two phases over the fall and winter. Super Bowl weekend was a highlight even though COVID restrictions limited capacities at Circa’s largest venues, the sportsbook and Stadium Swim pool deck. And with spring temperatures returning and casino resort dayclubs reopening as more relaxed, lounge-style experiences at reduced capacities, Stadium Swim can really flex its muscle as a combination resort pool, outdoor sports viewing venue and party pool. Its design is focused more on a casual experience with sports and betting opportunities, but Circa can put a DJ in the booth or a live band onstage and change the energy at will. –Brock Radke
WEEK IN REVIEW WEEK AHEAD N EWS YO U S H O U L D K N OW A B O U T
Women in mirrored suits perform on the Mohegan Sun Casino floor during the opening of Virgin Hotels Las Vegas on March 25. (Steve Marcus/Staff)
4 .1 . 2 1
IN THIS ISSUE
10 14 20 22 27
Home: Spring cleaning tips to renew your space The Strip: Zombie Burlesque, meet Tiger King Food & Drink: Jamie Tran debuts on Top Chef Sports: Kevin Kruger takes over UNLV basketball Cover story: 40 people who will change this city
STORIES FROM LAST WEEK JOBLESS CLAIMS FALL The number of people seeking unemployment benefits fell sharply the third week of March, to 684,000, the fewest since the pandemic erupted a year ago. It is the first time that weekly applications for jobless aid have fallen below 700,000 since mid-March of last year. Before the pandemic tore through the economy, applications had never topped that level.
PRICEY PAINTING
FOX NEWS SUED Dominion Voting Systems filed a $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News on March 26, arguing the cable news giant, in an effort to boost faltering ratings, falsely claimed that the voting company had rigged the 2020 election.
CAESARS LOSSES
HE SAID IT
7I
5
A rare painting by Vincent van Gogh was sold at auction March 25 by Sotheby’s Paris for $15.4 million. The sale of “Street Scene in Montmartre” was highly anticipated, as it was one of the few paintings by the Dutch impressionist master to still have been in private hands.
“They passed a law saying you can’t provide water for people standing in line while they’re waiting to vote. You don’t need anything else to know this is nothing but punitive, designed to keep people from voting.” –President Joe Biden, March 26, referring to a law signed by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp that curtails voting hours, restrict absentee ballots in ways that will effectively deny the right to vote to countless people, and make it a crime to provide water to voters while they wait in line to cast their ballots
L A S V E G A S W E E K LY
Caesars Entertainment is putting its losses due to the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 at more than $2 billion, and is suing insurance carriers it accuses of balking at paying its business-interruption costs. In a lawsuit, Caesars named 60 insurers it says are rejecting its claims to recoup losses under about $3.4 billion in insurance policies it had for catastrophic business losses.
CALIFORNIA VACCINES California is expanding its vaccine eligibility to anyone 50 and over starting in April and anyone 16 and over on April 15. Gov. Gavin Newsom said March 25 that the state expects to receive 2.5 million doses a week in the first half of April and more than 3 million a week in the second half of the month. That’s up from the roughly 1.8 million doses a week the state was getting.
The Henderson Silver Knights’ mascot, Lucky, performs during a game against the Colorado Eagles at the Orleans Arena on March 27. The Silver Knights won the game, 4-3, to improve to 15-3-0 on the season, putting them in first place in the American Hockey League’s Pacific Division with a league-best 30 points. Their next home game will be at 7 p.m. April 15 against Tucson. (Steve Marcus/Staff)
VISITOR NUMBERS SPIKE IN FEBRUARY February visitation to Las Vegas increased by 19% when compared with January, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Just over 1.5 million people visited Las Vegas during the month— still a 54% drop from February 2020. Strip hotel occupancy for February spiked to 42%, a more than 10% jump from January, but still well off the 88% figure from February 2020, which was just before the large-scale onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. Throughout Las Vegas, hotels saw weekend occupancy in February increase by 15% when compared with the previous month. Through February, about 2.8 million people have visited Las Vegas, according to the LVCVA, which is about 4 million less than what the city attracted during the first two months of 2020. –Bryan Horwath
NEVADA COULD REACH HERD IMMUNITY
IN MATTER OF MONTHS, EXPERT SAYS
Nevada hasn’t achieved herd immunity against COVID-19, but it’s close enough to be characterized by one leading state public health official as “herd dulling.” Mark Pandori, director of the Nevada State Public Health Laboratory in Reno, estimated that about 30% to 40% of Nevadans are immune because they have naturally acquired antibodies, which become present by catching the virus. As vaccinations continue, that could bring the state to the ideal level of protection of about 70% within a couple of months, he said. According to data from the state Department of Health and Human Services, about 24% of Nevadans had received at least one shot of the vaccine as of March 23. The first vaccines came to Nevada in mid-December in limited amounts for health care workers, and are set to open up to the adult general public on April 5. Herd immunity requires several moving parts—caveats like the unknowns of how many people had undiagnosed infections, reinfections and the knowledge that the vaccines are not 100% effective. Epidemiologists also make complex calculations based on virus characteristics—how efficiently it spreads, for example. That means virus variants could derail Nevada’s progress, but at least so far, the most frequently seen variation—variant B.1.1.7, known colloquially as the U.K. variant—has been shown in recent studies to face resistance from natural and vaccine-induced antibodies, despite being more easily spread. –Hillary Davis
8
LV W H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S
4 .1 . 2 1
WELLNESS IS CENTRAL The Valley’s LGBTQ community has a hard time finding medical help. The Center aims to change that BY GEOFF CARTER
S
ince its founding in the early 1990s, the Center has strived to give Southern Nevada’s LGBTQ folk the help they couldn’t find elsewhere. Its Downtown headquarters is packed with resources—individual and group mental health services, a free computer center, meeting spaces, yoga classes, shower services for the housing-insecure, a lending library and more—intended to benefit not only the LGBTQ community but anyone who’s hurting and in need. Now, the Center plans to add two more important elements to its community-building mission: a self-sustaining pharmacy and a primary care health clinic. It’s long overdue, says the Center’s CEO, John Waldron. “If you were to ask a member of the LGBTQ community [where to go for] comprehensive health and wellness … there are maybe one or two sources in Southern Nevada.” He cites some dismaying statistics: 73% of transgender people say they’ve
(Courtesy)
4 .1 . 2 1
been treated differently by medical personnel because of their LGBTQ status, while 56% of lesbian, gay and bisexual people reported discrimination by medical personnel that ranged from harsh verbal or physical treatment to a flat-out refusal of care. The Center hopes to provide a place where anyone can get the care and medication they need without fear of persecution—and wants to get it going quickly. Waldron spoke to the Weekly about the organization’s evolving wellness mission. What kind of wellness offerings does the Center currently provide? We’ve historically provided HIV testing and counseling, but in 2020 we started doing full STD screening. And should they test positive on anything, we have an on-site nurse practitioner who can see and get them the treatment they need. In cases where a client wants to talk about PrEP—the drug that is used to prevent HIV, for those people who are HIV negative—they can also meet with our nurse practitioner to talk about the PrEP program. The Center is adding an on-site pharmacy. What motivated that decision? Right now, we work with Optum as our contracted pharmacy. When somebody gets a prescription here, they go to the Optum pharmacy and fill it. The advantage to our clients [of an on-site pharmacy] is that they can come get the testing that they need, see a nurse practitioner for any treatment that they might need and then walk right over to our pharmacy and be able to fill their prescriptions and be on their way with their scripts in the same visit. That’s critical when it comes to things like HIV. We know that when somebody tests positive for HIV, it’s essential that we get them on medications as soon as possible, because we know that when somebody takes their meds consistently, eventually [their HIV] will be undetectable. And when somebody is undetectable in terms of HIV, then we know that they are untransmissable as well—a campaign called “U equals U.”
A full health clinic would fulfill even more wellness needs inhouse. How badly does the Valley need it? If you’re a member of the trans community or the intersex community, it can be really challenging to find a provider. And often, when they do find providers, they’ll be in a situation where the provider will misuse their pronouns. They will not respect them. They will not understand the unique challenges that they might be facing. I’ll give you one quick example: We have a client of the Center who is a member of the intersex community; their pronouns are they/them. And when they went to a primary care provider here in Southern Nevada and explained to the doctor that they are a member of the intersex community … the doctor made them go get a drug test, because they didn’t believe that this person was telling the truth and that there was something wrong with them. Those are the kind of problematic scenarios that people in the LGBTQ
LV W H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S
community face sometimes when seeking health care.
The Center is seeking donations from corporate, private and public donors for its wellness expansion. To give, visit thecenterlv.org/donate.
HIV services manager Todd Dickey (left) demonstrates counseling with a client after testing and providing support materials. Both individuals are Center staff who acted out this scenario. (Tony Harvey/Courtesy)
How has COVID-19 added urgency to the Center’s mission? We’ve done a lot during the COVID crisis. [We have] 1,200 meals a week going out to people who are still in their homes and not able to access food. And a lot of people in the LGBTQ community were significantly impacted by COVID; there was a lot of unemployment faced. We’ve been able to help them with housing programming. What’s the timetable for the addition of the pharmacy and clinic? The pharmacy is likely to be online in the beginning of 2022, [and] we’re hopeful to be able to start primary care in 2022 as well. Right now, we work with Huntridge Family Clinic; they provided the nurse practitioners who work here on-site. We’re hopeful to strengthen that partnership and expand it to the point of offering primary health care here.
9I
10
L A S V E G A S W E E K LY
4 .1 . 2 1
REVIVE, REFRESH Breathe new life into your home by spring cleaning
DIY CLEAN
To get the ball rolling on your spring cleaning, here are five areas in your home that need that special attention this time of year.
BY GENEVIE DURANO
S
pring is in the air, but the pandemic winter’s dreariness might still be taking residence in forgotten corners of your home. Yes, you’ll need lots of elbow grease to undertake the annual spring cleaning ritual, but the benefits are immense, including improved mental well-being. We’re not talking about daily or weekly tidying up. This means visiting long-neglected nooks and crannies. To start, air out your house by opening all the windows and doors. If there’s anything we’ve learned from the pandemic, it’s that circulation and ventilation are key. (Sorry, Purell. The best sanitizer in the world is free.) Once you’ve filled your lungs with all that clean air, it’s time to roll up those sleeves. But, Elena Ledoux of Superb Maids (superbmaids. net) cautions, be prepared to spend more than one day on this undertaking. “I would recommend tackling and breaking it up into chunks, because most people don’t realize that to do a good, thorough professional cleaning takes four to five times more hours than what people would assume,” she says. “Let’s say you casually clean your house on the weekend on a regular basis. That could be a three-hour project. But if you want to do a thorough, topto-bottom clean, it could be like 16, 20 hours. I feel like it would be discouraging for somebody to say, ‘I want to do spring cleaning today’ and expect that will end today. [You’re] just setting
Ceiling fans, windows and curtains. For most of us, cleaning is an out of sight, out of mind proposition, which means things higher up, like ceiling fans, rarely get a second glance. Windows, too, don’t get the attention they deserve. Clean your screen and vacuum out all the bugs that get stuck in the crevices. Curtains need professional cleaning at least once, if not twice a year, according to Elena Ledoux of SuperbMaids.
(Shutterstocl/Photo Illustration)
4 .1 . 2 1
L A S V E G A S W E E K LY
11I
Closets. If you’ve looked in your closet and immediately felt the need to close it, you’re not alone. The best course of action is to be merciless in discarding things that no longer serve you, including clothes rendered obsolete by pandemic weight gain. Donate them so they can be of use to someone else.
Air filters. Air filters typically need to be changed every one to three months, depending on the type you buy. Spring is a good time to remember to replace them, and you should—they make all the difference in the quality of air you breathe at home.
Degrease the kitchen. There’s a reason you don’t look too closely under the hood (or the tops of your cabinets and fridge)— there’s a layer of grease there that looks like it could come to life. Clean these hard-toreach places with soap and hot water or a degreaser, and wipe clean. Ledoux then suggests cutting out a piece of paper (like parchment) and layering it on top to catch the grease, so the next time you look up there, it won’t be as scary.
