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ON THE COVER
FRIDAY, JUNE 16
Read Vegas Seven right-side up and then flip it over and start again with Seven Nights, featuring after-dark entertainment and the week’s nightlife happenings.
THE NEW PALMS Photography ANTHONY MAIR Pictured JESSE AND CY WAITS
SATURDAY, JUNE 17
SEVEN NIGHTS Pictured ELECTRIC DAISY CARNIVAL 2016
Mandalay Bay Ticket Office 702.632.7580 mandalaybay.com 800.745.3000 ticketmaster.com
TABLE OF CONTENTS
JUNE 15–21, 2017 SPACES & PLACES
TO DO
11 24/7
What to do around the clock. BY JASON R. LATHAM
12 The Deal
Mini tourney at The Orleans.
35 Another Sky
Artist Anne Patterson debuts in Las Vegas at The Palazzo. BY DIANA EDELMAN
BY ANTHONY CURTIS
14 The Revolution
CONVERSATIONS
BY GINGER BRUNER
38 Nothing to Prove
Prince’s band reunites.
Light Heavyweight champ Andre Ward is ready to silence all doubters in Ward vs. Kovalev 2.
FEATURE
16 The Grand
Social Experiment
Jesse and Cy Waits join the Station Casinos team to bring a new vibe to the company’s social spaces. BY DAVID MORRIS
BY JASON R. LATHAM
39 Ask a Native
The Native’s spots for accessing Wi-Fi over a drink. BY JAMES P. REZA
40 Lucky No. 7
Our favorite casino bars. BY WENDOH STAFF
TASTE
23 Hungry Like the Wolf
Sparrow + Wolf’s beef cheek and bone marrow dumplings.
SEVEN NIGHTS
What To Do After Dark
BY GENEVIE DURANO
Concerts, nightclubs, food and experiences.
24 Mother’s Love
BY JASON R. LATHAM
Wolfgang Puck’s artisanal breads rise to the occasion. BY MARISA FINETTI
26 Viva Las Vegans
Unicorn cakes, coffee, and a soda pop and popcorn drive-up. BY DIANA EDELMAN PLUS: Bread
for the People
[Laugh Now]
Las Vegas native Jillian Bell on starring in summer comedy Rough Night. BY CAMILLE CANNON
[Hear Now]
Who to see at Electric Daisy Carnival based on the artists you already know. BY AMY ADLER, ZACK KELLEY
SOCIAL INFLUENCE
30 Not Just What, But How
[How To]
Lessons from Wynn Master Class Series.
Tedium, silliness and horse trading are the legislative norm. But they don’t have to be.
BY JASON R. LATHAM, CAMILLE CANNON
BY MICHAEL GREEN
PLUS: Hakkasan Group DJs dish on past EDC Week experiences.
31 A More Walkable Downtown
The improving area gets another boost. BY MICHAEL LYLE
Chris “Sarge” Curtis, founder of Downtown Rangers. Read more on page 31.
OUR SITES TO SEE
VegasSeven.com Super Summer Theatre’s The Wedding Singer The ensemble cast made the movie memorable, and this musical lets you see more of it.
DTLV.com Inside the Mind of a Bicycle Thief A one-on-one interview with an experienced bike booster.
RunRebs.com UNLV’s Mountain West Schedule The tournament’s unbalanced schedule might give the Rebels some trouble down the road.
SpyOnVegas.com The Hookup Find upcoming events, see highlights from the hottest parties, meet the DJs and more.
32 Las Vegas as a Startup
What went wrong and where do we go from here? BY MISTI YANG
June 15–21, 2017 vegasseven.com
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Photography KRYSTAL RAMIREZ “Another Sky” by Anne Patterson, inside The Palazzo. Read more on page 35.
Ryan T. Doherty | Justin Weniger President Michael Skenandore Chief Financial Officer Sim Salzman Vice President, Marketing and Events Keith White Creative Director Sherwin Yumul Technical Director Herbert Akinyele Controller Jane Weigel
Letters and Story Ideas Comments@VegasSeven.com Advertising Sales@VegasSeven.com Distribution Distribution@VegasSeven.com
VEGAS SEVEN 701 Bridger Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89101 702-798-7000 Vegas Seven is distributed each Thursday throughout Southern Nevada. © 2017 Vegas Seven, LLC. Reproduction in whole or in part without the permission of Vegas Seven, LLC is prohibited.
Publisher
Michael Skenandore Editorial EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Melinda Sheckells MANAGING EDITOR, DINING EDITOR
Genevie Durano SENIOR EDITOR, LIFESTYLE
Jessi C. Acuña ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
Mark Adams EDITOR AT LARGE
Lissa Townsend Rodgers EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Shannon Miller EDITORIAL INTERNS
Michaela Chesin, Katie Michaels, Ryan Vellinga, Charlotte Wall, Kiona Wilson Senior Contributing Editor Xania V. Woodman (Beverage) Contributing Editors Michael Green (Politics), David G. Schwartz (Gaming/Hospitality) Art CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Benjamin Ward SENIOR DESIGNER
Cierra Pedro STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Krystal Ramirez Online DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL CONTENT
Zoneil Maharaj WEB EDITORS
Amber Sampson, Jessie O’Brien CONTRIBUTING WRITER, RUNREBS.COM
Tyler Bischoff Production/Distribution DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION/DISTRIBUTION
Marc Barrington ADVERTISING MANAGER
Jimmy Bearse Sales BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
Christy Corda DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL SALES
Nicole Niazmand ACCOUNT MANAGERS
Brittany Quintana, Mimi Tran ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Robyn Weiss DIRECTOR OF SALES, BILLBOARD DIVISION
John Tobin
AMPLIFY
YOUR SUMMER!
