2023-02-02-Las-Vegas-Weekly

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IN THIS ISSUE

NOISE Las Vegas band White Noise aims to keep rock ’n’ roll fresh and vibrant. FOOD 08 34 38

Your daily events planner, starring Lil Baby, The Isley Brothers, the EastWest Shrine Bowl, First Friday and more.

ECONOMIC DIVERSITY Photo Illustration ON THE COVER WANT MORE? Head to lasvegasweekly.com. LAS VEGAS WEEKLY 7 I 2.2.23 Casa Playa

42 SPORTS

Deep-diving into Casa Playa’s in-house masa program.

SUPERGUIDE

THURSDAY

SLANDER 10 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zoukgrouplv. com.

UNLV CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY: TWO BY SIX - SEXTETS OF BRAHMS & DVOŘÁK

7:30 p.m., Beam Music Center, unlv.edu.

INDECENT NOISE

WELLMAN 10:30 p.m., Tao Nightclub, events.taogroup. com.

CRANKDAT With Lvcid, Chiee , Taste of Zen, 10 p.m., We All Scream, seetickets.us.

JACNIQUE NINA

7:30 p.m., Gatsby’s Supper Club, gambi thenderson.com.

ARTS

FOOD + DRINK COMEDY

With Jay Sanada, 10 p.m., Commonwealth, seetickets.us.

MOULIN ROUGE!

THE MUSICAL Thru 2/4, 7:30 p.m. (& 2 p.m. 2/3-2/5), Reynolds Hall, thesmithcenter. com.

JUSTIN

CREDIBLE 10:30 p.m., Hakkasan Nightclub, events.taogroup. com.

GREG LOPEZ 9 p.m., Foundation Room, house ofblues.com.

HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH

Thru 2/5, 8 p.m. (& 2/5, 7 p.m.), Majestic Repertory Theatre, majesticrepertory.com.

EAST-WEST SHRINE GAME

Catch former Bishop Gorman High great Dorian Thompson-Robinson playing in front of his hometown again as one of the quarterbacks on the West team in the annual East-West Shrine Game Thursday night at Allegiant Stadium. Thompson-Robinson, who went on to start for five years at UCLA, will be one of more than 130 college football standouts competing in the game hoping to impress NFL scouts and teams as part of Pro Bowl week in Las Vegas. Other notable names participating include Boston College wide receiver Zay Flowers and USC running back Travis Dye. Prospect evaluation dominates the next three months on the NFL calendar, and the East-West Shrine Game is the uno cial start of that stretch leading up to the 2023 NFL Draft on April 27 in Kansas City. 5:30 p.m., $26-$76, Allegiant Stadium, ticketmaster.com. –Case Keefer

(Courtesy/Majestic Repertory Theatre)

BRUNO MARS

9 p.m., & 2/4 & 2/8, Dolby Live, ticketmaster.com.

FIRST FRIDAY

5 p.m., Downtown Las Vegas, ffflv.org.

UNLV MEN’S BASKETBALL VS. FRESNO STATE

8 p.m., Thomas & Mack Center, unlvtickets.com.

WHITE NOISE & PURE SPORT

With The Dollheads, Elevated Undergrounds, Pathogen, Elephante King, 6:30 p.m., the Space, thespacelv. com.

THEM EVILS

With Pure, Imperial Tide, 8 p.m., Backstage Bar & Billiards, seetickets.us.

A PUBLIC FIT THEATRE COMPANY: AN OAK TREE 7 p.m., & 2/4 (& 2 p.m. 2/5), Super Summer Theatre, apublicfit.org.

ADELE 8 p.m., & 2/4, the Colosseum, ticketmaster.com.

FRIDAY PLAN YOUR WEEK AHEAD

SECRET AGENT & EL VEZ

FEB.

If this is truly the age of maximalism—the age of “more is more”—then Mexico City band Secret Agent should be the one to provide its soundtrack. Secret Agent’s latest LP, last May’s Moros en la Costa, is a spacey, mysterious sonic adventure that ventures beyond psychedelic surf-rock instrumentals into 1960s-style sci-fi drama and slap bass-driven funk. If that’s not enough for you, the band is bringing guests on its West Coast tour, its first in four years: singer-songwriter Priscilla Escobar, and the “Mexican Elvis” El Vez, a rock-solid entertainer whose presence on the bill elevates this Golden Tiki show to a must-see. Rockabilly/surf trio Los Pakalolos and DJs Ane Uno and Rex Dart complete what’s sure to be a night of glorious excess. 9 p.m., free (table reservations recommended), the Golden Tiki, thegoldentiki.com. –Geoff Carter

KATHLEEN MADIGAN 10 p.m., Mirage Theatre, ticketmaster.com.

TIËSTO 10 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zoukgrouplv.com.

KINGDOM COME With Jason Walker & The Majestic 12, 8 p.m., Count’s Vamp’d, eventbrite.com.

LUKE BRYAN 8 p.m., & 2/4, 2/8, Resorts World Theatre, ticketmaster.com.

DEORRO 10:30 p.m., Marquee Nightclub, events. taogroup.com.

STYX 8 p.m., & 2/4, Venetian Theatre, ticketmaster.com.

SANTANA Thru 2/5, 7 p.m., House of Blues, concerts. livenation.com.

BRYAN ADAMS Thru 2/5, 8 p.m., Encore Theater, ticketmaster.com.

FOR MORE UPCOMING EVENTS, VISIT LASVEGASWEEKLY.COM.

(Courtesy)

SUPERGUIDE

LOVE AFFAIR CONCERT

Jammin’ 105.7’s 19th annual Love A air Concert gets classic this year, thanks to a headlining slot from The Isley Brothers, whose timeless R&B is never o the charts for long thanks to a never-ending stream of remakes and samples from multiple generations of appreciative artists. The latest impact is Beyoncé and Ron Isley’s new version of “Make Me Say It Again Girl,” originally released in 1975; the update continues to be layered with those instantly recognizable grooves that make the Isleys one of the most influential groups in the genre. Rounding out the Love A air at the Orleans are more recent, romance-minded hitmaking acts Blackstreet, All-4-One, Color Me Badd, The Jets (an ’80s band that holds down a residency at V Theater at Planet Hollywood), Deniece Williams and Atlantic Starr. 7 p.m., $66-$182, Orleans Arena, ticketmaster.com.

–Brock Radke

AFROJACK 10:30 p.m., Omnia Nightclub, events. taogroup.com.

NICK SWARDSON 10 p.m., Mirage Theatre, ticketmaster.com.

CHEF ALICIA PRESENTS AN EVENING WITH TIFFANY 6:15 p.m., the Space, thespacelv.com.

FIVE YEARS OF BLACKPATH

Ft. Drain, Mindforce, SpiritWorld & more, 3 p.m., American Legion Post 8, seetickets. us.

HENDERSON SILVER KNIGHTS VS. COLORADO

EAGLES

7 p.m., Dollar Loan Center, axs.com.

DIPLO

10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynnsocial.com.

M.A.G.S. With Blvck Hippie, 8 p.m., The Usual Place, eventbrite.com.

LUNAY With Exile, DJ AR, Area15 A-Lot, seetickets.us.

KASKADE 10 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zoukgrouplv.com.

LAS VEGAS DESERT DOGS VS. COLORADO MAMMOTH

7:30 p.m., Michelob Ultra Arena, axs.com.

GREG REKUS

With Brock Frabbiele, The Rifleman, Wyatt and the Ashes, 6 p.m., Cemetery Pulp, cemeterypulp.com.

2 CHAINZ 10 p.m., Drai’s Nightclub, draisgroup.com.

GRUM

With Fehrplay, Entel, Area15 Portal, area15. com.

The Isley Brothers (Courtesy)

LIL BABY

Even before his turn as the January 28 musical guest on Saturday Night Live, Atlanta’s Lil Baby was flying high after a hugely successful 2022. He tied with his frequent collaborator Drake for the most Billboard Hot 100 spots throughout the year, thanks to the October release of third studio album, It’s Only Me, which also made him the youngest solo artist ever to land an entire album on the chart. Baby’s return to Las Vegas also marks one of the biggest SunDrai’s concerts of the new year; after Roddy Ricch and 2 Chainz play the Cromwell’s rooftop club Friday and Saturday, respectively, the “Drip Too Hard” and “Wants and Needs” rapper takes over Sunday night. 10 p.m., $150-$200, Drai’s Nightclub, draisgroup.com. –Brock Radke

NFL PRO BOWL GAMES Noon, Allegiant Stadium, ticketmaster. com.

SOURMILK 10:30 p.m., Marquee Nightclub, events. taogroup.com.

KOO KOO

KANGA ROO With Homeless Gospel Choir, Sam Brace, 6 p.m., Jackpot Bar & Grill, seetickets.us.

ZACK BIA 10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynnsocial. com.

