August
ENTERTAINMENT
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EDITORIAL Senior Editor GEOFF CARTER (geoff.carter@gmgvegas.com) Managing Editor/News DAVE MONDT (dave.mondt@gmgvegas.com) Editor at Large BROCK RADKE (brock.radke@gmgvegas.com) Staff Writers HILLARY DAVIS, JUSTIN EMERSON, MIKE GRIMALA, CASEY HARRISON, BRYAN HORWATH, C. MOON REED, ARLEIGH RODGERS, AMBER SAMPSON, RICARDO TORRES-CORTEZ Contributing Editors RAY BREWER, JOHN FRITZ, CASE KEEFER, WADE MCAFERTY, KEN MILLER, JOHN TAYLOR Office Coordinator NADINE GUY
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IT WAS NO ORDINARY PRESEASON GAME FOR THE RAIDERS Fans filled Allegiant Stadium on August 14 to watch a game for the first time, a long-awaited milestone postponed by a pandemic that forced the Raiders to play in front of empty seats last year. Raiders owner Mark Davis vowed not to watch a game at the stadium until 65,000 fans could do the same alongside him—and he kept his word by staying away all of last season. He saved the traditional venue ribbon-cutting ceremony for this preseason game, speaking to a sea of fans donning black jerseys or full Raider costumes despite temperatures of more than 100 degrees in front of the stadium. “Allegiant Stadium, aka the Death Star, where opponents’ dreams come to die,” Davis said with oversized scissors hanging from hands. “You’ve been on the journey for 60 years to build this thing, and with the help from all of you and all the people up here, we got it done.” Winning and losing is often secondary to getting snaps and gaining experience in the preseason, but the Raiders’ lone home game before the regular season felt different. Las Vegas had to make sure Allegiant Stadium lived up to its owner’s creed, and it did so by playing with an extra intensity from the opening kickoff. The Raiders scored on their first drive, going 83 yards on 14 plays behind the direction of third-string quarterback Nathan Peterman. Wide receiver Zay Jones caught two passes of more than 20 yards on the possession during his limited time on the field before undrafted rookie Trey Ragas punched in a touchdown on 4th-andinches from the goal line en route to an eventual 20-7 win. –Case Keefer
PLAN FOR HOUSING NEAR RED ROCK CANYON GETS PERMIT OK
A Taliban fighter sits on the back of a vehicle with a machine gun in front of the main gate leading to the Afghan presidential palace August 16 in Kabul. The U.S. military took over Afghanistan’s airspace as it struggled to manage a chaotic evacuation after the Taliban rolled into the capital. (Rahmat Gul/Associated Press)
LOCAL FILM FESTIVALS SPOTLIGHT STORIES ABOUT MINORITIES Nicco Montaño went from being a UFC champion to losing her contract with the mixed martial arts promotion because she couldn’t maintain her fighting weight. Instead of being remembered for her success—she was the first Native American champion in UFC history—many fight fans are familiar with Montaño because of how she missed weight to cancel a highly anticipated match in 2018 with Valentina Shevchenko. The documentary Warrior Spirit sheds a novel light on Montaño’s battle to cut weight in the months ahead of the fight against Shevchenko. It premiered August 6 at the Las Vegas Premiere Film Festival, one of several local film events showcasing people of color and their stories on the screen. The Winchester Dondero Cultural Center celebrated Mexican Cinema Day on August 14. The event offered a free screening of director Rodrigo Reyes’ Lupe Bajo El Sol, which charts the story of an immigrant farmworker named Lupe who pursues his wish to return to Mexico before he dies. –Arleigh Rodgers
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A housing development proposed for near Red Rock Canyon that has been met with resistance from conservationists for nearly two decades because it would build up against the federally protected, popular outdoor recreation area is closer to becoming a reality. The Clark County Commission unanimously approved a permit this month for developer Gypsum Resources to move forward with the first phase of its 2,000-acre master-planned community on Blue Diamond Hill. Though it won’t break ground on homes in the immediate future, Gypsum Resources now has the go-ahead to design roads and utilities for 280 luxury homes on 563 acres on the site of a century-old gypsum mine. Conservationists argue that the county gave its approval against its own codes governing road access and how lots and buildings are arranged in the area. –Hillary Davis
1 THINGS THAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK
VACCINATION PROOF WILL BE REQUIRED AT SOME LAS VEGAS SHOWS Promoters AEG Presents and Live Nation have both announced that proof of COVID-19 vaccination—or a negative coronavirus test result—will be required to attend many of their concerts and events across the country, including shows here in Las Vegas. AEG will begin enforcing its policy on October 1 and Live Nation, which owns and operates prominent Strip music venues the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay and Brooklyn Bowl at the Linq Promenade, will adopt its similar policy starting October 4. Both entertainment companies partner with various casino operators and venues for Vegas residencies and other live events, but those resorts will be responsible for enforcing such policies. The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, which will resume performances next month, and the Life is Beautiful festival, set for September 17-19, will also require ticket-holders to present proof of vaccination or a negative test. –Ray Brewer & Brock Radke
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DEATH TOLL RISING
BOOSTER SHOT
The COVID-19 death toll has started soaring again as the delta variant tears through the nation’s unvaccinated population and fills up hospitals with patients. The U.S. is now averaging about 650 deaths a day, increasing more than 80% from the previous two weeks.
Regulators say transplant recipients and others with severely weakened immune systems can get an extra dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to better protect them. The announcement applies to several million Americans who are especially vulnerable.
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L A S V E G A S W E E K LY
IN THIS ISSUE
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Cover story: Peeking inside some eyecatching Vegas bars Family: Fun, friendly gaming spots for all ages Nights: Fisher makes his Marquee parties memorable Noise: Acts to catch at the first fest back: Psycho Las Vegas Food & Drink: Lost Spirits will transport you to another world Sports: PacMan is back, ready to add to his boxing legacy Vegas Inc: Nightlife consultant James Edgar thrives in tough times
WEEK IN REVIEW WEEK AHEAD News you should know about
Las Vegas Raiders fans watch the first pro football game with a live crowd at Allegiant Stadium, a 20-7 preseason win August 14 against the Seattle Seahawks. (Steve Marcus)
NEW RESIDENCIES Two legendary rock bands are returning to residency shows in Las Vegas this December—Kiss at Planet Hollywood and Journey at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. Kiss will kick off its residency at Zappos Theater and has scheduled concerts for December 29 and 31, January 1, 19, 21, 22, 26, 28 and 29, and February 2, 4 and 5. Tickets go on sale August 20 at ticketmaster.com. Journey has signed up for a six-show run at the Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas on December 1, 2, 7, 8, 10 and 11. Tickets starting at $70 are available now at axs.com.