200 S. 3rd Street Las Vegas, NV 89101 800.745.3000 Get your tickets now at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center Box Office or ticketmaster.com.Â
TO DO
Wet ’n’ Wild’s Paradise Falls children’s area
What to do around the clock in Las Vegas By Jason R. Latham
THURSDAY 15
Take the little ones to Wet ’n’ Wild for the kickoff of the Children’s Storytime summer series in the park’s Paradise Falls children’s area. The weekly event (running through August 10) will feature special guest readers from the community. 11:30 a.m., $10–$40 general admission (children 2 and under free), 7055 S. Fort Apache Rd., wetnwildlasvegas.com Stratosphere Casino, Hotel & Tower is hosting the 18-and-over Basscon Pool Party ahead of Electric Daisy Carnival weekend. Audiofreq, B2B, Code Black, Da Tweekaz, DJ Isaac, Gammer, TNT and Wasted Penguins are set to perform. Noon, $35–$40, stratospherehotel.com Enjoy an evening of drinks and literary discussion Downtown during The Bourbon Book Club at The Writer’s Block. Attendees will discuss The North Water by Ian McGuire while sipping bourbon provided by The Whiskey Attic. Heads up: You can’t just go for the drinks—you need to read the book ahead of time. 6 p.m., free, 1020 E. Fremont St., thewritersblock.org FRIDAY 16
Siblings and Dancing With the Stars vets Julianne and Derek Hough bring their celebrated Move Beyond tour to The Smith Center. So if you like to watch
attractive people dancing but don’t want to stand against a wall feeling embarrassed, this is the place to be. 7:30 p.m., $40–$125, thesmithcenter.com If you can crush all opponents in FIFA 17, you should be at Downtown Grand’s esports venue for its FIFA 2017 Premiere Grand Cup 4 tournament. There’s a $500 prize on the line, with drink specials and free parking validation for all players and fans. Registration is $15. 6 p.m., downtowngrand.com Henderson’s Cowabunga Bay water park puts on a fireworks show as part of its Spectacular Slide Nights Celebration, with discounted general admission ($28) after 4 p.m. Opens 11 a.m. (fireworks at 10 p.m.), $12–$40 general admission (children 2 and under free), 900 Galleria Dr., cowabungabayvegas.com SATURDAY 17
Stuff yourself on the new brunch items at Tacos & Tequila inside Luxor Hotel and Casino. The restaurant just added the Do’nitas: shredded carnitas served atop glazed doughnuts and a red pepper and habanero cream cheese, topped with beer-battered onions and a maple glaze. There’s also a new Michelada cocktail: Clamato, lime juice, Tabasco, salt, crushed black pepper and Tajin seasoning mixed with beer and served in a salted rim glass. Ridiculous. 11 a.m.–3 p.m., tacosandtequilalv.com
If you ate too much and nearly split your pants, you can burn off some calories next door at Mandalay Bay’s House of Blues Restaurant & Bar. It’s Swingin’ Jitterbug Saturday, so get out there and pretend you’re in that movie Swing Kids, except without all the depressing parts. Plus: It’s $20 all-you-can-drink! Noon–3 p.m., houseofblues.com/lasvegas Jerry Seinfeld could have disappeared with his
zillions of dollars after Seinfeld ended. Instead, he kept getting funnier with his Curb Your Enthusiasm appearances, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee show and his stand-up acts. See him at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace. 7:30 p.m., $83–$165, caesars.com
Enjoy a night of live gypsy jazz music at the sixth annual DjangoVegas Festival in Downtown’s Historic Fifth Street School, featuring performances by the Hot Club of Las Vegas, the Biel Ballester Trio and the Django Festival All-Stars. Pre-concert cocktails at 5 p.m., concert at 6 p.m., $20, 401 S. Fourth St., facebook.com/djangovegas Get out of town for a bit and see what’s on display at the International Gift and Craft Show inside Tropicana Laughlin. 10 a.m., 2121 S. Casino Dr., Laughlin, troplaughlin.com
June 15–21, 2017 vegasseven.com
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24/7
TO DO
THE DEAL BY ANTHONY CURTIS
FREE MINI
AT THE ORLEANS
Flamingo Las Vegas is celebrating dads with its DILF (Dad I Like at the Flamingo) contest. The 21-and-up Father’s Day event features prizes and drink specials for all dads at its Go Pool. Tunes supplied by Vegas Vibe. 9 a.m., gopoolvegas.com After you finish at the pool, take your DILF to Sam’s Town Live and grab a seat for the WWE Money in the Bank™ Viewing Party. The event will be carried live from Scottrade Center in St. Louis. 3:30 p.m., $5, inside Sam’s Town Hotel and Gambling Hall, samstownlv.com Or rest during the day so you have the energy for Henderson’s 3.1-mile Glow Worm 5K Fun Run at Equestrian Park South and Trailhead. It’s a fun run, but you can run, walk, skip, crawl—whatever you want to do; running is not mandatory. The first 350 people to register get a T-shirt, glow bracelet and glow necklace. 9–11 p.m., $35–$40, 1298 Equestrian Dr., cityofhenderson.com SUNDAY 18
Treat Dad to some exercise followed by doughnuts, which pretty much negates the exercise but tastes good. XCYCLE Las Vegas is offering complimentary treats to dads after the cycling studio’s 8:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. classes. 750 S. Rampart Blvd., xcyclelv.com SLS Las Vegas is celebrating Father’s Day with specials at several of its restaurants, including a prix fixe $100 menu at Bazaar Meat by José Andrés. Call 702-761-7610 for reservations, slslasvegas.com
Michael Mina’s Pub 1842 inside MGM Grand is celebrating its 4th birthday with $5 12 oz. Pilsner Urquell on tap. 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m. Thu.–Mon., 702-891-3922 for reservations, mgmgrand.com Veteran rock band Sister Hazel plays Brooklyn Bowl with support from the Brevet. 7 p.m., $25–$30, at The Linq Promenade, brooklynbowl.com/las-vegas
You can also take the family to the Springs Preserve for the Animal Encounters demonstration at the Origen Museum, which will put you up close with desert critters. 11 a.m.–2 p.m., $5–$19, 333 S. Valley View Blvd., springspreserve.org Or if you’ve got more important matters on your mind, The Mob Museum is hosting its monthly Community Safety Forum in partnership with the Clark County Law Foundation. If that sounds a little stuffy, you should know you get free admission to the museum following the event. 2–3 p.m., RSVP at themobmuseum.org MONDAY 19
The 17th Annual Las Vegas Juneteenth Festival, a celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the United States and honoring African-American culture, will be held at Sammy Davis Jr. Festival Plaza at Lorenzi Park. Organizers suggest bringing chairs and blankets to sit on while taking in musical performances, but no pets or food. There will be food vendors at the event. 5–9 p.m., 720 Twin Lakes Dr., june19lv.com Call in sick to whatever you’ve got going on Monday night and hit up a Dive In Movies screening of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off at The Cosmopolitan’s Boulevard Pool. $5, 7 p.m., cosmopolitanlasvegas.com TUESDAY 20
“Wine” down with half-off bottles of vino (up to $75) at BRIO Tuscan Grille’s Tivoli Village and Town Square locations. 11 a.m.–11 p.m., brioitalian.com WEDNESDAY 21
Steak from Bazaar Meat by José Andrés
The Space kicks off its Art in the Space series.
Among the street artists on tap for the first event: Scott See, Amber Moriscato, Paige Burns, JD Newitt and Alexander Skyy. 7 p.m., $10, 3460 Cavaretta Ct., thespacelv.com Looking for more stuff to do in Las Vegas? Check out vegasseven.com/calendar.
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forms: majors and minis. Major tournaments are multi day events with high entry fees, often real-money buy-ins and large prize pools. Minis are single-day events with low fees and are played with non-negotiable chips for smaller prizes. One of the best minis to show up in a while is a Wednesday-night baccarat tourney at The Orleans Hotel & Casino that debuted a month or so ago. There is a $50 entry fee and a $3,000 prize pool; each player starts with $3,000 in nonnegotiable tournament chips and plays a round of 20 hands. Whoever ends up with the most chips goes to the semifinals, where the top two totals advance to a six-player final table. The winner takes down a cool $2,000, and the remainder of the pool is split among the other finalists depending on finishing position. There are a lot of favorable elements at work here. Among them, the risk is limited to the $50 entry, the prize is large enough to get excited about and it’s just plain fun to play. Plus, depending on how many players enter, you might even have what’s known as an “equity advantage” in the game: Since the $3,000 prize is guaranteed, you have a theoretical advantage anytime there are fewer than 60 entries total, since 60 is the break-even point where money paid in prizes equals the total taken in (60 players x $50 entry = $3,000). It works the other way, too, though. Since the tournament has a capacity of 108 players, you could wind up playing for only $3,000 when much more was collected—usually not a good gamble. It’s kind of complicated, but you don’t have to sweat it, because lately The Orleans has been running the tournament for free. That’s right: no entry fee at all and the same $3,000 prize pool. Now you can’t lose money, and with a full house of 108 players, your mathematical expectation (skill not considered) is a return of $27.78. As long as the tournament is free, it will fill up. That means you’ll have to get there early to nab a spot. The first round starts at 8 p.m., but registration opens at 6 p.m. and you should try to get there even earlier. If you’re 50 or older, you can parlay the tourney with the property’s “Young at Heart” promotion that also runs that day, offering a club-point multiplier and a $15 dining credit after playing $300 through a machine. Plus, The Orleans has some of the best video poker schedules in town. You may have clocked that I mentioned skill being a factor. The bad news is, tournaments are highly skill-dependent, and novices will get that $27.78 expectation cut into by the good players. The positive news is, the most important skill in a tournament is betting your money liberally. Bet big whenever you’re not in the lead and you’ll have it half-licked. 7 Anthony Curtis is the publisher of the Las Vegas Advisor and lasvegasadvisor.com.
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TO DO
YOU SAY YOU WANT A REVOLUTION
PRINCE’S BAND GETS BACK TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE HIS LEGACY
By Ginger Bruner
As one of two original members of Prince’s band The Revolution, Matt “Dr. Fink” Fink has played many parts in the musical life of Minneapolis. He played with Prince until 1991 (post-Revolution) and became a Twin Cities mainstay in the recording studio and on the stage. He’s still a hometown guy, but he has hit the road with his bandmates, including drummer Bobby Z. (the other original member), guitarist Wendy Melvoin, keyboardist Lisa Coleman and bassist Mark Brown. They will bring Prince’s music to life at Brooklyn Bowl June 21. Wear your purple and party like it’s 1999!
How did you discover Prince? I wasn’t even aware he existed until Bobby Z., our drummer, played [me] Prince’s demo tape that was used to shop him to the record labels back in, probably, 1977. Bobby’s older brother, David, had helped to record those demos at one of the best studios here in Minneapolis, which was called Sound 80 at the time. As soon as I finished listening to it, I said, “Well, this is astounding, who is the band? They’re awesome. I love it.” Bobby says, “It’s not a band, it’s a guy your age and he went into the studio and wrote and produced and performed all the instruments. All one person. Nobody else.” And I go, “And he’s 19 years old?” “Yeah.”
And how did Prince discover you? They already had the whole band together except for the keyboard slot, and as soon as I heard through the grapevine that this other guy had walked away and they had opened up auditions, I called Bobby, and [the guy who was both] Bobby and Prince’s manager, right away, said, “Please, I’m ready, get me in, I want to be a part of this.” So they granted me my wish and, of course, the rest is history. We did all that, and then once we got past that initial phase in late ’79 they teamed us up on tour with Rick James as the opening act. We were fortunate to hook up with that tour and play through the spring of 1980 with Rick James. It was interesting— as we all know, [he was] quite a character himself. There was an immediate rivalry developed between Rick and Prince. It got fairly competitive on the road because we were doing really well as the opening slot. How did Purple Rain, the movie, come about? Prince came to me right at the end of the 1999 tour; I just happened to be sitting in one of the hotel restaurants by myself. He came in and sat down with me and said, “Hey, how’s it going?” I go, “Great.” He says, “I got to tell you about some plans I’m thinking about.” And he brought up the fact that he wanted to do this film. I was somewhat shocked by the idea, but I thought it was interesting. I said, “If you can get this launched, I’m 100 percent behind you. I believe in your talents to make something like that happen.” I knew his personality, I knew he could probably act, even though he didn’t really have much, if any, acting experience. But I knew that he had a natural talent for it by the way he behaved and would make up skits. He’d get a video camera out and then we’d do almost our own version of Second City’s TV skits and stuff. I wouldn’t doubt those VHS tapes are sitting in his vault still to this day. It would be
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really be hilarious if those ever came to light. Experimenting with acting, with humor, with music, that was something he did on a daily basis. He just went 24/7, never stopped. One of the most creative, prolific people I’ve ever known: I watched him in the studio do some things like Mozart did. When you see the Mozart film showing him writing symphonies just streaming out of his brain and writing it down, without playing an instrument—just writing each orchestral part, and hearing it in his head, kind of singing it, humming it, writing it down—Prince was able to do that in the studio. He would just play it—he would hear it in his head and it would stream out of him in one take. And he would do this on a regular basis. How does it feel to perform Prince’s music without him? Well, after Prince had passed, immediately we all got together. The first people we called were each other. The sheer shock of it all was just overwhelming for all of us. We immediately got together in Minneapolis. We got together out in Los Angeles as well, about a month after that. And we thought, “You know, what do you think we should do? Should we do some special events to honor Prince?” Now that the Revolution is reunited, the reviews coming in from critics and fans alike say, “I just can’t believe how great they sound, they sound just like the recordings. They really nailed it.” We have nailed it. It’s just a damn shame that this happened, and that we were not able to work with him again. So we all feel that. It’s palpable. Wherever we perform, it’s bittersweet for all of us. 7 The Revolution June 21, 8:30 p.m., $30–$60, Brooklyn Bowl at The Linq Promenade, brooklynbowl.com/ las-vegas
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By David Morris Photography Anthony Mair
The Grand Social Experiment Cy and jesse Waits join the Station Casinos team WIth PLANS TO INVIGORATE THE VIBE and social spaces at the company’s resorts June 15–21, 2017 vegasseven.com
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In a city known for its constantly evolving experiences, a transformation is under way at Palms Casino Resort. It was late last year that Palms was acquired by Station Casinos Red Rock Resorts for $312.5 million, with plans to redevelop the property announced on its firstquarter earnings call. Over the past few months, Frank Fertitta III, CEO of Station Casinos, and Lorenzo Fertitta, chairman of Fertitta Capital and director of Red Rock Resorts Inc., have assembled a new team called the Social Experience Group, which will focus on a major re-envisioning of their 20th property and beyond. Acting as chief experience officers and senior vice presidents of Station Casinos, twin brothers Jesse and Cy Waits, who have been fixtures in the Las Vegas nightlife scene for nearly two decades, will be in charge of the Social Experience Group that will first touch Palms Casino Resort, Green Valley Ranch and Red Rock Resort. “The team will oversee the overall atmosphere of all the social areas of the hotels and create a unique and cohesive experience, from the vibe to the sounds,” Jesse says. Jesse’s role is marketing–focused while Cy’s role is operational. They also will bring in new concepts and venues, and interesting activations. “It’s awesome because we [work] really well together,” Cy says, in reference to his brother. “Our strengths complement each other. Jesse is really good one-on-one with people. He has a customer-first approach and a huge heart, which makes him a very giving person. We pick [each other] up in different areas. We both try to outwork each other, which is nice. And we share a lot of the same values.” “Cy really excels at bringing people together and creating unity in groups. He thrives in a family and team environment,” Jesse says. “He is great on the operations side and likes to put in place very specific systems and policies to ensure the vision is successful.”
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Both say they love the design aspect of hospitality and are heavily inspired by their travels. So what can we expect to see with these two leading the social experience? Jesse says Palms is up first, capitalizing on the “natural evolution” happening in Las Vegas right now, which is the shift in focus from nightclubs to the bigger hospitality picture—a globally inspired and sophisticated aesthetic that translates into every part of the resort. In terms of specifics, they are still finalizing the deals that will shape Palms’ next iteration in the coming months. Ultimately, the Waits brothers will help to carry out the Fertittas’ vision at Palms in addition to contributing fresh ideas for Red Rock Resort and Green Valley Ranch. It’s all brotherly love between the four executives. Although they have known each other for years and maintained a friendly relationship, this is the first time they’ve worked together. It became apparent after initial meetings that their ideas were aligned. “When we sat down with them, we started having this conversation and [there was] chemistry,” Cy says. “We had the same [picture]. Everything we would say, they were saying the same thing. We were speaking the same language.” “Both Frank and Lorenzo are
smart, visionary, hip and trendy guys, and it is very clear that they want to bring Palms to a whole new level,” Jesse says. “They don’t want to compete with the rest of Las Vegas—they want to create a niche of their own.” In addition to the forthcoming developments from the Waits brothers and their team, Palms recently announced the opening of Lucky Penny, a new 24-hour café, and the impending closure of Bistro Buffet to make way for a new food–hall concept. In the works, there is a seasonal restaurant called Social Table, which will occupy the Hooters space until the end of the year. Coming from a sleepy town in Hawaii, Jesse was the first to venture to Las Vegas in 1997. He worked at Mount Charleston as a snowboard instructor and then at Planet Hollywood Restaurant in The Forum Shops at Caesars in 1998. He later took a job as a barback at House of Blues in 1999. Cy moved to Las Vegas that same year and worked in security at House of Blues. They eventually started handing out flyers and hosting their own industry nights at HOB. Both brothers say that once they got bitten by the hospitality bug, it was impossible to turn back. They loved
it and wanted to create high-energy events. Cy transitioned to a corporate role with House of Blues and moved to Chicago, Anaheim, Hollywood and Myrtle Beach. In 2002, Jesse went to The Light Group, then to Drai’s After Hours. Cy returned to Las Vegas to become the general manager of Tabu Ultra Lounge at MGM Grand. After Wynn Las Vegas opened, followed by Encore, Cy joined Jesse as managing partner of Tryst, Drai’s, XS and Botero, where they found their greatest successes—as well as opening Drai’s in Los Angeles. The brothers say that Tryst was the pivotal moment that changed their career trajectory and gave them a true appreciation for the full customer experience. And now with the new look and feel of Palms on the horizon, they are reaching a turning point once again. “We are dependent on the local community and are keenly aware of how they are treated,” Cy says. “They are our best customers. Too many people in this town are dependent on tourists only. We want to have a good mix of everyone. We are creating a sense of family here on-property. We are going to infuse [a new sense of culture] into Palms. Everyone will make you feel welcome.”