Patio. Here’s one part of your house that provides a lot of joy, especially when the weather is nice. Give your patio a good sweep and spruce it up by replacing beat-up furniture cushions. “If you do a one-time cleaning in that area, you get to use it for quite a while,” Ledoux says.
yourself up for failure.” So have a plan in place. Start with the least-used room, like a guest bedroom, and clean from the top, starting with the ceiling fans. When you’re done with the room, sanitize and polish the door knob and close the door. You’ll feel like you accomplished something and be mentally set up to tackle the most trafficked rooms, like the kitchen and the living room, Ledoux says. And if spending hours doing a deep clean feels too overwhelming, consider enlisting help from a professional service. “Typically what someone wants done in the spring cleaning package are the things they don’t get to all of the time,” says Kimberly Mazzone of Kimberly’s Kleaning (kimberlyskleaning.com) in Henderson, “like wiping down the baseboards, maybe wiping down the doors, getting all the blinds, cleaning the oven and refrigerator, moving things in the house to get behind them.” As for cost, every house is different; it’s not necessarily about square footage as how lived-in your house might be. The more people and pets, the more cleaning that will need to be done. But you don’t have to do the whole house at once. Kimberly’s offers a two-hour special for $135 with two cleaners, and you can specify which part of the house you want them to focus on. “What we do is individualized custom cleaning, where we do what the customer wants,” Mazzone says. “We’ve had calls where people will go, ‘Kimberly, can you send the girls out just to get my blinds, my baseboards and my ceiling fan.’ Because they enjoy cleaning their house and they have a budget, and we’re OK with that.”
12
LV W C U LT U R E
4 .1 . 2 1
BIG THIS WEEK
SWITCHED ON POP Popular music is a deceptively deep topic. In this weekly podcast, musicologist Nate Sloan and songwriter Charlie Harding dive into it and puzzle out the likes of Queen, Dua Lipa, Cyndi Lauper, Fiona Apple and The Weeknd. switchedonpop.com
BOOK FILM
THE WORLD’S A LITTLE BLURRY The new Apple TV documentary about Grammy-winning singer Billie Eilish explores the 19-year-old’s creative process, her massive breakout LP—made with her brother in their California home—and being a newly famous millionaire while also still a teenager. During its deep two-hour dive, TWALB chronicles the ups and downs of Eilish’s life and the visionary power she wields in all aspects of her work. AppleTV. –Leslie Ventura
MUSIC
ABANDONED NEVADA BY SUSAN TATTERSON
JULIEN BAKER: LITTLE OBLIVIONS
“A century of abandonment under the blazing desert sun [has] created a desolate scene more realistic than could be imagined or replicated in a Hollywood studio.” So Susan Tatterson describes the ghost town of Rhyolite, but that phrase could also speak of the many Nevada towns photographed and described in this book. Through breezily written historical accounts and a wealth of naturally sepia-toned images, Tatterson offers a fun accounting of our state’s love affair with the silver and gold ore, and the broken-down places left in its wake. $25, arcadiapublishing.com. –Geoff Carter
Listening to Julien Baker’s third album, one feels the 25-year-old multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter has experienced three lifetimes of hard living. And in a way she has, chronicling in her intimate songwriting growing up gay, Christian and hardcore in the South, and dealing with drug addiction as a teen. Oblivions mines the murky waters of substance abuse and wrecked relationships, with Baker taking all that messiness and turning it into art (with a little help from her friends and boygenius bandmates Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus). –Genevie Durano
4 .1 . 2 1
LV W C U LT U R E
One of Blair’s more extensive ruins. (Reprinted from Abandoned Nevada: All That Glittered by Susan Tatterson, Fonthill Media 2021/Courtesy)
JUSTICE LEAGUE No, not that one. The outstanding 2001-2006 animated series is now on HBO Max as well, and many of its episodes pack more action and character development into 23 minutes than Zack Snyder managed in 4 hours. HBO Max.
( Co u r te
sy )
OUR PICKS FOR THE WEEK AHEAD
EXHIBIT SHOW
COMEDY COMPOUND AT THE SPACE Only some of the top comedy clubs in Las Vegas have been able to reopen so far, and the Space is helping to fill that void with its new Comedy Compound stand-up series. Taking the stage for the first installation is America’s Got Talent finalist and Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club resident Vicki Barbolak, along with L.A. Comedy Club (at the Strat) resident Bret Ernst, Laugh Factory (at the Trop) regular Ahmed Ahmed and others. April 7, 8 p.m., $25 in person, $5 livestream, thespacelv.com. –Brock Radke
AARON COWAN: (PLAY)GROUND ZERO An archery target made of roses. Baseball mitts that have been repurposed into mini AstroTurf gardens. A tent with cheery rainbow-painted camo. These are just a few of the stereotype-defying sculptures in artist Aaron Cowan’s midway MFA exhibition at UNLV, (Play)Ground Zero. “I’d like viewers to consider … their own experiences with masculinity,” Cowan says. “I’d like to inspire an ethical manhood, not based on violence, strength or domination.” His videos and sculptures offer playful yet thoughtful alternatives to the world as we know it. Through April 2, UNLV’s Grant Hall Gallery, free, RSVP at bit.ly/3ffyltm. –C. Moon Reed
13I
14
LV W C U LT U R E
4 .1 . 2 1
WILD INSPIRATION Enoch Augustus Scott takes Tiger King beyond parody
4 .1 . 2 1
LV W C U LT U R E
15I
THE STRIP
BY BROCK RADKE
E
noch Augustus Scott formed strong bonds with pop culture in a familiar fashion. “I had a single mom who worked, so the TV raised me. I grew up on Carol Burnett and The Muppet Show and then Golden Girls, all sorts of cartoons and The Jeffersons,” says the versatile entertainer, who has been in Las Vegas for 18 years, most recently starring in the still-shuttered Zombie Burlesque on the Strip. “So much of my comedic sensibilities were shaped by The Facts of Life. And I was one of those kids that comic books just hit. I’ve always used this stuff as an escape.” We’ve all made similar nostalgic connections, but few of us could deftly analyze a cultural phenomenon and translate it into finely textured art. Scott did just that with the first viral media obsession of the coronavirus era: Tiger King. “I just think he’s so American,” Scott says of Joe Exotic, the nowiconic star felon of the Netflix documentary. “For good or bad, there’s something uniquely American about his story—and people’s reaction to it—that I was fascinated by. He didn’t start out this way, but through drug use and whatever, he ended up a monster, the kind of person who would talk about his dead husband’s dick in front of his mother at his funeral. And people ended up loving him, the way we do in America.” That fascination evolved into pandemic project Tiger Thing, an eight-song concept album written by Scott and College of Southern Nevada fine arts professor Mark Wherry. The two have previously collaborated on musical Baritones of Love, which received the Best of Vegas Fringe Festival award in 2019. The album also includes contributions from local singers Ashley Fuller, Katie Kenner and David Villella and musicians
FOR GOOD OR BAD, THERE’S SOMETHING UNIQUELY AMERICAN ABOUT HIS STORY—AND PEOPLE’S REACTION TO IT—THAT I WAS FASCINATED BY. -Enoch Augustus Scott
Aaron Fuller and Shaun DeGraff. Tiger Thing can be experienced on YouTube (bit.ly/2NS0riS) and Facebook (bit.ly/3lV3UtM), with titles like “Tiger Boogie,” “You Ain’t That Straight” and “The Waltz for Melania.” Catchy and obviously comedic, they could definitely become the source material for a stage show, especially since there’s a lot more to them than simply parodying Joe Exotic. “Donald [Trump] and Melania are in Tiger Thing, because to me they are cut from the same cloth, just separated by class. One was lucky to be born rich and one wasn’t,” Scott says, explaining that the comparison is summed up in “The Mayor Song.” “It goes, ‘Everybody is the mayor of their own town until the FBI brings you down.’ All of the stuff that went on this year—vaccines and masks and everything surrounding COVID—it’s all wrapped up beautifully by Joe Exotic.
“I’ve thought a lot about why America reacted the way it did to COVID,” Scott continues. “What is this streak that makes us do this? My theory is that at some point in the life of every American or their ancestors, somebody said, ‘I’m not abiding by your rules anymore. I’m going someplace else.’ Part of that is beautiful, but part is this streak that is Joe Exotic or Donald Trump, where some of us are just going to stick a middle finger up at everything.” While he waits for Zombie Burlesque to return to the V Theater stage at the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood—likely in late spring or early summer—Scott will keep tinkering with his Tiger Thing songs while also continuing to unspool an online project titled The Untitled Vegas Game Show, which features fellow local entertainers. “I’m sure I’ll really enjoy making other crazy things soon,” he promises. “I just have to stay busy. I really was that kid that made other people be in plays in my backyard. It was interesting to see, when there was nothing else to do, what will you naturally do? I did what I’ve always been doing, trying to make something happen, putting on wigs and eyepatches and making characters. That’s just a part of me.”
Enoch Augustus Scott portraying Joe Exotic (Photos by Christopher DeVargas/Staff))
16
LV W C U LT U R E
4 .1 . 2 1
NOISE BY LESLIE VENTURA
GRAND REOPENING Prepare to be surprised by Vegas band Luxury Furniture Store
“Big things are coming soon,” says Will Kim, singer and guitarist for Las Vegas indie rock band Luxury Furniture Store. But he’s careful not to reveal much more. “That’s one of the things about our art. We really do well off the element of surprise.” Though Kim might be tight-lipped about future endeavors, we do know the group released a threesong cassette (and digital download) titled Bizarre Recollections on March 5, rounding up songs released during last year’s pandemic lockdown. “All those singles were COVID releases, in a way,” Kim says. “We didn’t really mean it to have such weight, but I think music in general really hits home in a hard period like that. That’s what music is supposed to do, put meaning into pain and suffering.” Comprising Kim, bassist Julian West and synth player Holly Haywood, Luxury Furniture Store has morphed over the years from a psych-rock band to a shoegaze act. And now, the trio is preparing to shapeshift once more. “We’ve been trying to keep a lot of it a huge secret,” Kim says. “We were on a roll with releasing singles and then just suddenly stopped. I think art has a lot to do with business tactics, and there’s an artistic way to do it, having an element of surprise. We haven’t officially announced anything, but we’re definitely working on some cool stuff.”
Kim says Haywood, who’s also his girlfriend, handpicked the three singles for Bizarre Recollections—the fuzzy, dream-poppy “Crimson Hearts,” “Rainbow Wheel of Death” and “Warming Up.” The three musicians all contribute to the musical process in different ways. “I write all the songs,” Kim says, “Julian does all the recording and producing and helps me realize my ideas. And Holly, she’s like the art director. She’s always behind me going, ‘Ooh, that sounds awesome,’ or ‘That sounds like sh*t.’ She’s one of the people who has a lot of say in what the band chooses to release.” While COVID-19 isn’t completely in the rearview just yet, Bizarre Recollections sounds like progress—a band moving ahead after the isolation of 2020. “Everyone says it, but [writing] it was the only thing keeping me sane,” Kim says of the pandemic. He says the band looks forward to playing shows and eventually returning to life as usual. “Just being able to have some tea with some of my friends,” Kim says. “I just miss things being normal.”
LUXURY FURNITURE STORE Luxuryfurniturestore.bandcamp.com Linktr.ee/Luxuryfurniturestore
Luxury Furniture Store (Yasmina Chavez/Staff)
L O ID
B I
L L Y •
LIVE IN LAS VEGAS OCTOBER 16 - 17, 2021 OCTOBER 22 - 23, 2021 Tickets available at cosmopolitanlasvegas.com
18
LV W C U LT U R E
4 .1 . 2 1
SWANNY’S CYCLES 2525 W. Horizon Ridge Parkway #120, 702-483-3500. Tuesday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
From left, co-owners Joseph Garey and Zabi Naqshband at Swanny’s Cycles (Wade Vandervort/Staff)
CYCLING
4 .1 . 2 1
LV W C U LT U R E
SCENE Tragedy doesn’t knock new Henderson bicycle shop Swanny’s Cycles off-balance BY LESLIE VENTURA
W
THROUGH
ith a collective 30 years of experience working in bicycle shops, cyclists Zabi Naqshband and Joseph Garey have launched their own independent version in the southeast Valley. Swanny’s Cycles, which recently soft-opened, serves as an all-purpose repair and retail shop. The name Swanny’s comes from the French word soigneur (pronounced swan-yé), for the support person on every pro cycling team, the owners explain. “Their objective is to make sure riders stay on their bikes, and they have a really big support role, making sure the riders continue riding,” Garey says. He says the word is also a metaphor for what the co-founders intend to do with Swanny’s. “We want to keep people on their bikes as much as possible. Our job is to make sure that your bike leaves here in the best shape possible, so you don’t have to bring it back.” Garey was one of the cyclists involved in December’s deadly highway crash near Boulder City that left five dead and three wounded. Swanny’s owners say they’re working with the Southern Nevada Bicycle Coalition to help promote cyclist safety and awareness. “Every bike shop is involved with that stuff, but we do get that involvement a little bit more,” Naqshband says. One of Swanny’s Cycles’ partners is SNBC president Rob Hutchinson, who helps draft legislation on bicycle safety. “He’s been trying to change rules and laws and incorporating us as much as he can,” Garey says. “This whole business idea was kind of triggered by what happened in December.” The incident, Garey says, “got the gears moving.” “It just really put things into perspective,” he says. “Life is really too short, and we might as well take the plunge instead of waiting. You might not have the opportunity.” Swanny officially opens its doors on April 1, but Naqshband and Garey have been taking clients, mainly by word of mouth, since March. “It’s mostly people I’ve already been dealing with hitting me up, [saying] they needed a tuneup,” Naqshband says. “So instead of accepting the bikes at my house, I told them to start bringing them here. We haven’t even been advertising.” The co-owners says they share a mutual trust and understanding of the way the other one works, stemming from their previous gigs at bike shops in town. “The first shops where we both worked were for the same guy, and that’s another reason I feel really comfortable with Joe,” Naqshband says. “He started exactly where I started.” Garey says the Swanny’s difference should feel noticeable. “Every bike that leaves here has our name on it, whether it’s a bike we sell or a bike we work on,” Garey says. “There’s this great saying, ‘When we do right, no one remembers, but when we do wrong, no one forgets.’ We don’t want to do wrong by anybody. We have a lot of experience under our belt, and whenever a customer leaves, we want to make sure they feel right.”