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FREE BRITNEY
MULTIRACIAL BOOM
TIDE STILL HIGH
Britney Spears’ father said August 12 he is planning to step down from the conservatorship that has controlled her life and money for 13 years. James Spears filed legal documents saying he will step down after several lingering issues are resolved. No timetable was given.
According to 2020 census data, the number of people who identify as multiracial went from 9 million in 2010 to 33.8 million in 2020, if Hispanics are included. If Hispanics are taken out of the calculation, the multiracial numbers went from 5.9 million to 13.5 million people.
Alabama is No. 1 in the Associated Press Top 25 preseason poll for the fourth time in the past six seasons. The Crimson Tide received 47 of 63 first-place votes from the panel of sports writers and broadcasters. Oklahoma is No. 2, just ahead of No. 3 Clemson. Ohio State is fourth.
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FULL CIRCLE Catching up with Vegas native and social media star Charly Jordan
Charly Jordan performing at Resorts World’s Ayu Dayclub (Photos courtesy Resorts World)
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L A S V E G A S W E E K LY
THE WEEKLY Q&A
BY BROCK RADKE
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wenty-two-year-old model, DJ and entrepreneur Charly Jordan parlayed an early foothold as a travel influencer into a massive social media audience, with more than 12 million followers across Instagram, TikTok and YouTube right now. One of her biggest accomplishments thus far: snagging a DJ residency with the Zouk Group at the newly opened Resorts World Las Vegas. To say that gig has special meaning for this Vegas native would be an understatement. “We’re three generations deep in Vegas. My mom and her mom were raised in Vegas,” Jordan says. “I’ve heard a million stories about how Las Vegas used to be and how much it’s changed. And this hotel was where the Stardust was, and my grandpa was an attorney for Boyd Gaming and he worked out of that casino. So it’s pretty crazy to help open a new casino there now.” Jordan spun a special set on opening night and has already logged several shows at Ayu Dayclub, where she returns for a big Labor Day Weekend event on September 3.
What was it like to perform at Resorts World, literally right on the Strip, for opening night? It was very nostalgic. I’m born and raised in Las Vegas, so to be able to DJ an opening of one of the largest casino-hotels on the Strip is pretty crazy. There were a lot of people I went to high school with and family members and other
people I hadn’t seen in a long time, all gathered together. And they had turntables set up in front of the main [Las Vegas Boulevard] entrance, plus they were [broadcasting] my face on that giant LED screen, so I was DJing for the hotel but everyone that was gathered on the street made it feel like a giant block party.
I don’t think there have been many native Las Vegans with DJ residencies at major Strip clubs. I can’t think of anyone either, and also there are not that many female DJs that have residencies. So just getting in there is shaking things up a little. I’m definitely in unchartered waters. But everything has been incredible, and the Resorts World team is very helpful. It’s funny, because I spent my whole life trying to get out [of Las Vegas], did a lot of traveling, and then this brought me back. Growing up here, you can’t really experience it the way everyone else does, so I definitely disliked it, but now I’m older and I get to experience it as it was meant to be. What was the breakthrough that first put you on this course and got you out of town in the first place? Growing up, my family was very conservative and religious, part of the huge Mormon community in Las Vegas. As I got older I craved so much more than the desert and this very structured way Vegas is. It just always felt a little off to me. When I started taking road trips, that opened my eyes and travel really sparked my interest in all different things. I initially made travel videos for a living on Instagram then did other social media, and it helped me broaden my horizons. I got to see all these animals and plants, oceans and lakes. … Seeing nature and traveling to [other] countries on opposite sides of the world opened my eyes to culture, and I wanted to share that with other people who weren’t as fortunate as me, to have the freedom to do that. Culture is everything. I love food and music and learning about different religions and people, and everywhere you go is so unique. And traveling has connected me with so many different
types of music, so that’s why I’m heavily influenced by Latin house and deep house from Europe, and my set has these different sounds from all over the world. You’ve already dropped some music this year including last month’s single, “No Sleep.” Do you have plans for more new music? I do. That was a fun little house single, and there are remixes, but I’m excited to do some more commercial house music coming out in a couple of months. I’m singing on some tracks and spending more time on songwriting and developing this body of work beyond singles. But those are fun to release, because I love to DJ that music. It’s part of a long-term goal to get on the festival circuit. You’ll be playing at Ayu Dayclub and Zouk Nightclub at Resorts World for the foreseeable future, but you have some other new business-oriented projects as well. I started Beauty in Pain, which is a jewelry brand and Smoke Roses, which is a [smoking] paper company, and they were both created with mental health awareness in mind. That’s a huge thing I talk about across all my platforms and brands. Growing up, I definitely struggled with mental health issues, and it’s cool to have products that are attached to that journey. I’m super-grateful to be doing what I’m doing.
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LV W C OV E R S T O R Y
The Golden Tiki
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DRINK DETAILS FROM PUNK ROCK REALNESS TO CRYSTALLINE DECADENCE, THESE VALLEY BARS HAVE A WHOLLY UNIQUE LOOK
BY GEOFF CARTER | WITH PHOTOGRAPHS BY WADE VANDERVORT
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Think back to last year, when we were all stuck at home and dreaming of the day we’d be able to drink together in public again. How did you imagine it? Did you remember what it was like to enjoy drinks in a place with character, a place where the furniture, decor and general vibe was as intoxicating as what was in your glass? These Las Vegas Valley bars are those boozy dreams personified—and they’re waiting for you now.
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THE GOLDEN TIKI The Golden Tiki isn’t subtle. When you serve drinks with umbrellas in them, you need to go big with the decor, which this Chinatown hot spot emphatically does. Look around at the rock fountains, the carved idols, the starry ceiling, the black velvet paintings, the halfshell Instagram backdrop, the cabinet of celebrity shrunken heads and more, and try not to let your head swim. It’s a deluge of tropical kitsch, and you’ll need that umbrella to weather it. 3939 Spring Mountain Road, 702-222-3196, thegoldentiki.com.
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REBAR ReBar owner Derek Stonebarger loves many things, but in his Arts District spot, two in particular stand out: He loves making friends and making deals. Is this place a vintage shop that includes a bar, or the other way around? Whatever it is, you could walk in and buy a cheap (but premium!) beer, a vintage bike, an Olympic Garden neon sign—or even none of that; you could just hang out—and ReBar will live up to your every expectation. 1225 S. Main St,, 702-998-8777, rebarlv.com.
