2023-11-23-Las-Vegas-Weekly by Greenspun Media Group

PUBLISHER MARK DE POOTER

EDITORIAL

Senior Editor GEOFF CARTER (geoff.carter@gmgvegas.com) Editor at Large BROCK RADKE (brock.radke@gmgvegas.com) Deputy Editor SHANNON MILLER (shannon.miller@gmgvegas.com) Staff Writer GABRIELA RODRIGUEZ (gabriela.rodriguez@gmgvegas.com) Staff Writer AMBER SAMPSON (amber.sampson@gmgvegas.com) Contributing Writers EMMA BROCATO, GRACE DA ROCHA, HILLARY DAVIS, MIKE GRIMALA, CASEY HARRISON, KATIE ANN MCCARVER, RHIANNON SAEGERT, DANNY WEBSTER Contributing Editors RAY BREWER, JUSTIN HAGER, CASE KEEFER, DAVE MONDT Office Coordinator NADINE GUY

CREATIVE

Art Director CORLENE BYRD (corlene.byrd@gmgvegas.com) Senior Designer IAN RACOMA Photo Coordinator BRIAN RAMOS Photographers CHRISTOPHER DEVARGAS, STEVE MARCUS, WADE VANDERVORT

DIGITAL

Publisher of Digital Media KATIE HORTON Web Content Specialist CLAYT KEEFER

ADVERTISING & MARKETING

Publisher of Branded Content & Special Publications EMMA WOLFF Special Publications Editor SIERRA SMART Senior Advertising Managers MIKE MALL, ADAIR MILNE, SUE SRAN Account Executives MARY CHARISSE DIMAIN, LAUREN JOHNSON, ANNA ZYMANEK Sales Executive Assistants APRIL MARTINEZ Events Director SAMANTHA LAMB Events Manager HANNAH ANTER Events Coordinator ALEXANDRA SUNGA

PRODUCTION & CIRCULATION

Vice President of Manufacturing MARIA BLONDEAUX Production Director PAUL HUNTSBERRY Production Manager BLUE UYEDA Associate Marketing Art Director BROOKE EVERSON Marketing Graphic Designer CARYL LOU PAAYAS Production Artist MARISSA MAHERAS Senior Traffic Coordinator DENISE ARANCIBIA Traffic Coordinator ALEX HAASE Distribution Relations Liaison JIDAN SHADOWEN Fulfillment Operations Coordinator CASANDRA PIERCE Route Administrator KATHY STRELAU

GREENSPUN MEDIA GROUP

CEO, Publisher & Editor BRIAN GREENSPUN Chief Operating Officer ROBERT CAUTHORN

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The upgrades

here include

life.

Apartment homes with modern style. Convenient commutes. And a foodie hotspot. It’s time to love where you live.

vestraliving.com | I-215 and Durango

This week at UnCommons

Sat 11/25

Female Maker Market Campus Wide 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Sun 11/26

Fresh52 Farmers Market Campus Wide 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Sun 11/26

Blues & Brunch @ The Sundry 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Tues 11/28

Taco Tuesday @ The Sundry 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM

LEGENDARY GIFTS OF ENTERTAINMENT

* Additional 2024 residency shows now on sale!

for show times and tickets

3 0 0 0 PA R A D I S E ROA D, L A S V EG A S , N V 8910 9 | 70 2 .732 . 5111 | W E S TG AT EL A S V EG A S .CO M

11.23.23

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

IN THIS ISSUE WANT MORE? Head to lasvegasweekly.com.

Tintype portraits at Myron Hensel Photography on Fremont Street are on our list of great local gifts this holiday season.

SUPERGUIDE

Your holiday week events planner, starring Lindsey Stirling, Ted Sablay, Corey Feldman, Frank Marino and more.

FEATURE STORY

It's that time of year again, but don't worry, we've got you covered with a very local holiday gift guide.

WEEKLY Q&A

NOISE

The Beverly Theater's Kip Kelly talks movies, music and connecting fans with the cool stuff they didn't know they wanted.

Vegas punk band the Objex are coming together again for a show at the Double Down.

COVER STORY

FOOD & DRINK

Las Vegas Weekly has been publishing for 25 years. We've had memorable moments and told some interesting stories along the way.

ON THE COVER

LAS VEGAS WEEKLY AT 25 Photo Illustration

Legendary New York steakhouse Peter Luger is already making an impact on the Strip at Caesars Palace.

SPORTS

Original Misfit Brayden McNabb is one of the lesser-known reasons why the Vegas Golden Knights are out to such a great start this season after winning the Stanley Cup.

HOLIDAY DATES ADDED

the sphere experience

for showtimes and tickets, visit thesphere.com

Show schedule subject to change. Accessible and companion seats are available via the Disabled Services Department at 725-258-6724.

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

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SUPERGUIDE THURSDAY 23 NOV.

MUSIC

PARTY

VEGAS SHOWDOWN BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT 7 p.m. (& 11/24, 5 p.m.), Michelob Ultra Arena, axs.com. SUNRISE SUNSET 9 p.m., Easy’s Cocktail Lounge, easys vegas.com.

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

SPORTS

NOAH GARDENSWARTZ Thru 11/26, 7:30 p.m. (& 11/24-11/25, 9:30 p.m.), Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club, ticketmaster.com. CABLE 10:30 p.m., Tao Nightclub, events. taogroup.com.

FRIDAY 24 NOV.

S U P E R G U I D E

ARTS

LINDSEY STIRLING 7:30 p.m., Reynolds Hall, thesmithcenter.com. FOOD + DRINK

COMEDY

MISC

TED SABLAY When Las Vegas musician and Killers touring guitarist Ted Sablay opened for the Wallflowers this October, he was issued a challenge: Play what you wish, but play your absolute best. The exercise forced him to tweeze down his usual set, pruning it into a water-tight showcase of hits. Now, Sablay has asked several of the strongest local bands in the city to do the same. Supporting sets from indie R&B singer-songwriter Maejoy and pop vocalist Eli Milan will cozy up the crowd in intimate, 30-minute blocks, while the scrappy rockers of Secos and genre-dabbling quintet Radical West will ratchet up the buzz for Sablay’s closing show. 8 p.m., $15, Backstage Bar & Billiards, seetickets.us. –Amber Sampson (Courtesy/Sterling Tidwell)

NEVADA CONSERVATORY THEATRE: CINDERELLA, A PANTOMIME FOR LAS VEGAS 7:30 p.m., &11/25 (&11/26, 2 p.m.), Judy Bayley Theatre, unlv. edu.

11.23.23

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

SATURDAY 25 NOV.

COREY FELDMAN & THE ANGELS 9 p.m., Sand Dollar Downtown, thesand dollarlv.com. UNLV FOOTBALL VS. SAN JOSE STATE Noon, Allegiant Stadium, unlvtickets.com. THE METEORS & D.I. 8 p.m., Backstage Bar & Billiards, backstage barlv.com. VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS VS. ARIZONA COYOTES 7 p.m., T-Mobile Arena, axs.com.

HENDERSON SILVER KNIGHTS VS. TUCSON ROADRUNNERS 3 p.m. (& 11/26, 5 p.m.), Dollar Loan Center, axs.com. STEVE AOKI 10:30 p.m., Omnia Nightclub, events. taogroup.com. BOXING: BENAVIDEZ VS. ANDRADE 1:45 p.m., Michelob Ultra Arena, axs.com. Lindsey Stirling (Courtesy/Heather Koepp)

ENRIQUE IGLESIAS, RICKY MARTIN & PITBULL 7 p.m., T-Mobile Arena, axs.com.

KESHA With Flyana Boss, 8 p.m., Pearl Concert Theater, ticket master.com.

LAS VEGAS HOLIDAY CLASSIC Noon, & 11/25, Orleans Arena, ticketmaster.com.

TIP 10:30 p.m., Drai’s Nightclub, draisgroup.com. JAKE SHIMABUKURO 7 p.m., Grand Events Center, ticketmaster.com.

AFROJACK 10:30 p.m., Omnia Nightclub, events. taogroup.com. USHER 9 p.m., & 11/25, 11/29, Dolby Live, ticket master.com. ZEDD 10 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zoukgrouplv.com.

CLOZEE With Daily Bread, Josh Teed, 9 p.m., the A-Lot at Area15, area15.com. MATTEO BOCELLI 7:30 p.m., Reynolds Hall, thesmithcenter. com. VICE 11 a.m., Marquee Dayclub, events.taogroup. com. FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY With Exodus, 6 p.m., House of Blues, con certs.livenation.com. DEADMAU5 10 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zoukgrouplv. com. FABOLOUS 10:30 p.m., Drai’s Nightclub, draisgroup. com. WILLIE BARCENA 7 p.m., 24 Oxford, etix. com. THE CHAINSMOKERS 10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynnsocial.com.

DOUBLE DOWN SALOON’S 31ST ANNIVERSARY Las Vegas’ most beloved and sweetest-smelling punk rock dive bar celebrates 31 years in business this week. No doubt you feel compelled to head down there this weekend to mark the occasion with a few tasty shots of Ass Juice, as well you should. You’ll enjoy some fine entertainment as you take your dainty sips, pinky raised: Atomic Mayhem, The Psyatics, Mondo Vermin and terrific Japanese band The Heiz are scheduled to play, and if past Double Down anniversary parties are any indication of what you’re in for, the sound will carbonate the blood in your veins, vibrate the paint on the walls and induce you into an involuntary pogo. Put another way, it’ll be a great freaking time—a crazed hootenanny three decades in the making. 10 p.m., free, Double Down Saloon, doubledownsaloon.com. –Geoff Carter

F O R M O R E U P C O M I N G E V E N T S , V I S I T L A S V E G A S W E E K LY.C O M .

SUPERGUIDE

RAIN 8 p.m., MGM Grand Garden Arena, axs.com.

MIRIAM YEUNG 8 p.m., the Chelsea, ticketmaster.com.

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SUPERGUIDE

SUNDAY 26 NOV.

S U P E R G U I D E

THE MAKAHA SONS 3 & 6 p.m., Myron’s, thesmithcenter.com. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS VS. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 1:25 p.m., Allegiant Stadium, ticketmaster.com. TOWER OF POWER 6 p.m., Reynolds Hall, thesmithcenter.com. THE FLUTTER BUMS 9 p.m., Fat Cat, fatcatlv.com.

TV GIRL With Jordana, 8 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl, ticketmaster.com.

(Courtesy)

FRANK MARINO’S ROYAL TEA PARTY The Shag Room at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas—essentially a hidden space off the main lobby bar—has certainly proven itself to be one of the most lively and interesting lounge destinations off the Strip. Bringing in Las Vegas legend Frank Marino is another fantastic step in the right direction. The irrepressible star of drag institutions An Evening at La Cage and Divas Las Vegas and more recently Legends in Concert Concert, Marino brings the fun to the cozy space along with female impersonators as Cher, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Pink and Lizzo, plus guest DJ Justin Young. There’s no cover but you must make a reservation, and the Shag Room’s tasty cocktails and whimsical “Upside Down Tea Party” boozy tea menu will be ready and waiting. 2 p.m., the Shag Room, virginhotelslv.com. –Brock Radke

11.23.23

MONDAY 27

TUESDAY 28

UNLV JAZZ FALL FESTIVAL Thru 11/29, 7:30 p.m., Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall, unlv.edu.

JOEY MELOTTI QUARTET 7 p.m., Maxan Jazz, maxanjazz. com.

EDMUND BAGNELL 7 p.m., Myron’s, thesmithcenter. com.

MARC RYAN Thru 12/3, 8 p.m., LA Comedy Club, bestvegas comedy.com.

RITA RUDNER Thru 11/30, 6:30 p.m., South Point Showroom, ticketmaster.com.

NOV.

ARISTOTLE ATHARI With Derek Richards, Marsha Warfield, Michael Yo, 7 & 9:30 p.m., Comedy Cellar, ticketmaster.com.

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

NOV.

DJ BUZA 10:30 p.m., Jewel Nightclub, events. taogroup.com.

DJ SOURMILK 10:30 p.m., Omnia Nightclub, events. taogroup.com. MARK MAC 9 p.m., Foundation Room, hou seofblues.com. UNLV MEN’S BASKETBALL VS. AKRON 7 p.m., Thomas & Mack Center, unlvtickets.com.

GRYFFIN 10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynnlasvegas. com. CUPCAKKE 9 p.m., 24 Oxford, etix.com. GARTH BROOKS 8 p.m., the Colosseum, ticketmaster.com. CARRIE UNDERWOOD 8 p.m., Resorts World Theatre, axs.com.

HENDERSON SILVER KNIGHTS VS. BAKERSFIELD CONDORS 7 p.m., Dollar Loan Center, axs.com. AUGUST BURNS RED With Spite, Brand of Sacrifice, Crystal Lake, 5:30 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl, tickemaster.com.

SUPERGUIDE

WEDNESAY29 NOV.

CG5 8 p.m., the Space, thespacelv.com. P L A N Y O U R W E E K A H E A D

(Courtesy/Brittany Harper)

MUSIC

PARTY

SPORTS

ARTS

FOOD + DRINK

COMEDY

F O R M O R E U P C O M I N G E V E N T S , V I S I T L A S V E G A S W E E K LY.C O M .

MISC

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FRANK MARINO’S presents

ROYAL TEA PARTY

AVAILABLE AT ELLIS ISLAND AND ALL VILLAGE PUB LOCATIONS

JOIN THE

QUEEN OF VEGAS

FOR BOOZIE DRINKS AND BOUGIE DIVAS

NOVEMBER 26 TH

SPECIAL PERFORMANCE AT 2PM | RESERVATIONS REQUIRED CAST OF CELEBRITY FEMALE IMPERSONATORS

CHER | TAYLOR SWIFT | BEYONCE | LIZZO | PINK

$10 GLASS | $40 BOTTLE

THE SHAG ROOM AT VIRGIN HOTELS LAS VEGAS

FOR RESERVATIONS, VISIT VIRGINHOTELSLV.COM/SHAG-ROOM

WWW.ELLISISLANDCASINO.COM | @ELLISCASINOLV

! O E D O R S ’ T LE ! y l t h g i n c i s u Free live m Presented by

Cabaret Theater

DecEMBER 6

SCOTTY ALEXANDER

COORS RODEO KICKOFF PARTY

DecEMBER 7

THE WILDER BLUE

BALLROOM

DecEMBER 8

CORB LUND

DecEMBER 14

DecEMBER 12

WILLIAM CLARK GREEN COWBOY CHRISTMAS BALL

JOSH WARD

COWBOY & INDIANS MAGAZINE PARTY

THE INTERNATIONAL BAR DecEMBER 9

DecEMBER 10

KYLE PARK

JARROD MORRIS

DecEMBER 11

SETH WARD & THE SILENCE

NIGHTLY AT MIDNIGHT

DIRTY BOURBON BAND

DecEMBER 13

LINDSEY CARDINALE

DecEMBER 15

BRAXTON KEITH

DecEMBER 16

TRISTON MAREZ

DecEMBER 14

ryder grimes

daily

DecEMBER 8-9, 11

STEVE HELMS

olivia harms

DecEMBER 15

JAKE JACOBSON

Free NFR® live viewing parties NFR® Express Shuttle Bus location FOOD AND DRINK SPECIALS

3 0 0 0 PA R A D I S E ROA D, L A S V EG A S , N V 8910 9 | 70 2 .73 2 . 5111 | W E S TG AT EL A S V EG A S . CO M

MBER 7

1 6

DecEMBER 15

ross cooper

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

T H E

11.23.23

W E E K L Y

Q & A

HOOKED TO THE SILVER Q+A

The Beverly Theater’s Kip Kelly wants to introduce you to your next favorite thing

K P E O P L E

BY GEOFF CARTER ip Kelly’s gone to the movies. The “former second-rate DJ” turned marketing professional has logged eight months as the Beverly Theater’s chief experience officer, bringing arthouse and revival cinema—as well as live music and author events—to Downtown’s newest and most versatile entertainment space. Following a blockbuster October — during which the Beverly screened a series of classic horror movies to packed houses—Kelly is energized and eager to take on even more ambitious programming challenges. He invited the Weekly to take a seat in the Beverly’s auditorium to talk about its story, so far. So much for objectivity: I love this theater. I’m very happy that it’s here. I’m glad you’re getting a kick out of it. Beverly [Rogers], she did it right. I’m glad it’s here, too. Opening a new arthouse theater in the streaming era was a gamble, but I think it’s catching on. I feel like it is, too. And I’m really proud of my team. We don’t have VPs and directors; we have a solid group of film and theatrical students, and we’re trying to compete at an industry level. I want to put our program against anything

in the country. We’ve managed to grow exponentially in terms of what we’re able to do with this room, what we’re able to book and the types of things we can do. You know, when we did [music film series] Showchella in April, I was like, “How are we going to do 20 titles a month?” Then, in October, we did 49 titles. That all happens right here; that’s a lot of paperwork, a lot of file management, content delivery and making sure everything works in the booking and the showtimes. The team is kicking ass. Lots of locals visited the Beverly in October for your program of suspense and horror films. That must’ve felt good. Well, horror movies make money; we didn’t invent that part of it. But it did feel good. It’s interesting for a movie theater to feel electric; those two words don’t really go together. For a movie theater to feel electric almost every day of the month was pretty cool. It felt like we were tapping into some sort of zeitgeist, that we had a symbiotic relationship with the community. People were dressing up [for screenings]! We’re going to do that again, and we’re going to do it bigger next year. Are you beginning to see repeat business? People coming

to see Scream and The Shining, then coming back to see a new indie film they don’t know because they liked the experience? Oh, yeah. There are film purists out there. They’re important to us because they help educate the city on some of the things that we’re playing. I’ve always said that if you’re explaining, you’re losing, so it’s tough to be the first to break some of these films. We show a lot of movies people have never heard of. But we have our tribes for concerts, for literary stuff, for films. We’re trying to identify those people for each showtime and trying to figure out how we can hit critical mass with them. But we’re not going to be the ones who suddenly get people to want to watch indie films every day of the week. It’s more about creating a connection with that type of stuff. These [films] are slow burns, they’re romances, they’re important stories that haven’t been told. They’re more impactful, more long-lasting. Once you have an indie film lover, I think you have that person for life. The other night I came to see Victimas del Pecado [a Mexican film noir from 1950] and I ran into several friends coming out of [Wim Wenders’ 1987 film] Wings of Desire. It was a first visit to the Beverly for all of them.

We had a cool show in here last night, with [Venezulan band] Rawayana. There was almost 300 people here, and 100% of them had not been here before. Previously, Rawayana would not have played this market; they would have skipped it. Red Leather, who we had last week, was also great; he also would have skipped this market. It’s not because they don’t love Vegas; it’s because there was not a house where they could get in front of their Vegas fans. The indie concerts have been great for us, but we’re also programming film, and then there’s the literary stuff we do with Writer’s Block. This is really a discovery venue for all three of those things. The thread that holds them all together is indie voices and indie spirit. This is your house to discover Rawayana, to discover Kim Foster talking about her new book, to discover Wim Wenders in 4K. Making those introductions is a cool thing this venue does for the city.

11.23.23

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SCREEN

Kip Kelly inside the Beverly Theater (Wade Vandervort/Staff)

COMEDY HEADLINERS TAKE THE STAGE

RAY ROMANO DECEMBER 2

JIM JEFFERIES D ECEMBER 8 & 9

JEFF FOXWORTHY DECEMBER 15 & 16

ATSUKO OKATSUKA JANUARY 20

FOR TICKETS VISIT MIRAGE.COM OR TICKETMASTER.COM

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10/31/2023 4:54:55 PM

LV W N AT I V E C O N T E N T

11.23.23

Giving back to the community is a priority for many all year long, but during the holidays, contributing receives extra focus. “We know many of our neighbors are facing tough times,” said Jon Marshall, chief operating officer of Deep Roots Harvest. “We must come together to provide assistance to our most vulnerable populations. We know it makes a world of difference.”

HOW DEEP ROOTS HARVEST APPROACHES GIVING Nevada is full of incredible organizations and corporate giving initiatives that help support local causes. As a Nevada-based company, Deep Roots Harvest prioritizes giving across the communities it serves, including Clark County, Reno, Mesquite and West Wendover. “We’re Nevada-proud and we’re committed to supporting organizations in each community we operate in,” Marshall said. “It’s our duty as members of Las Vegas’ business network to make a difference.” Deep Roots Harvest takes a multilayered approach, harnessing “time, talents and treasures,” Marshall said. “We’ve hosted several community cleanup initiatives, the most recent being in partnership with Keep Las Vegas Beautiful. We also make monetary donations, participate on local boards, and encourage volunteerism among our staff.”

C H A R I TA B L E PA R T N E R S “While we support many nonprofit and initiative-based groups, including Three Square, American Civil Liberties Union and the Las Vegas Metro Police Department, we prioritize our statewide focus on smaller charities that are often overlooked, such as Beehive Housing of Mesquite, SafeNest, Historic Wendover Airfield, and the Urban Chamber of Commerce,” Marshall said. Other partners include: ■ African Chamber of Commerce ■ National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Las Vegas ■ Southern Nevada Veterans Chamber of Commerce ■ Adopt a Vet Dental Program ■ Flags Over Mesquite ■ Mesquite Chamber of Commerce ■ Mesquite Police First Responders ■ Mesquite Rotary Foundation ■ R.A.I.S.E. Mesquite ■ Star Spangled Shamblemania ■ Wendover Parks & Recreation

11.23.23

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ADVERTORIAL PRESENTED BY D E E P R O OT S H A RV E S T

TIPS FOR PERSONAL GIVING If you want to get involved in the community but aren’t sure where to start, look to others for inspiration. “Every bit helps,” Marshall said. “Whether it’s volunteering for a few hours, donating unused food and supplies to a local nonprofit, contributing financially, or taking on a bigger role, if there is a pillar of service that an individual or company is passionate about, reach out to organizations serving that demographic and ask what they need.” It’s important to consider not only what you can do, but how to optimize your philanthropy based on your talents and interests. If you’re passionate about animals, fostering dogs and cats can be a great way of helping animal rescues. If you have experience in education, look for organizations that need tutoring services. Use your unique perspective and skill set, and find groups that would benefit. Start with something that works best for your situation and schedule. Making it manageable is key. Some organizations may even offer opportunities to volunteer virtually, allowing you to give back from the comfort of your home.

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

11.23.23

THANKFUL DOESN’T COVER IT After 25 years, no one loves Las Vegas Weekly—or Las Vegas! —as much as we do

Hopefully the magazine you hold in your hands is giving you something. Maybe just something to do this weekend, maybe an important update that impacts this community, or maybe it gives you an idea of how you can impact Las Vegas. This magazine has given me everything: an undeserved crack at the only job I ever wanted; a deep connection to the people and pulse of this fabulously multidimensional city; a cover model wife (just keep reading); and a never-ending series of experiences that has shaped an anxious existence into a meaningful life. I’m not sure what other things I want to be, but Las Vegas Weekly gave me the best platform to be the only

thing I know I am—a writer. This magazine is officially 25 years old and we figured the best way to celebrate is to express our gratitude. It’s not just a magazine, it’s a reflection, and a resource, and so many other things to the people who live and work and make awesome stuff in Southern Nevada. I’ve asked staff members past and present to share some of their favorite Weekly moments and memories, and it’s no surprise that gratitude is the common theme. We are forever thankful for the chance to communicate, connect and collaborate with Las Vegas, where the last 25 years is always the best 25 years. You can’t say that about every place. –Brock Radke

g Working at the Weekly was like being handed an all-access pass to Las Vegas, a license to call up its most fascinating characters or sit down with anyone in town. A Weekly assignment was an excuse to ask one of Caesars’ Caesars what it’s like to wear the armor (“you’re like a turtle”) or ponder the spiritual power of mold with a Certified Cheese Professional. It was an excuse to hang with day laborers along Pebble Road or ask competitive eating champ Miki Sudo how it feels to down 44 hot dogs in 10 minutes (“It sucks.”). It was a reason to spend a morning in the snow with the king of Lee Canyon and hear from a professional bull rider how it feels to straddle a ton of angry beef (“like there’s a bomb going off underneath you”). And it was a chance to stammer into a cell phone, “Hi, uh, Sugar … Ray … Mr. Leonard? It’s Sarah from the Weekly,” and ask the welterweight great if he misses the adrenaline of stepping into the ring. “I don’t miss boxing,” he told me. “I miss the camaraderie. I miss that motion of having your hands raised.” –Sarah Feldberg

25 YEARS g Before Vegas had immensely funded, sponsored and gated festivals, we had Neon Reverb. The four night, $50 (could you imagine?!) indie music festival spanned venues from the Bunkhouse Saloon to the Beauty Bar and functioned in bar crawl fashion. The beloved hipster extravaganza took a three-year hiatus and was revived in 2016 with 90+ local and out-of-state acts like Ty Segall, Neon Indian and Melvins. The Las Vegas Weekly showcased the comeback with a cover feature and five-page spread. Snappy guides schooled readers, short Q&As highlighted bigger acts and there was even a reflection section for memories of festivals past. The coverage is a time capsule to a time where local indie music was not only fueled by Pabst Blue Ribbon and American Spirits, but also our willingness to just get out there. –Gabriela Rodriguez

11.23.23

g One of my favorite LVW covers of all time, by far, featured Avenue Q character Lucy the Slut. This was back in 2005 and the Weekly was a different animal. Avenue Q was a huge hit in New York and it made its way to the Wynn, a Broadway musical with Sesame Street-styled puppets and adult content. The show was hilarious and is still, to this day, one of the best I have ever seen. The Weekly art director at the time thought up this concept, and his sketches alone had me rolling on the ground. I remember being in our photo studio when Lucy the Slut arrived with her creator. Watching a puppet being undressed stitch by stitch and posed provocatively with a fan blowing her hair is something that really can’t be painted with words, but to this day I can still see it vividly—and when I do, I just smile and giggle to myself. –Wesley Gatbonton

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

g Set the wayback machine to 2004. I was a couple years into editing this paper, and for whatever reason, I took a random 400-level English class at UNLV. During our final projects, a young dude got up to read a short story. It vibed Faulkner pretty hard, but it was well-structured and nicely paced. “Hey,” I asked after class, “you wanna freelance for the Weekly?” Jump cut to the issue of January 27, 2005, when I ran, no kidding, 11,000 words of Joshua Longobardy’s sweeping story about a local child who’d been stabbed in the chest (famous case back then). It vibed Faulkner pretty hard, but it was epic, too. Joshua even flew to upstate New York on his own dime to report it. I later hired him. About the same time, an artist sent me a statement about her upcoming exhibit. Unlike most of those things, hers was readable. “Have you ever tried art reviewing?” I asked. And Danielle Kelly quickly established herself as one of the best critics this valley has had. Now, the point here isn’t—or isn’t entirely (wink, wink)—about my mad skills as a talent scout. It’s about the Weekly being a place where emerging writers could think big, take chances, find a voice. Where established writers could stretch their talent. (Google pretty much any Weekly story by Stacy J. Willis.) Media is a product of its time, of course, and times change, so the Weekly has gone through its iterations. (Me, too!) But it’s still filled with strong, writerly voices taking readers for a ride, so here’s a grateful hat-tip from a ghost of the Weekly’s past. –Scott Dickensheets

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25 YEARS

g I vividly remember being floored when the pitch for a video game feature, let alone a cover, was green-lit by the Weekly. A college professor once told me video game writing had no place in a city magazine—it just wouldn’t fly. So to write my first cover story on one of my most cherished pastimes, to interview the Vegas-based creators of Command & Conquer and Insert Coin(s) video game bar pioneer Christopher LaPorte, felt restorative. It also showed me that I worked somewhere where passion took precedence. Our designer Ian Racoma went the extra mile with it, crafting a hand-drawn, brilliantly shaded cover of some of the most memorable characters in video game history. To this day, I still have it hanging up in my home. –Amber Sampson

g When I think of my time at the Weekly, two things stand out: One, the stunning variety of ridiculous stories my editors let me pursue, and two, an incomparable office camaraderie I have never again experienced. My first month on the job, I got to live in Tony Hsieh’s Airstream park for a week, immersed in his world of never-ending soup and late-night parties. For our buffet issue, I shared my theory of “buffetiquette,” laying out the rules for all-you-can-eat dining (high-ticket proteins first and never, under any circumstances, should you choose a banana). I even exposed myself as a Star Wars virgin, inviting an onslaught of criticism and a couple of memorable insults. But the thing that really stands out to me, the thing I miss most, are my friends. We established the Beagle Scouts, complete with iron-on patches for questionable “achievements.” We went to shows together and crafternooned on weekends with no sense of obligation. We wore capes and masks while writing and sought to create the elusive $40 Whole Foods salad-bar salad. To this day, it’s the only job I’ve had that felt more like hanging out than work. But we did work— we told fun, important, offbeat stories, documenting the weird and wonderful aspects of our beloved city. Looking back, it’s hard to believe it’s been eight years since I worked there, and 25 since the magazine’s inception. I’m lucky to have been a part of Weekly history, and I’m honored to be back on its pages. –Kristy Totten

g Had the younger me known I could have a job that would encourage me to play with food extensively, I may have never developed the angst that ultimately became instrumental in fueling my desire to make art in the first place. At the intersection of a full circle and a catch-22—a scenario best described in Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure as an Eddie Van Halen video conundrum—the journey thus far has been nothing short of an excellent adventure of my own. Recreating Herb Alpert’s Whipped Cream & Other Delights album cover with shaving cream, empty nightclubs in the daytime, being sprayed by a lion, glowpaint, pool floaties, ghostbusters, Criss Angel, fire and water ... the possibilities were endless, unstoppable! This city is unstoppable. The Weekly has long been the glue holding this wild city together ... and glue, well, we’re best friends now. Thanks, Las Vegas Weekly! –Corlene Byrd

g It dawned on me one year that, given the flood of news we get in a typical 12-month period, some stories are either quickly forgotten or missed entirely. I decided to do a year-end collection of all the stories our readers might have missed. Turns out there were plenty of them, and it became an annual tradition until my departure in 2015. –Ken Miller

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g Over five years and 263 issues with Las Vegas Weekly, I taught people how to feed scorpions and become Dino’s Drunk of the Month. I explored the microbiome on casino chips and the kinship of fake grass and fake boobs. I ate doughnuts in the tub with a magic dragon, shared a cabana with Yeah-Yeah from The Sandlot, and briefly left the planet in a nitrous-injected Mazda Miata. There were embeds with geeks and chefs, b-boys and lounge singers. And laments about what we lost (Trifecta, Coachman’s Inn, the original O’Sheas, free parking across the Strip). One of the only things I didn’t do was make waffles with Flavor Flav, a regret that will haunt me just as my Google search is haunted by the photo of me spraying Champagne on a club with the blessing of Sex Panther (RIP). There was just too much going on. There’s always too much going on in Vegas, yet this magazine has covered almost all of it since the year Sinatra died. I can’t really pick a favorite child. Again, there’s just too much. But going through the LVW stacks that live in my garage, I kept coming back to this little story. Not some 4,000-word cover, but this quickie on the very first Life is Sh*t festival. It was 2013, and Life is Beautiful was … beautiful-ing. The fest’s debut caused Sphere-level frenzy, subsuming local culture. So local culture came with a puff-painted toilet seat. With punk music, schlock art and a sh*tty car show. This was beauty, laughing hard at itself and the machine. I sat there in the darkness of the Dive, feeling like part of something, and this guy broke my reverie with the greatest line I’ve ever been served. “You look familiar,” he said. “Aren’t you that pregnant chick from the Slayer blood drive?” –Erin Ryan

g During my five-and-a-half years at Las Vegas Weekly, nothing I wrote about was as saucy or fun—or as well-read—as lifestyle organization Menage Life’s attempt to stage the world’s biggest orgy at its 2018 Sin City 8 event. It became my unofficial beat after Stephen Colbert picked up our story and mocked the planned pleasurama during his latenight program. Menage Life would subsequently be forced to move it not once, but twice before falling 126 participants short of the record at the actual bacchanalia. The organization continues to struggle in Las Vegas—its planned fall 2023 Vegas weekender was canceled altogether. –Mike Prevatt

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g I was a regular contributor to Weekly in the early 2000s as a writer and editor and a fixture on its covers and inside pages. It started when a cover model canceled at the last minute, and art director Benjamen Purvis asked if I would be willing to step in. From there, I became his go-to person when someone canceled or a design came together or changed drastically at the last minute, and the experience gave me a window to the world of concept and design I never would have gotten otherwise. Occasionally we would actually use the photo studio and real props to get an image, but more often we would create an impromptu shoot wherever we could, perhaps in our cubicles or in the parking lot. Ben always had strong ideas about just how the finished product would look, which I usually couldn’t envision while posing in a hallway holding a cardboard box over my head (which would become a TV set). But it always came together. It was a thrill to pick up the magazine during those years and see myself, whether in a recreation of an iconic album cover, or as a radio-obsessed zombie. One of the things that has always made Las Vegas Weekly’s staff so special is their ability to marry words and images in a way that elevates both, and I’ll always be thankful I had the unexpected opportunity to play such a unique role in that process. –Maria Phelan

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g I loved the freedom on the page at Weekly. But the coolest thing was actually the diversity of people I met while writing Las Vegas stories. We followed the stories wherever they took us, and often they took me to people I would have never otherwise met. One example of that was Connie. I set off to write a profile about a homeless woman and follow her through the system as she tried to get an apartment. She was short and stout, big blue eyes, no teeth, and a little developmentally challenged. She had a lot of physical ailments stemming from Type 1 Diabetes. But her steadfast motivation to keep going? A rabid obsession with Barry Manilow, whom she had bussed from Michigan to see at the Las Vegas Hilton. Her life on the streets was brutal— and I wrote about that, and about that Vegas dream that lures both the wealthy and downtrodden to this magical, cruel place. Eventually she did get an apartment, and my piece published. But I kept in touch with Connie. I took her to Blueberry Hill and Burger King and Walmart. Once I took her to the tobacco store on the Paiute reservation because she liked to get big bags and roll her own. When Connie died, I spoke at the vigil. Had I crossed the professional boundaries between reporter and subject? Sure. But I wouldn’t change it. She was a wild, weird, wonderful spirit. She was one of so many fascinating people I met while working for Weekly—and that ability to dive into others’ worlds is always what stands out as the true reward for the work. –Stacy J. Willis

g I’m not a sports guy at all, but the concept of major sports teams planting their feet in the previously major-less city was a game changer. I drew this mashup when the Raiders announced their move to Las Vegas and VGK had not even played their first game yet. It was the first time I ever saw anything that I made go “viral”, which was flattering to say the least. –Ian Racoma

g A few months after I joined the Weekly, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Communities across the nation were still reacting to the news when a debate was announced between pro-life Republican gubernatorial candidates Adam Laxalt and then-LVMPD Sheriff Joe Lombardo on the Las Vegas Strip. The debate was a focus in news reports. But our magazine always tries to find unique angles for deeper, more interesting coverage. So rather than going to the debate, I spoke with people rallying at a Bans Off Our Bodies demonstration happening simultaneously just blocks away. Three generations of a family, a local doctor who decided to attend the rally with friends, survivors of trauma and activists all spoke with me about what the news meant to them and for their lives. I was proud to write a story that focused on the voices of the community rather than just the politicians. I’m always proud to offer perspectives that no other publication has. –Shannon Miller

g Las Vegas Weekly has a significant place in my heart and my journey to Las Vegas. In 2005, I visited a friend in Las Vegas to revel in the madness of March. Upon my arrival my local resident friend picked me up at the airport and we stopped at a convenience store to pick up a few things. Once back in the car, he placed the Las Vegas Weekly in my lap and said, “Here, take this, and let me know what you want to do this weekend.” I thought it was greatest thing, in the greatest place, I’d ever been. I visited a few times more, using the Weekly to navigate my visit until I decided to make Las Vegas my home, and eventually, becoming proud publisher of the magazine that invited me to town. –Mark De Pooter

g On Cinco De Mayo 2019, I went to the Plaza to get a taste of Las Vegas’ underground professional wrestling scene for a cover story (and a promising second date). What began with tequila shots and pile drivers ended with my now-boyfriend and I moving to Chicago, where we still live four years later ... All thanks to lucha libre. –Leslie Ventura

25 YEARS

g The Daft Punk pyramid had just gone dark to end Vegoose 2007 Day 1 when I started searching for the four passengers I’d be driving Downtown. One of them I knew—writer Annie Zaleski, a regular Las Vegas Weekly freelancer who’d flown in for the weekend to help cover the festival. The others I knew only by face and reputation—members of New York punk band Gogol Bordello, which had performed at Vegoose earlier in the day. Eventually we found each other, made quick intros, loaded into my SUV and began heading from Sam Boyd Stadium toward Beauty Bar, where the Gogol guys’ frontman, Eugene Hutz, was scheduled to cap off the Weekly’s “Big Honkin’ After-Goose” party with one of his trademark genre-obliterating DJ sets. Wild as those early-a.m. festivities might be, however, for me they couldn’t live up to the ride over, which still ranks among the most memorable drives of my entire life. No sooner had the three musicians packed into my backseat

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than they began … I guess you could call it performing for us right there in the car. They sang bits from Stooges songs (Iggy had led that band through a full Fun House set earlier in the night), they copped Borat accents and reenacted moments from the then-recent Sacha Baron Cohen film, and they laughed about what time Hutz might actually show up to begin his performance that “night.” He ultimately went on after 3 a.m., and though the Beauty Bar’s back patio had semi cleared out by that point, it couldn’t put a damper on a great night. Three of the Weekly’s favorite local bands from the era— Sparkler Dims, A Crowd of Small Adventures and The Skooners— performed. Attendees caught the whole thing cover-free. And two lucky music writers with heads still swimming from the sounds of French robots found something even more indelible waiting for them in the back of a Mitsubishi Endeavor. –Spencer Patterson

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

g The Weekly was born from the remains of Scope magazine, a Vegas cultural monthly (later biweekly) that debuted in 1992. Its editor and co-founder, James Reza, found me working the counter of a Record City location in 1994 and took me on as a writer despite my relative inexperience, lack of journalism schooling and penchant for vests. In 1996, Greenspun Media Group brought SCOPE into its family of publications. They hired me as a staff writer for Vegas.com, but nevertheless, you’ll find my byline in the Weekly’s first-ever issue (July 15, 1998), and many others that followed. I left GMG in 2002 to work for the Seattle Times, but continued to freelance for Weekly whenever I could. Finally, Spencer Patterson brought me into the fold as a full-time Weekly staffer in August 2016. Funny thing is, despite having a small role in the birth of this publication, and bylines in these pages that span almost 20 years, I believe I joined the Weekly exactly when I was supposed to. I come to work, greet Amber, Brian, Brock, Corlene, Gabriela, Ian, Shannon and Wade, open my laptop and try to do better by Las Vegas than I did the day before, and the week before that, and the years before that. This publication has been my pride, my school, my life. And I’m just now beginning to get good at it. –Geoff Carter

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F E A T U R E

Welcome to our carefully curated, joy-inducing Las Vegas holiday gift guide

North Pole Express The Nevada State Museum in Boulder City has two holiday trains running this season, a 40-minute daytime Santa Train and twohour evening North Pole Express; both let you ride the rails with Saint Nick and your coziest friends and fam. $10-$50, boulderrailroadmuseum.org. Silver Knights, Knight Hawks & Desert Dogs tickets Expand the horizons of the most dedicated Vegas sports fanatic in your life with passes to check out more hockey with the Henderson “Horsies,” indoor football with the Knight Hawks—both play at Dollar Loan Center—or lacrosse with the Desert Dogs at Michelob Ultra Arena on the Strip. Prices vary, hendersonsilverknights.com, knighthawksfootball.com, lasvegasdesertdogs.com.

The Now Massage wellness products and spa packages Nashville wellness boutique The Now Massage now has a locations at Tivoli Village and in Henderson. Share the ultimate gift of relaxation with your special person who needs it most with a gift card, and tack on a jasmine coconut candle or Refresh eye mask as a stocking stuffer. Prices vary, thenowmassage.com.

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Able Baker Brewing glassware The adorable Atomic Duck character all over this beloved Downtown brewery is just too perfectly Vegas to not have around the house, so buy yourself an IPA, pint or Belgian glass while you’re shopping for the beer fanatic in your life. $7-$14, shop.ablebakerbrewing.com.

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Las Vegas Aces championship stuff Sure, we told you to buy WNBA Championship merch last year after the Aces’ historic victory, but you knew the squad would repeat, so you waited to get the back-to-back gear, right? Sure you did. $8$105, acesteamshop.com.

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Drowning Spree 2023 Vinyl by Elevated Undergrounds Local bands pressing vinyl is as much of a rarity as it is a risk, but sometimes you’ve just got to say screw it in the name of good noise rock. Elevated Undergrounds’ debut is a bruising mosh pit of grunge, crushing listeners in a vice of ear-ringing solos and haunting vocals. $35, elevatedundergrounds.com.

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Discovery Flight Lessons from All In Aviation Flying out for the holidays doesn’t sound too bad when you’re the pilot. Soar beyond the city with a certified flight instructor, capturing aerial views of Lake Mead, Hoover Dam and other awe-inspiring destinations in premier aircrafts. $550+, allinaviation.com. The Buffet Collection by Kira Volozza Las Vegas artist Kira Volozza’s cuisine-shaped suncatchers make the perfect gift for that special quirky someone. Volozza handpicks each piece of stained glass, soldering and polishing them by hand into fun foods—because nothing says I love you like a deviled egg refracting the morning light. $55-$175, polauraglassco.com.

Postcard From Earth It’s one thing to admire Sphere from the street, and quite another going inside to Darren Aronofsky’s spectacular film on the world’s largest high-definition screen. Postcard From Earth is a matchless movie experience, one that’s meant to be shared with friends and family. $70-$250, thespherevegas.com.

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Dita Las Vegas: A Jubilant Revue The queen of burlesque’s sexy new revue might serve as a love letter to the Jubilee legacy, but it’s no duplicate. Dita Von Teese fully refines the showgirl showcase, while championing the diversity of her cast as performers strut from one flashy number to the next. $48+, ticketmaster.com.

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Fantasia/Fantasy: A Decade of Practice 2011-2021 by Justin Favela Fans of the Latinos Who Lunch podcast and Justin Favela’s car-sized piñata craft will pore over this 300-page book featuring exclusive, never-before-seen images from the Las Vegas artist, interviews with the friends and creatives who’ve inspired him and illustrations by Mexican-American designer Edith Valle. $75, risoriso.me/products/jus tin-favela-fantasia-fantasy.

Sin Amor Studio Local stylist Ruby Romero serves as a curator of culture and her Downtown shop Sin Amor offers a rare variety of apparel, art, and decor. $10-$2,000, sinamor studio.com.

(Courtesy/Myron Hensel Photography)

F E A T U R E

Myron Hensel Photography session Who needs filtered selfies when tintypes exist? These photo shoots are not only a unique historical experience, the photos themselves can last up to 100 years, making them the perfect family heirloom. $200-$350, myronhensel.com.

Steely Danzig Metals silver jewelry Precious silver and naturally sourced stones are a match made in heaven. Steely Danzig is the brainchild of local silversmith Jess P, who’s creations are every bit as bold as the person wearing them. $85-$200, steelydan zigmetals.com. Monster and Ghost candles Scent connoisseur Spencer Phillips trusts his nose to find the luxurious and moody scents that mesh perfectly before hand-pouring these vegan wax candles. $25-$30, monsterand ghost.com.

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(Courtesy)

Shop Terrestrial handmade planters Local resin craftsman Christopher Cooley makes one-of-a-kind planters for which the green thumb in your life will thank you, as will their little green pals. $35-$65, shopterrestrial.com.

Local honey from Las Vegas Farm Las Vegas Farm offers raw honey from the beehives on its northwest valley property, and it doesn’t get more local than that. Half and pint-sized jars are available at farmers markets every Saturday and Sunday. $10$20, thelasvegasfarm.com.

NevadaGrown Cookbook From the nonprofit corporation Grown in Nevada, which promotes sustainable agriculture and healthy eating in the state, the NevadaGrown Cookbook featuring 150 seasonal recipes from Silver State farmers, ranchers, professional chefs and home cooks. $25, shop.madeinnevada.org.

Sticker packs from Ancestral Tendencies When it comes to stickers, Ancestral Tendencies has you covered. Artist Steven Pacheco’s punk-rock monster-inspired designs are perfect for any giftee with a blank spot on their laptop or Thermos. $10, etsy.com/ shop/ancestraltendencies/.

(Courtesy/Noah Rivera)

Majestic Repertory Theatre membership From the theater that brought you Clown Bar, Scream’d and many memorable nights of immersive theater comes a membership that puts you first in line to buy tickets and get special discounts and perks. $50+, majesticrepertory.com.

Our merch! If you’ve gotten this far, chances are good you like what we do. Las Vegas Weekly and our sister publications work tirelessly to keep locals informed and entertained. Show some love by repping one of our branded T-shirts, coffee mugs or tote bags. $16-$36, cafepress.com/greenspun mediagroup.

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FOR EVERY $ 20 GIFT CARD PURCHASE, GET A FREE $ 5 GIFT CARD Available at all locations. Now through January 6th.

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D R IN K L IK E A MOTH E R mothershipcoffee.com @mothershipcoffee

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

11.23.23

IN THE

I N

1 NEWS

Y O U

M I S S E D

I T

RESORT CORRIDOR BANS

The Las Vegas City Council approved an ordinance November 15 that allows for banning individuals from specific tourist areas for up to a year if they have repeated misdemeanors: the area surrounding Fremont Street and the north end of the Strip to encompass the Stratosphere.

Clark County announced a $60 million round of competitive funding for the development and rehabilitation of affordable housing in the region. The funding comes from the county’s Community Housing Fund, which was created in 2022.

votes to Biden. Ford told the Nevada Legislature in May that his office spent months investigating the scheme, but said he was unable to prosecute those who signed fake electoral certificates because no state law exists to make such an exercise illegal. Joe Gloria, the former Clark County registrar of voters, told Politico he was recently questioned by investigators. Another source, who requested anonymity, said they provided documents to investigators. The fake Nevada electors included: McDonald; James DeGraffenreid, a Republican national committee-

electoral votes for Trump. The Nevada Republican Party sent the document—titled “Certificate of the Votes of the 2020 Electors from Nevada”—to the National Archives in Washington, D.C., with McDonald’s name listed with the return address. Republicans in a handful of states went through a similar process—all with the same misleading and potentially criminal logic. The meetings of fake electors had no legal standing. Nevada’s real electors had already certified the state’s election that same day in a remote ceremony, awarding all six of Nevada’s electoral

Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford is investigating a group of state Republicans who in December 2020 attempted to derail President Joe Biden’s election victory over Donald Trump with a fake elector scheme, a source close to the investigation said. Politico reported that investigators have questioned witnesses and asked about documents prepared as part of the effort. Led by Nevada Republican Party Chairman Michael McDonald, about a dozen Republicans met December 14, 2020, in Carson City and conducted a fake ceremony to certify

HOUSING HELP

N E W S

NEVADA ATTORNEY GENERAL INVESTIGATING REPUBLICANS’ 2020 FAKE ELECTOR SCHEME

C A S E

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FREE PARKING The City of Las Vegas will offer free on-street metered parking Downtown for Small Business Saturday on November 25.

SPORTS

Texas real estate developer Jackson-Shaw announced the development of a dual-branded hotel in Symphony Park. Groundbreaking for the AC Hotel by Marriott Symphony Park and Element by Westin Symphony Park is set for January, with opening expected in 2025.

man and a district-level delegate to the 2016 Republican National Convention; Durward James Hindle III, vice chair of the Nevada Republican Committee; Jesse Law, chairman of the Clark County Republican Party; Shawn Meehan, founder of the Guard the Constitution Project; and Eileen Rice, a delegate at the Nevada Republican Party. Alternate electors were Nye County Republican Central Committee Chairman Joe Burdzinski and failed Nevada Secretary of State candidate James Marchant, who has since announced a 2024 bid for U.S. Senate in Nevada. -Ray Brewer

A’S APPROVED FOR MOVE TO LAS VEGAS Visitors check out Arte Museum, the first North American exhibit from Korean digital design company D’strict, at 63 Las Vegas. Showings are planned through January 31 with info at lasvegas.artemuseum.com. (Christopher DeVargas/Staff)

OPM CLOSING AT YEAR’S END After six years of performances at the Cosmopolitan, the outer space-themed comedy cabaret OPM is set to close with two final shows December 31. Created by Spiegelworld and originally launched in 2018, OPM re-opened after the pandemic in September 2021 in conjunction with the company’s first restaurant concept, the adjacent Superfrico. The restaurant will remain open and Spiegelworld founder Ross Mollison hinted at the possibility of new and different entertainment

HOT SHOT

$2 MILLION

NEW HOTEL COMING

options in the OPM space. “Las Vegas is going through a fundamental shift in how visitors are spending their entertainment dollars, which is part of a broader evolution in global live entertainment,” he said in a statement. “We have never been afraid to take risks, to evolve with new bold ideas, to try to put our finger on what’s next.” Spiegelworld continues to produce Absinthe and Atomic Saloon Show on the Strip and is preparing to launch Disco Show at the Linq next summer. -Staff

Major League Baseball owners on November 16 unanimously approved the Athletics’ relocation to Las Vegas, all but finalizing the team’s move from Oakland in what’s been a yearslong quest to find a new stadium. The A’s had no choice but to move because of the deteriorating conditions at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said. A’s owner John Fisher said it was a bittersweet day and called it “an incredibly difficult day for Oakland A’s fans.” He thanked Nevada lawmakers for their support and voiced optimism for a new chapter in the franchise’s history. “Very excited for the opportunity in Vegas,” Fisher said. “The fans there are terrific. The success of the Raiders and the Golden Knights, as well as our Triple-A team, the Aviators, has shown just how successful professional sports can be in that market.” -Casey Harrison

The Strip looms beyond a portion of the racecourse from the grandstands at sunset before the inaugural Formula 1 Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix on November 18. The race was won by Max Verstappen, who wore an Elvis-themed race suit and sang “Viva Las Vegas” as he crossed the checkered flag. (Steve Marcus/Staff)

The U.S. Department of Energy plans to give $2 million in research funding to NV Energy, the electric utility with 1.5 million customers throughout the state, as part of an effort to modernize and strengthen the energy grid nationwide. Four recipients of funding are researching grid-enhancing technologies that would lower operating costs. NV Energy will spend the funds on a three-year study of grid enhancing-technologies.

