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A research team from UNLV and the University of Arkansas released groundbreaking data on the evolution of nutrition in the Stone Age. It cast doubt on the long-held notion that the oral health of foragers declined after switching to agricultural diets.
10 12 32 39
noteworthy stories
how barf jelly beans happened
on the cover Nevada is home to the only active commercial lithium mine in North America.
Whether you love the “Harry Potter”-inspired confection or a soda that nails the essence of ripe strawberry, you have a chemist to thank. Known as “flavorists,” these scientists are artists, too, and they are working toward addictive deliciousness. In five minutes, we’ll make you an expert on their special techniques.
Silver state’s lithium rush
The price of a ton of lithium carbonate has more than tripled since 2015, and some projections have global demand doubling in the next decade. That’s because lithium-ion power will be key to renewable energy storage, electric vehicles and the devices that permeate our lives, and the continent’s only mine is in Nevada.
playing on a distant court
Canyon Springs High grad Mikey Thompson emerged as one of Boise State’s best players in his last year at the university, when he averaged 11.9 points and 3.8 assists per game. Now playing for a professional team in the Czech Republic, he ranks second in points and third in minutes, and could be pivotal in making the league playoffs in April.
sweet 16 on the strip?
Debbie Antonelli is one of the most prominent basketball analysts on TV, and she’s also a crusader. A former player for North Carolina State, Antonelli has watched her collegiate sport languish, the women’s side losing $14 million annually. She believes the NCAA should embrace Las Vegas and bring part of the tournament here.
28
relationship goals ... with bacteria
Years of buzz about probiotics have many convinced of the benefits. Read this before you jump on the supplement bandwagon. more life n Local profile, P24 n Adoptable pets, P31 n Calendar of events, P36
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Keeping the faith when faced with hate A Yiddish festival welcomes the community in the wake of anti-Semitic incidents.
20
The Bunny Rancher’s plan for Las Vegas Self-proclaimed pimp Dennis Hof has strong opinions about how to stop sex trafficking.
opinion
37
Economic diversification is a glaring need The city must add jobs in disciplines that would drive significant growth.
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8
THE SUNDAY
MARCH 19-MARCH 25
NEWS
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MARCH 12 - MARCH 26
WEEK IN REVIEW WEEK AHEAD NEWS AND NOTES FROM THE
LAS VEGAS VALLEY, AND BEYOND
POLITICS
STANDING UP FOR SOLID COVERAGE
Members of MoveOn.org and allied activists across the country have been staging 12-hour “Stakeouts to Save Our Health Care,” including this one March 16 outside the Las Vegas office of Sen. Dean Heller. (L.E. BASKOW/STAFF)
MARCH 15
MUNICIPAL MONEYS Clark County commissioners received a tentative budget for fiscal year 2018. They expect revenue to be $1.3 billion, $41.9 million more than the previous year.
MARCH 17
THE WHO RETURN Tickets went on sale for Colosseum shows by The Who, the first rock band to have a residency at the venue since it opened in 2003. Scheduled shows are July 29 and Aug. 1, 4, 7, 9 and 11.
MARCH 18
LOCAL VOTE
Early voting began for municipal elections, and runs through March 30. Hours at one popular location, Galleria at Sunset, are 10 a.m.-7 p.m. (11 a.m.-6 p.m. on Sundays).
MARCH 23
NEVADA’S BIG GIVE Support your favorite nonprofit or discover a new cause during this 24-hour give-athon. A 9 a.m. celebration kicks off the event at Town Square. Visit nvbiggive.org.
MARCH 26
RAIDERS UPDATE The Raiders’ application to move from Oakland to Las Vegas will be among the topics discussed when NFL owners meet through March 29 in Phoenix.
$120M Amount President Donald Trump wants Congress to allocate to restart the licensing process for the controversial Yucca Mountain nuclear waste depository less than 100 miles from Las Vegas.
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MARCH 19-MARCH 25
NEWS
SPORTS
BUSINESS
LIFE
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E N T E R TA I N M E N T
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NEWS
GET READY FOR THE BIG SQUEEZE Motorists will feel the clamping of U.S. Highway 95 between Rancho Drive and the Spaghetti Bowl starting at 9 p.m. Monday, as the next closure phase associated with the nearly $1 billion Project Neon goes into effect. The 10-month “Big Squeeze” will drop the stretch of highway from four lanes to two, and is expected to affect up to 10,000 drivers per hour during peak commute times.
Age of Hanson’s hit “Mmmbop.” To celebrate 25 years of making music, the brothers are touring and will perform Oct. 25 in Las Vegas at the House of Blues.
LIFE
CELEBRATE CESAR LOCAL
IF TREES COULD TALK
A crew works on a new group of telecom poles disguised as palm trees off of Ann Road. (L.E. BASKOW/STAFF)
FLOYD FAME NEWS
NO MORE COAL
The Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame announced that retired boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. topped its list of 2017 inductees. A June 2 induction ceremony is set for the Orleans Arena.
NV Energy’s longembattled, coalfired Reid Gardner Generating Station near Moapa (40 miles north of Las Vegas) was closed March 16. Company officials marked the occasion by flipping a transformer switch to disconnect the fourth and final unit of the plant from the regional grid. The first three units shut down in late 2014.
The fourth annual Cesar Chavez Day festival will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 25 at Gary Reese Freedom Park, 850 N. Mojave Road. The free event features a car show and legacy march, food merchants, live music and local vendors. Chavez was a labor leader and activist for civil rights who in 1962 co-founded the National Farm Workers Association.
11
CONVENTIONS
PAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
Vasilli, a 10-week-old German shepherd, plays with a toy by the K-9 Defense booth during the annual Police K-9 Conference and Vendor Show at the Tuscany. (STEVE MARCUS/STAFF)
Nevada’s rank for college affordability, according to Student Loan Hero. The average cost-per-credit in all public colleges for instate students is $170.25.
10
the sunday
march 19-march 25
5-minute expert
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The science of yum By Erin Ryan | Staff Writer
There’s a reason Chicken in a Biskit is so convincingly chicken-y. The cracker is a shining example of how chemists have wrangled our experience of flavor. Having broken down the compounds that create what we taste in a juicy orange or fatty piece of bacon, they create formulas that amplify and allow such tastiness to be infused into all kinds of edibles. Their work is the reason we have banana Runts and bubble gum Crest, but have you ever wondered how they do it?
Don’t be fooled by the rainbow Some of the most popular cereals contain multicolored pieces that all taste the same. