2024-03-14-Las-Vegas-Weekly

PUBLISHER MARK DE POOTER

mark.depooter@gmgvegas.com

EDITORIAL

Senior Editor GEOFF CARTER (geo .carter@gmgvegas.com)

Editor at Large BROCK RADKE (brock.radke@gmgvegas.com)

Deputy Editor SHANNON MILLER (shannon.miller@gmgvegas.com)

Sta Writer GABRIELA RODRIGUEZ (gabriela.rodriguez@gmgvegas.com)

Sta Writer AMBER SAMPSON (amber.sampson@gmgvegas.com)

Contributing Writers EMMA BROCATO,GRACE DA ROCHA,HILLARY DAVIS, MIKE GRIMALA, CASEY HARRISON, KATIE ANN MCCARVER, AYDEN RUNNELS, RHIANNON SAEGERT

Contributing Editors RAY BREWER, JUSTIN HAGER, CASE KEEFER, DAVE MONDT O ce 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 Tra c Coordinator DENISE ARANCIBIA

Tra c 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 O cer ROBERT CAUTHORN

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SUPERGUIDE

THURSDAY MAR 14

MATY’S POP-UP

Two top talents in Latin cuisine will join forces on the Las Vegas Strip for a one-night-only showcase of fun flavors and diverse ingredients. Casa Playa chef Sarah Thompson will welcome chef Valerie Chang Cumpa of Miami’s hit Peruvian restaurant Maty’s to the Wynn Las Vegas restaurant to create a collaborative menu featuring favorite dishes from both eateries and techniques and ingredients that demonstrate the connections between Mexican and Peruvian traditions. Get ready for Pink Moon oysters with aji amarillo “leche de tigre” and charred heirloom Peruvian corn with Parmesan and the spicy cheese salsa known as huancaina. Maty’s mixologist Daniel Cuellar will supply specialty Pisco cocktails and a DJ will join the fun later in the evening. 5-10 p.m., no cover, reservations recommended, wynnlasvegas.com. –Brock Radke

SHAMROCK BASH

Thru 3/17, times vary, Fremont Street Experience, vegasexperience. com

PAC-12 MEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

Thru 3/16, times vary, T-Mobile Arena, axs.com

MWC MEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

Thru 3/16, times vary, Thomas & Mack Center, unlvtickets.com

BIG WEST BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

Thru 3/16, times vary, Dollar Loan Center, axs.com

BARRY MANILOW

7 p.m., & 3/16 (& 3/15, 8 p.m.), Westgate International Theater, ticketmaster.com

LAURA BENANTI

7 p.m., & 3/15, Myron’s, thesmith center.com

RL GRIME

10:30 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zouk grouplv.com

NOSTALGIX

With Dollars, Glittr Glitch, 10 p.m., We All Scream, seetickets.us

BOB ZANY

With Don Gavin, Sebastian Cetina, thru 3/17, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m., Laugh Factory, ticket master.com

MATT KIRSHEN

With Mia Jackson, Marcus Monroe, Je Leach, thru 3/17, 7 & 9:30 p.m., Comedy Cellar, ticketmaster.com

PLAN YOUR WEEK AHEAD

FRIDAY MAR 15

SEBASTIAN MANISCALCO

7:30 & 10:30 p.m., & 3/16, Encore Theater, ticketmaster.com

JODECI

7:30 p.m., & 3/16, 3/20, House of Blues, concerts. livenation.com

GUTTERTOWN

With The Rifleman, Ronnie Wylder & the Cosmic Frenzy, 9 p.m., Fat Cat Lounge, sites.google.com/ reddwarflv.com/ fat-cat

LEE FOSS

With Dos Lonely Boys, Alex Angard, Salman, Good Rzn, 7 p.m., Fergusons Downtown, wethebeat. com

KYLIE MINOGUE

9:30 p.m., & 3/16, Voltaire, ticket master.com

DEAP VALLY

The dirty, chugging rock of Deap Vally’s debut album, 2013’s Sistrionix, served as a swift jab to the jugular. Los Angeles-based musicians and friends Julie Edwards (drums/vocals) and Lindsey Troy (guitar/vocals) assaulted the ears with an unapologetic dose of feral female rock energy, powered by frank assertions like “Daddy don’t you understand?/I’m gonna make my own money/Gonna buy my own land/Yes, I’d marry a rich man/Find a rich one if you can.” The duo’s next three albums were jewels of barstool tunes best enjoyed over a jukebox. But between all the gritty riffs and cheeky references, Troy and Edwards chronicled their own coming of age. Now after almost a decade, Deap Vally has decided to call it quits, with this tour serving as the send-off. The band recently re-recorded its debut as Sistrionix 2.0 and has promised to go out with “a bang, not a whimper”—as if we’d expect anything less. With Trash Animals, Acid Sisters. 8 p.m., $25, Backstage Bar & Billiards, seetickets.us. –Amber Sampson

CARRIE UNDERWOOD

8 p.m., & 3/16, 3/22, Resorts World Theatre, axs.com.

NIGHT LOVELL

With Haarper, Germ, 8 p.m., the Portal at Area15, area15.com

ST. PATRICK’S DAY FESTIVAL

Thru 3/17, times vary, Water Street, cityofhenderson. com

ORNY ADAMS

7:30 & 9:30 p.m., & 3/16, Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club, ticketmaster. com

SAM FELDT

11:30 a.m., LIV Beach, livnight club.com.

DJ PICKLE 11 a.m., Ayu Dayclub, zoukgrouplv. com

ACRAZE

Noon, Encore Beach Club, wynn social.com

ROOFTOP REWIND 6 p.m., Legacy Club, circalas vegas.com

STEVE AOKI

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

MARSHMELLO

10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynn social.com.

KASKADE

10:30 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zouk grouplv.com.

JOHN SUMMIT

10:30 p.m., LIV Nightclub, livnightclub.com

TYGA

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

GUCCI MANE

10:30 p.m., Drai’s Nightclub, drais group.com

ENCODE

With Marco Faraone, Rebekah, Thomas Schumacher, Shay De Castro, 8 p.m., Nine Twenty, seetickets.us.

S U P E R G U I D E

SUPERGUIDE

SATURDAY MAR 16

YUKO

MABUCHI TRIO

5 & 8 p.m., Myron’s,thesmith center.com

JOURNEY

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

ASHLEY MCBRYDE

With Kasey Tyndall, 7 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl, ticketmaster.com

BRET MICHAELS

With Edwin McCain, 8 p.m., Theater at Virgin, axs.com

WINTER JAZZ WEEKEND

6 p.m., Industrial Event Space, winterjazz weekend.com

LAS VEGAS LIGHTS VS. FC TULSA

5 p.m., Cashman Field, lasvegas lightsfc.com

WILLIAM ZEPEDA VS. MAXI HUGHES 4 p.m., the Chelsea, ticketmaster.com

LAS VEGAS

PHILHARMONIC: PROHIBITION

7:30 p.m., Reynolds Hall, the smithcenter.com

ST. BALDRICK’S DAY

10 a.m., Brooklyn Bridge at New York-New York, stbaldricks.org

ANIMANIACS IN CONCERT

7 p.m., Centennial Hills Park Amphitheater, eventbrite. com

NEW VISTA BREW’S BEST CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL

2 p.m., Downtown Summerlin, newvistanv.org

CALVIN HARRIS

11:30 a.m., LIV Beach, livnightclub.com

THE CHAINSMOKERS 11 a.m., Encore Beach Club, wynnsocial.com

DEORRO

11 a.m., Tao Beach Dayclub, taogroup. com

TIËSTO

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

METRO BOOMIN

10:30 p.m., LIV Nightclub, livnightclub.com

RICK ROSS

10:30 p.m., Drai’s Nightclub, drais group.com

LIL JON 10:30 p.m., Hakkasan Nightclub, taogroup.com

RAFA BARRIOS

With Chapter 47, Yaggo, Oscar Molina, 530, 10 p.m., Discopussy, tixr. com

(Courtesy/JYP Entertainment)

PLAN YOUR WEEK AHEAD

TWICE

SUNDAY MAR 17 MONDAY MAR 18

FLOGGING MOLLY

With Frank Turner

& The Sleeping Souls, Buzzcocks, Face To Face, Amigo The Devil, NOBRO, Gen and the Degenerates, noon, Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, dlvec.com