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MINUS5 ICEBAR
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Las Vegas’ summers are getting hotter and drier, but this Mandalay Bay spot is keeping a cool head about it. To be precise, minus 5 degrees Celsius/23 degrees Fahrenheit. With its tables, chairs, decorations and even glasses sculpted from 90 tons of ice, Minus5 Icebar looks like nothing else in this city—and little else on this planet. Once you’ve put on your heavy coat and stepped up to the frozen bar, you feel like you’ve entered a fantasy world. The experience continues with slightly different locations at the Venetian and Linq Promenade. 3930 Las Vegas Blvd S., 702-740-5800, minus5experience.com.
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You frankly haven’t lived until you’ve enjoyed a cocktail inside a chandelier that’s 44 feet tall and approximately 75 feet in diameter, a three-level design marvel strung with some 2 million crystal beads. Even in the midst of a busy weekend night, this David Rockwell-designed casino bar retains its elegance and serenity. The Cosmopolitan has no shortage of swank extravagance, but the Chandelier Bar is next-level stuff. It’s a glittering prize. 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 702-698-7000.
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THE SILVER STAMP There used to be a bar in North Las Vegas called Pogo’s. It had wood-paneled walls, old Budweiser neon signs and a Midwestern Elks Lodge vibe. It’s long gone, but that’s OK, because in the last year, beer lovers Rose Signor and Andrew Smith opened an Arts District bar that looks almost exactly like it. The wood paneling, the string lights, the wall of obscure beer cans—it all combines into authentic, warm and comfortable Americana. 222 E. Imperial Ave., 702-5271784, silverstamplv.com.
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PIONEER SALOON
The building, prefabricated by Sears and Roebuck, is 108 years old. The wooden bar is even older than that. It’s not a showy place; aside from the pressed tin ceiling tiles and the photos on the walls, it’s actually quite modest. But it’s the things you can’t see—the memories, the ghosts—that give Goodsprings’ Pioneer Saloon its wholly-earned character. Countless cowboys have bellied up to this bar; Clark Gable mourned Carole Lombard on one of its barstools. Close your eyes and take it in. 310 NV-161 (Goodsprings), 702-874-9362, pioneer saloon.info.
DOUBLE DOWN SALOON
This nearly-30-year-old dive isn’t decorated so much as it’s layered in picturesque sediment. If you were able to take a core sample of the Double Down—drill down into its aggressively psychedelic murals, spectacular jukebox, heavily graffitied bathrooms and even the sign advertising shots of “Ass Juice”—you’d be able to read the entire history of this town’s punk counterculture. No other Vegas joint has visibly accumulated quite so much character over time. 4640 Paradise Road, 702-791-5775,
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FIRESIDE LOUNGE AT PEPPERMILL
It’s the inside of a genie’s bottle. No, it’s what the cover of Duran Duran’s Rio would look like serving punchbowl-sized drinks. No, wait, it’s a lounge from the future that’s here to save humanity, and it’s trying to blend in with modern-day Vegas lounges. Whatever it is, we love every bit of Peppermill’s Fireside Lounge—the low-slung booths, the perpetual sexy-time lighting, the flames erupting from the water in the conversation pit. Wish we were there now. 2985 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 702-7354177, peppermilllasvegas.com.
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THE LAUNDRY ROOM
You could easily miss it. From the street, it looks like an abandoned storefront, covered in stickers and graffiti; its entryway, from Commonwealth, could be a storeroom entrance. But once you’ve been inside the Laundry Room, with its deep earth tones, newsprint-papered ceiling and Victorian bric-a-brac, this slender speakeasy will loom large in your mental picture of Downtown. Drinking here is a gift—a rare visit to the frontier gambling town Vegas once was and should always be. 525 Fremont St., 702-291-7389.
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LOST SPIRITS
Technically, this newcomer isn’t a bar, but a distillery and tasting room serving up rums and brandies. But “room” should be in quotations; in actuality, Lost Spirits is a hive of tasting rooms, some themed to the past, some to the future and some to places we’ve only imagined. It’s a dream world of theatrical sets, lab equipment and holograms, all in the service of some terrific house-distilled booze. 3215 S. Rancho Drive, 702-213-4888.
FEATURED ON THE COVER! PLUS: More on Lost Spirits’ drinks and tour on Page 34
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THE PLAYBOOK Five cool spots for family gaming activities
BY AMBER SAMPSON
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s summer nears its end and the kids return to school, the window for quality family time is shrinking. You’ve done all the trips. You’ve swam in all the pools. But have you played all the games? A good old family game night is long overdue. Here are five family-friendly gaming spots to unleash everyone’s inner child.
HyperX Esports Arena For most families, couch gaming with the kids will suffice. For those looking to up the ante, HyperX Esports Arena offers an incredible gaming experience with all the equipment professional players use. Just about any PC or console game is playable here, even the embarrassingly addictive Fortnite. Retro gamers can also enjoy arcade games at the video game cocktail bar. Plus, the arena hosts regular tournaments inside its 30,000-square-foot space, which features a 50-foot LED screen and a stage. Drop in and team up for some family-friendly competition. Luxor, 702-723-2355, hyperxesportsarena lasvegas.com, $15-$125.
Lost Games Escape Rooms Do you want to play a game? Lost Games Escape Rooms offers the ultimate puzzle room experience for you and the family. The team at Lost Games takes its immersive theater very seriously. The 3,000-square-foot facility features handmade props and impeccable set design, placing you on the scene of several escape room narratives. Take “The Doctor’s Secret,” for example: You and your group are the newest patients of Solitude Heights Asylum, where things aren’t as they seem. You’ll need to uncover the secrets of Dr. Kieling and escape using everything from flash lights to your own wit. You have 60 minutes. 3075 Valley View Blvd. S., 702-551-3075, lostgameslv.com, $33-$49 per participant. Meepleville Board Game Cafe (Steve Marcus/Staff)
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FAMILY Lost Games Escape Rooms (Courtesy Lost Games)
Pinball Hall of Fame You might need to pick your jaw up off the floor as you enter the Pinball Hall of Fame, a 27,000-square-foot kaleidoscopic world of wonder. Owner Tim Arnold’s collection of vintage pinball and video arcade machines runs into the hundreds, and some date back as far as 70 years. Stroll the aisles basking in a nostalgic game machine glow while the familiar clang of pinball flippers punctuates the air. It’s a family trip back to a simpler time. 4925 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 702-597-2627, pinballmuseum.org, free admission.