(Courtesy)

TUESDAY

MUSIC

PARTY FAVOR 10:30 p.m., Omnia Nightclub, events. taogroup.com.

SPIRIT OF THE LAND: EQUIPO ACADEMY STUDENTS VISIT AVI KWA AME Thru 4/30, East Las Vegas Library, thelibrary district.com.

PARTY

WEDNESDAY

KODŌ

SPORTS

ARTS

FOOD + DRINK

Kodō is set to demonstrate how well Reynolds Hall stands up to sustained, thunderous booming. The professional taiko drum company’s One Earth Tour—which was originally set to commemorate the troupe’s 40th anniversary in 2021 but was delayed by COVID—comes to Vegas with a production called Tsuzumi, named for the hourglass-shaped hand drum that you’re likely to see (and hear) during the program, along with many other chest-pounding rhythmic instruments. The program will feature two pieces by contemporary composer Maki Ishii—“Dyu-Ha,” which hasn’t been performed in North America since 1989, and the audience favorite “Monochrome.” The company will also perform several its signature pieces, including “O-daiko,” “Yatai-bayashi” and “Zoku.” Give in to the boom. 7:30 p.m., $29$99, Reynolds Hall, thesmithcenter.com. –Geo Carter

AHMED AHMED 7 p.m., Backstage Bar & Billiards, dice.fm.

READING: JAQUIRA DÍAZ

COMEDY

UNLV LATIN JAZZ ENSEMBLE 7 p.m., Clark County Library, thelibrarydistrict.org.

DEUX TWINS 10:30 p.m., EBC at Night, wynnsocial.com.

7 p.m., UNLV’s Beverly Rogers Literature & Law Building, blackmountain institute.org.

JEANNE BREI AND THE SPEAKEASY SWINGERS

1 p.m., Coop’s Cabaret & Hot Spot, coopscabaret.com.

FOR MORE UPCOMING EVENTS, VISIT LASVEGASWEEKLY.COM.

BLANKFACE With Decimate, Svgmaze, Definitive, 10 p.m., Discopussy, discopussy dtlv.com.

READING: ANNA QU 7 p.m., UNLV’s Beverly Rogers Literature & Law Building, black mountain institute.org.

(Courtesy)

CULTIVATING COMMUNITY

(Wade Vandervort/Staff)

BY EVELYN MATEOS

About 25 years ago, Irma Varela was part of Mexico Vivo Dance Company, a Mexican folkloric group, that performed at the Winchester Cultural Center. “At that time, I imagined it would be fun to work here,” says Varela, program supervisor for the venue that’s now known as Winchester Dondero Cultural Center. “Even with the unavoidable challenges of working with a diverse community, in a government organization, it has been fun.”

Established in 1982 as a community center, Winchester became the cultural center for Clark County nine years later. The name Dondero was added after a building expansion in 2018 to honor late County Commissioner Thalia Dondero.

The center has been pivotal to Las Vegas in hosting theater, dance, music, visual art and more through the years. And since November 2017, Varela has been behind the events and activities the center hosts.

She has long been a vital part of this community for much longer, however. In 2000, Varela worked for the (now-defunct) Clark County Folk Arts program. She started the beloved Life in Death festival a year later, one of the largest Día de los Muertos celebrations in the city. She went on to serve as the Winchester’s cultural specialist from 2003 to 2011 before moving on to the Cambridge Recreation Center and then returning to Winchester in 2017.

The Weekly caught up with Varela to chat about events old and new, and how they come together.

WEEKLY Q&A

As the primary curator of Winchester Dondero’s calendar, why do you feel these events are so important to the community? Now that we use computers and so much technology to communicate, we’re losing something. We’re losing that human touch and that closeness, I feel. So if you have a chance to sit down at a concert and feel that love that the musician is trying to share through their music, that’s a way of connecting. We need to continue those connections in a warmer way. I feel like technology can be kind of cold. In person, things have a different feel. And maybe it’s me thinking old times, but this is my perspective. Conversation and shared laughter are really important in person.

You have quite the variety of events at Winchester. How do you go about selecting them? We have long-standing relationships with many of the groups that we work with, like the Jazz Society [partnership formed with] Dan Skea. They do an annual picnic and concerts and other activities, and that’s just one example of many.

When do you typically select events? We normally plan yearly for the fiscal year, which starts in July. We’ll start thinking [beforehand about] what groups we want to bring back. Sometimes the group themselves come to me, and they say [they want to do something] and we’ll put it in the calendar.

The Life in Death festival is one of your largest events. How has that evolved through the years? When I came to Winchester, because of my love of the folk arts, I brought the Life in Death festival [over]. It was a Day of the Dead festival that I started at [Prince of Peace Catholic Church] in 2001. And when I came to Winchester [in 2003], I asked Patrick Gaffey, who was my supervisor, if I could do it here. We didn’t do it one year because of the pandemic, so we celebrated the 21st festival in

November. … It’s the biggest festival we do here, … [and] the community really loves it, because it’s truly [about] community and friendship. There are a lot of people who are here for it every year. … There are so many celebrations of Day of the Dead nowadays, but Winchester’s continues to be one of the favorites in the community.

What’s a new event we can look forward to this year? Right now, we’re working on a new one called International Mother Tongue Day. It was created by UNESCO [the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization] in 2000, to celebrate the many languages that people speak around the world. I’m going to try to focus on indigenous languages, so I’m trying to find out how many people speak Mixtec, Domi, Nawat … different languages like that, and perhaps other cultures that speak an indigenous language from their homeland. Mexico, in particular, used to have 167 languages, and they’re starting to get lost. But are they really lost, or did the people who speak them move away?

Which 2023 events are you most looking forward to? I’m very excited about International Mother Tongue Day on February 21 … and to see the [Eddy Sarabia Quintet] jazz concert [on February 25]. Some people argue that jazz is dying, so to see new people—a younger generation— taking it on and pushing forward [is exciting], because jazz is American music 100%.

What are your goals for Winchester’s future? Well, right now it’s time for the next generation. My coworkers are young, and they have a different energy—not that I feel old; that’s not the case—but to let those voices be heard, … My goal is that they continue Winchester when I retire, and that Winchester continues to be such a vital part of our cultural community.

Clark County’s Irma Varela continues to unify the Valley through meaningful gatherings

We’re losing that human touch ... If you have a chance to sit down at a concert and feel that love ... that’s a way of connecting.”

Southern Nevada continues pushing to diversify its economy

BY BROCK RADKE

It’s a familiar refrain any time things slow down in Southern Nevada: We need to diversify our economy. When the pandemic froze the core industry that powers Las Vegas nearly three years ago, it served as a devastating reminder of how dependent our community is on tourism, hospitality and entertainment.

There are fewer signs of that slowdown today. Visitation is skyrocketing again, and new, bigger events and venues are on the way. In very visible ways, Las Vegas has recovered, and appears on its way to coming back even stronger than before. Yet the desire to expand and transform how we do business—and how we can build the future of the region—remains a top priority.

“When things are really good, the idea of investing in economic development might seem like, why do we need to do that? When things are bad, we always ask why didn’t we invest,” says Jeremy Aguero, principal analyst at Applied Analysis. “I’ve seen that cycle at least three or four times during my career here.”

Aguero has been at the data-driven Vegas rm since its inception in 1997, other than a recent turn as an executive with the Las Vegas Raiders and Allegiant Stadium. He says the undeniable strength of tourism in Las Vegas tends to skew the way we perceive an expanding economy—we are diversifying, but the big boost in post-pandemic consumer spending in tourism overshadows the

pace of other growth.

“Those things are happening, just not at a scale that o sets the tremendous rebound we’ve seen in tourism,” he explains.

Tina Quigley, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance, says local o cials and development professionals have re ned strategies in recent

years and that the community is “a little more realistic in managing expectations” when it comes to diversi cation.

The Hachman Index, a nationally recognized measure of regional economic specialization or diversity, considers the composition of industries in a region and how that compares to a larger, well-diversi ed area of the country. Nevada scores a relatively low 73 out of 100, below all other states in the Paci c time zone along with Arizona, Idaho and Utah.

“That number is moving slowly but surely, but when you have Clark County and this one behemoth industry that it has been

centered on, bringing in 500 or 1,000 or even 10,000 jobs in other industries [looks] like a drop in the bucket,” Quigley says.

Though the largest employers in the state are the Clark County and Washoe County school districts, with approximately 47,500 workers between them, nine of the top 15 employers in Nevada are in the gaming and hospitality sector, accounting for approximately 61,000 workers.

“There is a strong call to action to diversify, and we are thinking in much more realistic terms of what that means,” Quigley says. “Adding to the number of employees in industries like manufacturing, logistics and transportation, clean energy or anything else is huge—[even if] making a dent in that standard index metric is going to be slow but sure—so that [the economy] is not as volatile and vulnerable.

“But we have to be realistic that our whole economy will go through the boom and bust right along with our primary industry,” she continues, “because it’s too big.”