19I
20
LV W F O O D & D R I N K
4 .1 . 2 1
A TASTE OF TV The Black Sheep’s Jamie Tran makes her Top Chef debut
Dorade Royal Bouillabaisse
4 .1 . 2 1
LV W F O O D & D R I N K
21I
FOOD & DRINK BY GENEVIE DURANO | PHOTOGRAPHS BY WADE VANDERVORT
B
ravo’s Top Chef competition has minted some big stars during its 17 seasons, but for its 18th round, Las Vegas is giving the show one of its own: the Black Sheep’s Jamie Tran. Anyone who’s been to the southwest eatery already recognizes Tran’s skills. Her modern American cuisine, influenced by her Vietnamese heritage, is some of the most inventive food you’ll find in town. And now, the whole country will begin learning about the chef when Top Chef premieres on April 1. Also, if you haven’t been to the Black Sheep lately, there are some new dishes to stir your pandemic-weary palate. The Manchester Farms Grilled Quail ($26) is rich with a Puebla-style mole, broken rice, cucumber mint salad and toasted sesame seed, while the Dorade Royal Bouillabaisse ($26), with tiger shrimp, black mussels, braised fennel, baby bok choy and udon noodles, is the hearty bowl you need to chase away the last of the winter doldrums. The Weekly caught up with Tran to talk about her Top Chef experience. Don’t worry, no spoilers here. You’ll have to watch all the mouthwatering drama for yourself.
How did competing on Top Chef come about? One of the casting producers reached out to me and we went from there. I was kind of chicken to do it, because I’m not a competitive person. But I definitely wanted to show them I can get out of my comfort zone. What was filming like? Honestly, they kept us safe. I felt comfortable filming during COVID, because they kept us in a bubble. But definitely, for me, filming was intense and a lot of anxiety. … I just didn’t want to become a meme! (laughs).
THE BLACK SHEEP 8680 W. Warm Springs Road, 702-954-3998. Tuesday-Sunday, 5-10 p.m. blacksheepvegas.com Chef Jamie Tran
Manchester Farms Grilled Quail
Did you have fun meeting new chefs? Oh, definitely. I actually bonded with everyone and also behind the scenes with the production team. I made some bonds I feel like I’m gonna have for a lifetime, so pretty excited about that. I did have fun, despite my nerves. Did your experience running the Black Sheep help you during the competition? To tell you the truth, I was just trying to make it (laughs). The pressure was definitely on, and I’m like, I forgot how to do this! I [was] like a new baby stumbling, like Bambi walking. Are you planning on watching the episodes with family and friends? I’m not gonna do anything big. I just want to see it with family and friends and stay home and watch and laugh at myself. And hide (laughs).
Are you happy all that pressure’s behind you? I’m definitely glad to be home. It gave me a new perspective on my team and my family and my friends. I’m more appreciative of what I have, and even though things are tough right now, I’m happy that our doors are still open. I still have a roof over my head. You definitely don’t see it when you’re in it, and you’re stressed when things are going on, like the pandemic. But once you’re pulled out of it, you just see things in a totally different way. What’s next for your restaurant? We just put out some new items on the menu, still focusing on the Sheep and its survival and making sure that we’re going strong. Before COVID hit, we were looking to expand the Sheep into a bigger location, and that’s still on the horizon. Just making sure we take the appropriate steps to keep the ship going.
22
LV W S P O R T S
4 .1 . 2 1
How UNLV’s new coach will succeed where others have failed BY MIKE GRIMALA
U
NLV really, really needs a good head basketball coach. The men’s program has been hurting for the better part of the past decade, with no Mountain West Conference championships and no NCAA Tournament berths in the past seven years. That includes the entire coaching tenures of T.J. Otzelberger and Marvin Menzies, and the end of Dave Rice’s term. Because of that extended run of misfortune, the program now finds itself on the outside looking in when it comes to the Las Vegas sports landscape. Golden Knights mania continues to sweep the town and the Raiders benefit from the NFL being king of the hill, while the Thomas & Mack Center sits nearly empty on most game nights—and that was before the pandemic kept crowds away. So yeah, there’s a lot of pressure on newly appointed Kevin Kruger to come through and restore UNLV basketball to its winning ways. The good news is that though he’s a first-time head coach, the 37-year-old Kruger has every opportunity to succeed. Here are four reasons UNLV fans should be excited about Kruger’s ascendance to the top job and believe he’s the one to turn the program around.
1
He’s here for the long run. After being spurned by Mick Cronin, Chris Beard and now Otzelberger, who left at the first opportunity for his dream job at Iowa State, UNLV diehards are wounded and bitter. They want loyalty. They want someone who loves Las Vegas and UNLV, not someone who’s eyeing the next opportunity to climb the ladder. Kruger is the perfect fit in that regard. He played for the last great UNLV team, helping the scarlet and gray reach the Sweet 16 in 2007 and building a lifelong bond with the university. He just finished his second season as an assistant coach and at his introductory press conference, he declared his intentions to be at UNLV for as long as the school will have him. “This is not a steppingstone for me,” Kruger said. “Personally, I don’t see five years in the future being anywhere else, or 10 years in the future being anywhere else.”
2
He’s got the chops. Kruger was always a cerebral player—he’s a coach’s son—and the current UNLV roster believes in his brand of Xs and Os. One player vouched for Kruger, saying he drew up a chunk of the playbook and often called offensive sets during the course of games. “We loved him as an assistant coach,” the player said. “He’s
COUNT ON
KRUG
LV W S P O R T S
definitely a great offensive mind. One thing he was great at this year was drawing up plays on the fly for us. Those were always very good.” Kruger’s system may look different than Otzelberger’s, as the new coach doesn’t sound quite as committed to an analytics-based philosophy. But whether it was during his time as a collegiate point guard or now holding the clipboard, Kruger knows how to run an offense.
3
The timing is right for a quick turnaround. When Menzies took over late in the spring of 2016, he had to replace most of the roster with whatever ill-fitting pieces were left over on the transfer and prep markets. Otzelberger had to do something similar when he got the job in 2019. Due to inheriting a total tear-down job, neither coach was set up for immediate success. Kruger is in a better position. As an internal hire, he’s at least got a shot at retaining some of the current UNLV players. And with the NCAA expected to pass a rule granting immediate eligibility to transfers, the transfer portal is going to be overstuffed with talent. While Menzies had to pick through the scraps and build his first roster out of plywood, Kruger has plenty of time to sort through the portal, identify key targets and add some true quality players to the 2021-22 team. The pieces are in place for a quick turnaround at UNLV if Kruger is up to the task.
(UNLV/Courtesy/Photo Illustration)
ER
4
Lon will be helping out. Since Jerry Tarkanian held the job for 19 years, no other UNLV coach has served as long as Lon Kruger did from 2004-2011. Those seven seasons are now remembered fondly by fans as the second golden era of the program, and Kevin Kruger is the perfect bridge to that past. And hey, the actual past may be making an appearance, too. The 68-year-old Lon Kruger announced his retirement after his Oklahoma team was eliminated from the NCAA Tournament, and he’ll be residing in Las Vegas from now on, just a stone’s throw from the UNLV campus. To hear Kevin tell it, it sounds like Lon will be around the program and on call to offer advice and guidance. “He can be on staff if he wants,” Kevin Kruger said. “That would be great. I’m sure knowing him, he will be willing and able and hoping to help UNLV. Not just basketball, but UNLV in any possible way he can—in the community or coming to practice and helping or talking to coaches or whatever he can do.” UNLV has a promising young coach who loves the program, a Hall of Fame-caliber adviser, a decent shot of keeping some of the roster together and a head start on pumping the transfer portal for talented newcomers. This might just work out after all.
23I
(NHLI via Getty Images)
4 .1 . 2 1
■ PLAYER OF THE WEEKLY: MAX PACIORETTY Pacioretty scored a goal in two straight games against the Avalanche, including an overtime winner on Saturday to give the Golden Knights a pivotal victory against their primary West Division competition. Through 32 games, he had a team-best 18 goals on the season.
Report THIS WEEK’S VOTE 1. Max Pacioretty 2. Mark Stone 3. Alec Martinez 4. William Karlsson 5. Keegan Kolesar As voted by Las Vegas Weekly’s panel, based on games played March 22-28. SEASON STANDINGS 1. Mark Stone (31 points) 2. Max Pacioretty (25) 3. Marc-André Fleury (19) 4. Jonathan Marchessault /Alex Tuch (15, tie) 5 points for 1st place in a week, 4 for 2nd, 3 for 3rd, 2 for 4th, 1 for 5th. UPCOMING GAMES April 1 vs. Minnesota Wild, 7:30 p.m. April 3 vs. Minnesota Wild, 6 p.m. April 5 at St. Louis Blues, 5 p.m. April 7 at St. Louis Blues, 6 p.m. Games air on AT&T SportsNet and 98.9-FM/1340-AM unless noted. STANLEY CUP ODDS: 6-TO-1 at Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook PROSPECT WATCH: DYLAN SIKURA The 25-year old forward was acquired in an offseason trade with Chicago and has hit the ground running in Henderson. He had two goals in the Silver Knights’ victory last Friday and entered the week with a team-high nine on the season.
LIVE THE LIFE YOU DESERVE TODAY! CONDOMINIUM RESIDENCES FROM THE LOW $200s — OVER $1 MILLION SPRING SELLOUT EVENT HAPPENING NOW! FINAL HOMES REMAIN!
Live in the heart of Downtown Las Vegas.
Live amidst the energy of the South Strip.
LOFT-STYLE FLATS, TWO-STORY BROWNSTONES, PENTERRACES, LIVE/WORK & PENTHOUSES
THE PENTHOUSE COLLECTION LUXURIOUS 2 & 3 BEDROOM + DEN RESIDENCES
FROM THE LOW $200s – OVER $1 MILLION
FROM $399,900 – OVER $1 MILLION
JUHLLV.COM | 702.690.4944
THEONELV.COM | 702.848.7236
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LIMITED-TIME BUYER INCENTIVES CALL TODAY FOR YOUR PRIVATE PRESENTATION
OUR COMMUNITIES ARE FOLLOWING COVID-19 SCREENING AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS *INCENTIVES VARY PER COMMUNITY. PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE. IMAGES MAY REPRESENT MODEL HOMES. SEE AGENT FOR DETAILS. A DK LAS VEGAS LLC COMMUNITY. NORTHCAP COMMERCIAL | LICENSE # B.0143037
“We say this a lot around here: ‘Opening a hotel is like building a plane while flying it.’” –Alana Litavis
W I T H P H OTO G R A P H S B Y C H R I S TO P H E R D E VA R G A S A N D WA D E VA N D E R VO R T
25I
“Selling cannabis and working with patients hits a little closer to home when you have someone in your life fighting for their life.” –Anna Cohen
“My goal has always been to aspire higher. I believe inspiration is made up of a thousand conversations and encounters.” –TaShika Lawson
LV W C OV E R S T O R Y
ANNA COHEN C O N G R AT U L AT I O N S on your 40 Under 40 achievement in 2021!