Meepleville Board Game Cafe If board game night is already a tradition in your household, you’ll relish every moment at Meepleville. There are more than 2,000 board games in the library, including lots of deep cuts. Space is optimal for spreading out with the family as you snack, drink and sink someone’s battleship. Meeple cleverly references the pieces used in modern-style board games and loosely translates to “My People.” The search is finally over; you’ll definitely find them here. 4704 W. Sahara Ave, 702-444 -4540, meepleville.com, $10 per day.
Virtualis VR at Area15 Family bonding doesn’t truly begin until you’re shooting zombies. Virtualis VR inside Area15 invites you to do all of that and more with an immersive, free-roam virtual reality experience. Players are kitted out with VR backpacks, headsets and full haptics on their hands, feet and weapons to simulate in-game touch. Virtualis also features 4D effects, giving the sensation of wind, heat and smell. Experiences range from 20 to 30 minutes and vary from escaping a city overrun with the undead to exploring an ancient temple full of puzzles you’ll solve as a group. 3215 S. Rancho Drive #240, 702-9411400, virtualis-vr.com, ages 10+, $55-$60.
Pinball Hall of Fame (Christopher DeVargas/Staff)
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RESERVATION DOGS A collaboration between Taika Waititi and Seminole-Muscogee filmmaker Sterlin Harjo, FX’s Reservation Dogs is the hilarious and nail-biting adventures of four Indigenous teens trying to steal their way out of Oklahoma. Streaming on Hulu.
BIG THIS WEEK TASTING
OF BOYZ II MEN OF BACKSTREET BOYS
CONCERT
NEVADA BEER BASH AT ELLIS ISLAND
THE AFTER PARTY AT VENETIAN
The Nevada Craft Brewer’s Association’s first festival of the year lands at the venerable Ellis Island Casino & Brewery Saturday, starring your favorite flavors from Able Baker, Banger, Big Dog’s, CraftHaus, Great Basin, Lovelady and many other breweries from all over Nevada. VIP tickets offer early access and five food pairings with select brews. August 21, 6 p.m., $50-$85, nvbeer.com/beer-events. –Brock Radke
Let the pop music nostalgia flow freely: Boyz II Men’s Wanya Morris, NSYNC’s Joey Fatone and Backstreet Boys AJ McLean and Nick Carter team up for four shows at the intimate Sands Showroom at Venetian featuring their groups’ hits and other favorites from different eras. Expect special guests, and plan to spend a lot of time up and out of your seat. August 19-22, 9 p.m., $130-$172. –Brock Radke
PARTY
FIELD TRIP AT FERGUSONS DOWNTOWN Downtown’s best party series is changing things up a bit: For the first time, the DTLV Field Trip is allowing guests as young as 18. On August 20, the event will partner with Crykit’s Playhouse to present Dutch DJ/producer Full Crate, plus locals OG Moose, Nate Quest, Kailyn Hype, Tim Tones and Crykit herself. Plus, Paradise City Creamery will be on hand with the good scoops. August 20, 8 p.m. –Geoff Carter
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SPECTACLE She came here to make friends. Mariah Smith unpacks the history of reality TV on this terrifically engaging podcast, beginning with the 1973 PBS series An American Family and continuing on to our 90 Day Fiancé era. bit.ly/3yP7L18
(Courtesy the After Party) (
OUR PICKS FOR THE WEEK AHEAD
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CONCERT
MT. JOY & TRAMPLED BY TURTLES AT BROOKLYN BOWL The folk-rockers of Mt Joy are picking up where they left off when COVID-19 prematurely ended their previous tour in 2020. This time, the Philadelphia-to-LA musicians have a new album to promote, Rearrange Us, released last summer during that enforced downtime. Long-running Minnesota bluegrass act Trampled by Turtles—last seen here at 2014’s Life Is Beautiful festival—bolsters the bill. August 20, 7:30 p.m., $43-$60, proof of vaccination or negative test result required. –C. Moon Reed
COMEDY
DANE COOK AT THE CHELSEA We could all use a good laugh right now. And who better to deliver it than a zany guy next door like Dane Cook? The prolific comedian brings his outlandish stand-up back to the Cosmo for the first time in three years. Earlier this month, Cook announced that he’ll film his next comedy special in October, so fans could get a sneak peek at some of that content here. August 21, 8 p.m., $69-$210. –Amber Sampson
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NIGHTS
RIDING Fisher is anchoring some truly wild parties at Marquee BY BROCK RADKE
W
ith his energetic tech house tracks and up-for-anything attitude, Fisher seems like a DJ made for big Vegas club parties. He’s a former pro surfer from Australia, and his latest release, “Just Feels Tight,” comes with a video that finds him leading a thrust-centric aerobics class wearing only white undies. I mean, come on. Perfect fit. But Fisher didn’t really land in Las Vegas until Wynn Nightlife’s Art of the Wild brought him to the Strip in early 2019. After COVID-19 chopped down his one-year deal there, he got a call from friend Jason Strauss of the Tao Group asking him to join the party at Marquee. “I’m still fresh to game out there,” Fisher tells the Weekly. “There are a lot of artists that have been there a long time, like Tiësto, who is still dominating the scene. “But I love Vegas. Me and my wife spend days or weeks there every time I play, going to all the shows and the parties and checking out all the restaurants. I love the vibe and the energy around town, and everyone is out there for one reason—to have fun and go mad.” If you’ve participated in one of Fisher’s Marquee Dayclub bashes this summer, you’ve seen the madness firsthand. “I’ve been telling people over the last two months that when I started there, I’d never seen anything like it in Vegas. It’s just been magic,” he says. “Everyone who shows is just through the roof and
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THE WAVES loving the music and getting involved. kicked a major hole in his festival calIt really comes down to the team at endar and it’s a rare big non-club event Marquee. But I did the Fourth of July on his current agenda. and didn’t think it could “There are a lot of big get any better, and then artists on that lineup, FISHER just [recently] it was and it’s really cool to be August 21, 11 a.m., even better, just a nora part of it,” Fisher says. $30-$50. mal Saturday in Vegas.” “I wasn’t meant to be Marquee Dayclub, 702-333-9000, He’s back this weekhere this time of year marqueelasvegas.com. end, excited to keep and because of COVID, I growing his Vegas foldidn’t know if I was getlowing and just excited ting out of Australia. But to play this year’s Life Is Beautiful fesI’m really looking forward to that one, tival in September. That gig has extra and I’ve put a lot into the production significance, because the pandemic to help me make that show as good as
it can be.” Next up is a trip to Europe to hit some spots in Ibiza and London, then he’ll be looking to release a lot more new music before the year is out. He’s got plenty of ammunition stored up after being locked in his LA studio for the better part of the last year, and now it’s time to get it out in front of audiences. “I need a crowd. I thrive off that energy,” Fisher says. “And you need to see if the music is working like every artist does. It’s definitely a massive part of making music, getting that live feel of an audience.”