Southern Nevada has come a long way in accepting and embracing the strengths of its tourism-based economy, and Las Vegas has capitalized on those strengths in recent

years by diversifying within its core industry. The addition of major league sports teams to the city’s entertainment array represents a natural evolution, but Quigley points out that sports and entertainment “are di erent verticals” for a number of reasons.

Large venues like Allegiant Stadium (which opened in 2020) and T-Mobile Arena (2016) brought with them additional employment and ancillary businesses. And, partially because Raiders and Golden Knights games attract large numbers of local and tourist ticket buyers, sports events are more economically consistent than other entertainment events, Quigley says.

As Aguero explains, “Prior to the pandemic, sports were the seventh-highest motivating factor in bringing people to Las Vegas. Today, it’s No. 2.

“If you go see a Raiders game, roughly a third, or actually closer to half, of those fans are from out of town. We’ve found already that teams can be more successful here, and we’re able to leverage

live here to enjoy all kinds of

that with additional events like the NFL Draft and Pro Bowl. On top of that, it’s creating a remarkable amenity for the people that live here to enjoy all kinds of things they’ve never been able to before.”



Pro sports have helped bolster Las Vegas’ “world class city” status in the way former Mayor Oscar Goodman envisioned, and incoming global events like the Formula 1 Grand Prix (estimated at last week’s Preview Las Vegas event to bring an economic impact of $1.2 billion when it debuts in November) and the 2024 Super Bowl are emblematic of Vegas being Vegas and continuing to grow from the core out.

Goodman envisioned, and incom-

But it has always been necessary United Health Foundation annual

But it has always been necessary to build up other industries not directly attached to hospitality— health care, for example.

Nevada has long ranked very low—dead last in December’s United Health Foundation annual report—in access to primary care,

illustrating the urgent need for more funding and physicians. Signi cant advancements, like UNLV’s Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine, established in 2017, have begun chipping away at that disparity, but the collective economic and community bene ts of a robust industry in Southern Nevada could provide unprecedented stability.

“Southern Nevada grew up really fast, and it grew up around hospitality, … [which] left a lot of gaps, including no clear strategic vision for how to grow health care collaboratively,” says Paul Krakovitz, region president at Intermountain Healthcare, the largest provider in the Western U.S. “As a result, care is very fragmented. You go to your doctor and

are referred to a hospital or lab, and none of them are connected. It falls on you as the patient to navigate the system.”

Southern Nevada has one of the nation’s worst primary care physicians-per-capita numbers, and many patients here use expensive hospitality emergency rooms for primary care.

Installing infrastructure that will keep costs down and provide more abundant care is an epic endeavor, but the progress has begun. UNLV’s med school is training doctors and nurses and establishing a primary pipeline for the community, Krakovitz says, and other educational institutions like Touro University and Nevada State College are contributing through specialized programs.

“There’s an increasing awareness of access issues, and to me, that’s the rst step, more people recognizing [that the community] is having these issues. We don’t have a x yet, but a lot more attention is a good thing,” Krakovitz says. “We’re also seeing increased pickup in value-based care, the

Golden Knights fans (Wade Vandervort/Sta ); Raiders fans (Steve Marcus/Sta ); (Shutterstock/Photo Ilustrations)

idea of [practices] taking the full risk for a patient, almost like a subscription-based model. That’s where an entity like a physician group is essentially getting paid to keep you healthy, and that’s a good thing to see growing in Southern Nevada, because [it helps] keep people out of that high-cost health care cycle.”

Health care has additional legislative challenges that hinder the industry’s growth, and in Nevada, those often center on physicians’ reimbursement rates.

On January 23, in his rst State of the State address, Gov. Joe Lombardo said he will make sure the government increases rates in areas of acute need, focusing on mental health services. His proposed budget includes a Medicaid program enhancement that could expand community behavioral health centers with six facilities across the state in underserved areas.

Though it remains to be seen whether Lombardo can navigate that plan through the Democrat-controlled legislature, one thing seems clear: There will always be a need for health care, making that industry a good can-

didate for further development.

“When you look around at the states surrounding Nevada and elsewhere across the country, health care jobs are usually in the top one or two [in volume], and we haven’t seen that yet here but I fully expect we will in due time,” Krakovitz says. “From the economic development side, it provides quality care, it provides safety and comfort for other businesses to come in knowing they can take care of their employees, and it provides high paying, stable jobs, even in downturns of the economy.”

Talk to o cials at the state, county or city level and you’ll get the same list of key industries: health care, information technology, manufacturing and logistics, clean energy, nance. These are the business categories primed for prosperity, the industries that make the most sense for Las Vegas Metropolitan area.

Warehousing? Distribution centers have ooded the Valley (particularly North Las Vegas) as e-commerce has exploded, but its jobs are considered low-skill positions, its wages are relatively low, and there typically aren’t many employees involved. Traditional manufacturing? It depends. Does the product and/or process require substantial water? If so, it’s not part of a sustainable plan for the future.

most buzzed-about spaces for potential growth. The Las Vegas Valley has the right space, the right location and the right workforce to make it happen.

talking about ways to diversify … require substantial water? If so, it’s not part of a sustainable plan for the future.

using

existing products—is one of the

When it comes to speci c strategy for economic development, it’s all about using and utilizing Southern Nevada’s established advantages. That’s why advanced manufacturing—essentially using technology to create new and existing products—is one of the

“Most communities lean on advanced manufacturing when talking about ways to diversify … because of the impact it creates across a city and a region,” says Jared Smith, the new director of economic development and tourism for the City of Henderson. “Manufacturing in Henderson is important, because we have a strategic location just across the line of California, within one day of trucking for distribution purposes.

“What makes us interesting is our location, our sites, our people, and the cost of doing business, and Henderson wins across all four of those,” Smith continues. “We’re very much known as a business-friendly city, and we’re investing in education and our people.”

One of those investments is Henderson’s partnership with College of Southern Nevada to create the Center of Excellence, a $12 million, 20,000-square-foot facility dedicated to workforce development. The specialized programming there will include a curriculum customized by employers, including the massive Haas Automation plant under construction south of the Henderson Executive Airport.

Haas Vice President Peter Zierhut says the machine tool builder considered North Carolina, Texas and Northern Nevada as potential sites for its expansion, but opted to stick close to the company’s Ventura County, California, headquarters and the Southern California ports on which it relies to ship more than half-a-billion dollars in exports in each year.

“Since the project was rst approved by the City of Henderson, we’ve put a lot of e ort into

working with a number of entities, starting with the city and moving on to College of Southern Nevada, and started building close relationships and programming that will help us,” Zierhut says. “And it’s more than just Haas. The whole region [and] the leaders in Southern Nevada have been laser-focused on diversifying their economy, and manufacturing was one they chose even before we signed on to build that factory.”

fying all regions of the economy in Southern Nevada, and we believe Henderson is a leader.”



Opened in 1980, Haas’ factory in Oxnard, California, features just over a million square feet, so the 2.2 million-square-foot project in Henderson marks a signi cant expansion. With a domestic market share greater than 50% and fast-growing international distribution, Zierhut says, the company needed to build to continue its progress.

The Henderson facility is expected to create more than 2,500 jobs with an average salary of $64,000.

one they chose even before we sion. With a domestic market share international distribution, Zierhut lead our pipeline of companies we are considering for Southern

“Manufacturing and logistics lead our pipeline of companies we are considering for Southern Nevada and Henderson speci cally, with IT companies No. 2 behind that,” Smith says, adding that the city recently annexed signi cant acreage in Eldorado Valley southeast of Las Vegas, which could be targeted for similar manufacturing or tech-industry development.

Henderson is also leaning into sports as an economic driver, not only with the recent openings of the Dollar Loan Center on Green Valley Parkway and Lifeguard Arena on Water Street, but also with the acquisition of the Fiesta Henderson site, where a multiuse indoor sports facility could be developed. Smith says such a venue would be an amenity for neighbors and a way to bring more sports tourism to the area in the form of weekend tournament events.

“We’re happy to see regional growth, period. Good jobs coming to the area are good for all citizens,” Smith says. “We think Henderson has a compelling story

In a new study conducted by Claremont McKenna College’s Rose Institute of State and Local Government, Las Vegas ranked No. 1 and Henderson No. 7 among popular destinations for companies moving out of California. (It should be noted that Haas Automation is expanding from and not moving out of Southern California.)

That doesn’t have to mean a gigantic factory housing thousands of workers. Any size company, any kind of business, can provide a boost to this complex but required e ort.

Aguero points to a unique example in CAE Las Vegas, a new civil aviation training center overlooking the runways of Harry Reid International Airport. In the fall, the facility welcomed its rst pilots to train on the new Gulfstream Full- ight Simulators.

“People come from all over the country to train how to y di erent kinds of commercial aircraft all over the world. I was really impressed by what they are doing,” he says. “It’s very re ective that all types of opportunities exist here, because we leverage tourism and our proximity to other major markets. We have all these things other communities don’t have.”