From Alex, Arda, Armen, Anush, Jen and Adam
4 .1 . 2 1
S P E C I A L
N O T E
Last year, on the day we published our 40 Under 40 issue, we received the news of a mandatory two-week stay at home order. It was a time of uncertainty for so many of us. Now a year later, we share our 2021 Vegas Inc 40 Under 40 honorees as our community climbs above the impact of the pandemic—rising to once again stand as the entertainment capital of the world and the place we so proudly call home. Las Vegas is known for its unique entertainment, exquisite dining and one-of-a-kind experiences. But for those of us who live here, we know Las Vegas is much more than that. It is a place of insurmountable generosity, beautiful outdoor adventures and innovative industries—far exceeding the four-mile Strip. Much like the true spirit of Las Vegas, this year’s list is incredibly diverse and dynamic. The men and women on this list are helping to solidify our city as a leader in community and industry. With a record-breaking number of nominations, this year also brought new faces and industries to the forefront—those who have withstood the perils of the pandemic and stand strong to ensure our economic recovery. Our judges reviewed each submission, looking for exceptional leaders in their chosen career, charitable giving and passion for improving Southern Nevada. This 2021 cohort is resilient and optimistic. They bring a fresh energy so needed as we emerge from the hardest of times. It is this positive perspective that will ensure Vegas returns stronger than ever. A special thank you to Legacy Club at Circa Resort & Casino for hosting the intimate celebration where we honor these 40 remarkable young professionals. Vegas Inc is proud to share their stories and celebrate their accomplishments. We can’t wait to see what’s in store for them.
Jennifer Inaba Special Publications Manager jennifer.inaba@gmgvegas.com
LV W C OV E R S T O R Y
27I
LV W C OV E R S T O R Y
4 .1 . 2 1 “From our biggest challenges come our greatest rewards. We’ve remained in a constant pivot since last February due to the pandemic. Navigating through unprecedented times and difficult decisions has strengthened every part of my professional career.”
H O T E L / G A M I N G
28
ANGELA CICIRIELLO Director of Advertising & Public Relations, Circa Resort & Casino Age: 34 Hometown: Upstate New York First Job: Marketing Coordinator ■ From LA to NYC and landing in Las Vegas in 2012, Angela Ciciriello has worked with some of the country’s foremost hospitality and entertainment brands—leading to her current role with one of Las Vegas’ newest destinations. It is no easy feat to launch a major casino-resort in the middle of a pandemic—not to mention executing a grand opening two months ahead of schedule. But with an intricate and well-positioned campaign, Ciciriello was able to build excitement and a steady buzz to position Circa Resort & Casino as one of the most highly anticipated projects in Las Vegas in 2020. On top of opening Circa, Ciciriello also successfully guided communications for The D, Golden Gate and Downtown Las Vegas Events Center as they navigated hurdles presented by the global pandemic. As part of these efforts, Ciciriello helped launch a campaign offering 2,000 free flights to Vegas to help boost tourism, which resulted in national headlines.
(Wade Vandervort/Staff)
4 .1 . 2 1
LV W C OV E R S T O R Y
29I
H O WA R D W E I S S Head of Sales & Entertainment Strategy, AREA15
E S T A T E (Photographs by Christopher DeVargas/Staff)
E N T E R T A I N M E N T
■ Howard Weiss is an architect of unforgettable experiences. A longtime veteran of the hospitality and entertainment industry, Weiss has more than 20 years of experience in bookings, ticketing, promotions, marketing, food and beverage, nightlife strategy and operations and more. AREA15 opened in September 2020 and Weiss was faced with new challenges caused by the pandemic. Juggling COVID-19 restrictions and capacity regulations, Weiss and his team navigated the launch while providing a safe place for guests. He led the events team in the production of socially distanced events including Halloween, Winter Wanderland and New Year’s Eve—as well as turning AREA15’s 32,000-square-foot outdoor space into a pop-up restaurant by Todd English. A Penn State alumnus, Weiss is an active board member at the School of Hospitality Management. He also finds joy in giving back to his local community by participating in blood drives and donating food to those in need.
R E A L
Age: 38 Hometown: Long Island, New York First Job: Cabana boy
M I K E TA B E E K Managing Director, Newmark Age: 39 Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada First Job: Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant Chinois ■ Mike Tabeek was guided into commercial real estate nearly 20 years ago and today, it’s an industry where he thrives—outpacing competitors, contributing to Las Vegas’ development and selling really, really large spaces. A humble and confident leader, Tabeek is one of only nine individuals in Southern Nevada to hold both the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors and Certified Commercial Investment designations. Tabeek has completed more than $800 million in real estate transactions. Even during 2020 and the challenges the pandemic presented, he closed sale and lease transactions in excess of $170 million. Regardless of Tabeek’s transactional success, one of his proudest professional accomplishments is the pro bono work he did for Clark County on behalf of FEMA in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. He secured a large office and executed the lease within two days, allowing the team to get the facility up and running quickly to help those in need.
C O N S T R U C T I O N
30
LV W C OV E R S T O R Y
4 .1 . 2 1
C H R I S WA L K E R VDC Project Manager, The PENTA Building Group Age: 33 Hometown: Richmond, Virginia First Job: Movie theater usher ■ Chris Walker is an integral member of the Virtual Design and Construction Department at The PENTA Building Group. Walker helps support every aspect of the firm’s functions, from preconstruction services to operations. Walker recently facilitated PENTA’s drone program that pilots and operates drones in-house, removing the need to outsource the vital service of aerial photography. He also led the coordination efforts for major hotel and casino properties on the Strip, contributing to the growth of Las Vegas, as well as a sizable hospitality project in Southern California. Walker’s leadership extends beyond the technical elements of his job. He is also a leading member of PENTA’s diversity committee that aims to innovate the firm’s culture by embracing the idea that a diverse workforce enhances the company overall. He is active in The PENTA CARES Foundation and ACE Mentorship to help teenagers learn about the different aspects and opportunities in construction.
(Wade Vandervort/Staff)
Our community rises when leaders step up Your vision and commitment to lead the way is an inspiration to all. We value the time and talent you bring to making our community a better place to live, work, and prosper.
Let’s join together in honoring Brian Formisano.
wellsfargo.com © 2020 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. 6737506-10 MOD: 1122
LV W C OV E R S T O R Y
32
4 .1 . 2 1
“There is always something exciting and new in Las Vegas and this city will always continue to reinvent itself. I’m excited to be a part of Station Casinos’ journey for our city.”
ALEX ACUNA
MELISA EICHBAUER General Manager, Findlay Volkswagen Henderson Age: 39 Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada First Job: Bussing tables at the Orleans
■ After graduating college, Alex Acuna moved back to his hometown of Las Vegas to prepare for law school admittance. A chance application for a public relations coordinator position with MGM Mirage resulted in a complete mindset change. Acuna was instantly drawn to the excitement of the role and soon became firmly rooted in the world of communications. Over the past 15 years, Acuna has been part of the opening teams for several properties, including Mandarin Oriental, The Cosmopolitan and the complete revamp of The Palms in 2019. Now, Acuna leads PR efforts for Station Casinos—carefully and effectively managing team member communication throughout the pandemic while keeping the public properly informed with unique and compelling content. From creating new TikTok videos to delving into the newest craze that is Clubhouse, Acuna harnesses these challenges and uses them as opportunities to move Station’s strategies forward.
■ What began as a “gap year” job for Melisa Eichbauer turned into a 16-year career. Eichbauer may have never imagined a future in car sales, but once she started, she continued to rise through the ranks, eventually managing her own dealership. She’s the first and only woman general manager in the entire Findlay Automotive Group—which also happens to be the same company she got her start in. Eichbauer loves that she gets to solve problems for customers, coach and grow her team, and most importantly, lead the store with a philanthropic approach. Each month her team chooses a "sweat equity" community partner to support with awareness, fundraising and volunteering. In addition to that, Eichbauer serves on two nonprofit boards: the Henderson Chamber of Commerce Foundation and the Heaven Can Wait Animal Society. She is also a graduate of Leadership Henderson and now mentors the new cohorts.
A U T O M O T I V E
Age: 38 Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada First Job: Lifeguard at Bellagio
(Photographs by Christopher DeVargas/Staff)
H O T E L / G A M I N G
Vice President of Public Relations, Station Casinos
A LEADER IN FAMILY LAW, PROBATE/ESTATE PLANNING, AND PERSONAL INJURY
Congratulations
JONATHAN K. NELSON for being named
PROUDLY SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF LAS VEGAS, PAHRUMP, AND HENDERSON!
WWW.JKNELSONLAW.COM 702-727-9900 and 775-727-9900
LV W C OV E R S T O R Y
4 .1 . 2 1
F O O D
34
KRISTEN CORRAL Co-founder, Tacotarian Age: 39 Hometown: Orlando, Florida First Job: Chip and Dale characters at Disney World ■ A serial entrepreneur and small-business advocate, Kristen Corral taught herself everything she knows, learning and growing—in more ways than one— along the way. Corral founded Little White Dog Co. in 2011 and quickly scaled it to six figures. Then, she fell into the restaurant industry with the opening of Tacotarian. Tacotarian is the plant-based Mexican eatery behind every vegan’s taco dreams. Opening its third location this summer, Corral aims to change people’s minds about vegan food and encourage them to make healthier choices not only for themselves, but for the planet and animals. An avid supporter of the local restaurant community, Corral worked with Clark County Commissioner Tick Segerblom to pass a cap on third-party delivery apps that were gouging restaurants during the pandemic. Now, she is working to launch a competing delivery co-op that will be owned by the Las Vegas restaurant community and will save the industry hundreds of thousands of dollars.
(Christopher DeVargas/Staff)
CONGRATULATIONS TO ONE OF OUR OWN W E ' RE P R O UD T O HA VE AL E X AC U NA A S A M E M BE R O F O U R CO M P AN Y AN D O U R CO M M U N I T Y .
36
LV W C OV E R S T O R Y
4 .1 . 2 1
“Receiving this award reminded me that I have everything it takes to compete with the best of them and to never let other people discourage me.”
F I N A N C E
ZACH CONINE
JEN (SEUL GEE) LEE-MITCHELL
Nevada State Treasurer, Nevada State Treasurer’s Office
Vice President and Financial Advisor, UBS Wealth Management USA
Age: 39 Hometown: Coxsackie, New York First Job: Busser
Age: 36 Hometown: Seoul, South Korea First Job: Event designer at MGM Mirage
■ As Nevada’s 23rd state treasurer, Zach Conine serves as the chief investment officer for the state, managing more than $30 billion. In his first two years as treasurer, the state received two bond rating increases, the first since 2006; generated the highest investment returns since the 2008 recession; and returned the largest amount of unclaimed property back to Nevadans since the inception of the state’s Unclaimed Property program. During the pandemic, Conine developed a partnership with the unemployment office to search applicants for unclaimed property, resulting in more than $1.7 million returned to Nevadans. His team also launched the Pandemic Emergency Technical Support Grant program. At $101 million, it’s the largest small-business support program in the history of Nevada and has helped thousands of businesses stay open and keep their employees on the payroll. Always with his constituent needs in mind, Conine has urged lawmakers to increase the minimum wage to $12 an hour. To help expand access to higher education, he launched NVigate.org to help students and parents navigate paying for postsecondary education.
■ Jen Lee-Mitchell established herself as a leader in the financial industry at a young age and continues to break barriers. Prior to joining the team at UBS Wealth Management USA, Lee-Mitchell was awarded the “Bull of the Year” at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management because of her exceptional performance, making her the youngest woman ever chosen for the honor. In her current vice president role at UBS, Lee-Mitchell works with people from all over the world and of all walks of life. She views financial guidance as more than simply a job—it’s an opportunity to help others achieve their dreams. She works closely with individuals, families and businesses, crafting expertly tailored plans to suit their needs and fortify for their futures. With a steadfast commitment to her career, Lee-Mitchell prioritizes mentorship for others in the financial industry as well as helping underprivileged youth.
H O T E L / G A M I N G
A L A N A L I T AV I S Vice President of Marketing, Resorts World Las Vegas Age: 38 Hometown: Laguna Niguel, California First Job: Marketing manager at Ivan Kane’s Forty Deuce ■ Alana Litavis has spent the last 16 years marketing some of the most innovative, dynamic properties in the tourism corridor, and now she’s living one of her biggest career highlights yet: helping launch Resorts World Las Vegas. With an understanding and appreciation for marketing strategy, Litavis takes pride in being creative, pushing the boundaries and bringing new ideas and perspectives to the table. At Resorts World, Litavis leads the brand marketing division, where she oversees development and implementation of the resort’s advertising, digital, social media, creative, public relations and sponsorship strategies. Though she’s worked with some of the largest brands in Las Vegas, she says that the opportunity to open Resorts World is a career-defining experience. Litavis is a natural leader who guides her staff with kindness, respect and integrity. Philanthropically minded, she has sat on the charitable giving committees at nearly every company she’s worked for, helping influence corporate generosity.