The waits brothers have assembled a diverse team to execute this new social vision. Meet the players ... YANNICK MUGNIER DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
As director of operations, Mugnier hinted that the reboot of Palms Casino Resort is “art, music and technology-driven.” Living by a personal philosophy of “work hard, play harder,” he is excited to create something completely different for Las Vegas. He will oversee the execution of the property’s programming and will assist with new experiences. He will work closely with the corporate team at Station Casinos to ensure a smooth development and transition. Dedicated to seeking out the best trends, Mugnier pays close attention to hot spots around the globe in places such as New York City, Chicago, Italy and France. He recently took a trip to Europe with Cy, where they scoped dining and nightlife concepts in locations including Saint-Tropez, Monaco and Nice. Mugnier grew up in the French Alps and relocated to Colorado in 1996, bouncing back and forth between the states and France, where he managed hotels for several years. When he moved to Las Vegas in 2001, Jesse Waits and Victor Drai were two of the first people he met. Jesse was in charge of VIP services, promotions and management at Drai’s, while Mugnier helmed the restaurant. The two collaborated to create a wellbalanced nightlife experience. After Drai’s, Mugnier opened miX by chef Alain Ducasse, where he assisted with the restaurant and lounge. Upon his departure from miX, he connected with Jesse at Wynn, and Mugnier eventually became senior executive director of XS nightclub.
June 15–21, 2017 vegasseven.com
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KIM MARTIN-WOOD ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
Martin-Wood believes in working hard and treating people fairly. Originally from Iowa, her small-town mentality is something she hasn’t lost while navigating the complex world of Las Vegas nightlife operations. “The Golden Rule builds trust and respectful relationships. In this industry, relationships can make or break a situation,” she says. Currently focusing on Palms, Martin-Wood is maximizing operations for the new concepts and venues that will soon be announced. She also assists with meeting goals and timelines, handles day-today operations such as creating training materials, developing and implementing standard operating procedures and creating job descriptions for existing and future positions. She bears the weighty task of melding the Social Experience Group’s ideology and philosophies into Station Casinos’ core values. Martin-Wood met the Waits at Wynn during the transition from La Bete to Tryst nightclub. She was hired as part of the original team to open Tryst and then transitioned to a lead cocktail server role. She moved into a management role when XS opened in 2008 and was a general manager when she left. The Waits brothers describe Martin-Wood as their “rock” for her business acumen. Thanks to an engineering degree, she thrives on organizing, prioritizing and pushing the envelope.
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TAL COOPERMAN CONTENT MARKETING DIRECTOR
Cooperman moved to Las Vegas two and a half years ago to be the creative director and director of marketing at Drai’s Beachclub & Nightclub. Growing up in Los Angeles, he developed a passion for fashion, owned a clothing brand called DCMA and was involved in the AGENDA trade show. With a zeal for art, he also became affiliated with the The Seventh Letter Crew, a group known for its street art. Cooperman first met Jesse at Drai’s After Hours a decade ago, where he facilitated introductions to talent including the cast of The Hills, Lindsay Lohan and musicians such as Machine Gun Kelly. He also has strong connections in the sports world and has introduced the Waits brothers to athletes such as Ryan Sheckler, Nyjah Huston and Chad Reed. “Tal is living, breathing and wearing the lifestyle of our target guest,” Jesse says. Cooperman is excited to help write the next chapter of Palms, bringing his business philosophy of connecting the right people with the best brands to come up with original ideas. He also hints at some new art elements that will soon start appearing throughout the resort. “In terms of content, video is king at the moment,” Cooperman says. “We’ve made a concerted effort to ramp up all the video production for Palms, whether that’s a Silent Savasana [promo] video or a sizzle reel for one of the restaurants. We’re working to bring celebrities and influencers to the property and are also updating our social media platforms to reflect the new direction being taken.”
RYAN PERRINGS DIRECTOR OF ENTERTAINMENT
Perrings got his start in Las Vegas nightlife the way most people do—as a promotions host selling tables. He launched his career at Wynn nightlife in 2008 and developed a close relationship with Jesse. Passionate about music, Perrings would bring Jesse ideas for up-and-coming artists. Jesse says that he initially ignored Perrings, but once he saw that Perrings was able to consistently identify emerging talent, he put him in the role of entertainment booker, securing artists for Tryst and XS. Perrings also worked closely with the team that handled Encore Beach Club. He notes that one of his most valuable tools as an entertainment booker is attending festivals. “Music festivals are where the talent is right now,” Perrings says. “You can easily see who is going to be accelerating in the coming months by how well they are received.” Expect to see an influx of new names at Palms, including DJ Politik, who Perrings recently brought on. 7
June 15–21, 2017 vegasseven.com
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ONE BITE
TASTE
HUNGRY LIKE
THE WOLF
Some things are worth the wait. Take chef Brian Howard’s Sparrow + Wolf (sparrowandwolflv.com), for instance. The former Comme Ça chef has been on the hunt for the perfect location for his New American restaurant, and he’s found it on Spring Mountain Road. It opened to great fanfare in May, and reviews have been glowing so far. The menu—with 21 items—is compact but varied, a nod to Howard’s travels and Midwestern roots, using cooking techniques dating back to the 18th century but updated for the modern diner. ¶ A not-to-be-missed bite? The beef cheek and bone marrow dumpling, whose inspiration is steeped in nostalgia. “The dumplings are a throwback to growing up eating my grandmother’s pot roast. The combination of our slow-braised beef cheeks mixed with the vegetables from the cooking process and roasted pieces of bone marrow evoke that memory,” Howard says. “We have some fun by wrapping that mixture into dumpling skins, steaming and then glazing them in a reduction of the cooking liquid that has been fortified with a black garlic shoyu vinegar. [The dumplings are then topped] with crunchy fried bits of garlic and an emulsion of garlic chives.” ¶ Do yourself a favor and feed your good wolf at one of the most anticipated restaurants to open this year.
By Genevie Durano Photography Sabin Orr
June 15–21, 2017 vegasseven.com
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mother’s love By Marisa Finetti Photography Krystal Ramirez
Wolfgang Puck’s artisanal breads rise to the occasion
TASTE
“Good bread is the most fundamentally satisfying of all foods; and good bread with fresh butter, the greatest of feasts.” James Beard said this, and yet bread still gets a bad rap. While the rest of the world celebrates bread daily, anti-carb diets (and voices in our heads) keep us from the ultimate comfort food, one that has been a nutritious staple for thousands of years. enter the artisanal breads at wolfgang puck’s restaur ants in Las Vegas, where each loaf shows the personality of the maker’s hand, transforming flour and water with a little “mother” love into loaves we can’t wait to devour. Kamel Guechida, corporate executive pastry chef for Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group, is behind this vibrant and “living” bread program, artfully creating bread on a daily basis. “It’s a passion … well, that I have at least,” Guechida says. “The feeling that bread provides is warm and comforting, with an aroma that is at times intoxicating. When it’s fresh out of the oven—warm, reachable from the table, especially when you have an appetite—it’s a wonderful thing to enjoy.” Guechida talks about bread as a living wonder. “Alors, we make this bread each day,” he says, picking up a loaf of Campagne. “It’s difficult to achieve the same shape every time because overnight, while the bread sets, the fermentation can vary due to environment factors and humidity levels, for example.” In describing the bread, he says, “I would compare it to a hard sourdough that’s just a little sweeter in taste. This isn’t a type of bread you can find in your typical grocery store, which is why we think it’s so important to have on our tables.” Guechida says you should not All good artisanal bread starts with the mother, also known as the starter. Guechida, be afraid of buying the large loaf the bearer of the mother, is akin to the creator of a highly productive microscopic family— for fear that it will go to waste. billions strong—that produces all the bread at Wolfgang Puck. He recommends preserving “I started the mother four years ago using grapes and apples,” Guechida says. From the bread by cutting the loaf the walk-in refrigerator, he removes the lid off a large, food-grade rectangular container. into halves or even thirds, then Inside is a creamy, bubbling, slick mixture exhibiting a fresh-yet-fruity aroma. When he wrapping unused portions tightly created this starter, Guechida allowed the fruit juices to ferment, with the idea that the in plastic and placing them in natural yeasts and bacteria in them would inoculate the flour and water. The result is his the freezer. When you’re ready signature mixture that creates the ideal condition to make his bread rise perfectly every to eat it, remove the bread from time. “Through natural fruit fermentation, it has a lot of character and flavor,” Guechida the freezer and allow it to thaw says. “Each time we make new dough, we use a little bit from the original mother.” in the plastic. Once it’s defrosted, From there, it’s a daily routine for Guechida and his team of four. They arrive at 2 a.m. enjoy. It will taste as good as and work steadily to create the day’s orders, and all breadmaking is done by 9 a.m. and the day it was made. delivered to the restaurants by about 11 a.m. Within an area smaller than an urban studio apartment, they make an average of nearly 3,000 loaves a week for all of Puck’s Las Vegas restaurants, including Spago, CUT, Cucina, Lupo and both locations of Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill. Each style of bread, from burger buns and ciabatta to cherry-walnut loaves to multiseed, receives meticulous care in its creation. For example, before baking the pumpernickel, the dough is set in a wooden basket to achieve decorative spirals on the crust. Mini baguettes start out as small pieces of dough that are formed with skilled hands to create two perfect points, then effortlessly Pumpernickel is a dark, dense German bread made from coarsely ground scored and dusted with a gentle shake of sifted flour. whole-grain rye. Guechida adds raisin to the dough to provide a “sur“Ingredients are a factor, yes, but it’s the technique that makes the difprise.” “Originally, [pumpernickel] was constructed to last a long time as ference. Making bread is a very careful task where you can’t rush the proa ‘peasant bread,’ so to speak,” Guechida says. “When it made its way to cess. Be aware of time; the starter is the foundation for achieving the right the U.S., agents like molasses, coffee and cocoa powder were added to texture, rise and nature of the bread; and of course, the fermentation of approximate the shades and taste of traditional German pumpernickel.” the yeast. It’s important for the dough to rest for 24 hours to use for the Some bakers add wheat flour to provide gluten structure and increase next day’s service.” rising and commercial yeast to quicken the rise compared to a traditional Guechida invites everyone to embrace the natural goodness of bread. sourdough. While it’s not as popular as the sourdough or multiseed, GuecEnjoy it with wine and cheese, both of which also rely on the life cycles of hida offers the pumpernickel at CUT inside The Palazzo, Lupo at Mandalay tiny creatures to produce some of our most tasty indulgences. And on an Bay, and it’s available for purchase each Saturday morning at Wolfgang upcoming Saturday, stop in at Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill Downtown SumPuck Bar & Grill Summerlin. merlin to pick up a loaf or two. 7
Preserving the Loaf
Pass the Pumpernickel
June 15–21, 2017 vegasseven.com
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TASTE
VIVA LAS VEGANS + SMALL BITES
Unicorn
Vegan Cakes,
A New Vegan-Friendly Coffee Shop
and Las Vegas’ First Soda Pop and
Popcorn Drive-up The Downtown
Bread Dealer The moon is out on a late night in the Huntridge neighborhood. Madeline Rubidoux pulls up to a driveway to meet a man who emerges from darkness. She rolls her window down, swaps a box for cash, puts the car in “drive” and rolls away. Such is the life for Downtown’s bread dealer. Rubidoux, a former bread baker for Red Rock Casino Resort and Spa and trained pastry chef and chocolatier in Switzerland, is used to the quick-bread deals she makes. Her bread-baking business, Bread for the People, launched in January with a Go Fund Me campaign to cover start-up costs and kitchen rent. In that short time since then, her organic, non-GMO, vegan bread has garnered a cult following. Originally, the fourth-generation Las Vegan had dreams to open a concept restaurant where everything was made in-house, from the bread to the beer. But, in 2014, plans changed when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
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June 15–21, 2017 vegasseven.com
By Diana Edelman
Vegan dessert delicacies aren’t really a thing in Las Vegas, but that’s starting to shift. The latest vegan sweets bakery to open its proverbial doors (they don’t have a storefront … yet) is Bleu Moon Bakery. Los Angeles native and vegan pastry chef Shayanne Nelson recently arrived in Las Vegas and launched her bakery in the most vegan of ways, by creating a custom unicorn birthday cake. While she’s not in shops yet, you can find her goodies at pop-up events across town at spots such as Sister House Collective, First Friday South, Forget Me Not Animal Sanctuary of Las Vegas events as well as farmers markets. All of Nelson’s custom cakes and baked goods, including cookies and pastries, are made with local, organic, plant-based ingredients. Get yours today via social media (facebook/ bleumoonbakery or @bleumoonbakery on Instagram). Speaking of pastries, Rishi Stocks, who brought the first vegan menu items to Jolly Beans Cafe last summer, is back at the recently opened Joe Maxx Coffee Company (500 E. Windmill Lane, Suite 175, joemaxxcoffee .com), and she’s created quite the menu. Curl up on the couch and nosh on a rotating selection of baked goods such as blueberry turnovers with lavender lemon glaze or chickn fajita pockets with peppers, onions, sundried tomatoes, cheese and house-made sour cream, all wrapped in a flaky crust. Other items include the Garden Veggie Sandwich, a Gardein burger with cheese, mayo, spinach and avocado on a toasted bagel. Since it’s a coffee shop (with open-mic nights, readings and more), it has dairy-free creamers and vegan beverages to sip, too. You wouldn’t think there would be a need for vegan options at a soda pop shop, but Pop Drinks (4975 S. Fort Apache Rd., popdrinkslv.com), a new createyour-own soda/popcorn/cookie drive-up, left no stone unturned. After all, creamy sodas are a thing. Order the JoJo, the most popular soda on the menu, made with Dr. Pepper, raspberry puree and coconut milk, or try the tropical Oasis with Sprite, peach, pineapple puree and coconut milk. Grab a $2.50 popcorn (made with coconut oil), and you have the perfect snack to sneak into a movie theater.
“Once I went through that, I realized I needed to start eating differently,” she explains. In 2015, she met her now-girlfriend who opened her eyes to the negative effects of certain foods. “I started to incorporate those changes into my style of cooking and transformed into a chef conscious of preservatives, sugar and other things I was putting into my body.” The baker wanted to provide a healthy bread option for others. “I realized a lot restaurants and coffee shops here don’t have vegan options for bread, let alone organic options,” she says, which was how the concept was born. And Downtown—her home—was the perfect place to start dealing loaves, baguettes and other offerings. With her Go Fund Me one-third of the way done, Rubidoux has begun to solidify deals with local restaurants that serve her bread, including VegeNation and the newly opened Kitchen at Atomic as well as Publicus and Phoenix Bar & Lounge In the meantime, Rubidoux continues to raise money while being Downtown’s bread dealer. With a loyal social media following (you can place your orders for Bread for the People directly on her Instagram, @breadforthepeople), she introduces a new bread line each week. Currently, Rubidoux’s breads feature herbs and flavorings from the local Bloomin Desert Herb Farm and include sheets of focaccia
(traditional and garlic and herb), green olive focaccia, garlic knot loaves, cinnamon rolls, a garden loaf made with a blend of a variety of herbs, baguettes, hoagies, potato buns and specialty lavender and rose breads. “People are becoming addicted to the bread,” she says, smiling. Once she hits her goal of $3,000, she plans to get her mixer serviced, purchase new equipment and be fully stocked with ingredients and start a nest egg to eventually open up her own Bread for the People location. –D.E.
THE LOOK
SOCIAL INFLUENCE
TREAT POPS TO A HEAD-TO-TOE MAKEOVER Michael Kors striped cotton T-shirt, Dillard’s at Downtown Summerlin, $70, dillards.com, downtownsummerlin.com.
Being a Dad is Weird: Lessons in Fatherhood from My Family to Yours book by Ben Falcone, Amazon, $15, amazon.com
French Connection plaid button-up, stylist’s own, frenchconnection.com.
Tateossian men’s Stonehenge bead bracelet in red, Neiman Marcus in Fashion Show, $235, neimanmarcus.com, thefashionshow.com.
Miansai hook leather bracelet in brandy, Neiman Marcus, $80. 7 for All Mankind Paxtyn distressed skinny jeans in medium blue, Neiman Marcus, $259.
Frye’s Brett slip-on sneakers in copper, Dillard’s, $198.
Dressing
Dad Photography Krystal Ramirez Styling Kris Kass Assistant Charlotte Wall
June 15–21, 2017 vegasseven.com
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SOCIAL INFLUENCE
POLITICS
By Michael Green
Illustration Cierra Pedro
Not Just What, But How TEDIUM, SILLINESS AND HORSE-TRADING ARE THE LEGILSATIVE NORM. THEY DON’T HAVE TO BE.
N
ow that the 2017 legislative session is over, what did we learn? Setting aside the most important news (state employees get a pay raise!), we are taxing marijuana, unwisely trusting the state attorney general, ramping up the UNLV medical school, not funding school vouchers, erecting some much-needed buildings and infrastructure, possibly forcing transparency onto pharmaceuticals, raising renewable energy standards and instituting a useless civics exam for high school seniors. We’re also discovering that Nevadans can’t know what’s going on in Carson City without Twitter, some veteran legislative correspondents and the reporters for The Nevada Independent. But here’s what we should have learned: We need to repeal term limits and the requirement for two-thirds of the legislature to approve tax increases. And we need annual sessions. If you followed the legislature, it was bursts of tedium (supposedly boring hearings, not much activity) followed by outbursts of silliness (generally the work of state Senate Minority Leader Michael Roberson, though others certainly contributed), with the eventual endgame of horse-trading and amending bills into forms totally different from their originals. In other words, it was seemingly normal. That doesn’t mean we have to accept it as normal. We can and should fix it, or at least improve it. The problem with term limits is bigger than you think. Both Speaker Jason Frierson and state Senate Majority Leader Aaron Ford were first-time leaders. That doesn’t automatically mean they did badly, but they and several other lawmakers were new to the controls. Small wonder each session winds up looking like a circus. Term limits allegedly were going to free lawmakers to vote their consciences and intellect. Instead, some figure they might as well kick the can down the road because they won’t have to deal with an issue next time, simply because they won’t have a next time. Worse, the lack of background and institutional memory further empowers lobbyists and consultants—the supposed enemies of good legislation. That isn’t actually true, but lobbyists’ jobs may be easier if new lawmakers simply do as they’re told—or tougher when they have to educate newbies who shouldn’t be there or newcomers who think they already know it all and don’t. We already have term limits. They’re called elections. Also, anyone who has been around Carson City long enough inevitably hankers for the genius of Bill Raggio, who spent nearly 40 years in the state Senate. They also tend to bring up Joe Dini, an assemblyman for 34 years and speaker for nearly half that time. Granted, neither Raggio (of Washoe County) nor Dini (of Lyon County) did a lot of favors for southern Nevada. That’s actually part of their charm, and the point: Northern Nevada, then and now, reaps the benefit of their long service. Southern Nevadans didn’t usually serve so long, given that they were dragging themselves 400 miles from home to be in the legislature. Theoretically, then, term limits should have leveled the rest of Nevada and turned Clark County into the land of milk and honey. That didn’t happen, partly because legislators should and do think of themselves as Nevadans (oddly, it didn’t occur to northern and rural old-timers to return the favor when Southern Nevada really, really needed something), and partly because the Clark County delegation votes by party rather than region. When she was Nevada Assembly speaker, Marilyn Kirkpatrick tried to build more unity down south, but she resigned to become a county commissioner, and those efforts went south.
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Legislators aren’t alone. Governors are term-limited, and shouldn’t be. Without term limits, would Brian Sandoval have acted differently? We can’t know. That isn’t to criticize him. But he might be able to accomplish more, and if he’s popular, why shouldn’t the public decide whether or not to keep him around? Eliminating term limits might alleviate the partisan rancor that increasingly colors affairs in Carson City, especially if done in conjunction with two other measures. First, we should get rid of the two-thirds majority rule for raising taxes. It should be unconstitutional on federal grounds, relying on the precedent of each vote being equal; thanks to such legislation, your vote matters more if you’re one of the one-third who can stop taxes. Almost every tax issue has involved a strict partisan division, with a couple of people hailed (rightly or wrongly) for breaking with their caucus. Perhaps a simple majority would lead to better and/or more beneficial tax legislation, since it could be passed without every Democrat or every Republican on board. Second, we need annual and longer sessions. Meeting annually would ease the burden of predicting the next biennium, improving the state’s management of our money. It could lead to the elimination of the Interim Finance Committee, whose appropriations and actions appear to violate our state constitution. And it might throw legislators together more often and more meaningfully, and that might ease the partisanship, too. These are pipe dreams, since voters approved the initiatives creating these problems and prefer to avoid the solutions, which might cost them money … or so they think. The result is being penny-wise and pound-foolish—and during and after each session, both Nevadans and simple logic take a pounding. We can do better.” 7 Michael Green is an associate professor of history at UNLV.