DJ PAULY D

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

Say what you will about the K-pop phenomenon, but these are some of the hardest working groups in the industry. Since releasing “Cheer Up”—South Korea’s best performing single of 2016—Twice has unleashed 12 “mini” albums, embarked on several world tours and become one of the first K-pop groups to win the Breakthrough Artist award at Billboard’s Women in Music ceremony. The nine-member group, skilled in producing candied, infectious pop harmonies as heard in “The Feels,” have sold more than 10 million albums since their debut and their legacy rings true here in the states. BTS’ Allegiant Stadium debut busted the door down for other K-pop sensations to step through, and Twice definitely knows how to make an entrance. With Vcha. 6:40 p.m., $41-$221, Allegiant Stadium, ticketmaster.com. –Amber Sampson

CELTIC FEIS

10 a.m., Brooklyn Bridge at New York-New York, newyorknewyork. mgmresorts.com

VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS VS. NEW JERSEY DEVILS

12:30 p.m., T-Mobile Arena, axs.com

ERIC BELLINGER

With Zae France, 8 p.m., 24 Oxford, etix.com

MONDAYS DARK 8 p.m., the Space, thespacelv.com

BRANDI CYRUS

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

DJ E-ROCK

10:30 p.m., Jewel Nightclub, taogroup.com

GARETH REYNOLDS

7:30 p.m., Wiseguys Town Square, wiseguyscomedy. com

MICHAEL YO 9:30 p.m. (& 3/20, 7:30 p.m.), Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club, ticketmaster.com

DO IT ALL

S U P E R G U I D E

SUPERGUIDE

TUESDAY MAR 19 WEDNESDAY MAR 20

LONDON ELEKTRICITY

Discopussy lands a real catch this week by ensnaring London Elektricity in its tentacles. Its sole member, Hospital Records co-founder Tony Colman, has a preternatural gift for fusing tuneful soul and jazz melodies to wild, careening drum ‘n’ bass rhythms. It’s something best experienced rather than explained, so if you would, bring up your music streamer of choice and look for “This Dark Matter,” which walks a tight line between exhilaration and wistfulness, thanks in large part to an a ecting Liane Carroll vocal; “The Plan That Cannot Fail,” so cinematic that it’s almost too big for a big screen; and “Meteorites,” which is so assured in its cascading synths and soaring Elsa Esmeralda vocals that its driving beat doesn’t kick in until a full minute and thirty seconds into the track. Take advantage of this rare opportunity to plug into a true powerhouse outfit. With Degs and Dre4k. 10 p.m., $15. Discopussy, discopussydtlv. com. –Geo Carter

VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS VS. TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

7 p.m., T-Mobile Arena, axs.com

CHELSEA CUTLER

7 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl, ticketmaster.com

A SKYLIGHT DRIVE With The Bunny

The Bear, Everyone Dies In Utah, 7:30 p.m., the Space, thespacelv.com

HUMAN NATURE

Thru 3/21, 6:30 p.m., South Point Showroom, ticketmaster.com

MIRANDA LAMBERT

8 p.m., & 3/22-3/23, Bakkt Theater, ticketmaster.com

JOE WILLIAMS

QUINTET

7 p.m., Composers Room, the composersroom. com

RUMOURS ATL

8 p.m., 24 Oxford, etix.com

NATE BARGATZE

7:30 & 10:30 p.m., & 3/22-3/23, Encore Theater, ticketmaster.com.

ANA AKANA

7:30 p.m., Wiseguys Town Square, wise guyscomedy.com.

NEXTET PRESENTS: WORLD PREMIERES AND NEW COLLABORATIONS

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

ARMNHMR

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

(Courtesy/John Shearer)

(Photograph by Wade Vandervort/Staff)

OPEN SKIES

Las Vegas Flight Academy CEO Ron Kelly invites young people into a new career and bright future

BY SHANNON MILLER

“You want to start flying?”

Ron Kelly jokingly invites me to learn to pilot an aircraft as though it’s the most natural thing in the world. The CEO of the Las Vegas Flight Academy talks to young people all the time about careers in aviation. It’s part of the outreach he does with his new nonprofit the Minority Pilot Advancement Foundation.

For some kids, it’s a question that can change the trajectory of their life. And, compared to five years ago, it’s a goal that is easier to attain after several commercial airlines dropped the requirement for a four-year college degree.

“We started talking to kids and going around to different schools. … We told these kids, ‘You need a high school degree. And if you graduate, did you know you can become a pilot?’” Kelly says. “These kids were almost in tears saying, ‘I’ve never been in an airplane … and never thought it would be a possibility for me to fly one of those things.’”

Kelly launched the Minority Pilot Advancement Foundation at the February 24 grand reopening of the Las Vegas Flight Academy. The nonprofit’s goal is to bring 600 minority and women pilots into the industry each year, and help alleviate the nationwide pilot shortage.

“We let them know that they can do it, and it changes everything.”

Las Vegas Flight Academy was built from the remnants of Pan Am International Flight Academy. What’s the story there?

I became very successful as a real

estate guy, which is how I ended up building this building in the first place. I built the building back in 2005 and Pan Am [International Flight Academy] was my tenant. … Let me put it this way: an insider took the company down and then flipped it to his friends. His friends became [like] Larry the Liquidator. … In 2020, I bought out the assets of Pan Am’s Las Vegas operation, and I now run it under Las Vegas Flight Academy.

At the grand reopening of the Las Vegas Flight Academy, the Federal Aviation Administration awarded you the prestigious Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award for 50 years of safe flying. How did that feel?

It’s awesome. I mean, it wasn’t something I was looking for or expecting. … I’d seen it along the way, but I never thought I’d be one of those guys getting it.

Why did you decide to start the Minority Pilot Advancement Foundation?

I’ve been very aware, obviously, of the issues with the airlines. We had a [pilot] shortage prior to COVID. … Now, the people start flying or flying in levels way above pre-COVID time. And the problem is now, we have this extreme shortage of pilots.

So the airlines for the first time in history have now stopped requiring that you have a four-year degree. And that got me thinking, because most people don’t realize that the average airline pilot makes over $200,000 a year. They only work 15 days a month. And they have fantastic benefits. And without

Ron Kelly, CEO

of the newly re-opened Las Vegas Flight Academy, inside a Boeing 737-800 Level D full flight simulator.

having the need for a four-year degree, that opens the doors to a lot of kids who didn’t even know that this was a possibility for them.

We can take these kids from lower socioeconomic areas and teach them to become a pilot. … If you give these kids a reason, a goal to finish high school and really pay attention, I think that through our foundation, we’re going to have more kids graduate. And secondly, we’re changing these kids’ lives because … those kids will get a great job, which will allow them to move into better areas. Their kids will go to better schools. Basically, we’re doing generational change.

Where will students in the foundation attend aviation school?

We started a school down in French Valley [California] where we do actual primary flight training. It’s the Flight Venture Aviation Academy in Temecula. And our goal is to raise the funds to train these kids. And then we’ve got a school to put them through, and then we’ll get them into the airlines. The airlines already say, “We’ll take your kids.”

What inspired you to become a pilot?

I’ve always been enamored with flying. Since I can remember, I’ve been interested. … Fortunately, my dad took me to see the Point Mugu airshow and I saw the Blue Angels fly. And that was it. That’s all I ever wanted to do.

What qualities does a pilot need?

How do you know when you have the makings of a good pilot?

You know for sure if you want to be a pilot. You either really like it or you don’t. When I fly off to Vegas to do work or to have meetings and such at my facility, I always try to take a kid with me. And I can tell you the ones [who want to do this], they’re the ones that when they land, that’s all they talk about. It’s all we want to do.

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WITHOUT REWARD

Youth sports have become an expensive, stressful burden on families

(Shutterstock/Photo Illustration)

goods store and makes a desperate

plea: Another season of youth baseball is beginning and he’s so short on cash he can’t a ord gear for his son.

The man is recovering from leg surgery and out of work. He expresses the outlandish cost of equipment—one of those modern bats many of the kids are swinging costs up to $500, after all—and fears he’d be labeled a bad parent if he doesn’t out t his son with the best.

The store’s business model allows customers to exchange used equipment for store credit or cash, paving the way for the man to sell two bats and a glove. With the credit, he was able to get the new gear for only $3.

“I felt so bad for the guy,” says Scott Pisan, owner of Play It Again Sports on Valle Verde Drive. “He said, ‘I’m so strapped for cash. If you weren’t able to do this, my son wouldn’t be able to play.’”

The man’s dilemma is not uncommon, parents told Weekly, as local families are shelling out tens of thousands of dollars annually for their children to chase athletic success.

those dreams—some might say

Parents and their children might have many goals from athletics: some want simply to participate, some dream of college scholarships, others hope to make it in professional sports. But this much is certain: In Las Vegas and across the country, satisfying those dreams—some might say exploiting them—has become very big business, and parents are nding themselves shelling out fortunes to support their kids in sports.

many across the city, are doing it all for both of their children.

The club also o ers private training, the family said, which costs $120 an hour—but that’s where they drew the line, because they’re already spending $10,000 a year for each child to compete.

to

form of abuse for kids and their parents that’s increasingly riddled with issues of class, worries about household nance and fears of letting our kids down. The space is lled with individuals happy to part parents from their hard-earned dollars and continue the false promise of sports stardom for their children.

An entire industry has sprung up around sports fantasies. Families keep pouring money into the activity wrongly believing their investment will lead to scholarships and stardom, but in reality, the expense is bringing families to a nancial brink and becoming a great class separator because working-class families aren’t keeping up.

Roger Tabor, the president for Downtown Las Vegas Soccer Club, says the economic divide is most obvious in girls soccer. “It’s hard to attract girls to our teams,” he says of his Downtown-based program, “because it’s become a suburban, white-bread sport.”

It’s not only soccer. We spoke with families who have children enrolled in youth baseball, football, gymnastics and volleyball who detailed similar costs. We found thousands of Las Vegas families are spending more than $1,000 a month, if not more.

arship are also slim, the NCAA reports, with just 3.5% of high school seniors in 2022 making a men’s college basketball team. It’s 5.6% of prep seniors in men’s soccer, 7.3% for football and 7.5% for baseball. For girls, 7.2% of high school seniors advance to college soccer, 5.6% in softball, and 4.1% in basketball.

arship are also slim, the NCAA reports, with just 3.5% of high school

of his Downtown-based program, “because it’s become a suburban, whose personal value has become measured on what they accomplish

Even worse: The stress from playing youth sports is leading to mental health problems for teens, whose personal value has become measured on what they accomplish in sport, or if they can receive praise from a coach. Add to that the pressure of knowing your parents are paying a fortune to support you. Combined, it’s a formula for a crisis in a child that can manifest in problematic moods, anxiety, eating disorders and substance abuse.



You don’t need to pay this kind of money to reach the college or professional ranks, says Tyrell Crosby, a Green Valley High School product who played four seasons with the Detroit Lions through 2022. The only personalized coaches Crosby had were from the high school or youth programs he was part of.

The high costs of youth sports come with plenty of bene ts, says Ryan Day, who has coached in various Las Vegas youth clubs over the years and raves about their bene ts for children.

It’s an arms race to out t children and give them the training to compete. One parent described the constant costs as “like having an extra car payment.” Another said they have a credit card speci cally for youth sports—and admits that card often carries a balance.

Crosby doesn’t mince his words when talking about personal trainers o ering to develop athletes eyeing a spot at the next level: “99% a scam,” he says.

family said it pays $995 annually to participate with a local club, $75 fee naments those hosted out of state.

From the minute a child enrolls in a sport it can feel like the meter is running at $100 a minute. Take youth soccer, where one Las Vegas family said it pays $995 annually to participate with a local club, $75 in monthly coaching fees, $400 for uniforms, another $125 for cleats and a $100 entry fee per tournament. They’ve played in six tournaments alone this year, including those hosted out of state.

The travel to those events could be $1,000 or more, depending on if it is by car or air. And these parents, like

It could be considered money poorly spent when just 2% of 460,000 NCAA athletes in 2022-23 advanced to the professional ranks, according to the NCAA.

The chances for a college schol-

One of the convenient stories we tell ourselves is that youth sports is about building character, learning teamwork, being active and staying t. Unfortunately, too often it has become a high dollar, high pressure

Take his oldest daughter, who is in law school at Arizona State and has excelled academically because of the time management skills she developed balancing a hectic schedule of soccer tournaments and practices, her father says.

“She learned to deal with adversity, learned to set goals and accomplish them,” Day said. “Training in soccer directly helped with her studies. She

had to come home straight from school and get homework done immediately. It’s a regimented cycle and kids get used to that at an early age.”

Day is glad his son is following a similar path. The younger Day is only seven years old but has already traveled out of town for a handful of tournaments and is making meaningful friendships. The child is constantly nagging his parents to go train, and the family has no reservations about making the investment. They spent $2,000 to travel to a tournament recently in Utah.

“Most of the juniors’ programs in town do a good job of delivering on providing enjoyment to the kids and

making it fun,” Day says. He says he is more than sympathetic to the club dues and coach fees, because most coaches have advanced coaching licenses and spend countless hours away from their family. It’s a stipend for most coaches, he says, and many still have full-time jobs. He’s a volunteer coach in a club.

A spokesperson for the Nevada Attorney General said there had been no complaints filed by families claiming they were unfairly taken advantage of by a youth club or personalized coach.

The Aspen Institute found that American families are spending

up to $40 billion annually on youth sports, and it’s easy to see how. Take the Candelaria family of Henderson, who this summer will be dropping $10,000 for their family of four to travel to Cooperstown, New York, for a baseball tournament, father Reese Candelaria says.

It’s a trip of a lifetime for his 12-year-old son, who will spend the week sleeping in dorms at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum and competing against teams from across the country.

“Financially, we are in a spot where we can do this for our kids and you only get to live life once,” Candelaria says. “It’s also the lessons of

being on a team and how to work in a system. It teaches communication. If you don’t get the outcome you want, go talk to your coach.”

The family pays $50-$75 in tournament entry fees for about 12 events a year. They also have to cover traveling fees when playing out-of-state. Additionally, the club charges $150 monthly in team dues, which is used for park rental and coaching stipends.

“It costs a small fortune,” Candelaria says. That includes the cost of equipment, which “is just insane,” he says.

The Easton bat his son will be using costs $500 retail, but the fami-

Members of the Downtown Las Vegas Soccer Club warm up during practice at Cragin Park on February 28.

(Steve Marcus/Staff)

ly preordered it for $400 for a small savings. Those savings went directly to a personalized batting coach who charges $50 a lesson.

Candelaria is direct when describing the state of pay-to-play club baseball: It’s ruining the sport. The rising costs are “making it so that only those fortunate enough to be able to a ord the training will play in high school.”

Those athletes whose families can’t keep up nancially aren’t getting the practice reps needed to develop, often being replaced on rosters by inferior athletes simply because their parents can pay, he says.

“It’s created an uneven playing eld,” he says. “In essence, club baseball is ruining baseball.”



Youth sports don’t have to work this way. There are multiple recreation leagues across the city o ering eight-week sessions for as little as $110, including uniforms, eld

BUYER BEWARE

5 things to watch out for when getting a trainer for your young athlete

FEE INCREASES

The trainer asks for more money but provides the same service.

SERVICE DECREASES

rental and referees. Those leagues, like recreation-based National Youth Sports Nevada, also o er minimum play standards so that all children can experience the beauty of competition.

Tabor started Downtown Las Vegas Soccer Club to service athletes primarily living in the Downtown area with an eye on closing the gap between families with extra resources for their children to compete and those families that needed help. They have eight teams competing at the game’s top youth level—and most of the players aren’t strapped with large monthly expenses.

The club does charge fees for recreation players in seasonal leagues.

“Our sole purpose is to raise money for the kids. That is why we exist,” Tabor said. “The cost of eld rentals, coaching, insurance ...we pay for a lot of that stu .”

The club receives funding from hosting the Las Vegas Mayor’s Cup, which last month brought 935 teams—including 67 from out of the

The training sessions are shortened, or the trainer spends the entire hour occupied on their phone and not focusing on your athlete’s development.

OVERCROWDED SESSIONS

Trainers usually have sessions with multiple athletes, but there needs to be a cap in the number of pupils they are working with. Too many athletes mean less reps for your child. You can also ask for individual sessions, where the rate could be doubled for the trainer to work exclusively with your child.

VENUE CHOICE

If the session is being conducted at a public park where the lights are o , it’s likely not conducive to enhancing your skill set. Trainers book field or court space with parks recreation departments. They also reserve a court at a gym or spot at a batting cage facility.

NO IMPROVEMENT

If you’ve been to multiple sessions with a trainer but your athlete is still struggling in competition, it’s time to cut bait. Try a di erent trainer—or sport. Just because a trainer’s methods work for one athlete, the methods might not fit for others.

24 LAS VEGAS WEEKLY 3.14.24

country—for one of the premier youth events annually in America.

If there’s not enough funds for traveling, families do have to chip in to cover the cost, Tabor says, but that’s minimal.

“That was my motivation in starting this thing,” Tabor says. “I thought I could change the world in three to ve years.”

Many clubs across multiple sports in Las Vegas have scholarship opportunities, especially when it comes to club basketball for high-school aged athletes who are exceptional prospects already with college scholarship o ers. The Las Vegas Knicks (Puma) and Vegas Elite (Nike) are sponsored by shoe companies who arrange for apparel, training costs and tournaments.

Taylor Bigby was so sought-after on the club circuit that a team from Southern California paid for her travel to compete with them, her father, Lamar Bigby, says. Taylor was a McDonald’s All-American at Centennial High School and now plays for nationally ranked USC.

The elder Bigby, director of Tarkanian Basketball Academy on Sahara Avenue, sees countless families taking their children for high-priced lessons

with that, because “they are about that life and chasing the dream,” says Bigby, who is also the director of the Las Vegas Knicks. Some athletes pay a season fee of $1,200, which covers travel to multiple events, and practice court and coach fees.



There’s a misconception that young athletes need to focus only on one sport or have their families excessively invest in specialized training to succeed—whether that’s winning a game or match, catching the eye of college coaches, or eventually becoming a professional.

Crosby also played basketball and competed in track during high school, saying he kept signing up for activities because he wanted the full prep experience. And the only personal training he received came from coaches at the school.

He was a blue chip prep recruit who started immediately at the University of Oregon and was part of the Ducks’ Rose Bowl championship team in 2014.

“I had con dence in myself. We weren’t going to pay to go to the next level,” Crosby says. “For me, camps were kind of pointless because you can only do so much without pads on. You have to prove yourself during the season.”

High School. The only specialized training he received was from prep coach Bill Froman, who had a background in weight training and transformed the oversized teenager into a powerful force on the line.

Hernandez was lightly recruited out of high school and had just one scholarship o er: The University of Texas, El Paso was willing to take on a project. He got up to speed, redshirting his initial season at UTEP and starting 49 straight games to close his college career. He was selected 34th overall in the 2018 draft and has made $14 million in six NFL seasons.

“If a child is talented enough, they will be recognized with how they play and nd a (scholarship) to college,” he says.

More important, Crosby stresses there needs to be balance in a young person’s life or they run the risk of burning out. After all, there is plenty of pressure—including nancial— that can lead to kids loathing sports they once loved and leaving families wondering if we haven’t drifted too far from what makes youth sports great in the rst place.

(Shutterstock/Photo

Crosby isn’t the only Las Vegas player who thrived without pouring money into developing.

Will Hernandez, an o ensive tackle for the Arizona Cardinals, didn’t play football until he arrived at Chaparral

THE PRICE

Crosby, when speaking with teenagers, proudly details his di erent approach. “I gured out a good balance. I could never 100% eat, think, and sleep football because that’s not fun,” he says. “I took fun out of every experience and that balance helped me enjoy football more. I wanted to play Xbox with my friends or play other sports. It’s not a job; you don’t have to take it so seriously.”

We asked Las Vegas families to detail how much they paid for their young athletes to compete. Here’s a sampling:

THE GEAR

 Wilson GST Prime Football: $164.95 (The family also spent $40 to send it to a company to break in the ball.)

 Demarini BBCOR baseball bat: $449.95

 PING Junior golf club set: $575

THERE’S A MISCONCEPTION THAT YOUNG ATHLETES NEED TO FOCUS ONLY ON ONE SPORT OR HAVE THEIR FAMILIES EXCESSIVELY INVEST IN SPECIALIZED TRAINING TO SUCCEED—WHETHER THAT’S WINNING A GAME OR MATCH, CATCHING THE EYE OF COLLEGE COACHES, OR EVENTUALLY BECOMING A PROFESSIONAL.

THE TEAM

 Vegas Elite basketball:

$135 monthly (Practices are 75 minutes, twice weekly).

nastics:

 Desert Gymcats gymnastics:

 NSA Stars baseball:

 Heat FC soccer:

$369 monthly (Practices are one hour, twice weekly).

$150 monthly team dues; $50-$75 tournament dues (About 12 tournaments annually).

$995 annual registration; $75 monthly coaching fee; tournament fees of $80-$100 per player (six tournaments from February-April); $400 every two years for uniforms.

THE TRAINER

 Batting cage: $30 for 30 minutes (you provide the pitcher); $50 for 30 minutes with coach.

lity seball lessons:

 Agility and strength drills: $55 per hour at Phase 1 Sports.

 Baseball lesso $160 for four 30-minute sessions at Las Vegas Baseball Academy.

pecialized

 Specialized coach training: Soccer, $120/hour (can be split up to five players); Football quarterback, $100 per hour for group session.

IT’S TIME TO GET OFF THE CONVEYOR BELT OF PAYING TO PLAY YOUTH SPORTS

BY RAY BREWER

A friend of mine spent $2,000 last month for his son to play in a soccer tournament in Utah. I love seeing social media posts of the boy in action because he scores a lot of goals and seems to be having fun.

The boy is only 7.

Another friend of mine has a sixth-grader who is an aspiring quarterback in football.

The family is all in—the child has two personalized quarterback coaches, trains on strength and agility at a local gym, has participated in weekend camps and has the best gear available.

They are paying at least $1,500 monthly, including $100 per hour for lessons. And most weeks, the child rarely has a day o . If he does stop, there’s another middle school quarterback who continues to practice and the family fears their kid will fall behind.

I get it. I sent my kids to Catholic school for seven years, until we left for our neighborhood school after realizing that it wasn’t worth spending ve gures to drive across town daily for a faith-based education. We’ve mastered

teaching them about our faith at home.

But if my child was an aspiring athlete, I wouldn’t be able to have them progress with backyard lessons. Most dads don’t have that kind of free time, nor the knowledge of sport to successfully pull this o .

That’s why I understand families who are forking out fortunes to have their kids compete in top- ight youth sports programs. I don’t know the nances of my friends. I just hope they aren’t being stretched too thin.

I posted a message on Facebook asking followers for their experiences with youth sports. The horror stories immediately started ooding in, but one stood out: A coaching friend, whose wife works in mental health, has seen countless teens who are facing anxiety and other issues because of their youth sports experience, he said.

long provided meaningful exercise and friendships and turned it into an unneeded burden.

These young athletes aren’t naive to the money their parents are shelling out. The pressure that creates for the child can’t be overlooked, because a poor performance or being cut from a team’s roster not only comes with a feeling of being inadequate but also one of wasting the family’s money.

Imagine a child realizing they had the best training money could buy and yet they weren’t good enough to be the starting quarterback or make the travel team.

It’s equally troubling for parents. Some interviewed for this feature said they were using credit cards to pay for their kids to participate and were overwhelmed with debt.

Parents need to ask themselves if the dream of excelling at a sport is their dream or their child’s dream.

They also need to get o the conveyor belt of paying to play that could ruin a family’s nances— if it hasn’t done so already.

out: tion requirements have be-

The cost and participation requirements have become so abusive that it’s taken an activity that

(Shutterstock/Photo Illustration)

Step up to the plate and join us for an Opening Day Ceremony at the World’s Largest Sportsbook!

Feast on the classic taste of America’s favorite ballpark treats – Coney Dogs and Apple Pies! To all the MVP moms out there, enjoy complimentary drinks as you soak in the thrilling atmosphere of the opening day festivities.

NEWS IN THE

1NEW CALL FOR CEASE-FIRE

After the national Unite Here union announced its call for an immediate cease-fire and the release of Hamasheld hostages in Gaza, the affiliated Culinary Union, which represents 60,000 nongaming hospitality workers in Las Vegas casinos, did the same March 8.

2

RARE BIRD RETURNED

A rare bird has been returned to the wild after it landed in the Bellagio fountains, leading the hotel to pause its water show March 5. The yellow-billed loon is considered to be “one of the 10 rarest birds that regularly breed on the mainland U.S.,” according to the National Park Service.

FILM TRADE SHOW MOVING TO LAS VEGAS

The Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA) has announced its international sales market will relocate to Las Vegas for its 45th edition this year.

The American Film Market (AFM) will be staged at the Palms November 5-10 after being held in Los Angeles and Santa Monica for over four decades. The move “marks a new chapter” for the event, a “cornerstone” for the independent entertainment industry to conduct business.

“After extensive research, discussions with the board and invaluable feedback from stakeholders, this move underscores our determination to evolve AFM to meet today’s industry needs,” said Clay Epstein, IFTA chairperson and president of Film Mode Entertainment. “The strength

AS GAS BILLS RISE, RELIEF ON THE WAY

Southwest Gas said the average monthly bill for a single family in Southern Nevada for 2023 was $60; this year, that average skyrocketed to $101—an increase of nearly 70%.

A general rate case application is being deliberated by the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada and, if approved, would likely go into effect by April. It would raise single-family residential rates in Southern Nevada by about 10% and in Northern Nevada by just under 5%—increasing monthly pay-

of the AFM lies in its ability to create community and present a sophisticated platform for all our participants’ activities in one convenient location. The Palms enables us to do all of that and beyond.”

The decision to move AFM to Las Vegas comes after a multi-city search. “Easy travel options” and close proximity to Los Angeles were considered in the decision.

IFTA is the global trade association for independent film and television production, finance, distribution and sales companies. Hundreds of companies and thousands of professionals from every segment of the film industry convene at AFM every year for business, networking, screenings, panels, meetings and conferences. –Staff

ments on average for those residents by $8.14 and $5.80, respectively.

This is separate from the utility’s quarterly gas cost filing, which was announced March 1 and proposed a rate change that—contrary to the general rate case application—would provide relief for customers who may be exhausted by high utility bills.

The quarterly gas cost rate change marks the third consecutive rate decrease for Southwest, according to its website, and should lead to average monthly savings of $18.27 and $9.54 for Northern Nevadans and Southern Nevadans, respectively.

–Katie Ann McCarver

MONEY FOR GRASS REMOVAL

The Southern Nevada Water Authority’s Water Smart Landscapes Rebate for residential properties has been temporarily increased from $3 to $5 per square foot of grass upgraded to water-efficient landscaping. That does not apply for businesses, HOAs and multifamily properties.

A’S SHOW OFF ‘SPHERICAL ARMADILLO’ STADIUM DESIGN

The Oakland A’s proposed $1.5 billion stadium on the Strip will feature a 33,000-seat capacity and a tiered design to split upper and lower seating bowls, the team revealed this month with the long-awaited release of stadium renderings.

The so-called “spherical armadillo” shape of the building’s roof, made up of five overlapping layers, will “bring fans closer to the action than traditional ballparks,” officials said. It would feature an 18,000-square-foot jumbotron, the largest in professional baseball.

The A’s retained the Bjarke Ingels Groups to serve as design lead while HNTB will be the architect of record.

“This is truly a oneof-a-kind building,” A’s president Dave Kaval said.

“This is going to be an incredible fan experience and a building that people will want to come to from around the entire world. So, we’re really proud of the design. We’re proud of being able to put something out there that is befitting of Las Vegas. ... We just can’t wait.”

The design includes a

world-record size cable-net glass window to enclose the space behind the outfield facing north. Designers say that will mitigate direct sunlight and heat from other directions while giving spectators a view of other Strip resorts.

“On the city of spectacle, the A’s ‘armadillo’ is designed for passive shading and natural light— the architectural response to the Nevada climate generating a new kind of vernacular icon in Vegas,” Bjarke Ingels, founder and director of his namesake company, said.

Some on social media were quick to point out the proposed stadium’s resemblance to the Sydney Opera House in Australia— but Kaval said the ballpark’s design was unique, with the five tiered roofs inspired by pennants.

The ballpark will occupy 9 acres of the 35-acre parcel at Las Vegas Boulevard and Tropicana Avenue.

Team officials said the development would support up to 2,500 on-site parking spots, though the overall parking plan will be determined by the partnership with GLPI and Bally’s.

–Casey Harrison

TOURISM

SELF-SCREENING SYSTEM UNVEILED AT LAS VEGAS AIRPORT

Some travelers at Harry Reid International Airport will soon have a unique option for going through security.

The Transportation Security Administration unveiled a self-service screening system that will allow passengers to go through the motions of security at their own pace, following step-by-step instructions on a video monitor with assistance from officers as needed, said Lorie Dankers, a spokesperson for TSA.

“It’s a prototype,” she said of the new technology, which will only be available to passengers with TSA PreCheck. “It’s the only one like it in the country. And it’s a system that … puts the passenger in charge of their screening experience.”

–Katie Ann McCarver

An official jumps to get out of the way of a pass by Vegas Golden Knights center Paul Cotter (43) during the first period of a 3-1 loss March 7 against the Vancouver Canucks at T-Mobile Arena. Vegas plays its next home game at 12:30 p.m. March 17 against New Jersey. (Steve Marcus/Staff)

HOT SHOT

(Image courtesy of Negativ)

TIKTOK BAN? According to Forbes, 39 states already ban TikTok on state-issued devices over national security and privacy concerns. Congress is considering legislation that would ban the app on all electronic devices nationwide unless Beijing-based parent company ByteDance sells TikTok.

The west rim is heart-pounding, soul-searching, bucketlist-checking adrenaline rushes you’ve never felt or seen before, including one of the largest glass cantilever bridges in the world that will have you stepping 4,000 feet out over the Grand Canyon floor. Skywalk is just one of the ways you can jolt your senses and

Grand Canyon West.

THE STRIP

WELCOME TO THE CULTURE CLUB

Voltaire’s

glam-fi lled Belle de Nuit is the pinnacle of Strip cabarets

BY AMBER SAMPSON

Beneath the spotlights and glittering mirror balls of Voltaire, a madam clothed in mink makes her entrance. She courts the attention of a gazing group of men in the front row, entertains the irtatious winks of a couple to her left and proceeds to ascend her throne—a catwalk— as a heavy house track pumps out the words “Studio 54 baptized me.” Onstage, she sheds the mink and it pools around her ankles like fresh snow as dancers in skin-tight bodysuits surround her, a winsome deity of disco, worthy of their worship.

That, in a nutshell, is Belle de Nuit at Voltaire, a ashy new production running on nights when Kylie Minogue and Christina Aguilera aren’t headlining the Venetian venue. (And Jason Derulo is coming in May.)

Simply calling it a cabaret wouldn’t do it justice. A disco burlesque? Maybe. A glori ed fashion party? Sure. A triumph of stagecraft, choreography and gravity-defying acrobatics with slightly hedonistic undertones? You bet.

Derek McLane, the Tony Award-winning designer who worked on Broadway’s Moulin Rouge, helped design Voltaire’s fabulous art-deco theater space, infusing it with the swanky, sexy atmosphere of a ’70s nightclub. Bathed in violet and funky fuchsia hues, the room is one hell of a set piece and a playground for the talent of Belle de Nuit.

This sprawling epic rarely leaves the catwalk, giving viewers a front-row seat to some seriously wild numbers that trickle out over an hour and a half. In one instance, two muscular acrobats strip down to

their skivvies, using their concrete bodies to balance each other in a test of sheer strength, concentration and will. From the sidelines, you can see every mighty muscle and every trembling tendon, and the appreciation for what they’re able to do grows.

Music and fashion also intersect in such a cinematic way. Segments are sexily scored with a good amount of bass in mind to truly re ect that fashion-week feel. Bejeweled bodysuits, snug-tight leather, elaborate headpieces—it’s almost like raiding Grace Jones’ closet.

The Stooges’ “I Wanna Be Your Dog” soundtracked one of the evening’s most playful numbers as a woman swathed in pink furs paraded around her two leashed poodle boys. Kneeling and exceptionally naughty, these “pets” had no problem thrusting their muzzles where they shouldn’t, or air-humping each other. A sharp click of her heels and the misbehaving pooches returned to perform an intense aerial rope stunt that left a few audience members speechless.

One of the evening’s best performances pushed that sexually charged envelope a bit further as a tattooed pin-up girl lmed herself on a mattress onstage. It was cinematic voyeurism at its nest, but in a cheeky twist, she moved the show out onto the catwalk, turning the camera around on the audience to see how they liked it.

A unique new addition the Strip scene, Belle de Nuit is a sort of homage to Studio 54 and that bygone era of nightclub revelry—and we’d gladly ght to get back on this guest list.

BELLE DE NUIT

Wednesday -Thursday, 9:15 p.m., Sunday 8:15 p.m., $75. Voltaire, voltairelv. com

ATTENTION: Jovive Health will be permanently closing.

Jovive Health located at 105 N Pecos Road, Suite 111 will be permanently closing.

Urgent and primary care services will end on April 30, 2024.

For information on obtaining health records, please scan the QR code or call 702-263-4555.

(Courtesy)

MUSIC

K.E.W.K.

Get to know the emerging queer-fronted band that’s claiming its space in the Vegas music community

BY AMBER SAMPSON

BACKSTORY: Vegas vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Spencer Hinton, who moonlights as a guitarist for local alt-rock quintet Elevated Undergrounds, almost quit music before forming K.E.W.K. (Kill ‘Em With Kindness) in 2019. Creatively exhausted from the grind of being a cover band musician, Hinton seized the opportunity to unleash the influences of Incubus, The Mars Volta, System of a Down, Paramore and more into a new project that’s since added Elephante King’s Fez Reyes on guitar, Elevated Undergrounds’ Joe Kennedy on drums and Thomas Stoner on bass. SOUND: Hinton’s previous projects placed their emphasis on pop-punk, but “K.E.W.K. definitely has more of the quintessential rock and roll spirit to it.” The band flirts with being groovy at times, heavy even, “but also sometimes it’s glassy and melodic and sexy,” Hinton adds. Most of all, it’s queer-friendly, as evidenced by the swayful, bass-driven cut “Compulsory Heterosexuality.” “It’s an anthemic song for queers, like a love song to themselves and coming out of that cycle of ‘I’m gonna go to this format of relationship because it’s what’s expected of me or what I’m used to,’” explains Hinton. “It’s breaking out of that and having a reclamation of your power.” TAKING UP SPACE: Owning one’s identity is hard enough without being a racially mixed queer musician, but Hinton hat tips Black and Asian artists like H.E.R. for acting as a worthy example. “I am trying to be open about my queerness, because as a femme in music, oftentimes, you’re expected to look a certain way, and be sexy in a really feminine way,” Hinton says. “I just want to take up space for who I am, and for other people who are like me, because I know that has been a source of discouragement for me.” NEXT UP: With K.E.W.K.’s first single now behind them, Hinton says they’re working on new material and already have plenty for a record. Ultimately, the singer would love to see their music journey take them around the world. “I want it to be about the music first. And if the money comes? Then f*ck yeah.”

(Steve Marcus/Staff)

FAVORITE THINGS

Community-focused Arts District book shop

The Analog Dope Store speaks with many voices

BY GABRIELA RODRIGUEZ

Finding feel-good businesses to support in Las Vegas’ ever-growing retail landscape can feel like digging for a needle in a haystack. Embracing the spirit of local innovation in the Arts District, the Analog Dope Store stands out as a sanctuary for those seeking authentic cultural connection and meaningful media.

Founded by couple Rachelle and Charlie Luster, the shop transcends its role as a mere commercial entity and embodies its mission of advocating for black voices, the POC community and LGBTQ groups.

“I’ve always been in love with bookstores,” says Rachelle. “To actually have one materialize, one that we created and we curated, and have people walk in and cry and have an emotional response to the space is just amazing.”

Nestled on the corner lot of Casino Center Boulevard and Colorado Avenue, this small but mighty shop is painted bright red and sits on a layer of faux grass. Its shelves of hardback and paperback books neatly line the walls, with the owners’ picks facing forward. There’s even a dedicated section for children’s

THE ANALOG DOPE STORE

205 E. Colorado Ave., 702-483-1567, analogdope.com. Thursday-Saturday, 11 a.m.5 p.m.; Sunday, noon4 p.m.; Monday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

books, thoughtfully placed at a lower level for little ones to discover themselves. Here you’re guaranteed to find books like Life Doesn’t Frighten Me by Maya Angelou, Power to the People: The World of the Black Panthers by Bobby Seale and Stephen Shames, All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson and All About Love: New Visions by bell hooks.

Near the door is a selection of vinyl records and a chalkboard inviting you to “Dig Here.” According to Charlie, they’ll always have certain records on hand

for music lovers. John Coltrane, Ella Fitzgerald and any Michael Jackson album are must-haves for their customers.

The essence of Analog Dope goes beyond its personally curated shelves; it reverberates with a profound sense of community. With their open and communicative personalities, the Lusters infuse the space with warmth and belonging.

“One of our goals is to make reading books exciting and accessible to the community,” says Rachelle. “Even for people who don’t normally frequent book-

stores ... we’d like them to have this experience and say, ‘Hey, maybe I could be a reader.’”

Since opening in May 2022, the heartbeat of the bookstore pulses with events like Roses, a Black History Month celebration that features panel discussions with entrepreneurs and business owners, children’s book readings, drumming and dancing. The yearly gathering embodies the owners’ commitment to fostering cultural ties.

And events like these have been met with a growing local response. During the most recent

Roses they hosted more than 100 attendees throughout the day, making it their most successful event to date.

Their efforts are continuous throughout the year, frequently hosting author readings, signings, a book club, and paint and sip collabs with the local illustration business Melanin Girl Culture.

Word of mouth has been instrumental in Analog Dope’s growth, with locals and tourists rallying around its vision. Now, the owners are met with navigating the challenges of meeting de-

mands for events like Roses and maintaining day-to-day operations. But despite these challenges, the store remains steadfast in catering to its supporters. And the Lusters continue to intertwine their passion for the arts with their love of physical media and their belief in the power of inclusivity.

“I feel like we’re really making an impact in a way I never imagined I could,” says Charlie. “People come in here and they’re so excited, and fall in love with the space because it resonates with that nostalgic feel.”

From left: Analog Dope Store owners Rachelle and Charlie Luster stand with their wares. (Steve Marcus/Staff)

Step through the gleaming moongate entryway to discover an exquisite Chinese finedining experience. Indulge in authentic Cantonese cuisine as our illustrious Executive Chef Billy Cheng captures the essence of Southern China featuring fresh seafood and masterfully crafted dishes. Exceptional dining awaits you at Genting Palace.

AUTHENTIC CANTONESE CUISINE.

SCAN TO BOOK YOUR RESERVATION NOW

BY ROB KACHELRIESS

Michael Mina has five restaurants on the Las Vegas Strip (with a sixth on the way), but his latest opening is the chef’s most personal project yet. Orla is a different kind of Mediterranean restaurant, drawing heavily from Mina’s Egyptian heritage to repackage familiar food with robust, Middle Eastern flavors. The experiment is a huge success, giving the Strip a compelling culinary destination with an identity all its own.

Orla takes over the space formerly home to Fleur at Mandalay Bay. The open layout, tile decor and tall ceilings serve the atmosphere well with street lights and trees reflecting the feel of an outdoor promenade in Cairo. A curved bar operates on the perimeter, overseeing the activity of the dining room while serving up craft cocktails and a wine selection that’s heavy on European labels.

The kabob skewers are hard to resist, but seafood is the star of the menu with the influence of Egypt’s northern coast front and center. A fresh catch arrives daily with fish cooked lightly over apricot wood. Top entrees include salt-baked sea bream ($61) and snapper presented on a bed of potatoes with onion and fennel ($64).

A hearty fish fry ($56) taps into the street food culture of coastal Alexandria, along with a charcoal-grilled octopus appetizer ($26), based on a breakfast recipe with a poached egg and ful medames (dried fava beans that resemble Mexican refried beans).

The presence of Greek cuisine in Egypt dates back to the arrival of Alexander the Great more than 2,000 years ago, but there are subtle differences. The falafel at Orla, for example, is made with fava beans instead of chickpeas, based on a recipe by Mina’s mother.