(Zach Conine and Alana Litavis by Christopher DeVargas; Jen (Seul Gee) Lee–Mitchell by Wade Vandervort/Staff)
G O V E R N M E N T
38
LV W C OV E R S T O R Y
4 .1 . 2 1
A V I A T I O N
PA U L S A L L AC H President, All in Aviation Age: 39 Hometown: Alberta and Vancouver, Canada First Job: Bagger/shopping cart collector ■ Paul Sallach lives and breathes airplanes. As president and founder of All In Aviation, a full-service aviation company offering rental, sales and flight training, Sallach is constantly expanding his business to best serve his customers. He began his career at age 17 at the University of North Dakota, one of the top aviation schools in the country, where he graduated with a degree in commercial aviation. During his tenure at Cirrus Aircraft, clients often requested plane rentals and flight instruction, which led to the creation of All In Aviation in 2016. Since its inception, Sallach has grown the company from two employees to 13, and from two planes to 12. His proudest accomplishment is building and opening a brand new 26-hangar facility at Henderson Executive Airport. Sallach was recently honored as Small Businessperson of the Year for Nevada by the U.S. Small Business Administration and All In Aviation was awarded the Cirrus Training Center of the Year for North America.
(Christopher DeVargas/Staff)
4 .1 . 2 1
LV W C OV E R S T O R Y
39I
TA S H I K A L AW S O N N O N P R O F I T
“Being involved in your community not only has a positive effect on society, but it will bring benefits to your life and personal development as well.”
Co-founder/Managing Director, Historic Westside Revitalization Group Age: 37 Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada First Job: Sonic Drive-In n TaShika Lawson is a busy woman. While she spends her workday bookkeeping and guiding small businesses toward better financial practices, she uses her off-time to fight for the revitalization of the Historic Westside of Las Vegas. A data-driven, grassroots organizer, Lawson began digging into the origins of social injustice in her own community and working toward change. She attends city council meetings, community gatherings and facilitates Historic Westside Revitalization Group meetings to educate community members on what’s happening within the city as it relates to their neighborhoods. Lawson works purposefully to encourage community involvement. She believes that with the full support of residents, commitment from the cities of Las Vegas and North Las Vegas, and with private investment, the historic Westside will thrive. With the grace and professionalism of a true leader, Lawson is never afraid to stand up for what’s right.
N O N P R O F I T
ELIZABETH THORN Founder & President, Change We Create Age: 31 Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada First Job: Delivering newspapers n Elizabeth Thorn strives to live intentionally and spends more energy finding solutions than making excuses. Driven toward charitable work throughout her life, Thorn volunteered at local theaters, political campaigns and archaeological digs before founding Change We Create, a nonprofit dedicated to educating and empowering others to create positive change in their communities. The work she does at Change We Create allows Thorn to engage with a variety of organizations around the world, all with unique challenges and triumphs. Thorn serves on the Vegas Young Professionals Advisory Council and is the chair of the VYP Marketing Committee. She is also the chief of launch for Auctria, an event software company that helps organizations fundraise. Always one to roll up her sleeves and get the job done, Thorn has worked across many industries and volunteered with several local organizations, earning her a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition. (Christopher DeVargas/Staff)
(Wade Vandervort/Staff)
LV W C OV E R S T O R Y
4 .1 . 2 1
J O N AT H A N N E L S O N
BLAKELEY GRIFFITH
MARC MARRONE
Principal Attorney, JK Nelson Law
Partner, Snell & Wilmer
Chef & Owner, Graffiti Hospitality/SkinnyFATS
Age: 39 Hometown: Grand Rapids, Michigan First Job: Credit analyst
Age: 36 Hometown: Middleburg, Virginia First Job: Tennis instructor
Age: 35 Hometown: New York First Job: Dishwasher/busboy
■ Exhibiting a fascination with law from an early age, Jonathan Nelson initially began a career in banking while earning his law degree at nights and on weekends. Eventually, he made the jump to private practice where he discovered his favorite part of the job: the genuine opportunity to help others. Six years ago, Nelson opened his own law firm and within that time period, JK Nelson Law has tripled its staffing and revenue. Eager to continue growing the business, Nelson hopes that one day it will be known as a premier law firm. During the pandemic, even with a lower volume of customers, Nelson was able to continue growing his staff and maintaining a healthy workforce. Nelson is active in his community—volunteering at a senior center and partnering with nonprofit organizations—as well as his church. A father and husband, Nelson says he gathers the most inspiration from his wife.
■ Once a collegiate All-American tennis player, Blakeley Griffith uses the same grit and determination today in her bankruptcy and commercial litigation practice at Snell & Wilmer. Griffith has always loved advocating for others, so a career as a lawyer was a natural fit. She enjoys the daily grind of solving difficult, contested and high-stakes problems for her clients—taking the stress off them so they can focus on their work. And she’s been part of several complex cases involving multimillion-dollar bankruptcy and litigation matters, including her most significant business accomplishment: working as the lead attorney representing a financial institution in a case involving more than $150 million. Outside of the office, Griffith is heavily involved with Junior League of Las Vegas, serving on the board for the last two years and as a member for almost 10. She is dedicated to helping those most in need in Las Vegas— volunteering over 100 hours each year.
L A W
L A W
■ Chef Marc Marrone creates hospitality concepts that bring joy to the community. After nearly a decade with TAO Group, during which he oversaw global development and expansion, Marrone launched Graffiti Hospitality in 2018 with Todd Lunger. They quickly opened several successful restaurants before merging with Reed Slobusky and SkinnyFATS to form a group focused on expanding their restaurant portfolio. Classically trained and well-versed in the art of vibe dining, Marrone says his passion for food began at a young age. Today, he’s a visionary leader who loves developing new brands and concepts while nurturing his ever-growing team. Marrone’s restaurant Graffiti Bao is also active with the Delivering With Dignity program, preparing anywhere from 300 to 600 meals each morning for at-risk individuals and those in need. Originally launched as an emergency response effort in the early days of the pandemic, Marrone has provided meals for the organization since its inception.
F O O D
(Jonathan Nelson by Christopher DeVargas; Blakeley Griffith and Marc Marrone by Wade Vandervort/Staff)
40
Congratulations TO ALL THE
HONOREES!
Best wishes
from the entire
Las Vegas Family.
42
LV W C OV E R S T O R Y
4 .1 . 2 1
N O N P R O F I T
“One of the biggest challenges I see for any marketing and communications professional is communicating through the clutter, adapting to the rapidly changing post-COVID environment and authentically connecting with potential customers.”
L I N DA B R I D G E S Chief Communications Officer, Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada Age: 39 Hometown: Granite City, Illinois First Job: Cashier at movie theater
■ Since joining Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada in 2015, Linda Bridges has worked to increase its brand recognition across Southern Nevada— even turning the iconic “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign Girl Scout green for the first time. Bridges formed the G.I.R.L. Media Team, a corps of media-trained Girl Scouts who participate in interviews, photo shoots and local advertising campaigns. As a tireless advocate for the equality of girls and young women, she also launched the Troop State Capitol, a bipartisan delegation of women members of the Nevada legislature, to policy ideas in the areas of gender equity, workforce readiness, STEM education and financial literacy. An outdoor enthusiast and active woman herself, Bridges recently championed a partnership between Girl Scouts and the Las Vegas Aces to address the issue of girls leaving Girl Scouts to play sports. When launched, this will be the first of its kind for both the WNBA and the 111 Girl Scout councils. (Wade Vandervort/Staff)
CONGRATULATIONS!
BRYAN ERCOLANO
TO CELEBRATE,
GET YOUR FIRST WEEK OF CLASSES ON US!
REDEEM REDEMPTIONFitness.com/Vegas40 UNLIMITED GROUP CLASSES! Heated Pilates / Barre / Barefoot & Tread Bootcamp / Cycle / Boxing
2560 St. Rose Parkway • Henderson, NV 89074 • Phone: 702-888-1828 @REDEMPTIONHENDERSON
LV W C OV E R S T O R Y
4 .1 . 2 1
“The challenging part of this role is dispelling the negative myths and attitudes about teaching as a career. We oftentimes think of successful careers like those in health care, law and politics, and look at teaching as a fallback career; we have to change the mindset of our parents and students.”
E D U C A T I O N
H O T E L / G A M I N G
W I L D L I F E
SEBERN COLEMAN JR., PH.D.
ERIN MCMULLEN MIDBY
ALANA WISE
Director of Educator Preparation for the College of Education, UNLV
Vice President of Government Affairs, Boyd Gaming Corporation
CEO, Bio Logical, LLC
Age: 38 Hometown: Shreveport, Louisiana First Job: Designing and printing church programs
Age: 39 Hometown: Reno, Nevada First Job: Coordinator of new student orientation at Georgetown University
■ Dr. Sebern Coleman Jr. has been a proponent of higher education in Nevada since 2007. He provides pathways for students to achieve their goals—ensuring that our schools have the best educators for our children. Coleman prides himself on helping students and teachers “rethink” education and discover the connection between theory and practice. He works to provide access, training and resources to those who may typically have not had the opportunity to succeed—creating an equitable playing field for marginalized people. A member of the Las Vegas alumni chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, Coleman hosts several events that target underserved members of the community, focusing on education, scholarship, food insecurity and social inequity. As if that doesn’t keep him busy enough, Coleman launched a strategic marketing company, Wake Your Dream Up Solutions, to work with startup and small businesses. He also serves as an adjunct communications instructor at Nevada State College.
■ Politics comes naturally to Erin McMullen Midby. A proud fifth-generation Nevadan, Midby hails from a line of policymakers and lobbyists. As vice president of government affairs at Boyd Gaming, she is responsible for state and local policy that impacts the company in Nevada, California and Hawaii. With a deep understanding of state law, the legislative process and issues important to Nevada, Midby is one of the most respected lobbyists in the state. She has championed legislation related to policy in the gaming industry and works tirelessly to make Nevada a better place to live, work and visit. Midby is also an adjunct professor at the William S. Boyd School of Law at UNLV where she teaches a course on legislative policy and advanced advocacy. She volunteers her time with various organizations within the community, including serving on the board of the Guinn Center for Policy Priorities and the R&R Partners Foundation.
Age: 35 Hometown: Henderson, Nevada First Job: Bussing tables at Johnny Mac’s ■ Alana Wise runs one of the fastest-growing wildlife consulting firms in the region. With a degree in biology and background in construction implementation, Wise founded Bio Logical, a firm dedicated to providing authorized biologists and full-service consulting for wildlife and plant resources on construction projects. The company recently won the Small Business Administration’s Microenterprise of the Year award in Nevada. Additionally, she’s developed Desert Innovation, Research and Technology, a nonprofit dedicated to helping young people explore STEM education, and she can even be found performing health assessments and microchipping tortoises with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Keep Wild Tortoises Wild initiative. Wise’s passion is in protecting and aiding wildlife, but she also uses her successful business to help those in need. She works to create educational resources, professional training programs and organize resources to support the quality of independent biologists’ workforce.
(Sebern Coleman Jr.,Ph.D. and Erin McMullen Midby by Christopher DeVargasAlana Wise by Wade Vandervort/Staff)
44
on your recognition as one of Vegas Inc.’s Top 40 Under 40! Your innovation and leadership in Virtual Design & Construction is exceptional and we are proud to have you as part of the PENTA family.
Congratulations, Alexis! On behalf of your HCA Healthcare family, we thank you for your continued great work in the communities we serve.
Alexis Mussi Chief Executive Officer Southern Hills Hospital and Medical Center
46
LV W C OV E R S T O R Y
4 .1 . 2 1
F I T N E S S
B R YA N E R C O L A N O Founder & CEO, REDEMPTION Fitness Age: 33 Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland First Job: McDonald’s
■ Bryan Ercolano became hooked on fitness after his own personal weight-loss journey. He also always loved the energy found only in Vegas—so he set out to combine the two to create a fitness nightclub franchise focusing on HIIT group classes. REDEMPTION Fitness wasn’t Ercolano’s first venture into the fitness industry. He opened the first TruFusion franchise in Las Vegas and ultimately sold it back to the corporate store to make it their flagship location. Taking from this experience, Ercolano has big plans for the expansion of REDEMPTION— eventually developing a national fitness brand. With locations now open in Summerlin and Henderson, and Southwest and Centennial on their heels, Ercolano has created more than a gym. REDEMPTION is a studio that makes a personal connection with each member and is dedicated to building community, frequently hosting charity events, toy and food drives, and partnering with other local companies to provide fitness education.
“There really isn't an easy path or quick method when starting your own businesses. You fail more times than you achieve. But when you do accomplish your goals, it's one of the best feelings.”
(Wade Vandervort/Staff)
CONGR ATUL ATIONS ERIN CA LHOUN MGM Resorts is proud to congratulate Erin Calhoun for being recognized by Vegas Inc. as a 2021 40 Under 40 Honoree.
OPPORTUNITY BEGINS WITH EDUCATION We dedicate this spot to all the students and educators. All of us at Teach For America Las Vegas want to congratulate Sean Parker for being named as one of Vegas’ 40 Under 40.
He is a humble, servant leader that inspires us to do more for our students, families and community. With the support of our incredible board and generous donors we will continue to recruit and develop talented individuals to ensure that one day all children in Las Vegas have the opportunity to access an excellent education. Learn more about our work – visit @tfalasvegas on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook and at lasvegas.teachforamerica.org
LV W C OV E R S T O R Y
4 .1 . 2 1
E N T E R T A I N M E N T ■ Cheli Kroupp is a trailblazer in interactive gaming. She serves as the vice president of interactive operations at Las Vegas-based global gaming equipment supplier AGS, where she loves managing and inspiring her team. Her commitment gets results: AGS interactive business has grown 203% yearover-year. Kroupp says coding is like an art, and she thrives while creating and inventing. After working at several software companies, Kroupp became the head of development at RocketPlay, a mobile gaming company that developed highly rated mobile social casino games. AGS went on to acquire RocketPlay in 2015 and Kroupp joined the team. She utilizes her engineering background to build business plans and roadmaps for new products. Beyond coding and development, Kroupp recently helped to spearhead the formation of AGS’ diversity, equity and inclusion task force. She is also active with the Battle Born Girls Innovate and the Israeli American Council’s Eitanim Las Vegas chapter.
CHELI KROUPP Vice President of Interactive Operations, AGS Age: 38 Hometown: Tel Aviv, Israel First Job: Developer with Tel Aviv City Hall
Director of Marketing, Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas Age: 35 Hometown: Detroit, Michigan First Job: Helping dad put on events for Jeep ■ Growing up, Chris Bitonti always had a guitar in his hand. He lived in record shops and played in bands through high school and college. With a stint as a fulltime musician, Bitonti has now hit his perfect note in the music industry—bringing live music to Las Vegas. Bitonti has spearheaded numerous major events, hosting dozens of sold-out shows at Brooklyn Bowl including Chance the Rapper, Stick Figure and Rex Orange County. He also works with the venue team on expansion into new markets, having spent about a year working on the rollout of Brooklyn Bowl Nashville, only for opening night to be put on hold due to the pandemic. While 2020 was incredibly challenging for the concert industry, Brooklyn Bowl quickly adapted and streamed more than 160 shows to more than 10 million viewers and raised nearly $1 million for a variety of charities, including MusicCares, Backline and NIVA. (Wade Vandervort/Staff)
(Christopher DeVargas/Staff)
CHRIS BITONTI
H O T E L / G A M I N G
48
Congratulations
40 Under 40 Honorees • 18-month program • Every other Friday & Saturday • Professional Network • International Experience
Now accepting applications from qualified candidates for 2021. 702.895.2628 | EMBA.UNLV.EDU
DESIG N E D I N LAS V EG AS, HA N D CRA F TE D I N I TA LY
Congratulations In recognition of
Mike Tabeek Recognized as one of the 2021 Vegas Inc 40 Under 40.
Congratulations 3930 Howard Hughes Pkwy., Ste 180 Las Vegas, NV 89169 t 702-733-7500 nmrk.com
Meghan Mossler on being featured in 40 under 40!
FROM THE TEAM AT
@ROSSANDSNOW | SHOP ONLINE AT ROSS-SNOW.COM
LV W C OV E R S T O R Y
4 .1 . 2 1
DA N H O O P E R General Manager, Lee Canyon Age: 39 Hometown: Wellington, New Zealand First Job: Kids ski instructor ■ After working in mountain towns in New Zealand, California, Montana and Colorado, Dan Hooper landed in the not-so-known ski town of Las Vegas. He immediately went to work, removing the barriers for outdoor recreation in the Spring Mountains and repositioning Lee Canyon as more than a ski resort. In 2020, Hooper secured a Record of Decision from the U.S. Forest Service which allowed Lee Canyon to add new adventure amenities to its existing footprint and then he led the opening of the Hillside Lodge—the most significant change to Lee Canyon since its opening in 1964. Hooper is also a steward of the community. He reimagined the longstanding Chris Ruby Cup into a partnership with Nevada Donor Network, resulting in 5,000 new registered organ donors. He also launched Feel Good Fridays to raise funds for High Fives Foundation, which supports mountain athletes who have sustained life-changing injuries—raising more than $50,000 to date.
(Christopher DeVargas/Staff)
R E C R E A T I O N
“What I love most is helping people in Las Vegas to discover the mountains in their backyard. It’s proven that when people have a meaningful experience in nature, they become champions of the environment.”
O U T D O O R
50
4 .1 . 2 1
R E A L
LV W C OV E R S T O R Y
E S T A T E
CHRIS CLIFFORD Senior Vice President, Colliers International Las Vegas
■ As a kid, Chris Clifford remembers staring at the expansion of the Boulevard Mall and asking his mom if she thought he would ever own a mall. From that moment, Clifford aspired to breathe new life into areas throughout his hometown of Las Vegas. Clifford has facilitated more than $250 million in buy/sell/lease transactions over the course of his career, including what he considers his most significant business accomplishment: The Village of Centennial Springs. Clifford saw the potential community value of the struggling property and acquired it—against the predicted failure by others—resulting in a 143-unit apartment complex and flourishing retail tenants. Committed to his community, Clifford regularly meets with local business owners in underserved areas to discuss their needs. He recently donated and funded a $250,000 rehab of the five-acre Pop Squires Park to the City of Las Vegas—a donation felt by the entire nearby family-oriented community.
Congratulations, Sebern Coleman! As an adjunct professor at Nevada State College, you make the difference to hundreds of communication students as a teacher and mentor. You deserve this honor and our gratitude for being the difference.
CONGRATULATIONS CONGRATULATIONS
MIKE ADAMS! PORT OF SUBS® FRANCHISEE, FRANCHISE FIELD CONSULTANT, PRESIDENT OF THE PORT OF SUBS® SOUTHERN NEVADA CO-OP
(Courtesy)
Age: 38 Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada First Job: Barista at Jitters Gourmet Coffee
51I
52
LV W C OV E R S T O R Y
4 .1 . 2 1
T E C H N O L O G Y
F I N A N C E
C A N N A B I S
OMAR SAUCEDO
BRIAN FORMISANO
ANNA COHEN
Director of External Affairs, AT&T
Region Bank President, Wells Fargo Bank
Director of Retail Marketing, Green Thumb Industries
Age: 36 Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada First Job: Taco Bell
Age: 39 Hometown: Long Island, New York First Job: Bank teller
■ The foundation of Omar Saucedo’s career is built on serving and improving the lives of Southern Nevadans. As an attorney, he’s focused on some of the most critical sectors for Nevada: education, water and technology. Saucedo first landed at the Nevada System of Higher Education, where he helped pass legislation to create the Silver State Opportunity Grant. The grant established the first state-supported, need-based financial aid program for college students. He moved on to the Southern Nevada Water Authority, where he helped champion crucial water rights. Today, Saucedo is the director of external affairs at AT&T, where he’s been advocating for 5G expansion for a more connected community. With a passion for education, technology and social equity, Saucedo uses his role at AT&T to create companywide initiatives for community betterment. He is an alumnus of Leadership Las Vegas and active in the Latin Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals, and La Voz, the Hispanic Law Student Association at the William S. Boyd School of Law.
■ Brian Formisano has discovered the formula to successful leadership: always put people first. He does so with his team of nearly 1,000 employees, as well as with every client that walks through the door at Wells Fargo. Whether you’re an eager entrepreneur starting a dream business or planning for a balanced retirement, Formisano thrives at helping others succeed financially. But it’s the work of his team that makes him most proud. Having climbed the ranks himself, he is a humble, accessible and thoughtful leader—evidenced by the number of mentorship requests he receives. Formisano is just as passionate about building community outside of the office as he is inside. He sits on several nonprofit boards and serves on the inaugural advisory committee for the City of Las Vegas Mayor’s Fund for LIFE. In 2020, Formisano was appointed by Gov. Steve Sisolak to serve as a board member for Jobs for Nevada Graduates.
(Omar Saucedo by Wade Vandervort; Brian Formisano and Anna Cohen by Christopher DeVargas/Staff)
Age: 36 Hometown: Minneapolis, Minnesota First Job: Retail at Victoria’s Secret ■ Her mother’s battle with cancer and an interest in alternative forms of medicine led Anna Cohen to the cannabis industry. Working with people equally passionate about helping others and seeing the positive affect the product has on patients and customers has kept her there. Cohen has been in cannabis since 2015. She was instrumental in creating Essence Cannabis’ dispensaries and cultivation facilities, which led to the eventual sale to Green Thumb Industries—the largest transaction in Nevada cannabis history. The key to her successful leadership is in her accessibility. You can often find Cohen in Essence dispensaries speaking directly with team members, patients and customers to keep a pulse on trends and customer experience. Cohen’s desire to help others extends beyond her work. From organizing school supply and food drives to volunteering at the LGBTQ Center, her charitable efforts have had a positive impact on others and serves to destigmatize marijuana in the community.
THE ONLY SURE BET IN VEGAS. PRIME CUTS AND SAVORY SIDES, COOKED TO PERFECTION
#1
RESTAURANT & STEAKHOUSE IN LAS VEGAS
FOR RESERVATIONS CALL 702.732.5277 OR VISIT 3 0 0 0 PA R A D I S E ROA D, L A S V E G A S , N V 8 9 1 0 9 - 1 2 6 7 7 0 2 . 7 3 2 . 5 1 1 1 | W E S TG AT E L A S V E G A S .C O M
Mention I Love Las Vegas to your server when ordering. This offer may not be combined or used in conjunction with any other discounts, offers or specials. Valid only at Benihana at Westgate Las Vegas. Buy (1) one dinner entrée valued above $25 and receive (1) one Benihana Collectible Mug. Management reserves the right to change, cancel or amend this promotion at any time. Valid through 12/30/2020. Code# 57865
54
LV W C OV E R S T O R Y
4 .1 . 2 1
T E C H N O L O G Y
JAMES HSU Co-founder, CEO & Executive Producer, VRLU Age: 38 Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada First Job: Working at family’s motel, Towne & Country Motel ■ A born-and-raised Las Vegan, James Hsu has always had an entrepreneurial spirit. A successful motivational speaker and author, Hsu hopped at the opportunity to partner with his longtime mentor to launch VRLU. The innovative streaming platform provides educational, entertaining content using groundbreaking virtual reality. When the pandemic hit, Hsu and his team created the most extensive selfdevelopment application in the virtual reality space. They’ve produced over 600 episodes of informative, engaging virtual reality content, totaling over 120 hours and featuring former NFL football players, award-winning animators and legendary speakers like Les Brown. Spearheading this initiative, especially during such a difficult time, is something Hsu takes pride in. Throughout his career, Hsu has spoken at more than 2,500 events, inspiring and motivating hundreds of thousands of people across the country. He’s penned two books, Mobilizing People and How to Eat Your Way to a Six-Figure Income, and works as a life coach. (Wade Vandervort/Staff)
4 .1 . 2 1
LV W C OV E R S T O R Y
55I
JOSHUA GOLDMAN, M.D. Plastic & Reconstructive Microsurgeon and Assistant Professor, UNLV School of Medicine
R E A L E S T A T E
■ Dr. Joshua Goldman committed to becoming a physician at just 7 years old. Having an artistic slant to a deeply scientific mind, he found his calling in plastic and reconstructive surgery—going a step further and obtaining unique subspecialty training in advanced reconstructive techniques. He wanted to serve patients who had lost hope for successful reconstruction. Goldman launched into his first two years of practice, performing multiple surgical procedures in advanced breast reconstruction and extremity salvage that were the first of their kind in Nevada. He also obtained $60,000 in competitive grants to raise breast reconstruction awareness and address lower extremity disease with innovative technologies. Changing patients’ lives is just the start for Goldman. He is equally determined to pass his passion for patient care to the future of medicine through training medical students and residents. He also regularly attends breast cancer support groups at The Caring Place and is a member of its honorary advisory board.
H E A L T H
(Photos by Christopher DeVargas/Staff)
Age: 35 Hometown: San Antonio, Texas First Job: Gymnastics coach
C A R E “I came back to Las Vegas to build outpatient care programs, design research and provide education worthy of designation as a center of excellence. From a health care standpoint, Las Vegas has so much untapped potential, it’s a powder keg for innovation and growth.”
ANDREA BLUE General Manager, Galleria at Sunset/ Brookfield Properties Age: 39 Hometown: St. Catherine, Jamaica First Job: Cashier at Target ■ The first African American woman serving as general manager of the 1.1 million-square-foot shopping center Galleria at Sunset, Andrea Blue seamlessly cultivates tenant relationships that lead to high-occupancy rates, minimal turnover and renewal of long-term leases. Blue’s work allows her to implement new ideas while giving a nod to the history and traditions that reflect the property and the community. During her 19-year career, Blue has won four prestigious TOBY awards (The Outstanding Building of the Year), yet she is most proud of introducing diverse holiday traditions to the property—bringing to life multicultural experiences that celebrate the many different cultures and backgrounds of Southern Nevadans. In her spare time, Blue enjoys giving back to children. She serves on the board of the Grant a Gift Autism Foundation and is the committee chair of the Able-tility resource group for Brookfield Properties.
LV W C OV E R S T O R Y
4 .1 . 2 1
“If 2020 has taught us anything, it is that life can truly take a left when you are set on going right. So while I can look toward the horizon a bit, I want to focus on today so that I can hopefully make a greater impact for the tomorrow.”
DEANDRE ESTEEN Assistant Vice President of Community Relations, Barclays Age: 37 Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada First Job: Helping graduate students gather research at UNLV
M I C H A E L A DA M S Franchise Owner & Field Consultant, Port of Subs
F O O D
■ Michael Adams loves Las Vegas. And he combines this love with his passion for food—in a big way. Adams started as a sandwich master at Port of Subs 10 years ago, progressing into management, then being recruited to work with the corporate team as a field consultant and serving as president of the Las Vegas co-op, which manages the marketing strategy for all 34 Port of Subs stores in the Southern Nevada region. During the pandemic shutdowns in 2020, Adams had the opportunity to become a franchise owner. He took a leap of faith—setting record-breaking sales—and is now opening his third store. Through it all, Adams never forgets his community. He is working with Hope for Prisoners so that he can institute a hiring program for participants, giving someone a second chance as they reenter the workforce.
(DeAndre Esteen by Wade Vandervort; Michael Adams by Christopher DeVargas/Staff)
Age: 33 Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada First Job: Mowing lawns & washing cars
■ After working in nonprofits, DeAndre Esteen turned his passion for helping others into a career where he mobilizes more than 1,100 Barclays team members to give back to the community. His efforts have resulted in 90% of his colleagues volunteering throughout the year. Empowering them to find their voices and assume leadership roles in the community is his greatest joy. With Esteen leading community investment initiatives, Barclays has provided nearly $30,000 in 529 scholarship funds to local students and supported workforce training for at-risk youth. He also helped direct Barclays COVID-19 financial support to the United Way of Southern Nevada and Three Square, providing 1.3 million meals to residents in Clark County. Esteen serves as the vice-chair of the Henderson Chamber of Commerce Foundation Board as well as sits on the Las Vegas Advisory Board for Tech Impact and on the committee for the Southern Nevada Blue Ribbon Panel on Social Equity through ImpactNV.
F I N A N C E
56
Congratulations to Blakeley Griffith for being honored as a Vegas Inc. 40 Under 40 award recipient for 2021. Thank you for your dedication to the legal profession and our community. We are very proud of you.
swlaw.com Hughes Center | 3883 Howard Hughes Parkway | Suite 1100 | Las Vegas, Nevada 89169 Albuquerque | Boise | Denver | Las Vegas | Los Angeles | Los Cabos | Orange County Phoenix | Portland | Reno | Salt Lake City | San Diego | Seattle | Tucson | Washington D.C.
For 40 years our chocolates have been a highlight of family celebrations in the Valley… and this is no exception.
CO N G R AT U L AT I O N S
to the 40 Under 40 winners and cheers to another 40 years ahead! ETHELM.COM
1.800.438.4356
4 .1 . 2 1
D AV I D F A R R I S
ERIN CALHOUN
Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Planet 13
Executive Director of Booking — Entertainment & Sports, MGM Resorts International
Age: 26 Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada First Job: Marketing Supervisor
Age: 34 Hometown: Fords, New Jersey First Job: Bakery
■ In 2016, David Farris joined Planet 13 as employee No. 8. The company has since grown to over 500 employees, launched its own branded products that are sold in 45 retail stores and posted nearly $70 million in revenue in 2020—pivoting their previous tourist model to cater to locals with a fleet of 30 delivery vehicles. Farris has been a constant driving force through it all. Farris divides his time between the strategic approach of business marketing, media relations, sponsorships and events, and the depths of visual creativity—serving as graphic designer for products and the website—with a focus on transforming the way we think about cannabis and what it means to experience interactive retail. Helping to create a business where he grew up only reinforces Farris’ desire to give back. Recently, he created a meal program for at-risk seniors through Planet 13’s Trece restaurant, contributing 10,000 meals during the pandemic.
■ It’s not every day you meet a classically trained opera singer who puts on some of the world’s largest boxing events for a living. Enter Erin Calhoun. Calhoun’s unique background fuels her passion, spending countless hours researching different genres of music, studying up-and-coming artists and gaining insight into all areas of the entertainment industry in order to bring the best music and sporting events to MGM. And she has booked some of the greatest, including Elton John, The Weeknd, Jay-Z and Guns N’ Roses, as well as some of the biggest sporting events like Mayweather vs. McGregor and Canelo vs. GGG. With an eye for strategic partnerships, Calhoun also forged a relationship with the team at Psycho Las Vegas, which resulted in the move of the rock music festival from Hard Rock to Mandalay Bay—planned pre-pandemic to take over five stages and feature 70 iconic acts over three days.
(David Farris by Christopher DeVargas; Erin Calhoun by Wade Vandervort/Staff)
LV W C OV E R S T O R Y
E N T E R T A I N M E N T
C A N N A B I S
58
4 .1 . 2 1
LV W C OV E R S T O R Y
“My whole life I have been an athlete and an athlete only. When we started 7Five Brewing Co., I not only had to juggle building a brand and being an athlete, but I also had to learn the business side of running a company.”
S P O R T S / F O O D
R YA N R E AV E S Athlete, Vegas Golden Knights CEO, 7Five Brewing Co.
(Courtesy)
Age: 33 Hometown: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada First Job: Air conditioner factory worker ■ Vegas Golden Knights’ enforcer and beloved fan favorite Ryan Reaves has put down roots in Las Vegas in many ways— including with his craft beer company, 7Five Brewing Co. Named after Reaves’ NHL number, 7Five was founded in 2018 with business partner Adam Coates. The vision was to create a brewing company with a narrative that speaks to Reaves’ journey as a hockey player—that of the underdog, working hard and challenging the odds. 7Five Brewing Co. has been met with widespread acclaim. In only three years since its inception, the company has released four beers, including one in part-
CHELI KROUPP Vice President – Interactive Operations
CONGRATULATIONS
AGS honors Cheli Kroupp, Vice President – Interactive Operations, for being named to VEGAS INC.’s 40 Under 40 class of 2021! We salute Cheli’s experience, accomplishments, contributions to the Las Vegas community, and her commitment to AGS.
PlayAGS.com
nership with MGM Grand, and have a fifth on the way. They’ve also partnered with Able Baker Brewing to expand their reach Downtown. Supporting the community has been an important mission from the beginning. In 2020, 7Five raised $15,000 in charitable donations to help those impacted by the pandemic. Though his accomplishments are vast, whether on the ice or in the taproom, Reaves says his family—his wife and two children—is his proudest achievement. He looks forward to watching his children grow up and says his son is the best golf partner he can ask for.
59I
LV W C OV E R S T O R Y
4 .1 . 2 1
MEGHAN MOSSLER Co-founder and CEO, Ross & Snow Age: 39 Hometown: Albany, Georgia First Job: Youth soccer official ■ With a lifelong interest in art, fashion and design, Meghan Mossler launched luxury shoe brand Ross & Snow with her husband in 2017. Mossler is focused on customer experience and obsessed with design, quality and comfort. She splits her time between the Ross & Snow headquarters in Las Vegas and its Italian factories in Tuscany, overseeing all of the brand’s design and marketing. Prior to the creation of Ross & Snow, Mossler worked for Zappos and eventually went on to launch Stitch Factory, Downtown Las Vegas’ incubator for fashion. She leveraged her industry experience and relationships in factories, design, retail and wholesale when founding Ross & Snow. Mossler says that giving back is what has changed her life and contributed to her success. She and her husband donate to the Goodie Two Shoes Foundation, First Friday Foundation, Alexander Dawson School, Discovery Children’s Museum, Three Square and others.
(Wade Vandervort/Staff)
R E T A I L
60
Connecting your craft to your customers Internet and voice solutions do more than just help with everyday tasks. They’re what connect your craft to your customers. When it matters most, count on 99.9% reliability from Cox Business. Switch today.
50 MBPS INTERNET AND IP CENTREX SELECT
89
$
for 6 months
/mo*
• NO ANNUAL CONTRACT • FREE SELF-INSTALL • 30-DAY MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE
Paperless billing and auto-payment enrollment required
Call (702) 939-1146 or visit coxbusiness.com to switch today *Offer ends 4/30/21. Available to new commercial data subscribers (excluding gov’t agencies and schools) in Cox service areas. $89/mo includes Cox Business InternetSM 50 and IPC Select for months 1-6 and free self-install; $10 step-up in month 7. Rates subject to change after month 7 or if you cancel Auto Pay or Paperless Bill. Offer requires Auto Pay and Paperless Bill. Price excludes equipment, professional installation, construction, inside wiring, taxes, surcharges and other fees, unless indicated. Offer is nontransferable to a new service address. “No annual contract” means no specific term period requirement and no early termination fees. All Cox services are provided subject to Cox Business General Terms (including mandatory arbitration provisions), Acceptable Use Policy (including Cox’s right to terminate service for abuse of network), and other policies, which may be found at www.cox.com/aboutus/policies.html. CB Internet: Uninterrupted or error-free Internet service, or the speed of your service, is not guaranteed. Actual speeds vary. Rates and bandwidth options vary and are subject to change. DOCSIS 3.0 or higher modem may be required, unless indicated. See www.cox.com/internetdisclosures for complete Cox Internet Disclosures. Voice: 15-seat maximum. IPC Select is limited to direct-dialed domestic calls and is not available for use with non-switched-circuit calling. Desktop app included; physical handsets may be purchased separately from Cox. Access to E911 may not be available during equipment or extended power outage. Telephone services are provided by an affiliated Cox entity. Services are not available in all areas. Discounts can’t be combined or added with other promotions nor applied to any other Cox account. 30day satisfaction guarantee limited to refund of standard installation/activation fees and the first month’s recurring service and equipment fees (and equipment purchase fees if purchased from Cox) for the newly subscribed services only. Excludes all other costs and charges. Refund must be claimed within 30 days of service activation. Other restrictions apply. © 2021 Cox Communications Inc. All rights reserved. PAD107564-0001
LV W C OV E R S T O R Y
4 .1 . 2 1
N O N P R O F I T
H E A L T H
C A R E
N O N P R O F I T
E M I LY P A U L S E N
ALEXIS MUSSI
S E A N PA R K E R
Executive Director, Nevada Homeless Alliance
Chief Executive Officer, Southern Hills Hospital and Medical Center
Executive Director, Teach for America Las Vegas
Age: 34 Hometown: Stockton, California First Job: Lifeguard
Age: 37 Hometown: Stockton, California First Job: Physician relations at Sunrise Children’s Hospital
■ Emily Paulsen believes that housing is a human right and is determined to build a community where everyone has a safe place to call home. She has served as the executive director of the Nevada Homeless Alliance since 2016 and is currently an instructor at the UNLV School of Social Work, with the goal of inspiring the next generation of social workers and advocates. Last year, under Paulsen’s leadership, the NHA became a PPE distribution center, providing critical supplies to shelters, food banks, homeless outreach teams and directly to homeless community members. They distributed more than 30,000 masks. Paulsen has over a decade of experience as a street outreach worker, case manager, permanent housing manager and homeless systems innovator, with expertise in evidence-based interventions, program development and policy. In 2020, she was named a Jameson Fellow and received the ACLU of Nevada’s Community Advocate Award.
■ Alexis Mussi is the first woman serving as CEO of Southern Hills Hospital and Medical Center and one of the youngest CEOs in the HCA Healthcare system. Mussi had only been in her position for six months when the pandemic hit and presented unprecedented challenges to the health care industry. Today, Mussi says that there’s nothing that makes her prouder than how she and her team responded to those challenges. A dedicated, hands-on leader, Mussi jumped into action with unwavering focus—making decisions on how to utilize scarce resources, motivate and protect staff, and effectively treat patients with compassionate, innovative, quality care. Mussi also serves on the board of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation and is the vice chair of the Southern Nevada Health District Facility Advisory Board. She is a graduate of Leadership of Las Vegas and a Trauma Intervention Program Heroes With a Heart award recipient.