DTLV
SOCIAL INFLUENCE
A MORE WALKABLE
DOWNTOWN
When Chris “Sarge” Curtis first started with Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department in 1992, Downtown was a completely different scene. “There was a lot of street crime and people selling crack and heroin out in the open,” he says. “It was incredibly dangerous. But I always had this goal. I wanted Downtown to become this place that my mother would be able to walk around anytime of day.” After 25 years, he has gotten his wish, as Downtown businesses continue to boom and crime decreases. According to a recent Metro report, murders are down 63 percent, and sexual assaults and robberies dropped 11 and 10 percent, respectively, compared to this time last year. “Overall, the area is getting safer,” says capt. Andrew Walsh, who has been at the Downtown Area Command for about two and a half years. The command covers a 9.6-square-mile area that includes the Las Vegas Arts District and the Fremont East District. Now a safety expert with Downtown Project, Curtis says it’s no coincidence things began to turn around once economic development increased. There is a theory behind this. “It’s called crime prevention through environmental design,” he says. By changing the design of the area by adding new businesses that attract different crowds, Downtown has been transformed. The additional people who now frequent Downtown help provide natural security and mainte-
nance. In regard to tourism, the area welcomes more than 17 million visitors annually, according to Metro. “When you have a group of well-intentioned people, criminals don’t want to hang around that,” Curtis says. One specific tool Curtis created to better facilitate this concept was the Downtown Rangers, a group of civilians who patrol the area and focus on building relationships and maintaining the streets. Walsh agrees economic development has helped, but adds that Metro has doubled down on community partnership. “You know that saying that if someone commits a crime, everyone knows who did it except the police?” he says. “People didn’t have confidence in the police, so we had to work to change that.” He says it’s those strong ties that have aided law enforcement in their efforts to decrease crime. The changes to the area have also led to connectivity and walkability. According to Walk Score, which tracks national walkability rates, Downtown has a walk score of 75, while the general Las Vegas area has 41. All in all, things have changed. 7
By Michael Lyle Photography Krystal Ramirez
Above: Chris “Sarge” Curtis, former Metro sergeant and founder of Downtown Rangers. Right: Downtown Ranger Krista Shabo. June 15–21, 2017 vegasseven.com
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SOCIAL INFLUENCE
The Revolving Door of
companies. For example, eBay’s 2015 expansion into Las Vegas was only projected to create two jobs. Local tech experts agree that data center Switch supports tech innovation in other ways, but the company did not provide local employment numbers on request. This lack of job creation could reflect a broader trend. According to a 2013 study by two Oxford University scholars, up to 47 percent of jobs in the United States could be automated within two decades. There are plenty of tech jobs around—in coding, for example—but Las Vegas might not be prepared for them. The Bureau of Labor Statistics recently found that Clark County has 54 percent fewer people employed in computer and mathematical occupations when compared to other American cities. This number may be the result of a lack of skilled tech laborers (Las Vegas shines as a service-oriented town, after all), so we don’t attract tech companies, and since tech doesn’t thrive here, the city doesn’t attract skilled laborers—the chicken or the egg conundrum. Either way, education, better strategies and more investment top the list to becoming an established tech city. Barbara Coffee, director of economic development and tourism for the city of Henderson, recognizes that Clark County has skill gaps, so her office has implemented programs to provide underemployed locals free training in relevant tech skills such as cybersecurity. But Martin thinks that broad-based education reform is a multi-decade solution. “What Vegas has to do is begin leveraging assets. We have things that don’t exist anywhere else in the world—for example, [the number of conventions we host],” which create incredible marketing and testing opportunities for technology companies, Martin says. Both Coffee and Martin highlight the state’s low taxes and cost of living as being other pro-business assets. Martin also thinks an effective strategy must focus on industries that already thrive here, such as hospitality, gaming, esports and water management. Whereas DTP-funded startups built everything from robots to an app-supported dry cleaner, Martin believes concentrating on areas of local expertise will be more attractive to investors. Martin is working on other avenues for increasing investment in local startups. He notes that successful businesspeople from all over the world retire here thanks to the state’s low taxes, but most of them don’t invest in local businesses. Martin’s office is identifying these prosperous retirees. “We need to pull those people into the community,” he says. Education, strategy and money may be the nuts and bolts of a tech economy, but there is also an intangible component, and that is a compelling Las Vegas story. Roberto Coppola, who has experience founding startups locally and is now vice president of advanced products at Aristocrat, says, “This stigma of Las Vegas as a place full of undesirables is something that we need to do a better job of debunking. … Moving to Las Vegas was the best decision I ever made, and I am so glad I did not listen to those ignorant people who gave me the ‘How could anyone live there’ type of response.” This is perhaps something that the DTP got right. Successful or not, it proselytized that Las Vegas could be a home for ingenuity and invention. “DTP brought noise and momentum,” Martin says. Many of the people who moved here just to receive funding from the DTP have left, but the people who stayed, and those who were here decades before, are focused on the long term. “Now we have a core group of people who care,” Martin says. “I am very optimistic because I have never seen a community with so much untapped potential.” 7
Tech
LAS VEGAS AND ITS STARTUPS:
What went wrong and where do we go from here?
W
ith the ups and downs of the Downtown Project (DTP), a $350 million effort dedicated to revitalizing Downtown Las Vegas in part, with tech startups, the city has witnessed both the euphoria and disappointment associated with the tech industry. “The tech industry is unique because failures, in fact, aren’t negative,” says Leith Martin, the executive director for the Center for Entrepreneurship at UNLV. “There are lessons to be learned.” Martin is speaking about businesses, but he is also reflecting on Las Vegas. The setbacks have helped people like Martin better understand what it will take to create a sustainable local tech economy, one that can support startups and attract established companies. In 2012, Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh had tech on his mind when he launched the DTP. Fifty million dollars of that revitalization money was dedicated to investing in startups and managed separately as the Vegas Tech Fund (known today as VTF Capital). Tech media outlet TechCrunch covered Hsieh’s efforts, announcing a “tech renaissance” in “old Las Vegas.” Five years later, Downtown certainly looks and feels different, but the tech scene has waned. In 2013, Joshua Ellis, a software developer who worked for two tech companies that received funding from the DTP (NSFWCORP and Maidly), delivered a speech at a monthly series hosted by the DTP, questioning the problems that startups choose to solve, and wrote a blog post titled “Vegas Tech, We Need to Talk” criticizing DTP’s efforts at redevelopment, which resulted in a meeting with the organization. According to Ellis, the startup tech community spurred by the DTP is now “dead” in part because money was the main attraction, and the money is gone. Today, 90 percent of VTF Capital’s portfolio is based outside of the city, says partner Zach Ware. “It’s our belief that … we can do more for Las Vegas companies in the long term if we are broadly successful,” Ware says. But without local investment, it is hard for startups to prosper, a fact that Ware acknowledges: “The biggest challenge for startups is capital. We have two problems in Las Vegas: a lack of sophisticated angel investors and a lack of growth capital sources.” VTF Capital invests on average $200,000 to $1 million at what is known as the seed stage. Angel investors typically invest around $25,000, and growth capital is usually $2 million or more, according to Ware. The city has seen headlines announcing the arrival of eBay and Switch, but the impact of these companies is hard to assess from the perspective of tech
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June 15–21, 2017 vegasseven.com
By Misti Yang
SPACES & PLACES
Cascade of Color Artist Anne Patterson debuts at The Palazzo By Diana Edelman Photography Krystal Ramirez
June 15–21, 2017 vegasseven.com
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SPACES & PLACES
When artist Anne Patterson hears music, she sees colors that accompany the sounds. It’s because of a neurological phenomenon called synesthesia, which melds one’s senses together. In 2000, Patterson translated the colors she “heard” into artwork while designing a set to accompany a Toru Takemitsu composition performed by the Brooklyn Philharmonic. When Patterson heard the work, she saw vertical lines in turquoise. Her art needed to fly in and out of the performance space quickly, so she tried out ribbons.
"It looked like someone took a big blue turquoise marker and drew lines," Patterson says.
Now, visitors to the Waterfall Atrium inside The Palazzo can witness Patterson’s synesthesia-inspired work with her Las Vegas debut, “Another Sky.” Influenced by Beethoven’s “Pastoral” symphony, the new piece marks the second large-scale art installation inside the Strip property (following Laura Kimpton’s “LOVE”), part of the property’s commitment to bring art inside its walls. A cascading waterfall of satin ribbon, “Another Sky” comprises more than 32 miles of ribbon—3,500 individual pieces—in 15 shades ranging from turquoise to plum to emerald. The strands hang from the Atrium’s 55-foot ceiling, quivering gently as people walk by, casting a whimsical effect in the grand space. “I’m trying to create a thing of beauty and also a piece of meditation, so when people see [it], they are enveloped in something that inspires wonder,” Patterson says. The artist aims for visitors to “put their smartphones down and take a closer look” when viewing “Another Sky.” “One aspect of it is to bring joy into people’s lives and a moment of respite— an extra breath.” Taking roughly 40 hours to execute on-site, “Another Sky” was created over the course of six weeks in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Williamsburg. Patterson’s associate Kina Park turned the artist’s vision into an exact science using a CAD program to measure and mark where each piece of ribbon would be strung. Patterson brought in six artists, and together they attached every 47-foot-long piece of ribbon to more than 70 pieces of aircraft cable before shipping the work off to Las Vegas, where each would be affixed to a massive frame. The installation hangs outside of Wolfgang Puck’s CUT restaurant and will be on display through the end of the year. Most who walk by can’t help but notice the art—many stop to run their fingers through the strands, while others take photos. “I love watching people interact with it,” Patterson says. “It’s fun to see people reaching out to touch it and loving it.” 7
June 15–21, 2017 vegasseven.com
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By Jason R. Latham Photography Roc Nation Sports Khristopher Sandifer
NOTHING TO PROVE
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMP ANDRE WARD IS READY TO SILENCE ALL DOUBTERS IN WARD VS. KOVALEV 2
Ward vs. Kovalev 2 “The Rematch” June 17, tickets start at $105, Mandalay Bay Events Center, axs.com/ events.