Certain industries are obvious ts for Southern Nevada, but many other businesses that might defy traditional categorization could still take advantage of Las Vegas’ unique landscape. And there are plenty of planners and developers working to uncover those opportunities and t the pieces together.

“So much of our economic development has been to try to shore up our weaknesses, but where we have been most successful is by leveraging our strengths,” Aguero says. “I think we’re going to nd a lot more of that in Southern Nevada.”

HEART SOUL FUNK FOOD DRINK ART GAMING

IN THE NEWS

STUFF YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT

HEALTH CARE

A light dusting

STATE ALSO LAGS BEHIND OTHERS IN HEALTH FUNDING

Some 12.5% of people in Clark County don’t have health insurance, compared with the national average of 9.4%, according to a report issued January 30 by the Southern Nevada Health District.

The report is part of a plan outlining health priorities for the county in the next three to five years: chronic disease, access to care, public transportation and health care funding.

The plan “represents a path toward measurable improvement for the health of Southern Nevada’s community,” Dr. Fermin Leguen, the district health officer, said in the report.

The study was a collaboration among health care providers, nonprofit organizations, academic figures and government agencies, according to health officials.

Chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes affect one in six U.S. adults and can be caused by factors such as tobacco use, according to health officials.

Some 14.4% of people nationally used tobacco in 2021, while 15.5% of adults in Nevada did, the report said.

Nevada also lags in public health funding, with $72 invested per person in 2021 as opposed to the national average of $116, according to the report.

–Grace Da Rocha

FOOD

Wine bar, Vegas chefs nominated for Beard awards

The James Beard Foundation’s annual culinary awards haven’t always been generous when it comes to recognizing the talented chefs and elite hospitality programs in Las Vegas, but this year is telling a different story. Downtown Arts District hot spot Garagiste Wine Room & Merchant has been named a semifinalist for the Outstanding Bar award, a category rarely cracked by Vegas venues, and five local chefs reached semifinal status in the Best Chef, Southwest regional category: Oscar Amador and Francesco Di Caudo at Anima by Edo; Kaoru Azeuchi at Kaiseki Yuzu; Yip Cheung at the Cosmopolitan’s Red Plate; and Jimmy Li at Shanghai Taste. The full list of restaurant and chef semifinalists can be found at jamesbeard.org/awards. Finalists in each category will be announced March 29, and winners will be celebrated at the annual ceremony June 5 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. –Brock Radke

Snow flurries blanketed parts of the southeast Valley on January 30, as shown here on Horizon Ridge Parkway in Henderson,. One to 2 inches of snowfall were reported in neighborhoods such as Paradise Hills, Mission Hills and Anthem. (Brian Ramos/Staff)

One in eight residents is without insurance

“

We must pay teachers their worth, value their skills, give them more time, hold each other accountable for the success for our students, restore respect in the profession and optimally fund public education as a great equalizer that it’s meant to be.”

–Clark County School Superintendent

Jesus Jara, January 28, during his State of the Schools address

WATCH THIS

The NFL Pro Bowl Games, featuring several Las Vegas Raiders, will air February 5 at 3 p.m. on ESPN.

POLITICS

1.28.2023

Kings of Nevada

UNLV guard

EJ Harkless (55) puts up a shot over UNR forward Nick Davidson during the second half of their game January 28 at the Thomas & Mack Center. Harkless battled through a tough shooting night to nish with a game-high 18 points, scoring several crucial baskets down the stretch and notching eight of his points in the nal six minutes of a 68-62 win. UNLV will host Fresno State February 3 at 8 p.m. (Steve Marcus/ Sta )

Should noncitizens protect and serve?

A proposal aimed at addressing personnel shortages among police departments in Nevada is poised to have an uphill battle, with Gov. Joe Lombardo signaling that he may be opposed to the proposal.

Assembly Bill 30 aims to remove the requirement that police o cers must be a U.S. citizen and would permit law enforcement agencies throughout Nevada to hire anyone legally authorized to work in the country.

The purpose of the bill is to address the “dire” need for cops after other recruiting methods failed to adequately remedy sta ng shortages plaguing departments nationwide, and would expand the hiring pool for new recruits significantly, said Jared Luke, government a airs and eco-

nomic development director for North Las Vegas.

The city was responsible for submitting the draft to Carson City ahead of the February 6 legislative session.

Elizabeth Ray, communications director for Lombardo, said the former Clark County sheri isn’t supportive of the proposal but that could change once he reads the bill.

Whether the bill would pick up support in the Legislature is uncertain, too. Leonel Villalobos, the executive director for the Nevada Assembly Democratic Caucus, said leadership in his conference also has yet to see the bill and deferred comment on it until it’s referred to a committee.

–Casey Harrison

BY THE NUMBERS

That’s how far the point spread for this year’s Super Bowl swung in a matter of hours. The Kansas City Chiefs opened as 1.5-point favorites against the Philadelphia Eagles in several online sportsbooks before settling in as 1.5-point underdogs. The NFL will crown its champion February 12 in Glendale, Arizona.

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EYES ON THE CAPITAL

What to expect during Nevada’s upcoming legislative session

BY SHANNON MILLER

The Nevada Legislature will kick o its latest session February 6 in Carson City, with lawmakers and Nevada’s new governor set to develop, weigh and pass new legislation to address the state’s top issues.

Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo will work with a Democratic majority Senate helmed by returning Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro, and a Democratic supermajority in the Assembly led by Speaker Elect Steve Yeager.

Lawmakers will walk in with a hefty state general fund budget of $11 billion for the next two years, as Nevada’s economy continues to rebound from the pandemic.

Here are ve areas to watch as the 120-day session unfolds.

(Photo Illustration/Shuttstock)

1. A ordable Housing

Following Clark County’s announcement that its pandemic-era emergency rent assistance program would end in January, Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada has outlined legislative priorities to mitigate the “eviction crisis” that has been mounting since the pandemic began.

Advocates have called on lawmakers to reform Nevada’s summary eviction process, which requires renters to respond and le with the court after receiving eviction notices from their landlords. Legal Aid Center is also calling for the notice period for no-cause evictions to be lengthened, and for AB486, which prevents eviction while a tenant has a pending application for rental assistance, to be extended beyond its current expiration date in June.

Related to ongoing e orts to reduce the gap between existing inventory and the 80,000 a ordable housing units required to meet demand from Nevada’s extremely low-income renters, the Assembly Committee on Revenue has introduced AB62 to expand tax exemptions for low-income housing projects.

On behalf of the Clark Regional Behavioral Policy Health Board, the Senate Committee on Revenue and Economic Development has sponsored SB68, which would increase the real property transfer tax by 20 cents for every $500, and create a “Critical Needs Fund” to provide “certain assistance for very low income housing, supportive housing and supportive services,” according to the legislative digest.

2. Education

In his State of the State address on January 23, Lombardo called his proposed education budget the “single largest investment in K-12 education” in state

history. It includes $2 billion to increase per-pupil funding by 2025 in Nevada—a bottom-ranking state for education funding—and $50 million for school choice through Opportunity Scholarships.

For higher education, the governor carved out $75 million pre-funding for scholarships for Nevada students pursuing higher education in the state, and $30 million for scholarships and stipends to train student teachers and help with the state’s shortage of educators.

On behalf of the Clark County School District, the Senate Education Committee has introduced SB47, which would create a Public Education Employee Working Conditions Task Force to establish recommendations for working conditions and to increase the e ectiveness and accessibility of public education career pathways. The bill also would expand the authority of school boards of trustees to “build, purchase or rent certain buildings” for residential dwellings for employees.

3. Elections

In his State of the State address, Lombardo repeated his intent to add ID requirements and eliminate universal mail balloting and ballot harvesting, calling the pandemic-era measures to expand voting access “expensive” and “unnecessary.”

In response, new Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar, a Democrat, defended universal mail balloting, saying that the system has been proven to work “across party and partisan lines.”

Other potential election changes: The Senate Committee on Legislative Operations and Elections has proposed SB60 to extend the deadline for mail ballot counting from seven to nine days following the election, and

SB75, which proposes making the Clark and Washoe County registrar of voters an elected o ce instead of an appointed position.

Democratic Sen. Skip Daly has said he will introduce legislation that would make it a felony to submit false electoral certicates, for which some Nevada Republicans are under federal investigation related to the 2020 election cycle.

4. Abortion

Cannizzaro has said she plans to introduce legislation that would protect abortion providers in Nevada, along with out-ofstate patients. Essentially, the bill would codify an executive order that former Gov. Steve Sisolak issued days after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022.

On the 2022 campaign trail, Lombardo told a Reno TV station that he “absolutely” would repeal Sisolak’s executive order if elected governor. He later walked the statement back and posted on his campaign website, “I have made a commitment not to repeal that executive order until the Legislature can make clear that Nevada is not going to prosecute women who seek an abortion or medical providers that provide legal abortions.”

After Lombardo’s election victory, the Nevada attorney general’s o ce rea rmed that it would “not help states prosecute those coming to Nevada to seek reproductive health care legal under Nevada law.”

State law protects abortions up to 24 weeks.

5. Mental Health

According to a new report from nonpro t group Mental Health America, Nevada ranked 29th for overall mental health (youth and adults), based on

prevalence of issues and access to care in 2022. That’s up from 51st, the state’s ranking for several years prior.

Last year, the state made signi cant investments in behavioral health. The Legislature’s Interim Finance Committee approved American Rescue Plan Act funds of $171 million for public health and $45 million for children’s mental health programs. O cials have said that communities can expect to see bene ts this year.

In addition to expanding and increasing access to mental health care and services, lawmakers are looking to shore up the state’s shortage of behavioral health professionals.

According to a 2022 presentation from the state Department of Health and Human Services, Nevada had 10.3 Clinical Professional Counselors for every 100,000 people—well below the national average of 45.4 per 100,000. The state falls below the national average for psychologists, psychiatrists and licensed clinical social workers, too.

Introduced by the Committee on Education on behalf of the Washoe Regional Behavioral Health Policy Board, AB69 proposes expanding the University of Nevada School of Medicine’s loan repayment program to behavioral health providers who practice full time in Nevada for at least two years, “to encourage practitioners of certain health care professions to practice in areas of Nevada in which a shortage of that type of practitioner exists.”

In addition to providing assistance for low-incoming housing, the aforementioned SB68 would also require regional behavioral health policy boards—including Clark County’s—to determine funding for supportive housing and supportive services for behavioral health needs.

PLAYING WITH PRIDE

BY AMBER SAMPSON

The proverbial “safe house” within a video game triggers a sigh of relief. It’s a home base where one can take stock of their wellbeing, regroup with their team, unafraid of whatever’s beyond its doors. In a lot of ways, Las Vegas Gaymers, an LGBTQ video game meetup group, has become that for players across the Valley.

The group, like so many things in gaming culture, began on Reddit, in 2012. Gaymers founder Jade Winsatt posted a photo on the r/Gamers subreddit about being a lonely gaymer looking for friends, and the queer community responded.

“Several other people in the area reached out and said, ‘I’m in Las Vegas, why don’t we actually do something?’ And from there, it has grown to be pretty large,” says Andrew Jenkins, president of Las Vegas Gaymers. “We have over 1,000 members in the group, and on average, we see about 15 to 25 people at our in-person events, depending on what we’re doing.”

After Winsatt left the group, Jenkins took up the mantle, along with core organizers Mike Chen (creative director), Garr Allen (community coordinator), Tim Avist (vice president) and Anthony Del Rio (event coordinator). These days, Facebook is the most

active place for members to interact, when they’re not gathering at West Sahara bar the Phoenix for Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros: Ultimate or Magic: The Gathering at the Henderson Equality Center.

“I’ve been coming for about two years and decided to get more involved, because I like the environment that it creates for the queer community,” Allen says. “There’s a lot of placement on being sexualized or hookup culture in other groups, but that’s not the environment created here. It’s a really good place for making friends.”

Del Rio, who has been with the group since it began, agrees. “Out of all the groups

The Las Vegas Gaymers LGBTQ video game meetup group provides a fun and inclusive space

LAS VEGAS GAYMERS • lasvegasgaymers.com • facebook.com/thelasvegasgaymers

I’ve ever floated around, this is the one I’ve stuck with, because it feels like a chosen family,” he says, explaining that the Gaymers have even supported members struggling financially during difficult times.

Chen, a first-generation Chinese American who moved to Vegas five years ago, tried several other groups before he discovered the Gaymers. “[The others] felt a little transient,” he says. “I grew up in a lot of small towns, and it’s really difficult to find communities, especially growing up queer. Not having the ability to develop within your early teens, and then trying to live out your early teens and find the friends that you want in your adulthood but not really knowing how. … Las Vegas Gaymers was a really good way to do that.”

Through the group, Chen also found a romantic partner in Jenkins, who says he can relate to being a lonely queer teen, having grown up in Salt Lake City. Avist, who organizes the group’s video game tournaments, also found love within the group. It wasn’t intentional, but they’re thankful it happened.

Stereotypically, gamers tend to be shy, favoring online connections, Jenkins says, but many do commit to turning up for events. On average, Gaymers members tend to fall in the mid-20s to mid-30s age range, with teens as young as 17 attending all-ages events at HyperX Arena at Luxor, Meepleville Board Game Cafe or beyond.

“But even though most gaming tournaments are generally younger skewed, I do have competitors in the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s range, depending on what game it is,” says Avist, who provides all of his own video gaming equipment for the events. Those older gamers have inspired him to even host “retro nights,” for which he breaks out classic, ’80s-era games on vintage consoles he has collected.

And, the Gaymers say, every venue that has hosted their events has showed support for what they do. Shawn Hunt, co-owner of the Phoenix, is an active member of the group. The bar sponsors prizes for its weekly events, and local chiptune band Decaying Tigers often performs during them.

Gaymers meetups also go beyond gaming, giving members a chance to engage over picnics and outings at the Ice Rink at the Cosmopolitan.

On the schedule right now: Video game tournaments every Tuesday at the Phoenix; board games at Meepleville the first Sunday of every month; and a collectible card game meetup every third Sunday at Henderson Equality Center. And on February 18, the Gaymers will return to the LVL Up Expo at the Las Vegas Convention Center for a Poké Ball crafting contest.

Las Vegas Gaymers celebrated their 10th anniversary last year, and Jenkins says watching transformation of group members has been exhilarating.

“I’ve really come into myself in the last few years,” Allen says. “It’s hard for me to comprehend that I’m still discovering who I am, but I have realized that I am nonbinary, I’ve accepted that identity, and it’s partly because of the environment this group has created. I truly feel more comfortable being me and expressing myself in a new way.”

LEFT Christian Saracay, right, plays Super Smash Bros. RIGHT Tournament prizes at the Phoenix (Wade Vandervort/ Staff)

SCENE

(Courtesy/Erik Kabik)

HANDING OFF THE BATON

Chatting with Las Vegas Philharmonic music director Donato Cabrera , before his final season

BY EVELYN MATEOS

On Donato Cabrera’s opening night conducting the Las Vegas Philharmonic as its music director, his former middle school band teacher watched from the audience.

As a child, Cabrera was first exposed to music here in Las Vegas, when his piano-playing grandmother would often play her favorite songs for the family, inspiring him to take lessons. Later, in a Reno classroom, Cabrera’s love for classical music began to take shape. His middle school teacher encouraged him to pick up the French horn, he began participating in orchestra and eventually became a conductor.

This spring, Cabrera will lead Las Vegas Philharmonic for the final time. The company recently announced his impending departure from the organization, at the end of the 2023-2024 season, his 10th overall here.

When the Weekly spoke with Cabrera in late January, he was finalizing the program for his last season, the Phil’s 25th overall. He revealed that his final show will include his good friend— and Grammy-winning organist—Paul Jacobs, along with a performance of Symphony No. 3 “Organ” by Saint-Saëns.

“Ten years is a common length [of time],” Cabrera explained as to why the timing felt right for him to step away. “And for me, while I certainly love and will continue to love our audiences and our great orchestra, I felt like we’ve achieved what we can achieve together as a team. It’s time for a new artistic voice to lead the orchestra forward.”

Cabrera, who arrived the same year the Smith Center for the Performing Arts opened, recalls how, during his early days here, he could “almost hear people rattling their car keys in their pocket” as he would turn to take his bow at the end of a concert. Some Las Vegans weren’t sure what to wear to concerts, when to clap or how to enjoy this type of music. So he became determined to

change that, he explains.

After sharing his own enthusiasm through audience chats—and by encouraging attendees to clap whenever they felt the urge—he says it feels like has been successful in educating the community.

“Over the course of nine years, it has grown from people racing to see who would be the first to the parking lot, to waiting to see if we do an encore and clapping enthusiastically and being allowed to enjoy that moment,” he says.

Connecting more Las Vegans to the world of classical music tops his personal list of accomplishments with the Philharmonic. Even after nine years, however, one dream event remains on his wish list—a collaboration concert with a popular Vegas rock act, like Imagine Dragons or The Killers. Even if it doesn’t happen during his final season, he says, he remains hopeful that it someday could.

As for his successor, Cabrera says he hopes the Phil’s next music director will be welcomed warmly by the community. He doesn’t yet know if he will be asked to participate in the search for his replacement, but says he will “happily” be involved if asked.

“That person, whoever it is, has to have a really strong artistic vision for the future and how that mission fits with the Las Vegas community. It is a very unique and wonderful city that’s unlike anywhere else,” he says. “I would love to see a female voice, or a person of color, take the reins. It’s time, not just in Las Vegas but nationwide, that these voices be heard.”

Cabrera, who has simultaneously served as the music director for the California Symphony in the Bay Area for the past 10 years, says he intends to continue that relationship, and to pursue guest-conducting engagements around the U.S. and in Europe.

“This really gives me a chance to explore other projects that being the music director of two orchestras hasn’t allowed me to really pursue yet,” he says.

CHANGING CHANNELS

Vegas trio White Noise aims to push rock ’n’ roll into the future

BY AMBER SAMPSON

Kaesen Samson had to watch some things fall apart before his band, Las Vegas indie rock trio White Noise, could come together.

The local singer and guitarist started out as a drummer for The Mad Rabbits, a blues-rock trio featuring fellow White Noise bassist Nicholas Lacy. But as a student of various styles, Samson says he found himself at odds with the sonic direction of the band.

“There was no push to go further than classic rock,” he says. “Me and Nick have always liked punk rock and stuff like that. We’ve always wanted to go a little harder.”

In 2021, The Mad Rabbits disbanded after two and a half years, leaving Samson with a bulk of written material and no band to record or play it with. Fronting his own rock band would require him to step out of his comfort zone, Samson says. “I didn’t want to start a new project with a singer who wore like, khakis,” he says. “I know I at least look the part, so [I figured] I’ll just go ahead with this.”

Neil from Mötley Crüe, so I would go on his tour bus when I was younger,” he recalls. “There was a moment where we went over to California, and Vince brought me up onstage and sat me in front of thousands of people; I was nervous as hell. At the time, I was playing drums as my first instrument, so I was looking back over at Tommy Lee. That’s the moment when I decided music is what I wanted to do.”

PURE SPORT With Pathogen, Elevated Undergrounds, The Dollheads, Elephante King. February 3, 6:30 p.m., $20. The Space, thespacelv.com.

Samson, now 25, initially launched White Noise as a solo project. Then in 2022, it evolved into a trio. Lacy, who hat-tips bassists like Les Claypool (Primus) and Mike Dirnt (Green Day) for his onstage showmanship, rejoined Samson, and the two brought in drummer Austin Mansfield, whose breatmaking influences run the gamut from DJ Mustard to Travis Barker.

“It’s a taste of everything,” Mansfield says. “We’re all experimenting in a way, but it’s almost a taste of what’s to come. It’s letting everyone know we can go in any one of these directions, and we’re gonna figure that out as we go.”

The band used different methods to capture its instruments during the recording process, Lacy says, which contributes to the lo-fi feel of the album, which was mastered by David Candelas, lead vocalist for Vegas band Secos.

For his part, Samson says he’s pleased to finally be able to promote a “full body of work.” And what does he hope listeners take away? “That good old fashioned rock ’n’ roll still exists.

With shoulder-length hair and a sleeve of tattoos, Samson certainly looked the part—and his rock ’n’ roll upbringing backed it up.

“My dad had a very close friendship with Vince

Though strikingly different, the White Noise members’ styles click together on debut LP Neapolitan, set to be released February 3. Sex Pistols fans will feel Steve Jones in Samson’s fevered fretwork, especially on the rabble-rousing “Gimmie Out,” which ends with the frontman yelling “F*ck you!/F*ck you!” Punk attitude runs throughout the tracks, from the aggressive chants in “The Otherside” to the accelerator-to-the-floor pacing of “Room for That.”

“There’s a lot of great rock bands coming out that don’t really get the same hype as somebody like Post Malone or Dua Lipa. [Listeners] always reflect to the past. We can’t get past Hendrix and Zeppelin. That was a problem with our last band; we sounded too much like the past. I’m happy that with this one you can hear a push to more modernism.”

White Noise will celebrate Neapolitan, with a record-release party February 3 at the Space, alongside local punk rockers Pure Sport, who are also dropping a debut album.

WHITE NOISE &

WHITE NOISE linktr.ee/whitenoise702

(Courtesy/Michael Westlake)

GANG OF FOUR

When Health for Life cannabis dispensary opened late last year, inside a long-underutilized building at the corner of Charleston and Casino Center Boulevards, its management team took quick steps to blend in. “Being a new dispensary here in the Arts District, we really wanted to engage with the local community,” says Health for Life’s general manager Tyler Brennan.

The windowless building presented four long, inviting surfaces for murals. Smartly, Health for Life gave each wall to a different artist: the north wall to EQLD Creations (Instagram: @anthony_n_ortega), the west wall to Brett Rosepiler (@brettrosepiler), the south wall to Black Sheep One (@black57tcb) and the east wall to Eyelien (@guileemes).

Health for Life quadruples its commitment to the Arts District

And while the pieces are in markedly different styles, they share a similar palette, which makes those four walls feel like all of a piece.

On First Fridays, the murals provide a backdrop to live painting events sponsored by the dispensary. Most days you’re likely to find people circling the building, taking selfies. And, naturally, the colorful art entices people to visit the dispensary to shop, but that’s not why Health for Life made its building a canvas, Brennan says.

“For us, it’s really about taking a building that hasn’t been up to par for a few years, clean it up and make it a focal point for the community,” he explains. “There’s always been a synergy between cannabis and art.” –Geoff Carter

Top EQLD Creations; Bottom left Eyelien; Bottom center Black Sheep One (Wade Vandervort/Staff) | Bottom right Brett Rosepiler (Geoff Carter/Staff)

HONORING TRADITION

Casa Playa’s in-house masa program sets the standard

Casa Playa’s tuna tartare with house-made crispy tostada. (Wade Vandervort/Staff)

BY BROCK RADKE

Whether you’re visiting your favorite hole-in-the-wall taco shop or a fine-dining restaurant in one of the most luxurious resorts on the Las Vegas Strip, everyone knows the simple tortilla is the foundation for most Mexican meals. How that tortilla is made can make all the difference.

Casa Playa at Encore has built its rising reputation for thoughtful, traditional Mexican dining on its masa program, a symbol of this kitchen’s dedication to authentic ingredients and flavors.

“From the beginning, we wanted to adopt the philosophy to use local, sustainable ingredients we can find here or in California, but still keep the backbone of what Mexican cuisine is, and the best way to do that was to start with corn,” says executive chef Sarah Thompson.

goes through 30 to 50 kilograms of corn per day, which produces 60 to 100 kilos of masa per day once milled. Thompson describes the nixtamalization process as “essentially blanching and shocking it, like you would any vegetable,” except that the dried corn gets cooked in acidulated water to break it down before an ice bath. Then it’s milled with two volcanic stones.

Different types of corn are used for different dishes after an intense testing period to determine proper flavors and textures.

“There was a lot of trial and error and a lot of education,” Thompson says. “Some I’ve worked with before I knew I wanted to use, like the Bolito Amarillo, which is super-soft and tender and makes a beautiful tortilla.”

CASA PLAYA

Encore, 702-7705340, wynnlas vegas.com. Sunday, Wednesday & Thursday, 5:30-10:30 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, 5:30-11 p.m.

There are around 60 varietals of corn found around the world, and Casa Playa uses nine different types of heirloom corn (mostly from small farms in Oaxaca) to craft its own masa, the dough made from nixtamalized corn. The masa is hand-pressed to create tortillas for tacos, enchiladas, flautas and other dishes, or stuffed and steamed to create summer squash tamales ($19) served with mole verde and Thai basil—one of the chef’s favorite items on the menu.

“It’s really an underrated dish and it really showcases the masa,” she says. “We do a less-traditional wrap in banana leaves [instead of corn husks], but we also use coconut oil instead of lard, which makes the tamal lighter and fluffier, not dense and heavy.”

Few restaurants in the Las Vegas Valley are doing in-house masa, and none are likely producing it on the scale of Casa Playa. The restaurant

The much drier Red Cónoco is used for crispy tostadas served with blue shrimp ceviche ($28), guacamole ($18) and other dishes. And those tender yellow corn tortillas are moving fast with Casa Playa’s new pork belly al pastor ($105), a popular large-format dish for which the kitchen constructed its own trompo—the vertical rotisserie grill on which al pastor is traditionally prepared—that shows up tableside for interactive and delicious fun, topped off with candied pineapple for the perfect spicy and sweet bite.

It’s a lot of work, but it’s all part of presenting refined Mexican food that still connects to people’s pasts. “Everyone has their own idea of what Mexican food is. I grew up in Massachusetts, where we only had Taco Bell,” Thompson says. “When you come here and look at the menu, you’re going to see things you’re familiar with and talk about everything with your server. The way we execute is not traditional, but the flavor profiles are.”

RANDY’S DONUTS SPRINKLES LOCATIONS AROUND LAS VEGAS

n LA’s 70-year-strong icon Randy’s Donuts is making big moves in Las Vegas. After opening its first local shop in August and selling out every sweet morsel for weeks, Randy’s has found a home on the Strip at Resorts World, taking over some space and a convenient service window at breakfast sandwich hot spot Sun’s Out Buns Out.