Age: 33 Hometown: Huntsville, Alabama First Job: High school teacher ■ Sean Parker has a mission: In 10 years, Las Vegas will be globally known as the equity-centered education innovation capital of the world. It may seem like a lofty goal, but Parker will prove it can be done. Parker is an advocate for education and believes that it’s a moral, social and economic imperative that our education system serves all students. He leads with a kids-first mentality while tackling issues of racism, economic disparity and other systemic problems within schools. During his five years as executive director of Teach for America Las Vegas, he has supported more than 700 education leaders, who in turn have reached over 240,000 students in Clark County. His love for the community also drives his involvement in other organizations, including the CCSD Teacher Recruitment & Retention Advisory Commission. Drawing inspiration from TFA’s students, teachers, staff, advisory board and community partners, Parker intends to change the world—one classroom at a time.
“I get to work with heroes. These heroes have shown up every single day throughout the pandemic, putting their life and the lives of their families on the line. We have cared for over 2,000 COVID patients this past year and at our peak had over 90 COVID patients in our hospital at a time.”
(Emily Paulsen and Alexis Mussi by Christopher DeVargas; Sean Parker by Wade Vandervort/Staff)
62
CONGRATULATES DR. JOSHUA GOLDMAN, PLASTIC SURGEON
One of Las Vegas’ 40 Under 40 For an appointment with one of our primary or specialty care providers, call (702) 660-UNLV
unlv.edu/medicine
LOS E POUNDS AND INC H ES WITH THIS
23 DAY
The SIOR Southern Nevada Chapter and its past alumni would like to congratulate all of this year’s 40 Under 40 Honorees, including one of SIOR’s own Mike Tabeek with Newmark!
HCG DIET INCLUDES: ▶ ▶ ▶ ▶ ▶
Initial Medical Consultation Full Body Composition Analysis 6 Weekly Follow-up Visits 6 Weekly B12 Injections 23 Days Pharmaceutical Grade HCG Medicine
SPECIAL OFFER $
475
TABEEK
PALMERI
SIOR
DAVIS
THILL
MARTIN
RIFFEL
TASSI
2018: DAN PALMERI - Cushman & Wakefield 2017: BRET DAVIS - JLL 2012: TABER THILL - Colliers Intl. 2011: GRANT TRAUB* - Colliers Intl. 2010: RYAN MARTIN - MDL Group 2009: BRIAN RIFFEL - Colliers Intl.
A LUMN I
2009: XAVIER WASIAK* - JLL 2006: GREG TASSI - Cushman & Wakefield *not pictured
When working on one of your companies largest line items, real estate, are you using a SIOR to provide you the value you deserve?
www.iuventusmedcenter.com (702) 919-1099
2
Contact a SIOR today with questions regarding your office or industrial real estate.
CONVENIENT LOCATIONS
3365 E FLAMINGO ROAD STE 2, LAS VEGAS, NV 89121 4966 S RAINBOW BLVD STE 100, LAS VEGAS, NV 89118
SOUTHERN NEVADA CHAPTER
www.siornv.com
64
VEGAS INC BUSINESS
4 .1 . 2 1
A small business will get ‘a leg up’ from Raiders as team bonds with new community
I
BY BRYAN HORWATH f you’re watching a Las Vegas Raiders game next season and notice an advertisement that seems out of place—How could a company of that size afford such a placement?— your eyes won’t be deceiving you. Nevada’s NFL team is offering a seasonlong sponsorship package valued at $100,000 to one small business. Through a partnership with Utahbased America First Credit Union, the Raiders will give away a sponsorship deal that will include signage inside Allegiant Stadium, radio commercials, digital promotions on the team’s website and mobile app, and tickets to a game. The contest is open to Nevada- and Utah-based for-profit businesses that have annual revenues of less than $10 million. Owners were asked to submit a profile of their business and detail how the sponsorship would help their operation. Finalists will be notified in May and then further present their case. “Many members of Raider Nation operate small businesses, and we are grateful for their entrepreneurship,” Raiders president Marc Badain said in a statement to Vegas Inc. “The showcase will not only support a winner but will also bring focus to the importance of small businesses in Nevada and Utah.” Nicole Cypers, vice president of public relations for America First, said those sorting through applications—America First and Raiders representatives have teamed on that process—will pay particular attention to businesses that are active in their communities. For the Raiders, finding ways to become involved with local initiatives has been a focus since before the franchise moved to Las Vegas from Oakland, California, prior to the 2020 season. The Raiders Foundation, the charitable arm of the franchise, has made efforts to assist those dealing with food insecurity, law enforcement agencies,
health care workers and youth sports programs, and has been particularly active during the coronavirus pandemic. In February, the Raiders sent four local Intermountain health care workers to the Super Bowl in Tampa, Florida, as a gesture of appreciation for their work during the pandemic. Raiders owner Mark Davis, who also owns the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces franchise, donated $1 million to the Nevada COVID-19 Task Force. The team also donated $25,000 to the Actors Fund
as part of the Mondays Dark telethon to support Las Vegas entertainers who have been unable to work during much of the pandemic. As a lending institution, America First—which is based in Ogden, Utah, but does business in Utah, Nevada, Arizona and Idaho—understands how hard the pandemic has been on many small-business owners within its footprint, Cypers said. “This is a chance to give a small business a leg up when they need it the most,” she said. “It’s been a difficult time for so many small-business owners during the pandemic. This is just our first year doing this, but our intent is to also do this for many years to come.” In a statement, America First president and CEO John Lund called small businesses “the lifeblood” of the communities served by the credit union. “Many mom-and-pop shops have been rocked by the pandemic,” Lund said. “They deserve to be highlighted now more than ever.” Of course, fans weren’t allowed into Allegiant Stadium—the team’s $2 billion Strip-adjacent sports and entertainment palace—during the 2020 football season, but that’s likely to change for the 2021 season, as more Americans become vaccinated against COVID-19. If Allegiant Stadium is allowed to be at capacity for the Raiders games it hosts this fall, there’s the potential for about 65,000 sets of eyeballs to catch a glimpse of an advertiser’s signage inside the stadium. “We think something like that could really help give a business a leg up,” Cypers said.
Las Vegas Raiders President Marc Badain (John Locher/AP)
VEGAS INC BUSINESS
4 .1 . 2 1
VegasInc Notes Three Square Food Bank added three members to its board Raw of direc- Schumacher tors: Lindy Schumacher of Fulfillment Fund Las Vegas, Catherine Raw of Nevada Gold Mines Operated by Barrick and Kirk Miller of Intermountain Healthcare. The International Gaming Standards Miller Association announced the results of its board of directors election. Reelected to lead the organization are Roman Czubak, Novomatic AG, chair; Earle G. Hall, CEO of Axes. ai, vice chair; and Paul Burns, formerly senior manager strategic gaming development at the Atlantic Lottery Corporation, and now an ex-officio member of the board appointed as treasurer and secretary. Returning as board members are Adrian Marcu, vice
LwIitGhHPorTtEofNSuUbs!P
president of architecture for International Game Technology; Bala Kuthyar, vice president of engineering, Scientific Games; Martin Pedak, director of technical compliance, Playtech; Nimish Purohit, senior director of technical compliance at Aristocrat Technologies; and Syed Hussain, chief information officer, State of Oregon Lottery. Joining the board as a new member is Scott Cowan, manager of destination gaming, Atlantic Lottery. Mark Wiley of the Mark Wiley Group was named by Keller Williams Luxury International as the head of the new Southern Nevada Luxury Division. In this role, Wiley will lead a team of agents Wiley representing some of the most exclusive home listings in the Southern Nevada real estate market. The Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers announced that its board of directors approved the membership applications of six new companies, bringing the trade group composed of the world’s leading gaming suppliers to a total of 190 mem-
2
Sliced Fresh $ OFF Salads & Wraps! For all online orders,use code: LIGHT2 Valid only at participating Las Vegas locations Valid in-store or online. One coupon per customer per visit. Add-ons available for an additional charge. Offer good through 6/30/2021. © 2021 Port of Subs, Inc.
bers, an all-time high, including Las Vegas-based House Advantage, which provides innovative loyalty marketing solutions through software products and services for resort, leisure and entertainment properties. Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck announced promotions of Emily Ellis, Chris Humes and Lindsey Williams to shareholders. Ellis focuses her practice on business, construction defect and real estate Ellis disputes as a member of the firm’s litigation department. Also part of the litigation department, Humes uses his employee benefits expertise to navigate issues with trusts, regulatory compliance, litigation and dispute Humes resolution. Williams practices in the firm’s intellectual property department, advising clients in acquiring, protecting and enforcing intellectual property assets including trademarks, domain names, copyrights and Williams rights of publicity.
65I
zation representing commercial real estate developers, owners and related professionals in office, industrial, retail and mixed-use real estate, announced its newly elected officers and directors for 2021, led by president David Strickland, vice president of marketing and leasing for the Thomas & Mack Development Group. Additional board members include president-elect, Hayim Mizrachi, MDL Group; treasurer, Reed Gottesman, Harsch Investment Properties; secretary, Rod Martin, Majestic Realty Co.; and immediate past president, Julie Cleaver, the Howard Hughes Corporation. NAIOP’s directors for 2021 include Cassie Catania-Hsu, CBRE; Shawn Danoski, DC Building Group; Jay Heller, Heller Companies; Matt Hoyt, CommCap Advisors; Jeff LaPour, LaPour; Jennifer Levine, RealComm Advisors; Michael Newman, Newman Development Advisors; John Restrepo, RCG Economics; Brad Schnepf, Marnell Properties; Mike Shohet, Compass Development; and Katrina Bruce, Chapter Executive. Helix Electric was honored with the Diversity Excellence Award by Associated Builders and Contractors in the subcontractor category. The awards recognize members that display exemplary diversity leadership in their company, workforce, supply chain and community with best in class recruitment policies, retention practices and training and mentoring programs.
NAIOP Southern Nevada, an organi-
3 OFF
15% OFF
LAS VEGAS PAIUTE/SNOW MOUNTAIN SMOKE SHOP
LAS VEGAS PAIUTE CIGAR SHOPPE/SNOW MOUNTAIN SMOKE SHOP
$
PER CARTON* (CIGARETTES ONLY)
PREMIUM CIGARS & ACCESSORIES
*Must be 21 years of age or older. Excludes filtered cigars. Cannot be combined with other offers or discounts. Limit 1 discount given per customer per day. Must present this coupon for redemption. Cannot be redeemed for cash. No photocopies accepted. EXPIRES 4/30/2021. LVW
*Cannot be combined with any other offers or discounts. Must be 21 years of age or older. Excludes contracted brands. Excludes bundles & individual sticks from bundles, cigarettes, mass market and pipe tobacco. Must present this coupon for redemption. Cannot be redeemed for cash. No photocopies or digital copies accepted. EXPIRES 4/30/2021. LVW
N E V E R P A Y A D D I T I O N A L T A X ! - G O T O L V P A I U T E S M O K E S H O P. C O M F O R C O U P O N S
$35.89*
$36.99*
FINAL PRICE WITH COUPON
$3.99 PER PACK
ORDER ONLINE:
PORTOFSUBS.COM
$38.99*
FINAL PRICE WITH COUPON
$3.99 PER PACK
LAS VEGAS PAIUTE TRIBAL SMOKE SHOP & CIGAR SHOPPE M-Sun 8AM-6PM • 1225 N. Main St. Las Vegas, 89101
FINAL PRICE WITH COUPON
$4.39 PER PACK *PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE
SNOW MOUNTAIN SMOKE SHOP & GAS STATION M-Sun 6AM-7PM • Pay-At-The-Pump Open 24/7 • US 95N @ Exit #99
FOR YOUR SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF OUR EMPLOYEES WE ENCOURAGE THE USE OF FACE MASKS
now slicing
extraordinary order at capriottis.com for pick-up or delivery
gifT GIVEAWAY FRIDAY, APRIL 2
16-Piece Dinnerware Set 4:30PM – 7:30PM
EARN 2,500 POINTS TO RECEIVE GIFT.
TUESDAY, APRIL 6
Guess® Saffiano Tech Crossbody 5:00PM – 7:30PM
EARN 1,777 POINTS TO RECEIVE GIFT.
Visit the 2nd Floor Event Room. Gifts may vary from images shown.
Must be 21 or older. See A-Play® Club for complete details. 4100 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas, NV 89169
silversevenscasino.com
The whole crew.
at yo u r lo c a l d i s p e n s a ry
C H E E B AC H E WS .CO M
# C H E W S W I S E LY
Keep out of reach of children, for use only by adults 21 years of age and older. © 2021 deep roots harvest
Situated atop the 60 th floor of Circa Resort & Casino, experience stunning panoramic views and gorgeous sunsets. Sip signature cocktails and get cozy by the fire pits on the outdoor terrace. Legacy Club is a celebration of style and excess, inspired by the dreamers who built this city. N O W A C C E P T I N G R E S E R VAT I O N S
CIRCAL ASVEG AS.COM
8 Fre m o n t St re e t • La s Ve g a s