George Carlin once quipped, “If it’s undisputed, what’s all the fighting about?” Andre Ward and his fans have been asking that same question since November, when the Olympic gold medalist defeated Light Heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev in front of 13,310 fans at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Ward walked away with the unified World Boxing Association, International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Organization lightweight titles, as well as an untarnished 31-0 record, and The Ring magazine’s ranking as the No. 1 pound-forpound fighter in the sport. Undisputed, one would think. But boxing is unlike most professional sports, in which athletes and teams are judged by wins and losses and people rarely look at the box score. Prizefighters are held to a standard akin to—forgive the comparison—presidential candidates, meaning one can win on the scorecards but still lose the popular vote. Ward has no doubts that he won both. Yet the voices proclaiming Kovalev the victor in a close bout (all three judges scored the fight 114-113 for Ward) have been grating on the champion. “That’s not the first close fight that’s ever happened in the sport of boxing,” Ward says. “There are plenty of people, plenty who say, ‘Look, bro, you won that fight; don’t let these people change your mind.’ “Those people don’t get acknowledged, but the people that felt like he won seem to get a front-row seat.” On June 17, the champion faces Kovalev for a second time in Las Vegas. The rematch at Mandalay Bay Events Center is billed as “No Excuses.”
“I don’t want anything that I don’t earn or anything that’s not mine,” he says. “I earned that victory and I earned it the hard way, and I’m not gonna let anybody tell me any different.” Ward, who claims he doesn’t pay lip service to boxing media—“That’s why we’re talking,” he says—knows that criticism comes with the territory. “I respect a person’s opinion,” he says, but is quick to disagree with claims that the three American judges robbed Kovalev of the victory. “If you feel like he edged me, hey man, we agree to disagree,” he says. “I feel like I won, you feel like I didn’t. But anybody crying [robbery] that’s another agenda.” Ward hasn’t spoken to Kovalev since the two fighters left the ring in November. “I don’t talk to that dude. We’re not cool,” he says. His jab appears to be aimed directly at his opponent’s camp, which reportedly lobbied the Nevada Athletic Commission, albeit unsuccessfully, to have at least one non-American judge scoring the rematch. In recent interviews, Kovalev has dismissed Ward as a “fake champion.” He’s promising to “destroy” him in the rematch and partially blames his only loss on overpreparation, which he says left him gassed in the later rounds. “Man, it’s embarrassing, really, the way that they’ve acted,” responds Ward, giving his opponent only the slightest compliment with regard to their first match. “I give [him] credit for coming out, you know, strong and establishing his jab,” he says. “I give him credit for that, and that was my fault. “That punch that he landed [in the beginning], that was a good shot. We were both getting ready to trade right hands and his got there first. [I’ve] got to keep that left hand up and can’t let that happen.” The champ is quick to add that he’ll make the “necessary adjustments” to his strategy in order to finish the fight in a dominant fashion and ensure there’s no talk of Ward vs. Kovalev III. “My job is to close the book on this,” he says. “[To] put a muzzle on him and close the book on this chapter.” 7 For more from Ward, visit vegasseven.com/ wardvskovalev
ASK A NATIVE
CONVERSATIONS
Any tips on where I can work via Wi-Fi while drinking at the same time? By James P. Reza Are you working remotely, or remotely working? I wield a wicked combination of an iPad, a keyboard and a cocktail to do both. While the white-collar, three-martini lunch has been relegated to the dustbin of drunk history (I blame the IRS), working over a cocktail (or craft beer) is a thing in most metropolitan areas, especially among techies and Millennials. Along the Strip, finding free Wi-Fi might be easier than finding free parking, even if you prefer sipping a Cuba Libré to slurping a coffee slushie. Many hotels make it easy to grab a drink at the lobby bar and connect, so choosing where to drink-work is more a matter of vibe. Do you want a bright place where you can peruse important papers as well as screens? Should it be quiet, or doesn’t that matter? How much space do you need to be comfortable completing your work? Are you trying to impress a colleague? If you are on the Strip and seeking a spot with a little bit of all of that, I suggest parking the PowerBook at either Parasol Up in Wynn or Press at Four Seasons. Both are friendly, comfy and upscale. On the other end of the spectrum is Downtown’s Gold Spike, whose co-working area offers a youthful vibe and plenty of space to spread out and appear to be doing something other than day drinking. Prefer to be outdoors? Try Bin 702 or Atomic Liquors. Now that the heat is on, I’m partial to an end seat at the vast Cornish Pasty Co. bar, where a huge selection of food and drink offers something for everyone. Another fave serves only beer, but lots of it: Tenaya Creek Brewery is bright, relaxed (before happy hour) and has bar-height tables perfect for working. Beyond Downtown, both Starboard Tack and Golden Tiki are great places to work out your laptop on a hot weekday afternoon. They are dark, pleasantly cool and pretty quiet during this time of day. Bartender, mai tai me! I have a column to write! 7 Have a question or comment about Las Vegas past, present or future? Send them to askanative@ vegasseven.com
June 15–21, 2017 vegasseven.com
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CONVERSATIONS
LUCKY NO. 7
We asked the WENDOHMedia staff:
What’s your favorite casino bar?
“There aren’t many bars that I can spend a whole night at, but Franklin inside Delano is one of them, thanks to its great food, live music, modern decor, perfect lighting and whiskey. The bartenders are superknowledgeable and have all these crazy whiskey concoctions. There aren’t many hotel bars in town where I can have real connections with bartenders and the other patrons. I feel at home at Franklin.” –ADAM CHRISTOPHER SMITH, PRODUCTION COORDINATOR, LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL FESTIVAL
“The Chandelier inside The Cosmopolitan. This is my go-to when guests are in town, because it’s absolutely gorgeous. They also have a drink not on the menu that comes with a [Sichuan] flower called a ‘buzz button’ that you chew with your drink. It is a mix of Novocain and Pop Rocks in your mouth. It’s one of those hidden Vegas surprises everyone loves.” –NICOLE NIAZMAND, DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL SALES
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June 15–21, 2017 vegasseven.com
“Hexx Kitchen + Bar inside Paris Las Vegas. Not only are its cocktails delicious and crafted with quality ingredients, but the space is also beautiful. The Alexxa Riki is served over chipped ice, and looks like a rainbow snow cone. And while you sip at the bar, watch through the window how they make their chocolate.” –SHANNON MILLER, EDITORIAL ASSISTANT “It’s a tie between the Wynn’s Parasol Up and The Parlour Bar at El Cortez. Parasol Up is the kind of timeless resort bar where James Bond might appear. Bright, cheerful and upscale, it makes every visit a vacation. Plus, their gratis bar snacks are top-shelf. In contrast, the dark, clubby Parlour Bar—featuring supremely comfy banquettes and old-school bartenders—is the perfect place to disappear into your whiskey.” –JAMES P. REZA, ASK A NATIVE COLUMNIST
“Vue Bar at The D, purely due to all the memories I’ve made there since receiving my horizontal ID. During the space’s Fitzgerald’s era (and my early 20s), the bar was perfect for pre-gaming a night Downtown—Bud Light drafts were only $1! The beers are pricier now, but the bar still remains a meeting spot for my group of friends during the annual Pride Parade—when we hear the Dykes on Bikes’ engines roaring, we know it’s time to drink up and head down to the party.” –MARK ADAMS, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR “While technically not a casino, the Mandarin Bar at Mandarin Oriental has the best bar, hands down. Twenty-three floors up with floor-to-ceiling windows that offer stunning views of the Strip, it is the perfect place to get a grown-up drink, away from the crowds that besiege casino floors.” –GENEVIE DURANO, MANAGING EDITOR, DINING EDITOR “I had a lot of firsts at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Center Bar. It was the place to get the night started, and often led to many adventures on property. It was the first place where I played table games, the first place where I saw my love, Morrissey, in person, the first place where I had a one-night stand, the first place where I attended a porn convention. I could go on.” –KRYSTAL RAMIREZ, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
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