And there’s much more on the way, starting with a third location on West Charleston Boulevard, set to open on February 15. Two other sites in the southwest Valley are designated for new construction soon.

“We always expected to do well and take a foothold, but what happened in those first couple of months was just unbelievable,” CEO Mark Kelegian says. “That [Rainbow location] is our second-highest-sale store in the entire system right now behind the original Inglewood location, so we’re just thrilled.”

Thanks to its SoCal location and tons of appearances in movies and TV shows, Randy’s has become one of the most recognizable doughnut brands in the world, and in recent years it has been one of the fastest growing franchises in the country. Its

Vegas plans were always going to include the Strip, but the Resorts World location made for an ideal first foray into the tourist corridor, Kelegian says. “They really support they brands they’re bringing in. We’ve got a good format going that I think at some point we might be duplicating at other casinos on the Strip.”

No matter the pace of expansion, it all comes down to making good doughnuts, from a classic glazed-and-raised to a cream-filled Maple Long John. Randy’s sticks to the tried-andtrue, and its tasty treats keep customers coming back well after they realize this is the same shop with that giant golden-brown doughnut atop the building on West Manchester Boulevard in Inglewood.

“We all know most of the visitors and a lot of the residents here are from California, but at the end of the day, it’s the quality of our doughnuts,” Kelegian says. “You can be as popular as you want and have great marketing and social media, but if the product isn’t up to the standard, you’re just not going to get that customer to come back.” –Brock

Radke

RANDY DONUTS 2170 S. Rainbow Blvd., 725-444-6782, randysdonuts.com, 24/7. At Sun’s Out Buns Out at Resorts World, rwlasvegas.com, 24/7.

CHANGING THE GAME

The NFL turns its annual Pro Bowl into multiple events this week in Las Vegas

BY CASE KEEFER

Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher

Maxx Crosby learned about the rugged physicality and macho mentality often needed for success at the highest levels of football from an early age growing up in Texas.

“Once you hit the second grade, you were allowed to start playing football, so you either played tackle or you played ag,” Crosby explained late this season. “If you played ag, we looked at you sideways. If you played tackle, you were about that action.”

The 25-year-old Crosby says he has never been a part of a game of ag football, but that will change February 5 at Allegiant Stadium. Crosby will be participating in his second straight Pro Bowl, which the NFL has now tweaked into the Pro Bowl Games, with three sets of 7-on-7 ag football games serving as the grand nale.

Crosby described it as “unfortunate” that the traditional, fully padded 11-on11 game has been scrapped, but ironically, he partly has himself to blame for the format change. Out of concern over injuries that could cut into their earning

potential, players hadn’t given anywhere near full e ort in the Pro Bowl for a decade or more.

Crosby certainly didn’t go all-out in his debut at Allegiant last year, but he played hard enough to put into focus the way most of the other players were merely going through the motions. The Raider won the 2022 Pro Bowl MVP after contributing two sacks and three pass break-ups while leading the AFC to a 4135 victory against the NFC.

Crosby was cheered by the hometown fans, but everything else about the game was panned, expediting a shift in one of the NFL’s marquee annual events.

“You’ve seen some evolutionary parts of the concept in previous years as we brought the skills [competition] into the fold the last few years and looked to make game day more a bit accessible,” says Matthew Shapiro, the NFL’s vice president of events strategy. “And then, coming out of last year … we thought more seriously about how to reimagine this event and revamp it.”

Here’s a rundown of four of the big changes taking place, and how it will all work.

THE FORMAT

Rosters were determined in the usual way, with players, coaches and fans each getting a third of the say in awarding honorees at every position in the AFC and NFC. How the chosen players will be utilized has changed, however. Only 21 players from each 44-man roster will compete in the ag football games.

Exact lineups will be announced closer to the start, but expect to see the biggest-name skill players, such as Bu alo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Je erson and Raiders running back Josh Jacobs included. The rest will be on the sidelines cheering them on—and likely interacting with fans—after having their moment in the spotlight Thursday and Sunday, through a variety of skills competitions.

Three points will be up for grabs for the winning conference in a variety of contests (more on those later), with seven points awarded to the winning team in each of the rst two ag-football games.

It’s all to add drama to the nal ag game, in which the scoreboard will start with the cumulative score from all the other competitions. One nal 20-minute, 50-yard game—the same setup as for the rst two contests—will determine whether the AFC can run its Pro Bowl win streak over the NFC to six.

Maxx Crosby

THE SIDE COMPETITIONS

Not everything about the rst Pro Bowl week in Las Vegas a year ago was a bust. The most memorable moment might have come on opening night at Las Vegas Ballpark, when then-rookie Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons talked trash before shocking receiver Tyreek Hill (then with the Kansas City Chiefs), Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb and Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs in a 40-yard dash.

The NFL wants to play up those kinds of moments, so nine skills competitions will take place, from a Thursday night kicko event on ESPN at the Raiders’ Henderson headquarters to sideshows of Sunday’s ag games at Allegiant. A relay race returns Sunday, but it’s among the most straightforward o erings.

Other events include a dodgeball match (Thursday), a water balloon toss (Thursday), a best catch contest (Thursday and Sunday) and a kick-tactoe competition (Sunday).

The hope is that these type of lighthearted setups can showcase some of the NFL’s brightest and loudest stars, like Parsons, New York Jets rookie cornerback Sauce Gardner and New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley.

THE VIBE

Another undeniable success from last year’s Pro Bowl in Las Vegas were the open practices at Las Vegas Ballpark. They gave fans a chance to catch many of their favorite athletes in a playful environment, snagging autographs from Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, for example, before he razzed teammate Chris Jones as the latter tested out a putting green.

There’s no need for practices with the new format, but the NFL wanted to try to transition that atmosphere into the actual game.

“The Pro Bowl has had a lot of tremendous positives over the last number of years—the camaraderie amongst the players, the ability to see the players’ personalities for fans and the helmets-o mentality of the practices,” Shapiro said. “It provides a lot of access, but we felt like we could really take that to the next level.”

February 5, noon, $30$270. Allegiant Stadium, ticket master.com.

PRO BOWL RAIDERS

Davante Adams wide receiver

The former Packer earned his sixth career Pro Bowl nod by rewriting the Raiders’ single-season receiving record book in his first year with the team and leading the NFL with 14 receiving touchdowns.

AJ Cole punter

THE COACHES

To further foster the good-natured attitude, the NFL did away with the tradition of bringing in coaching sta s from each conference for the Pro Bowl. Two of the most beloved recent quarterback retirees will take their place—brothers Eli and Peyton Manning.

Eli, who played his entire career with the Giants, will coach the NFC. Peyton, who won a Super Bowl with both Indianapolis and Denver, will coach the AFC.

The pair’s interplay and sibling rivalry has become a big hit with the Manningcast, on which they provide commentary and interview guests during an alternate broadcast of Monday Night Football. Shapiro said the Manningcast “encapsulates” what he wants the Pro Bowl to be as “a really fun [aspect] with a competitive streak to it and greats going at it.”

“They’re hilarious,” Crosby said, endorsing the Mannings’ inclusion in the Pro Bowl Games. “I see them involved with everything right now, and it’s awesome.”

Cole was controversially left o the Pro Bowl roster initially but made it as a replacement when fellow punter Tommy Townsend reached the Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs. Cole is widely considered one of the best, if not the best, punter in the league and expanded his arsenal with di erent types of kicks this season to make the Pro Bowl in back-to-back years.

Maxx Crosby edge rusher

One year after breaking out as one of the NFL’s best pass rushers, the Raiders’ new $100 million man became one of the league’s best rush defenders, leading the league with 22 tackles for loss to earn his second straight Pro Bowl appearance.

Josh Jacobs running back

The impending free agent reached the Pro Bowl for the second time in three years by virtue of leading the league in both rush yards (1,653) and scrimmage yards (2,053). He stars alongside Peyton Manning in a water balloon-themed Pro Bowl Games commercial promoting the event.

2023 NFL PRO BOWL GAMES

Josh Jacobs

SOUTHERN NEVADA’S BIG YEAR AHEAD CULMINATES DECADE OF GROWTH IN THE VALLEY

BY RAY BREWER VEGAS INC STAFF

Jeremy Aguero, the principal analyst with the fiscal and policy research firm Applied Analysis, late last month detailed the economic growth experienced in Las Vegas over the past 10 years to an audience of the business community at Preview Las Vegas.

Aguero, a master at presenting his findings after more than two decades of economic and fiscal impact dissection, certainly caught everyone’s attention.

With each number, the over-the-top growth of Las Vegas—from stadiums and sports teams, to resorts and the jobs sector—became more clear. He presented his findings January 23 at the Las Vegas Convention Center during the annual Preview event hosted by Vegas Chamber.

The 10-year stretch included the opening of T-Mobile Arena, Allegiant Stadium, Circa Las Vegas and Resorts World, to name a few. It also brought a major transportation initiative in Project Neon to expand Interstate-15, a $2.4 billion expansion at Harry Reid International Airport and record-setting tourism.