Much like pineapples in Hawaii, mangoes are vibrant and plentiful in Egypt with more than two dozen varieties available. Mina features the fruit in a chilled lobster salad ($36) and kataifi-wrapped prawn appetizer ($28) with the string-like pastry adding welcome texture to the dish.

Another meze item, the Orla Salad ($19), appears to be a spin on a classic Waldorf, but simply utilizes ingredients common in Egypt like grapes, walnuts and celery, adding up to a crisp and clean combination that cleanses the palate for more vigorous flavors to come.

While Greek food is synonymous with olive oil, lemon, parsley and capers, Egyptian cuisine heavily features deep, earthy spices like cumin, coriander, saffron and turmeric. Each meal begins with a tableside bread service, accompanied by an aromatic box of spices that set the tone for an indulgent, but well-balanced meal.

Dessert highlights include an elaborate tableside frozen yogurt presentation (topped with honey, pistachio and seasonal fruit) and the sweet crunch of a banana wrapped in kataifi with macadamia nuts, cherries and a scoop of carob cocoa nib ice cream. Either option pairs well with a choice of Greek brandy.

Orla dramatically expands Michael Mina’s presence in Mandalay Bay, which also includes the chef’s recently renovated Stripsteak. Up next: the Las Vegas debut of Bourbon Steak in the adjacent Four Seasons with the three restaurants giving Mina an undeniable culinary sphere of influence in the south end of the Strip.

A

TOUR

THROUGH THE DISHES WE LOVE AT FLAVORFUL FIND AZZURRA

Tucked away on the south end of Water Street, the cozy Azzurra boasts a charming interior and a staff that takes its time getting to know patrons, offering a curated experience. But the food is what keeps everyone coming back for another taste at this local gem that opened in early 2023. The burrata salad ($16) is a simple delight, brightly colored heirloom tomatoes sliced and topped with a mix of arugula, basil, a ball of fresh burrata and drizzled with seasoned EVOO. For hot appetizers, Spanish octopus ($20) is charred to perfection on a bed of cannellini beans and dressed with olive oil and lemon juice, while Chef Alessandra’s Meatballs ($16) are a delectable mixture of veal, beef, and pork sitting on a layer of basil

ricotta and topped with a hearty marinara.

Capellini scampi ($26) is a lighter dish with angel hair noodles and succulent shrimp tossed in garlic, white wine and lemon. Chicken parm is a classic worth revisiting, breaded and topped with Parmesan and melted mozzarella and served with a side of spaghetti marinara ($28). On our last visit we were lucky to try the special of the day, filet mignon wrapped in crispy pancetta with a mound of Parmesan risotto topped with mushrooms and port wine sauce.

When all is said and done, and you’re sitting back and trying to find someone to thank for a memorable meal, remember you can always buy a round of drinks for the kitchen ($8).

–Gabriela Rodriguez

AZZURRA CUCINA ITALIANA 322 S. Water St., 702-268-7867, azzurracucina. com. Monday-Saturday, 4-10 p.m.

Michael Mina (Courtesy)

Azzurra’s Spanish octopus (Courtesy)

BIG-TIME BALLIN’

The best in Las Vegas’ annual barrage of college basketball tournaments

BY CASE KEEFER

Las Vegas takes its annual place as the center of the college basketball world during conference tournament week from March 13 through March 16. Four conferences will hold their championship events in town during that span, with the Pac-12 at T-Mobile Arena, the Mountain West at the Thomas & Mack Center, the Big West at the Dollar Loan Center and the WAC at Orleans Arena. With the Pac-12 all but dissolving next season—Washington State and Oregon State are the only two teams left in the league—this could be the final year that the local schedule is so crowded.

If that’s the case, at least Las Vegas is set up to make the most of it. The final four tournaments scheduled here this year—the West Coast Conference wrapped up at the Orleans Arena on March 12— are particularly intriguing and packed with teams potentially poised to make noise in the NCAA Tournament. Here’s what to watch.

Arizona looming large

The Pac-12 is at risk of going away quietly if it keeps at its current pace. Since the conference expanded into its current form 14 years ago, it’s been far and away the weakest of the five power conferences in men’s basketball and produced only two Final Four berths with no national championship game appearances.

Arizona could change all that this year with a parting gift before leaving for the Big 12. The Wildcats have been one of the best teams in the nation all year and sit as an odds-on favorite to win their third straight Pac-12 tournament at T-Mobile Arena.

They go into conference tournament week as the Pac12’s undisputed regular-season champion and sit neck-andneck with SEC counterpart Tennessee for the NCAA Tournament’s final No. 1 seed next to Purdue, Houston and Connecticut.

Arizona has sat atop national offensive rankings all year with a feared inside-out combination of center Oumar Ballo and guard Caleb Love.

It hasn’t lost a game in the Pac-12 Tournament since 2019 (a first-round defeat to USC) though notably stayed home from the festivities in 2021 as a self-imposed sanction during an investigation into the program. Opponents might find it tougher than ever to knock off the Wildcats this year.

Pac-12 men’s tournament: March 13-16 at T-Mobile Arena, tickets starting at $102 at ticketmaster.com.

Home cookin’

The same school hasn’t claimed both the men’s and women’s Mountain West tournament titles in the same season since 2010 when San Diego State pulled off the feat.

But it’s a threat to happen this year, largely because of UNLV’s emergence in both sports. The Lady Rebels are heavy favorites to win their third straight Mountain West tournament championship after cruising in the regular season with a 17-1 conference record. Behind star center Desi-Rae Young and ballyhooed coach Lindy La Rocque, they’re considered a shoo-in to make the NCAA Tournament even if they fall in the conference tournament.

The UNLV men will need to prevail in the bracket, on the other hand, but that’s beginning to look increasingly plausible. The Scarlet and Gray were the hottest team in the conference to finish the season with a 10-2 record in the final five weeks.

The only two losses were to archrival UNR, with UNLV’s star freshman point guard (and Liberty High product) D.J. Thomas Jr. otherwise flummoxing the conference. UNLV climbed up to the Mountain West’s No. 4 seed and opens the tournament against defending champion/national runner-up No. 5 seed San Diego State at 2:30 p.m. March 14.

Mountain West tournaments: March 10-16 at the Thomas & Mack Center, tickets starting at $45 at ticketmaster.com.

SPORTS

Cinderella candidates

A pair of potential NCAA Tournament giant killers headline the Big West and WAC competitions. Big West regular-season champion UC Irvine and WAC regular-season champion Grand Canyon both project to be No. 12 seeds in the Big Dance and are more than capable of knocking off major-conference foes.

The hardest part might come in getting there, as both the Anteaters and Antelopes will need to win a pair of games here to secure their places in the NCAA Tournament’s field of 68. Both conferences have gone to lengths to assist their best teams, as the top two seeds receive double byes in the tournament.

UC Irvine and Grand Canyon therefore don’t have to play until March 15 against to-be-determined opponents that will have played at least one, if not two prior tournament games.

Both teams eerily mirror each other with defense-first statistical profiles and only three losses apiece in regular-season conference play, all on the road.

Big West men’s tournament: March 13-16 at the Dollar Loan Center, tickets starting at $19 at axs.com. WAC men’s tournament: March 13-16 at Orleans Arena, tickets starting at $12 at ticketmaster.com.

UNLV Lady Rebels center Desi-Rae Young (23) puts up a shot against Wyoming during last year’s Mountain West tournament championship at the Thomas & Mack Center. (Steve Marcus/Staff)

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HOMEGROWN HALL OF FAMER HAS SEEN, PLAYED A HAND IN GAMING’S EVOLUTION

BY KATIE ANN MCCARVER VEGAS INC STAFF

Tom Mikulich began working in the Las Vegas hospitality industry as a teenager as a desk clerk at his grandparents’ hotel on Fremont Street, the Ambassador.

In the decades since, he’s climbed up the industry ladder—working as an executive at the Mirage, Treasure Island and MGM Resorts International, among other roles—and is currently senior vice president of innovation for Station Casinos, where he’s overseen gaming innovation and slots for the company for about seven years.

“I grew up here in Las Vegas,” Mikulich said. “And so, really, I’ve seen the gaming industry proliferate all through the United States. Gaming was only in Nevada for many, many years, and then New Jersey, and then it was Mississippi— all the riverboat gaming—and then it just proliferated everywhere to almost every state … So, gaming has become a massive, massive industry.”