Fisher at Marquee Dayclub (Courtesy Global Media Group for Tao Group Hospitality)
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THE STRIP
BRINGING ‘SEXXY’ BACK
Jennifer Romas has expanded and refined her entertainment business
Jennifer Romas in Sexxy the Show (Courtesy)
BY BROCK RADKE
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estgate Las Vegas operates on its own schedule. Its unique status is partially defined by its location next door to the Las Vegas Convention Center, and also by its hybrid nature: hotel and timeshare resort. After casinos were shuttered last March, Westgate waited for two weeks after the June 4 reopening date to come back to life, then slowly brought back its key restaurants and amenities. The big-room residency from Barry Manilow resumes at last on September 16, and smaller shows The Magic of Jen Kramer and Soul of Motown returned to the Westgate Cabaret on May 7. Two more shows should launch in that space soon. The Bronx Wanderers concert production opens on September 20 after moving from Harrah’s, and longtime Vegas headliner George Wallace should be back later this year. But the show that’s been at Westgate Cabaret almost as long as the Westgate name has been on the building just
returned to the stage on August 6. and hopefully aroused a little bit, then Dancer and choreographer Jennifer we did our job.” Romas met resort owner David Siegel at Adding to the stress is the continthe 2014 ribbon cutting event marking uation of Sexxy After Dark, a supper the transition from LVH to Westgate, club version of the show, which Romas and she soon began pitching him her launched in partnership with Larry idea for a new Vegas burlesque show. Flynt’s Hustler Club late last year. It was Siegel wanted it up and running in time originally intended to keep the cast and for CES, giving Romas crew busy until they could SEXXY THE SHOW three months to build it return to Westgate, but its Friday-Sunday, from scratch. She pulled success has spawned plans 10 p.m., $29-$59. it off, with topless revue to expand the show to two Westgate Cabaret, sexxyshow.com. Sexxy the Show hitting the other cities at gentlemen’s stage in January 2015. clubs operated by the same Romas says reviving the company. SEXXY AFTER DARK Thursday-Saturday, show after the long pan“I’m thrilled to be work9:30 p.m., $20. Larry demic layoff feels similar ing with both teams ... and Flynt’s Hustler Club, to that wild initial launch. now I’m employing three 702-785-3131. “It’s kind of like going times as many people as back to the start ... but before,” Romas says. “The at the end of the day I’m so grateful, partnership with the Hustler team and I feel very blessed,” she says. “Am [has] pushed me to work differently I stressing right now? Of course. But and figure some things out.” we’re going to do what we do and come She figured out some key changes out strong. And if the girls have a great to the Westgate version of the show, show and people walk out feeling happy including some new cast members such
as singer and Vegas stage veteran Anne Martinez and lots of refreshed music, choreography and costumes. Romas also figured out how to grow her entertainment business during COVID, and to harness her energy and anxiety—“I’m still a little stress bunny,” she jokes—into productivity. “It was a game-changer for me in every aspect of my life. It was figuring out a lot of things about myself and finding the most incredible man I want to spend the rest of my life with,” Romas says. “How he views the things that have been happening has been really eye-opening for me as an individual and as a business person.” Actor, entertainer and personal trainer Rico Bozant is also one of the new cast members in Sexxy, performing with Romas in the show’s first-ever male-female act. “I’ve learned to delegate,” she continues. “I realized I cannot do it all by myself so now there are team members doing everything, which is great.”
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METAL AND MORE
Ten acts to catch at Psycho Las Vegas’ festival return BY CASE KEEFER
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sycho Las Vegas always books a wide variety of bands from all across the extreme music spectrum, and this year’s festival—running from August 20-22 at Mandalay Bay—is no exception. Here are 10 acts beyond the headliners, mostly pulled from different subcultures across the metal world, worth checking out across the three primary stages.
PSYCHO LAS VEGAS
KHEMMIS (Friday, 4 p.m., House of Blues) With 2018 album Desolation, this Denver trio became the current standard-bearers of the doom metal/stoner rock sound upon which Psycho was founded. A highly anticipated follow-up was recently recorded, and this year’s fest seems like a natural place to debut some of that new material. OBITUARY (Friday, 7 p.m., Michelob Ultra Arena) This year’s Psycho lineup leans heavier into death metal than ever before, and these Tampa, Florida, genre pioneers remain ferocious enough to put the younger acts to shame. Beware of the pit when Obituary dusts off classics like 1989’s “Slowly We Rot” and 1990’s “Find the Arise.”
August 20-22, Mandalay Bay, $299-$599/3-day pass, $129/day pass, vivapsycho.com.
GZA (Friday, 11 p.m., Mandalay Bay Beach) The Wu-Tang Clan member’s 1995 sophomore solo release, Liquid Swords, remains among the most-beloved cult albums in hip-hop history. GZA will pay homage to that masterpiece with a set commemorating that project’s 25th anniversary.
(AP)
RED FANG (Saturday, 2:25 p.m., Michelob Ultra Arena) The Portland sludge merchants closed out Psycho 2018 with a memorable performance at the Hard Rock pool. They now find themselves promoted to mainstage openers on the back of their fifth full-length, Arrows, released earlier this year. It might contain their most gloriously grimy output yet. DEAFHEAVEN (Saturday, 3:50 p.m., Michelob Ultra Arena) Think of it as an album release show for Infinite Granite, as the influential blackgaze band will release its latest fulllength one day before this set. Singles “The Gnashing” and “Great Mass of Color” showed the band heading into more delicate, less-aggressive territory, and the Psycho crowd will be the first to see how that translates live.