The period was also marked with the economy emerging from the Great Recession of the late-2000s as well as managing the COVID-19 pandemic that brought a historic shutdown of the resort corridor in 2020 and a record jobless rate.

Still, Aguero says, the region created 250,000 new jobs over the past decade.

“Not a bad 10-year stretch for us overall,” he boasted. “In fact, it is pretty incredible.

“But what’s next? That’s the question I get more than any other.”

And what’s next, Vegas Chamber President Mary Beth Sewald told the audience, will be unprecedented—even by standards for a city accustomed to grabbing the world’s attention.

That’s because another addition to the resort

corridor—the 17,500-seat auditorium, $2.18 billion MSG Sphere—is scheduled to open in the second half of 2023, to go along with a pair of marquee events in the Formula One Las Vegas Grand Prix from November 16-18 and the Super Bowl on February 11, 2024.

“The greatest arena on earth, Las Vegas,” Sewald told the audience. “It doesn’t get any better than this.”

The F1 race, where cars will zoom upwards of 212 miles per hour on a 3.8-mile street course that includes part of the Strip, is projected to shatter revenue marks with an impact of $1.3 billion. By comparison, the Super Bowl—the standard nationally in marquee, money-generating events for a city—will bring $600 million in economic impact to the Valley, officials said at the Preview event.

Steve Hill, president of the Las Vegas Visitors and Convention Authority, stated the obvious to Preview attendees when describing the spotlight Las Vegas will be in during the upcoming months. “The entire world will be watching us,” he proudly said.

The Preview event included a presentation from officials with MSG Sphere, which at 336 feet tall and 516 feet wide will be the world’s largest spherical structure. It will also have the highest-resolution LED screen in the world, which at 160,000-square-feet will wrap over the audience to create an immersive environment.

In 2033, when Aguero—or one of his economic and fiscal impact analyzing colleagues—takes 10-year look at the growth of Las Vegas, 2023 will surely take up most of the conservation.

“In most cities, to have one of these opportunities is a really big deal,” Sewald said. “But to have all three of these monumental events happening within six months [of each other] is unbelievable, and only Las Vegas can make that happen.”

NOTABLE NUMBERS

Aguero’s presentation at Preview Las Vegas was filled with data illustrating Southern Nevada’s growth over the past 10 years and its prospects for the next 10. Among the numbers that stood out …

67 new jobs added daily on average in Las Vegas over the past 10 years, a total of about 250,000 created positions.

76 feet of decline at Lake Mead over the past 10 years. “Let’s imagine if we repeat the same 76 feet of decline. These are realities we need to deal with,” Aguero said.

90 new residents moving to the Valley per day over the past decade. It’s the third-highest total nationally.

15,000 dollars per year on average that wages have increased. That’s $127 a day.

2.7% decrease in the amount of children enrolled in public schools over the past 10 years.

VegasInc Notes

Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada announced that

C.J. Neff has joined its board of directors. As a volunteer with the nonprofit financial literacy organization, Neff’s expertise and passions for math, planning and helping students are evident and led him to be recognized as the local chapter’s 2022 Junior Achievement Volunteer of the Year.

Golden Entertainment Inc. hired Ray Gentry, a safety and protection veteran with more than 30 years of experience, as vice president of corporate security and surveillance.

Gentry will lead the coordinated efforts of security and surveillance operations for Golden. His responsibilities include hiring and developing leadership staff for the department, along with implementing initiatives

and monitoring compliance of procedures to maintain a safe and secure environment for guests and team members at Golden properties.

The Equity Group welcomed Sunshine Bono, CPM, CCIM as its director of property management.

Bono has over 28 years of experience managing commercial real estate portfolios. Along with her Certified Property Manager (CPM) and Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designations, Bono has managed TOBY Award-winning assets and won multiple awards including Team Leader of the Year and Manager of the Year with previous firms.

Brett Abarbanel was named executive director role at UNLV’s International Gaming Institute.

The Nevada Resort Association’s board of directors unanimously reelected Ellen Whittemore, executive vice president and general counsel at Wynn Resorts, as its chair for

the 2023–24 term. Ayesha Molino, senior vice president of public affairs at MGM Resorts International, was elected vice chair. Paul Anderson, senior vice president of industry and government affairs for Boyd Gaming, was reelected as treasurer. NRA President and CEO Virginia Valentine was reelected to serve as secretary. The association also welcomed the Mirage and Palms to its membership.

Evan Vasquez was hired by City National Bank as vice president and branch manager of the Green Valley location at 8475 S. Eastern Ave. Vasquez replaces Isabel Alvarado, who was promoted to a business banking relationship manager. Vasquez joins City National with more than 14 years of experience in the financial services industry. He will be responsible for managing the branch sales and servicing related responsibilities, including managing a team of four.

Gov. Joe Lombardo announced the appointment of Christopher Sewell as director of the Nevada Department

of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation. Sewell has served in the department for the past six years and as deputy director for the past year and a half. He brings more than three decades of experience in regulatory oversight and public service.

Sewell appointed Josh Marhevka as deputy director of operations and Troy Jordan as deputy director of programs at the department.

Marhevka started with the department in May 2019 as supervisor of the Management and Administration Support Services Unit at the Employment Security Division. He was its chief financial officer for the past 18 months. Jordan has served as senior legal counsel to the Employment Security Division since 2019 and brings decades of experience in the private and public sector.

Sewell

Jordan

Marhevka

Gentry

Bono

Neff

Vasquez

Whittmore

PREMIER CROSSWORD HOROSCOPES “BREEDS OF THE DECLINE”

BY FRANK LONGO

WEEK OF FEBRUARY 2

BY ROB BREZSNY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Theoretically, you could offer to help a person who doesn’t like you. But there are better ways to express your talents and dispense your gifts—especially now, when it’s crucial for your long-term mental health that you offer your blessings to recipients who will use them best and appreciate them most.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): In esoteric astrology, Taurus rules the third eye. Poetically speaking, this is a subtle organ of perception, a sixth sense that sees through mere appearances and discerns the secret or hidden nature of things. The penetrating vision of an evolved Taurus is potent because it peels away superficial truths and uncovers deeper truths.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): The ingredient you would need to fulfill the next stage of a fun dream is behind door #1. Behind door #2 is a vision of a creative twist you could do but haven’t managed yet. Behind door #3 is a clue that might help you achieve more disciplined freedom than you’ve known before. You may be able to open only one door before the magic spell wears off.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): You are mostly ready for the educational adventures and experiments that are possible. The uncertainties that accompany them, whether real or imagined, will bring out the best in you. For optimal results, apply your nighttime thinking to daytime activities, and vice versa. Wiggle free of responsibilities unless they teach you noble truths.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Fate has decreed, “Leos must be wanderers for a while.” You will get away with outsmarting or revising fate only if your discipline is fierce and your determination is intense. The “wandering” you undertake can be done in the name of focused exploration rather than aimless meandering.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): In a perfect world, you could be emancipated from yearnings that are out of sync with your highest good and taught to dissolve a habit that has weakened your willpower. But you have not completely acknowledged your need for this help. So no one can provide it. But now that you’ve read this horoscope, maybe you will make yourself more receptive to the necessary support and favors and relief.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You may receive an influx of cash soon, or free lunches and unexpected gifts. Torrents of praise and appreciation may flow, too, though trickles are more likely. Here’s your keynote, as expressed by the Queen of Sheba 700 years ago: “Wisdom is sweeter than honey, brings more joy than wine, illumines more than the sun, is more precious than jewels.”

2020 KING FEATURES SYNDICATE

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Your assignment is to cultivate a closer relationship with the cells that comprise your body. They are alive. Speak to them as you would to a beloved child or animal. Bless them with tender wishes. Let them know how grateful you are for the grand collaboration you have going, and affectionately urge them to do what’s best for all concerned.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Revamped and refurbished things are coming back for another look. Retreads and redemption-seekers are headed in your direction. They are likely to be more fun or interesting or useful during their second time around. Be receptive to Plan Bs, second choices and alternate routes. They could lead you to the opportunities you didn’t know you needed.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Author Neil Gaiman declared, “I’ve never known anyone who was what he or she seemed.” You, though, will be very close to what you seem to be. The harmony between your deep inner self and your outer persona will be at record-breaking levels. No one will have to wonder if they must be wary of hidden agendas lurking below your surface.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): “I want to raise up the magic world all round me and live strongly and quietly there,” author Virginia Woolf wrote in her diary. How would you raise up the magic world around you? Meditate fiercely and generously on that tantalizing project. You now have extra power to conjure up healing, protection, inspiration and mojo for yourself.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):

Asked your subconscious mind to bring a dream that would be helpful for you. Don’t directly confront your inner foe or nagging demon. Approach stealthily and render it inert. Then banish it from your sphere, preferably forever.