Last month, Mikulich was recognized for his tenure in the gaming industry with an induction into the EKG Slot Awards Hall of Fame, a 6-year-old institution created by Eilers & Krejcik Gaming, a market research and consulting firm.

The accomplishments of Mikulich and his fellow inductee—International Game Technology (IGT) founder William “Si” Redd, who was honored posthumously— were celebrated during an induction ceremony at the Cosmopolitan on the Strip.

Mikulich said he found all the attention a little overwhelming, adding that he’s not normally one to show up for industry events but is grateful his family urged him to do this one.

“It was kind of a walk down memory lane,” he told Vegas Inc. “You never stop learning. And I think the thing that I learned is that, ‘Hey, you’ve gotta go to these industry events and renew some old friendships … people that I’ve worked with over the years.’ And so, it was extremely emotional for me, actually.”

Todd Eilers, principal at Eilers & Krejcik Gaming, said the firm began its EKG Slot Awards Show, which inducts two industry standouts annually, to fill a void in the market and provide an award focused on games and slot games.

The goal was to “make it like the Oscars of the gaming industry,” Eilers said. The event also recognizes excellence in slot games while giving industry executives an opportunity to get together to network and celebrate.

“And as part of that, we adopt two members into the Hall of Fame each year,” he said. “And one of those is under the game-development category, and the other is under the slot-operations category. So, Tom was inducted under the slot-operations category.”

It’s important in any industry to recognize those who have made a substantial contribution to improving that industry, Eilers said, whether through innovating new ideas, developing more leaders, or just growing your organization overall.

Mikulich didn’t get where he is by himself, he emphasized. He’s had the opportunity to work with a lot of smart people, he said, including leaders in gaming who helped lay the industry’s foundation.

“I was extremely lucky with the people that I’ve worked with, and a lot of them now are leading the industry … across the United States,” he said. “So, I’m really proud of the people that I’ve worked with and that’s how I got here. It wasn’t my doing—it was just working with all of them.”

Tom Mikulich, senior vice president of innovation at Station Casinos. (Courtesy)

PHOTOGRAPHY BY WADE VANDERVORT

BY DR. TRACY WAKEFIELD

This month, leaders from all sectors of the health industry will convene in Las Vegas for a conference called “Rethinking the Healthcare Landscape.” This is an opportune time to have this conversation, as different communities and populations across the country—especially seniors—continue to face challenges from a fragmented health care system. While health care in America has evolved over the years, with many different approaches tried and tested, there is one such approach that deserves to be part of the solution: value-based care. As we’ve seen at CenterWell Senior Primary Care— part of Humana—this comprehensive, patient-focused approach has allowed us to reimagine the health care landscape and produce optimal results for seniors.

It’s no secret that America’s fragmented health care system can be difficult to navigate. Making informed decisions and receiving effective care can be especially complicated for older adults, given their unique health challenges. For example, almost 80% of seniors have two or more chronic conditions, and seniors typically see seven different physicians in four different practices each year.

In addition to these complexities, seniors in Nevada face their own set of challenges. Recent research highlighted by the Nevada Division

GUEST COLUMN

Value-based care works for seniors and should be considered more broadly across the health care landscape

of Public and Behavioral Health found that Nevada ranked 42nd in the nation on “a variety of health indicators.”

Specifically, this report calls out access to care as “a major problem” in Nevada, primarily due to the lack of physicians. The report states that Nevada ranks 45th in America for active physicians per 100,000 residents, and 49th for primary care physicians. Research from Alignment Health also showed concerning results: reported food insecurity rates among seniors in Nevada ranked the highest in the country, with 1 in 9 saying it is their top obstacle to health and wellness. This is in stark comparison to 1 in 100 seniors nationally.

In this environment, it is important that industry leaders take a fresh look at the health care landscape to understand the challenges seniors face. That’s where the value-based care model comes in.

Value-based care is an innovative approach to care delivery that helps prioritize quality over quantity. Rather than being paid for the quantity of services provided, providers are

compensated for the quality of care administered. This incentivizes doctors to spend more time with their patients and focus on meeting their unique needs.

We employ this model through our CenterWell Senior Primary Care centers. At these clinics, we specialize in providing care to seniors, whenever they need it. Recently, prospective patients Debra and Thomas were touring a Las Vegas clinic when Debra started to feel ill. The CenterWell team got her a same-day appointment with a physician. In value-based care models, the quality of care comes before all else, which allows patients to receive the comprehensive care they deserve.

CenterWell also puts an emphasis on having doctors, nurses, specialists, social workers and behavioral health professionals work together on care teams for each patient. For example, at our Henderson location, our team recently collaborated with resource coordinators to help an unhoused person find an apartment and a job. Additionally, this team worked to ensure that he always left his appointments with food.

It is through this coordinated approach that we ensure patients receive the right care at the right time while addressing all issues that seniors may experience.

While this may sound ambitious, it’s effective: We find the value-based care model leads to better outcomes, plain and simple. Compared with other seniors, our patients spend 50% more time with their primary care physicians. In addition, experience better outcomes, with 30% fewer avoidable hospital admissions and more than a 20% reduction in emergency department visits.

Operating 17 clinics in the Las Vegas area allows us to address the specific needs of seniors in this area. When opening these centers, we keep in mind the issues that most affect the local community. Specifically, CenterWell prioritizes opening centers in areas with limited or no primary care. Our physicians take into account socioeconomic factors that can influence health, like access to nutritious food, transportation or living conditions. Our primary care centers also take on a dual function: as traditional care facilities and as wellness centers where patients and other community members can socialize, exercise, take classes and more.

As health care leaders gather in the coming weeks to rethink the health space, we must focus on initiatives that provide better outcomes for seniors, and value-based care should be among the solutions considered. This will allow us to continue to prioritize seniors—in Nevada and nationally—to ensure that they receive the care they need to live each day healthier than the last.

Dr. Tracy Wakefield is market chief medical officer for CenterWell Senior Primary Care in Nevada.

Value-based care is an innovative approach to care delivery that helps prioritize quality over quantity. Rather than being paid for the quantity of services provided, providers are compensated for the quality of care administered. This incentivizes doctors to spend more time with their patients and focus on meeting their unique needs.

VEGAS INC NOTES

Highlights of the best in business

Heaven Can Wait Animal Society, which provides accessible veterinary care for pets and their families, welcomed lifelong animal advocate Rachel Bergren as its executive director. She is responsible for overseeing operations, development, strategic plan implementation and the achievement of the charity’s vision, mission and financial objectives. Bergren previously held the role of executive director for Get Outdoors Nevada.

Treasure Island Las Vegas has opened The Cove Bar & Arcade. Located on the casino level across from the Mystère Theater, The Cove offers an array of arcade games and activities, such as air hockey, shuffleboard, a six-lane bowling alley and a golf simulator, among others

The Nevada Department of Employment, Training & Rehabilitation welcomed John Parel and Patricia Allander as the new Employment Security

Division deputy administrators. Parel will serve as the deputy administrator for workforce. He will plan, organize, coordinate and oversee the management of the state’s workforce and training programs. He has been with DETR since 2006 and has served in a variety of supervisory and manager roles. Allander will serve as the ESD deputy administrator for unemployment insurance. She oversees the strategic management and implementation of the state’s unemployment insurance programs. Allander worked in Unemployment Insurance at DETR from 2009-2022, most recently as the program chief of Unemployment Insurance Support Services (UISS).

Southern Hills Hospital and Medical Center received certification from DNV as a comprehensive stroke center, reflecting the highest level of competence for treating severe stroke events. It is the third hospital in Southern Nevada to

achieve the designation.

Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck announced that Greg Brower will be rejoining the firm as a shareholder in the litigation department. He has more than 30 years of experience both as a first-chair litigator and senior government official, and most recently served as chief global compliance officer at Wynn Resorts.

Warmington Apartment Communities, in partnership with American Nevada Company, is formally launching Sync Apartment Homes at 7089 N. Aliante Parkway in North Las Vegas. The two- and three-story buildings feature residences ranging from 815 to 1,338 square feet, attached garages and a garden-style walkup. The Warmington group of companies has been developing apartments in Las Vegas since 1996. Its Nevada portfolio in the Las Vegas area includes 12 properties with 2,734 units.

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