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11/24-11/26 Get 30% off all 100ml alcohol sets with a minimum purchase of 2 and 30% off all gifts sets. Located in the Venetian 3377 S. Las Vegas Blvd, unit 2035 Las Vegas, NV 89109 (702)388-2022

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

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N E W S

LOUNGING AROUND A Strip-adjacent dispensary makes its move into state-regulated cannabis consumption spaces

C U L T U R E

BY GRACE DA ROCHA Tourists and locals alike may soon be able to dine on tapas, sip cannabis-infused cocktails and spark a joint all while chilling under a chandelier made of bongs or taking pictures near a retro phone booth entryway. It’s a snapshot of what Planet 13 plans to create for what company officials say will be one of Clark County’s first cannabis consumption lounges, the Dazed Lounge. “We really have different takes on what a cannabis experience can be even at a retail level, and so for us, we wanted to really reimagine what a consumption lounge could be in the way it looks and the feel it could give off,” said David Farris, vice president of sales and marketing for Planet 13. Last August, Planet 13 announced it would be converting the Trece restaurant into a cannabis consumption lounge. The 3,000-square-foot space —located in the company’s marijuana dispensary west of the Strip on Desert Inn Road—will be opening in the spring with a new, Instagrammable look and menu of treats with and without cannabis. It will feature a phone-booth speakeasy secret entrance off the building’s grand hallway, colorful wall murals and VIP booths with TVs for parties or game day celebrations, said Farris. A statement said it will “redefine the cannabis experience” with a “highend consumption lounge.” “Whenever you’re seated within the consumption lounge, you’ll want to hand your phone to somebody and have them take a picture of you,” Farris said. “We think it’s part of our successes (that) we’ve spent a lot of

resources making a beautiful facility. We want to show it off.” MM Development Co., which owns Planet 13, was one of the first companies granted a conditional license in June for a consumption lounge by the Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board. It was also part of the initial 40 companies issued a prospective license in November 2022. In order to get a conditional license, the prospective license holders needed to submit all necessary documents—including a safety plan to deter driving under the influence—for a suitability investigation by the board. Before receiving final licensure, board agents must conduct a final inspection of the facilities. Only after the final inspection will lounges be allowed to open. Lounges also have to follow any local ordinances and receive approval from local jurisdictions, compliance board officials said. In 2016, voters in Nevada approved Question 2, which paved the way for legal recreational marijuana use at private residences. It officially went into effect on January 1, 2017, and counties within the state have since been updating their own rules on the drug and consumption lounges. The Clark County Commission last December voted 6-1 in favor of allowing cannabis consumption lounges. “I honestly view cannabis as part of the Las Vegas experience for tourism,” Commissioner Tick Segerblom said in a previous interview with the Las Vegas Sun. “You can come here, you can buy it, but you can’t use it, which I think is crazy.” One cannabis consumption lounge,

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

Renderings of Dazed Lounge (Courtesy/Planet 13)

a tasting room operated by the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe at NuWu Cannabis Marketplace, already exists on tribal land north of Downtown. Another company, Thrive Cannabis Marketplace, was granted a conditional license in June, and expects to have its consumption lounge open on Sammy Davis Jr. Drive by December. Planet 13’s Dazed Lounge will be one of the first to arrive in Clark County outside of tribal land, Farris noted. “We’re thrilled to share our exciting plans for our trailblazing cannabis consumption lounge,” Larry Scheffler, co-CEO of Planet 13, said in a statement. “From day one, our goal has been to out-Vegas Vegas, and this is another big step in that direction. It’s an extraordinary space for cannabis novices, connoisseurs, tourists and locals to enjoy cannabis while experiencing world-class entertainment.” Farris said Planet 13 has been

working closely with the state and county to ensure the company understand the regulations, but it’s been “a learning process for everybody.” Getting to this point was an uphill battle for companies like Planet 13. While Las Vegas voted to allow consumption lounges within city limits back in 2019, Clark County was more hesitant. Concerns over the strong smell of marijuana—especially on the Las Vegas Strip—and people attempting to drive inebriated after spending time at lounges were discussed in depth at county commission meetings last year. Farris said Planet 13’s safety plan has already been submitted, and the company is working on finding ways to ensure consumption lounge visitors get home or to their hotels safely. With Trece Eatery & Spirits, the staff at Planet 13 already has some experience with identifying people who have consumed too much. Moreover, the company’s reliance on rideshare and taxis could be the saving grace. The “vast majority of (Planet 13) customers” don’t drive there, instead opting to take a taxi, use rideshare applications or hop on the company’s free shuttles that pace the Strip, said Farris. In fact, so many customers rely on other drivers that the company installed a rideshare and taxi lounge with resources like restrooms for drivers, Farris added. Using the Planet 13 shuttle and these alternative ride sources are a large part of Planet 13’s safety plan for the lounge. “It’s a work in progress, and I think (we) will be one of the first to kind of go through it, but it takes a village, I think, to spot people who may have over-consumed and make sure that they get home safely,” Farris said. As for now, Farris and the Planet 13 team are aiming to get Dazed up and running by April 20. “It’s taken a long time to get to this point, a lot of effort,” Farris said. “We want to really change the industry. We want to change the way people look at cannabis and I think this is just us following through on that vision.”

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

11.23.23

N O I S E

C U L T U R E

FRESH ATTACK

The Objex (Julie Bergonz Photography)

11.23.23

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

Las Vegas punk band the Objex reunite for a special gig at Double Down Saloon BY AMBER SAMPSON

THE OBJEX With Frank & Deans and The Heiz. November 24, 10 p.m., Double Down Saloon, doubledownsaloon. com.

From the day they formed in 2006, Vegas punks the Objex knew how to gutpunch you right in the senses. Mohawked frontwoman Felony Melony—born Melanie Troxler—led the assault with her steamrolling stagecraft, shape-shifting from a punk rock Tina Turner to a viperous, sexified vixen at the drop of a beat. Onstage and on their 2007 debut album Attack of the Objex, the four-piece played with the urgency of a bullet train, building off the crowd’s energy for one epic, aggro finale. And that’s how The Objex did it every gig, every night — across the country and in the U.K.— for almost 10 years. They were a hit at Austin’s SXSW and the Afropunk Festival in Brooklyn. They even graced the cover of the Weekly at one time. But in 2014, the Objex disbanded suddenly, leaving many to wonder why. “I feel that we were all very young. We all were very in our own way and wanted our own thing. There was just the pressure of being great. It kind of wore us down,” says Troxler. “I honestly felt like our music, the world wasn’t ready for it yet. We were 10 years ahead of schedule.” A decade after disbanding, The Objex have announced a special reunion show at Double Down Saloon on November 24. Troxler says it’s been a long time coming. “We’ve been wanting to do this reunion ever since we’ve heard of the passing of our [former bassist] Aly 2x,” she says. “We really want it to pay homage to her and her spirit, and her energy is still with us.” After the breakup, Troxler moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career and eventually fell in love with Santa Barbara, where she now works as a wine educator — minus her punk hairdo. “I shaved my head three summers ago just as a rite of passage to get off old negative stuff I’ve been holding on to and it’s been growing back,” she says. “It’s a massive afro, so I have a lot of hair to straighten out when I get to Vegas.” Objex drummer Joaquin “Chili” Espinosa stayed in Vegas but continued jamming with LA punk bands like Dead 77 and Broken Cuffs, going on European tours and cutting new albums. Still, nothing compares to the Objex. “I missed the guys so much. It’s proba-

bly the only band where I felt like you’re in a band with friends that care about you,” Espinosa says. “I don’t have family in Vegas. My mother lives in New York, I don’t talk to my dad and the rest of my family is in Chile. They were really my friends and family. It wasn’t just a band for me.” Troxler had a lengthier journey back into music. After leaving Vegas, she stopped singing for four years. The fight to get her voice back was humbling. “I had got an opportunity to sing in a studio, and I was not prepared,” she says. “I was blindsided by the producer. He said ‘Look, you’re rusty, you’re not what I thought you were. You need to start working on your craft before you lose it completely.’” Her voice has since been restored and she’s now perfoming Motown standards in a 10-piece band called the Soul Cats. But her punk roots still run deep. “I grew up in a Baptist church where people would shout and praise the Lord. Punk music reminded me of the sped up, shout music that they would sing in church. That’s what made me love punk,” she says. “People say to me all the time, ‘you don’t look like a punk rocker. You’re black.’ I always tell people music is not a color. Music is an energy.” At Double Down, Objex guitarist Jim Nasty and bassist Ivan Del Real round out the set. This also marks the Double Down’s 31st anniversary, which has proven to be extra sentimental. “We grew up at the Double Down,” Espinosa says. Troxler laughs. “We pretty much did. From the time we were 21 all the way up to now.” Memories no doubt will resurface, and fans can nab special 10-year anniversary band tees there, a commemorative gift for the amazing run these punks have had. “To revisit all of those emotions just makes me realize that I’m in a day and age where I did something that’s so amazing that people are still recognizing us for it. I feel amazed and honored,” Troxler says. “The Objex has always been my baby, and I felt like my child was taken from me. To be able to get that child back, it makes me cry tears of joy. It’s really shaped me as a person, as an adult now.”

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11.23.23

N I G H T S

French DJ and producer CloZee brings her biggest show yet to Area15

C U L T U R E

BY AMBER SAMPSON ou won’t find CloZee on the Las Vegas club circuit. France’s global bass phenom, producer and DJ reaches for the more immersive venues, like the time she performed in a subterranean cave. These days, perfecting the live show experience has become a priority, and with her third headlining tour being her largest to date, CloZee’s dead set on giving fans the gig of a lifetime when she returns to Area15 on November 25. “This is the biggest production that we can bring on tour. We now have a semitruck to carry everything,” says the 31-year-old CloZee. “When I was on my first headlining tour,

we were in a very old and small RV, driving ourselves. It’s really cool to see how it evolves. “It’s also easier to apply my vision when you have bigger toys to play with in terms of lights, in terms of video, in terms of lasers. My vision can be more complete.” CloZee’s catalog is an adventure map of styles, journeying from trap music to speaker-rattling glitch-hop to tribalistic drum sessions in the span of a song. Worldly, textured production defines hits like 2015’s “Koto,” while the nuanced, meditative melodies of 2020’s Neon Jungle demonstrate CloZee’s ability to dial the tempo down, accentuating blissful bass notes and strings.

“Area15 I think is a great place for my style of music,” she says. “I’d played Meow Wolf in Santa Fe, so I knew that people going there were just up for new experiences. There’s a big Burner vibe when I go there. I love playing Las Vegas.” On her third album, Microworlds, CloZee goes harder than ever before, producing an explorative set of symphonies that more than merit the grand live performance. “I went very deep into some of my older memories from childhood,” she says. “The past albums were very much from recent adventures and experiences, but for Microworlds, because of the whole COVID times and not being able to travel and not having as many new ex-

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(Courtesy/Jason Siegel)

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

11.23.23

CLOZEE November 25, 9 p.m., $35, the A-Lot at Area15, area15.com.

periences, I had to go deeper. Microworlds, for me, are almost micro-moments in my mind that I tapped into to write those tunes.” The DJ’s international presence is indisputable but the U.S. is where she says her music has received the most love. Mega fests like Electric Zoo, Coachella and Ultra have welcomed CloZee with open arms, and that embrace is something she’s proud to see happen for more female DJs. “We always still have some work to do, but it’s definitely getting better compared to when I started. I think more women are inspired and know that they can do this,” she says. “When I started, people would assume that if you’re a girl, you were ghost-produced or some-

Nov. 24-26 Nov. 30-Dec. 3 Dec. 7-10 Dec. 14-31 thing by a man. I’m very hopeful for the future for women in EDM and music in general, too.” The 31-year-old recently laid down roots in Denver with her partner and is blazing a trail with her record label, Odyzey Music, not to mention her new Voyage festival, which could make its way to Vegas sometime soon. “A Voyage to Vegas would be amazing. We’ve talked about it,” she says. Touring is where CloZee says an album’s life cycle comes to completion. And though production takes precedence, she’s also partnered with Good Night Out, an initiative advocating for

Magical Forest safe and inclusive nightlife experiences, to ensure her sets remain safe and enjoyable for all. “Obviously it doesn’t prevent us from having assholes that don’t take into account what’s on the posters or the general vibe we want, but it helps to know that people are here to listen to you,” she says. “If you feel uncomfortable, or if you feel frightened, we have these little cards you can give to someone, and then they can assist you. It incites people to be on their best behavior.”

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D R I N K

HISTORIC STEAKS Legendary Peter Luger lands in Las Vegas at Caesars Palace C U L T U R E

BY GENEVIE DURANO One snowy night about two decades ago, when I lived in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, I passed by Peter Luger Steak House. I was fairly new to New York then and did not know the provenance of this particular restaurant, only that it was very old (est. 1887, to be exact). I didn’t know then the culture or the etiquette one

observes in dining here: cash only, you leave your steak in the hands of the servers (stern, gruff, bowtied), you consume schlag as if your life depended on it. From the outside looking in, the whole enterprise looked too intimidating, and I walked right by and found my way back to Bedford Avenue. It would be months before I ventured out again, this time for lunch, where I took the baby step of getting a Luger Burger, a decadent half-pound ground chuck with dry-aged sirloin and tenderloin trimmings. Now the legendary steak-

house (credited with establishing the tone of every steakhouse that’s come after) has brought its Old World charm out West, marking its first domestic expansion in 60 years, landing at Caesars Palace. (Two other locations are in Great Neck, N.Y., and Tokyo). It’s retained its iconic German beer-hall interiors, but with a very Vegas feel: soaring ceilings, bronze chandeliers and brick archways welcome guests into the 8,700-squarefoot space, and, lest you need a quick history lesson, photos along the walls of the restaurant’s 135-year history.

And it’s this history that’s alive and well here, starting with the menu that improves only one thing from the Brooklyn original: a shellfish tower that’s requisite for any Vegas restaurant worth its oyster. Otherwise, this is as pareddown a steakhouse menu as you’ll find. Even in a city of excess, Peter Luger stays true to its minimalist, meaty self, where it speaks only one language: USDA Prime. But first, prepare your palate with a little appetizer: a salad of sliced tomatoes and onions ($18), completely unadorned, but do slather on the Luger

11.23.23

PETER LUGER STEAK HOUSE Caesars Palace, 702-731-7267, caesars.com. Wednesday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Monday & Tuesday, 5-10 p.m.

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

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Mo’ Bettahs’ teriyaki chicken (Courtesy)

A FRESH TASTE OF HAWAII COMES TO THE NINTH ISLAND (Courtesy/Caesars Entertainment)

sauce that’s ever-present on the table. (This sauce, you will be told, is good on everything, until you’re ready for the sweet end of the meal, in which this will be replaced with schlag, the house-made whipped cream.) Don’t skip the jumbo lump crab cake ($35), which contains big, juicy bits of crab meat that needs very little in the way of seasoning. “We start with the best ingredients,” says Daniel Turtel, Peter Luger’s vice president. “It’s simple stuff, but it’s the best version.” This is true for all the sides on the menu, including

the German fried potatoes, creamed spinach and sauteed cremini mushrooms ($15 each). All play equal supporting roles on your plate—solid, dependable, classic. Which brings us to the meat. If there’s a star in this understated menu, it’s obviously the signature porterhouse, billed as Steak for Two ($149), Steak for Three ($216) or Steak for Four ($286). Dry-aged in-house one floor below in a custom 4,000-square-foot box, it’s prepared with nothing more than clarified butter and salt (none of that fancy French sea salt, just … Morton). Cut

from a short loin with a T-bone running down the middle of the steak—one side New York strip, the other side filet—it’s placed directly onto a broiler that’s nearly 1,000 degrees, giving it a nice dark char on the outside and a gorgeous pink on the inside. Then it’s placed on a hot plate with clarified butter, where it will continue to cook, before a server (stern, less gruff than the ones in Brooklyn, bowtied) takes it to your table and slices it expertly as it sputters and crackles in all its glory. The rest is 135 years of history. Some things you just can’t improve upon.

 Founded in 2008 in Bountiful, Utah by Oahu-born brothers Kimo and Kalani Mack, Mo’ Bettahs has been expanding quickly in recent years. The Hawaiian-style eatery opened its 47th location this month in North Las Vegas with another local store planned for Southern Highlands in December, and it’s easy to see why this concept could take off around the Valley. Simple plates of grilled or roasted meats like teriyaki chicken and tender kalua pig with steamed white rice and macaroni salad are as ubiquitous as lunch gets in Las Vegas neighborhoods. (And that’s actually how it is in many parts of Utah, too.) The branding is strong and the restaurant design and atmosphere elevates this familiar experience, but how does the food at Mo’ Bettahs measure up to your favorite Hawaiian barbecue spot? You’ll have to taste for yourself. A mini plate ($10) is still a lot of food, two meats with one scoop each of rice and mac. Teriyaki chicken, fried katsu chicken, shrimp tempura, teriyaki steak and black pepper and garlic grilled pulehu chicken round out the protein options in addition to those previously mentioned top sellers. Regular ($14) and Ekolu ($18) plates pack on the portions, and the popular POG (pineapple orange guava juice) washes everything down. When it comes to Hawaiian plate lunch, we’re always willing to give a new challenger a shot at the title. –Brock Radke

MO’ BETTAHS 1020 E. Craig Road #100, 725-285-0280, mobettahs.com. Monday-Saturday, 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m.

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S P O R T S

THE

MAINSTAY

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C U L T U R E

Brayden McNabb keeps quietly but importantly producing in seventh season with Vegas Golden Knights

11.23.23

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BY CASE KEEFER Six and a half years ago, early in the morning after the Vegas Golden Knights had assembled their initial roster at the NHL expansion draft, the nascent franchise gathered five players for a round of media obligations. Brayden McNabb drew the smallest crowd of cameras and recorders among the new teammates. Tucked away in his own private corner of the Armory team store at T-Mobile Arena, the young defenseman taken from the Los Angeles Kings was soft-spoken and reserved. While the others expressed excitement about building a new team from the ground up, McNabb pleaded caution, knowing trades were coming and admitting that he wasn’t all that sure he would ever wear a full Golden Knights uniform. It seems preposterous looking back. While the other four players from the event are long gone one way or the other—Marc-André Fleury (Minnesota Wild), Deryk Engelland (retired and in the Golden Knights’ front office), Jason Garrison (retired) and Reid Duke (playing in Slovakia)— McNabb is closing in on his 450th career game on the ice in gold. That’s third all-time in the franchise record book for appearances behind William Karlsson and Jonathan Marchessault, and by far the most among defensemen. The timid 26-year-old trying to cement his spot in the NHL has now turned into a confident 33-year-old veteran who embodies many of the qualities that have made the Golden Knights one of the standard-bearing organizations in the league. “It took me a little bit to find out who I was as a player,” McNabb said before a recent game. “I think I really found it when I came here.” McNabb is the least statistically accomplished of the five original Golden Knights left on this year’s roster—Marchessault, Karlsson, Shea Theodore and William Carrier being the others—but that’s mostly by design. And it doesn’t make him any less valuable. For seven years now, Vegas has taken pride in maintaining a strong defensive team. McNabb is the pillar of that identity with his unceasingly

selfless playing style centered on hard hits, blocked shots and general disruption. By thriving in his own niche, he’s endeared himself to three different coaching staffs and earned two contract extensions in a place where he wasn’t at first sure he would stick. “Offensively you want to chip in as much as you can, and if the opportunity arises, I’m going to try,” McNabb said. “But for me, it’s (about) my defensive end and being hard to play against.” The 6-foot-4, 215-pound cornerstone put together one the best stretches of his career to help the Golden Knights get off to a historic start this season. Vegas got off to the best start of any defending Stanley Cup champion ever with seven consecutive wins to begin the year and 12 straight games before losing in regulation. The success came despite a rash of injuries to Vegas’ blue line that put even more of the onus on McNabb and his longtime pairing partner Theodore to keep the defense afloat. Through 16 games, only one defensive pairing in the NHL (Seattle’s Vince Dunn and Adam Larsson) had logged more time on ice together than McNabb and Theodore. And Vegas has largely reaped the

benefits, claiming astronomical marks of 72.2% of the actual goal share and 56.16% of the expected goal share when the duo have played together, per naturalstattrick.com. “What (McNabb) brings us is a complement to Theo in terms of shot blocking, doing the dirty work; he’s great in front of the net,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “He’s got a great hockey IQ, so he makes good decisions with his first touch, and that’s where some of his offense usually starts. You can use him with some offensive lines; some defensemen you just can’t. They can’t get the breakouts started, but he’s good in the neutral zone getting the puck to Theo at the right time and the offensive blue line as well.” McNabb has never put together a better run of offensive contributions than he did to start this season. He managed to hit seven points on the year in just 13 games—nine contests sooner than he did a year ago in what was previously his fastest start. On average through six seasons with the organization, it had taken McNabb 33 games to reach seven points, but he’s increased his role as a playmaker this year with some highlight-worthy assists. None were more memorable than the Golden Knights’ first shorthanded goal of the year, on November 4