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(Courtesy Psycho Las Vegas)
NOISE POISON THE WELL (Saturday, 7:35 p.m., House of Blues) The Miami metalcore greats changed the genre forever with 1999 debut The Opposite of December… A Season of Separation, which traded machismo and militance for musing and melody, before the band began exploring moodier sonics on later releases. What was originally slated as a special December set for Psycho 2020 now appears to be a more career-spanning approach. PIG DESTROYER (Saturday, 8:40 p.m., Mandalay Bay Beach) Even before the pandemic, the Virginia-based grindcore institution played just a few shows per year, making every opportunity to catch its spastic assault special. Based on social media posts and merch releases, this setlist should draw heavily from 2001 landmark release Prowler in the Yard as a 20th anniversary celebration.
CANNIBAL CORPSE (Saturday, 11 p.m., Mandalay Bay Beach) “Midnight Massacre” might sound like a Cannibal Corpse song title, but it’s just a descriptor of the destruction these death metal giants will unleash in their first show since adding renowned producer/guitarist Erik Rutan to the permanent lineup. No band in history has more successfully melded pummeling riffs with tales of horror and gore, and Cannibal Corpse has done it across a stunning, uninterrupted 33 years and 15 full-length records. MIDNIGHT (Sunday, 2:20 p.m., Michelob Ultra Arena) Expect leather jackets, black head masks and bullet belts, if not pyrotechnics and other props, from auteur Athenar and his collaborators, as they rip through their throwback 1980s speed-metal sound. It’s a shame Motörhead never got to play Psycho before Lemmy Kilmister’s 2015 death, but Midnight might be the closest thing sonically.
(Courtesy Nedda Afsari)
DRAB MAJESTY (Monday, 12:15 a.m., House of Blues) Rest your neck after the weekend’s headbanging and dust off your dance shoes for the festival’s closing act. An inspired choice to conclude the festivities, Drab Majesty’s dark, synth-driven gothic rock should make for the perfect parting gift.
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LOST SPIRITS DISTILLERY Area15, 3215 S. Rancho Drive, 702-213-4888, lostspirits.net. Tour & tasting, $60 weekdays, $80 Friday evenings & weekends.
GETTING LOST Las Vegas has never seen a distillery, tasting tour and themed space like Lost Spirits
(Courtesy)
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FOOD & DRINK
SEE THE INTERIOR! Turn to Page 12 for the Cover Story!
BY GEOFF CARTER
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et’s begin with the booze. Lost Spirits Distillery, which opened August 15 at the Area15 complex, launches with several brands of house-made specialty hooch, including “Japonisme,” a 90-proof, Japanese-inspired rum made with Okinawa black sugar and charred Mizunara oak; “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,” a 102-proof rum distilled from Grade A molasses and Pacific Ocean brine; and “Framboise,” a 94-proof brandy fermented from California raspberries—17 pounds of them per bottle, to be precise. “It’s a product almost no one makes, because the raw materials break the economics,” co-founder Bryan Davis explains. If Davis and partner Joanne Haruta have wasted even a moment of their journey obsessing over the economics of things, you wouldn’t know it by tasting their wares. The spirits I’ve been lucky enough to sample are intensely flavorsome, smooth as spun silk and loaded with character. They’re great for sipping—just the fuel you need for a two hour-plus distillery tour and tasting— and they’ll make for some outstanding cocktails, once these bottles manage to cross over into this dimension. And for the moment, that’s all I’m going to say about what Lost Spirits makes. Instead, we’re going to talk about the place where they make it, assuming I didn’t dream it up. Lost Spirits Las Vegas—Davis and Haruta’s second distillery, though the LA location is currently closed—is a sensory adventure. Right from the start, it subverts your expectations of distillery tours, themed environments and Area15 itself. (Spoilers follow.) You wander through theatrical forests, ride in a Jules Verne-inspired submarine and are entertained in a Cuban nightclub by holograms. The tour playfully confounds your efforts to get your bearings, and your guide, the puckish “artificial intelligence” Tessa, is of little help. (“I, as well as everything you’ll see on this journey, was built on things you can find at Home Depot and Amazon.com,” she jokes in her stop-start computerized cadence.) But even those who get lost might
find their way into secret tasting rooms and other hidden experiences. If Lost Spirits has some fun with theatricality, that’s only because it has the science of distilling locked down tight. Back in 2015, Davis, a self-taught organic chemist and seemingly restless autodidact, discovered a form of time travel: He figured out how to bestow years’ worth of barrel-aged flavor to spirits within only days. Davis and Haruta began to assemble a “crack team” of chemical engineers, materials science experts and electrical engineers to unpack his discovery, because “It’s one thing to discover how to make something work,” Davis says. “Why something works is a whole different piece of the equation.” Admittedly, even the “how” is difficult for me to explain, which is what makes the part of the tour that touches on the actual distilling worth the visit. You’ll be taken through a barrel room and laboratory, where the process of distilling spirits—and Lost Spirits’ game-changing modification to the process—is explained in layman’s terms, with a generous amount of historical perspective, natural science and solid humor. And it probably goes without saying that the visual aspects of the process are played up; it’s very close to a classic mad scientist’s lab. It’s easily the most enjoyable chemistry lesson I’ve ever had, and in the midst of it I nearly forgot that I was in the middle of a retro-futuristic wonderland. There’s still more to the tour that I’m hesitant to reveal, though I will say that beginning in October, that “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” room—where that ocean brine rum be served, matey— will be home to a 12-course, $240 tasting menu created by chef Taylor Persh, who also created a 10-course menu for Lost Spirits’ LA distillery. There, he served up such delights as Spanish octopus with butternut squash and fennel pollen, and Exploding Grapes, which infuses the vine fruit with peated malt “and an abundance of caution.” There’s no telling what he’ll do with two more courses, a wholly plausible undersea world and a complement of Vegas-made spirits.
Truffle sashimi (Courtesy)
DAYTIME DELIGHT
Catch’s updated brunch matches its atmosphere’s flash BY GENEVIE DURANO Catch is one of the most photogenic restaurants in the city, from its dramatic Instagram-ready entryway to its birdcage booths and gorgeous bar with the vaulted ceiling and liquor bottles glowing golden in the mirror. But don’t think this LA-to-Vegas import is all style and no substance. The food is just as memorable, and the cocktail program? Well, it depends on the number of One Too Many you happen to imbibe. And now, you don’t have to wait for the dinner hour to experience all this rustic-chic glamour. The recently debuted brunch is the perfect excuse to work up an appetite taking the perfect selfie under the blush of the noonday hour. Start virtuous with fresh-pressed CATCH juices or sinful with bloody marys, Aria, 877mimosas or bellinis, then dig into 230-2742. some classics you know and love. Brunch, The eye-catching tartare trio ($31), Saturdaywith salmon, hamachi and tuna Sunday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. accompanied by caviar, tobiko wasabi and crème fraîche, should be the starting point for the table. Follow it with the showstopper Catch roll ($21)—crab, salmon and miso honey dramatically flame-finished at the table. Brunch classics get the Catch twist, including the beet-cured salmon Benedict ($22) with Scottish salmon, poached eggs and Hollandaise, and a smashed avocado toast ($19) with pomegranate, almonds, pickled chili and heirloom tomato. It’s topped with a creamy medium-boiled egg, and it sits atop hearty sourdough bread. The non-savory selections are short and sweet, but don’t skip them. The cinnamon roll pancakes ($20), with candied almonds and cream cheese frosting, will have you coming back to Catch sooner rather than later. The waffle tower ($24), nearly toppling over with maple, milk chocolate and raspberry ice cream, drizzled with chocolate ganache and sandwiched with raspberry jam then topped with toasted almonds, ought to be shared with the table.
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SPORTS
Manny Pacquiao will attempt to win back a title in what could be his final fight BY CASE KEEFER
C
ombat sports have a long history of championship fighters rising back to the top late in their careers after being counted out, with Manny Pacquiao emerging as the best recent example. Many wondered if the 42-year-old Filipino legend was done for good after a shocking 2017 loss to Jeff Horn, but he has since rallied to win three straight fights against some of the biggest names in boxing. “PacMan” now has a chance to break his own record as the oldest welterweight champion in boxing history on August 21, when he’ll meet WBA belt-holder Yordenis Ugás in Pacquiao’s first-ever fight at T-Mobile Arena. “In the end, I want to win the belts,” Pacquiao said in a virtual news conference. “I’m so excited for this championship fight, and I don’t care if I’m the challenger or champion coming into it.” Pacquiao (62-7, 39 KOs) will be fighting for a belt he never technically lost; he claimed it in July 2019 with a split-decision win against Keith Thurman but was later stripped for inactivity. The 35-year-old Ugás (26-4, 12 KOs) won the vacant title last year while Pacquiao was focused on his job as an elected official in the Philippines. The Cuban Ugás has a comeback story of his own: He retired in 2014 after two straight losses without having ever captured a major championship before returning refocused two years later. Since then, he has gone 10-1, with the only loss coming to longtime local champion Shawn Porter via controversial split decision. “When I went away from boxing, I was focused on family and spending time with my son,” Ugás said through a translator. “At that time, I never thought I would be defending a title against Manny Pacquiao. But for the past five years, I’ve been one of the most active and successful boxers out there, and I’m ready to prove myself again.” It’s a life-changing opportunity for Ugás to face Pacquiao, and it came as a complete surprise less than two weeks before the scheduled fight date. Pacquiao was set to challenge undefeated WBC/IBF champion Errol Spence Jr., with Ugás
PAC IS YORDENIS UGÁS
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BACK MANNY PACQUIAO PACQUIAO VS. UGÁS When: Saturday, August 21, undercard 4 p.m., main card 6 p.m., main event around 9 p.m. Where: T-Mobile Arena Tickets: $190-$6,000 at axs.com Pay-per-view: $74.95 through Fox Sports
(AP/Photo Illustration)
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in support defending his own title as part of the pay-per-view undercard. But doctors discovered Spence had a torn retina during pre-fight medical exams and pulled him from the fight. The loss of a headlining bout the magnitude of Spence vs. Pacquiao would typically mean the cancellation of the whole event, but Pacquiao wasn’t interested in postponing what could potentially be his final fight. He offered the opening to Ugás, who didn’t hesitate to accept. “Fighting Manny Pacquiao is very significant to me. It means the world to me,” Ugás said. “I’m not fighting for the money. I’m fighting for my legacy and for my country. This is the most important fight of my life.” The card does lose some luster with Ugás filling in, as some boxing pundits suggested Pacquiao beating Spence would be the greatest achievement for a fighter more than 40 years old. Although Ugás is accomplished in his own right—perhaps most notably as a bronze medalist at the 2008 Olympics—he’s considered far less dangerous than Spence. Pacquiao went from around a 2-to-1 underdog against Spence to a 1-to-3 favorite over Ugás. “This is definitely not an easy fight,” Pacquiao said. “Ugás is a champion because they gave him my belt. Now we have to settle it inside of the ring. I cannot take him lightly, because he’s the kind of fighter who will take advantage of that.” There is some risk in such a late opponent change, something many boxers of Pacquiao’s stature would rather avoid. Spence and Ugás aren’t all that similar stylistically, as the former is known for attacking from all angles out of a southpaw stance. Pacquiao spent months preparing for Spence’s relative awkwardness and now must pivot to Ugás’ orthodox stance and more straightforward approach. “I consider myself a bipartisan boxer,” Pacquiao said. “I am happy to fight either right-handed or southpaw fighters. It’s no problem for me at all to switch styles that I’m going to face.” The plan is for the winner to fight Spence once he’s recovered, but Pacquiao’s political aspirations could prevent that from happening. He’s reportedly gearing up for a presidential campaign next year in the Philippines. Pacquiao has been able to balance fighting professionally with serving as a senator, but the time demands would likely be too much if he was elected president. None of Pacquiao’s fights, therefore, should be taken for granted. He might have appeared ageless over the past few years, but his fighting career won’t be endless. “If there was no Ugás on the undercard, it’s possible we would have canceled the fight,” Pacquiao said. “It’s a good thing we had another welterweight champion on the card for this scenario that happened.”
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Consultant: ‘Once international resumes, it’s going to be insane’
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BY BROCK RADKE ames Edgar came to Las Vegas from his native Newcastle, England, to build a career in the hospitality and live events industry, but he never expected to start his own business by the time he reached his 30th birthday. “I came over in June 2017 and started with the Hakkasan Group as a lowly marketing coordinator,” he said. “I wasn’t in charge of much, just posting on social media and capturing stuff at the clubs, intern kind of stuff. “But I was really lucky to have that opportunity and didn’t want to let it go to waste. I spent four years sleeping about three hours a night, doing everything I could in the office, going home to study, going out to network and getting home again at 4 a.m.” He was breaking into the dynamic Las Vegas nightlife scene with one of the biggest companies in the world, but Edgar said he saw opportunities to grow in the digital marketing space promoting club events and other live entertainment offerings. His study time was focused on Facebook Blueprint, Google Ads and other online marketing platforms. “By the time the pandemic hit, my responsibilities had gone from almost nothing to creating digital marketing strategies for every [Hakkasan] nightclub and dayclub in Las Vegas and San Diego, building out those campaigns and laying out high-level strategies,” Edgar said. And then it was all gone when March 2020 arrived. He was furloughed along with the vast majority of Hakkasan Group staff in Las Vegas, and then laid off weeks later. While major nightlife and hospitality companies in Las Vegas and around
the world slowly came back to life with the reopening of some club venues and restaurants last summer, Edgar was using his self-taught skills and valuable experience for some initial, smallscale consulting work. It started with restaurant brands in Las Vegas and LA, since live events weren’t happening, and when some of his clients and colleagues shifted to live streaming events, things ramped up quickly.
Edgar returned to England last fall but continued to work with clients in the states, and even though travel restrictions have prevented him from returning to his business hub of Las Vegas, he’s busier than ever. His new company, Five Eleven Marketing, regularly collaborates with some of the biggest nightlife, hospitality and festival brands in the U.S. “The position I’m in now, I couldn’t
James Edgar (Philip Hunton Photography)
have been here otherwise,” he says. “I’m making four times the money and I’m in charge of my own time. COVID really sucks for everybody, there’s no doubt about that, but I feel like I’m coming out of it as one of the lucky ones.” Laid-off employees becoming entrepreneurs is one of the most prominent trends in the COVID-era economy. U.S. Census Bureau figures indicate about 4.3 million new business applications were filed in 2020, about a million more than in 2019. In the world of Las Vegas nightlife, the Hakkasan Group has rebounded and put its returning staff back to work as clubs have reopened to excited audiences ready to party again. In April, the merger of Hakkasan Group and Tao Group was announced, forming a hospitality behemoth operating more than 60 venues across five continents. In Las Vegas, the expanded Tao Group now runs clubs like Marquee at the Cosmopolitan, Omnia at Caesars Palace, Wet Republic at MGM Grand and restaurants including the new Casa Calavera at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, Lavo at Palazzo and the flagship Tao at Venetian. “The demand now, we’ve never seen anything like this,” Edgar says. “Everything we put on sale is just gone immediately, across the board, and it’s demand for experiences that’s higher than ever. Once international travel resumes, it’s going to be insane because when you can travel anywhere, everyone chooses Vegas. It’s the ultimate destination for people in the U.K. and Europe and the rest of America, too.” It’s the ultimate destination for Edgar, too, as he’s planning to return and continue developing his business as soon as possible. “It’s been nice to see friends and family back in England, but being so far away and being eight hours ahead of the U.S., it’s not ideal,” he said. “Since I don’t need the whole office setup, I can work from anywhere. I can come to Ibiza, where I am now, and bring my laptop, but you take the rough with the smooth, I guess. I’m really looking forward to being back in Las Vegas.”
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VegasInc Giving Notes For the fourth year in a row, America First Credit Union and the Vegas Golden Knights honored teachers in the Clark County School District with a special award. The Game-Changer program awarded four teachers who made a positive impact in the classroom and in the lives of students each with a $1,000 grant to improve their classrooms. Winners were Melissa Finnan of Grant Sawyer Middle School; Stacye Tesh of Bozarth Elementary; Shane Goffstein of Wayne Tanaka Elementary School; and Sasha Jones of Jerome Mack Middle School. Las Vegas Sands announced the continuation of its multiyear partnership with Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth with a donation of $300,000 to aid Southern Nevada’s most vulnerable youths. The Sands Cares funding will help NPHY strengthen services and pursue long-term solutions to help make the incidence of youth homelessness rare, brief, nonrecurring and equitably addressed, as outlined in the Southern Nevada Plan to End Youth Homelessness.
T H E U LT I M AT E
WEIGHT
The Silver State Schools CU People Over Profit Foundation made a $2,500 donation to The Garden Foundation, which is dedicated to helping those with special needs by providing a place to learn, grow, socialize, explore, create independence and have fun. This donation will help purchase equipment for computer workshops, internet access, and/or computer programs. Nevada Gold Mines, operated by Barrick, donated $150,000 to support Three Square Food Bank. Since 2009, Barrick, now NGM, has given more than $1.6 million to the nonprofit, equating to nearly 5 million meals provided to Southern Nevadans in need. Health care provider Optum, working with the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV, established the “Optum Dr. Tony and Renee Marlon Endowed Chair in the Department of Orthopaedics,” with a pledge of more than $1.2 million over five years. Dr. Tony and Renee Marlon have donated a match to those funds, for a total of $2.5 million. HomeAid Southern Nevada acquired
in-kind corporate donations of labor, materials and fees for construction of a Woodside Homes three-bedroom, 2.5-bath, 2,004-square-foot charitable home build in Ridgeview at Skye Canyon. Proceeds from the sale will be donated to HomeAid’s Shelter Build and Outreach Programs, funding various community projects that benefit vulnerable and homeless populations in the valley. Nevada Women in Trades, a nonprofit that prepares women for successful careers in blue-collar occupations, will host its first National Alliance of Women in Trades Summit to advance visibility, advocacy, empowerment and awareness for women in trade careers September 10-11 at the Mirage. Learn more at nevadawit.org. Jennifer Bradley was named Volunteer of the Year for the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl at the national Bowl Games event. The Public Education Foundation awarded $3,066,250 in college scholarships in its most successful year to date. Through the Scholarships PLUS program and its generous donors, 822 scholarships were awarded to 621 students pursuing college or vocational school. Vegas PBS recently received a $49,999 grant from the Governor’s Office of Workforce Innovation to fund an accelerated cybersecurity
program. The objective is to provide industry-recognized credentials and licenses in various fields, to help support dislocated and underemployed workers, and new job seekers. Additionally, Vegas PBS received a $98,237 corporate grant from MGM Resorts International to fund a program aimed at assisting youths in the juvenile system in acquiring skills for in-demand careers. In collaboration with several community partners, including the Clark County Department of Juvenile Justice Services, Workforce Connections, the Clark County School District, Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Services Youth Advocacy Program and Help of Southern Nevada, Vegas PBS will provide online workforce education to students at Summit View Correctional Center and Spring Mountain Youth Camp. Three Las Vegas-area teens, Mackenzie Miles, Colyn Abron, and Cherrial Odell, were appointed to Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation 2021 Advisory Board, along with nearly 30 other members around the world, to build kinder communities. City National Bank awarded Three Square Food Bank and Assistance League of Las Vegas with Community Reinvestment Act grants in the amount of $10,000 each to support their health and welfare initiatives.
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