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb (3) tries to block a shot by San Jose Sharks right wing Filip Zadina (18) at T-Mobile Arena on November 10. (Wade Vandervort/Staff)

against another top-tier Western Conference team, the Colorado Avalanche. McNabb wound up like he was going to fire a slapshot from afar at Colorado goalie Alexandar Georgiev, who shifted in the defenseman’s direction. But McNabb instead whipped a pass to captain Mark Stone, who converted right in front of the net. “He’s got that underrated ability back there,” Stone said after the eventual 7-0 win against the Avalanche. “I played against him in juniors, and he was one of the better offensive defensemen in the league at that time, so it’s there. But he’s just kind of accepted a role of being a big, bruising defenseman. But his ability, his smarts are there. We made a little bit of eye contact. I knew he wasn’t shooting. I knew he was coming to me, and I just had to be available.” McNabb has tried to redirect the praise that has come his way to players like Stone and Theodore. “My partner is playing pretty well so I usually give him the puck and good things happen,” McNabb said. “And I’ve got a lot of good teammates who are making plays, so I just try to get it to them and be on the right side of it.” Humility is one trait that remains unchanged with McNabb. The initial days with the Golden Knights weren’t the only time he thought he could be headed out of town. After Vegas traded for star center Jack Eichel two seasons ago, the team found itself in a salary-cap crunch and McNabb was one of the most rumored players to be traded and free up space on the financial ledger. He acknowledged those reports at the time, remarking that he hoped to retire a Golden Knight but understood the business aspect of the NHL. Shortly after, and seemingly out of the blue, the Golden Knights instead extended him with a new deal that pays $2.8 million annually through next season. No matter what happens beyond that, a player who once feared he’d be a franchise footnote now has his own chapter in team history. “He’s kind of an unsung hero for us,” Stone said. “He’s made a lot of great plays this year.”

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VEGAS INC BUSINESS

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(Shutterstock)

B U S I N E S S

NEW APP BRINGS CRYPTOCURRENCY ASSETS TO THE GAMING FLOOR BY KATIE ANN MCCARVER VEGAS INC STAFF

new product rolling out within the next year will utilize blockchain technology to provide casino patrons worldwide with casino chip access on the gaming floor, directly from their cryptocurrency or digital assets. “At the end of the day, there was really no direct mechanism for taking digital assets and putting them into play in a way that was really functional for the casino space,” said Richard Jones, CEO and co-founder of Bitline, a mobile app which recently entered a strategic partnership with gaming industry leader Everi Holdings. Jones said Bitline will give consumers access to liquidity of their digital assets within minutes. “The objective is to build a simple elegance with it,” he said. “We don’t want this to be a long process.” Users can access up to $10 million in casino chips even at otherwise inconvenient times like “2 a.m. on a Sunday night,” Jones said, and Bitline has made itself a one-stop-shop so that compliance, transaction monitoring, banking and other regulatory needs are simultaneously met. After 15 to 20 minutes, a Bitline user can have access to liquidity and a casino can rest easy knowing the transaction is secure. Jones compared the app’s convenience to fast food, calling the technology a “huge win” for casinos and patrons. “I think we fill a huge gap there in the market that people can take advantage of and that really hasn’t existed before,” he said. “So that’s one of the biggest benefits.” Bitline—the design, development and deployment of which has been in the works for over a year and a half—was made possible through a slew of institutional partnerships, Jones said, especially when it came to ensuring security and compliance. In addition to Everi, the company has collaborated with organizations like Fireblocks and CipherTrace to implement transaction monitoring and a lot of the “under the hood” work and verification that happens when someone uses Bitline. Once all the pieces of compliance fell into place, Bitline had a “pretty much bulletproof” app revolving around regula-

tion, Jones said. “We take compliance very seriously,” said Victor Newsom, senior vice president of product management and payment solutions at Las Vegas-based Everi. “So we had to make sure they had the right compliance partners, the right financial partners, regulatory licensing and so on.” Bitline is ultimately tokenizing, or digitizing, real world assets, said Newsom, who attributed its birth to a need for the gaming industry to process more than just cards or cash. The app is a real-world asset management system for gaming, which he believes will over time become an increasingly mainstream and convenient choice for consumers. Before then, however, it will solve problems on a smaller scale. “And I think that’s good for the industry,” Newsom said. “I think it gives the industry time to digest this and understand that we’re not really changing anything on the regulated gaming space at all. There’s no internal controls for the gaming systems that are affected by this. This is a financial transaction.” Partnership is integral to making a product like Bitline work, he emphasized, not just to develop its technical capabilities but also because the gaming industry is so highly regulated. He expressed gratitude to regulators for being open to Bitline and blockchain technology, because without it “the industry doesn’t get to advance,” Newsom said. “All that takes partnership,” he said. “And if you don’t have a partner that’s willing to go through all that growing process with you, don’t think you’ll be successful, especially introducing something as potentially game changing as a product like this could be.” Jones said Bitline was one of the most demonstrated products on the Global Gaming Expo floor last month. The product will make its official debut at its first casino—“ground zero”—either by 2024 or in its first quarter, Jones said, with the potential to open up new markets for casinos and provide a platform “a little bit ahead of its time” for those in the cryptocurrency crowd. “In the current marketplace,” Jones said, “there’s no product that’s situated like this.”

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VEGAS INC BUSINESS

GIVING NOTES Local philanthropy making a difference

11.23.23

Long-term donors to the William S. Boyd School of Law at UNLV, Tom and Leslie Thomas, pledged a gift to establish a Small Business Initiatives Endowment Fund, named after them, within the Thomas & Mack Legal Clinic. Clinical legal education is a teaching method where students learn substantive law and practice in the context of real cases. The Tom and Leslie Thomas Small Business Initiative Endowment Fund will help students develop the skills necessary to become legal professionals, understand professional rules, and advocate for small businesses. Local education nonprofit CORE launched sites in North Las Vegas at Swainston and Findlay middle schools. Additionally, CORE welcomed a new cohort of middle-school students at West Prep. Nathan Adelson Hospice celebrated

45 years of caring for people in the community with the organization’s 27th Annual Serenades of Life – Doctors in Concert on September 8 at The Smith Center. Howard Cole, partner at Lewis Roca law firm, received the Brad Garrett Humanitarian Award. Proceeds from the concert benefit various programs and services at Nathan Adelson Hospice. Bank of America announced $280,000 in grants to 18 Las Vegas nonprofit organizations. Jobs for Nevada Graduates received funds that will contribute toward its mission to help elevate achievement outcomes for Nevada students. Funds donated to Three Square Food Bank allow the organization to continue championing hunger relief, offering wholesome, nutritious food to nonprofit and faith-based organizations, schools and feeding sites for those suffering from food insecurity. Other organizations receiving grants included: 100

Black Men of Las Vegas; Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada; Clark County Public Education Foundation; Communities in Schools of Nevada; Dress for Success Southern Nevada; Edward Kline Memorial Homeless Veterans Fund; Foundation for an Independent Tomorrow; HELP of Southern Nevada; Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada; Just One Project; Nevada Youth Challenge Foundation; Olive Crest; Opportunity Village Foundation; Safe Nest; Spread the Word Nevada and Tech Impact. The Empowered program at Roseman University College of Medicine was awarded a two-year grant of $230,360 per year through the Fund for a Resilient Nevada to support its programs to help pregnant and post-partum individuals in their recovery from opioid and substance use disorders.

3 OFF

LAS VEGAS PAIUTE/SNOW MOUNTAIN SMOKE SHOP

15% OFF

LAS VEGAS PAIUTE CIGAR SHOPPE/SNOW MOUNTAIN SMOKE SHOP

PER CARTON* (CIGARETTES ONLY)

PREMIUM CIGARS & ACCESSORIES

*Must be 21 years of age or older. Excludes filtered cigars. Cannot be combined with other offers or discounts. Limit 1 discount given per customer per day. Must present this coupon for redemption. Cannot be redeemed for cash. No photocopies accepted. EXPIRES 11/30/2023. LVW

*Cannot be combined with any other offers or discounts. Must be 21 years of age or older. Excludes sampler packs. Excludes bundles & individual sticks from bundles, cigarettes, mass market and pipe tobacco. Must present this coupon for redemption. Not valid on alcohol purchases. Cannot be redeemed for cash. No photocopies or digital copies accepted. EXPIRES 11/30/2023. LVW

N E V E R P A Y A D D I T I O N A L T A X ! - G O T O L V P A I U T E S M O K E S H O P. C O M F O R C O U P O N S

$38.90*

FINAL PRICE WITH COUPON $4.19 PER PACK *Special Offer Expires 11/30/2023

LAS VEGAS PAIUTE TRIBAL SMOKE SHOP & CIGAR SHOPPE M-Sat 7AM-7PM • Sun 8AM-5:30PM 1225 N. Main St. Las Vegas, 89101

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$38.70*

FINAL PRICE WITH COUPON $4.19 PER PACK *Prices Subject to Change

SNOW MOUNTAIN SMOKE SHOP & GAS STATION M-Sun 6AM-7PM • Pay-At-The-Pump Open 24/7 US 95N @ Exit #99

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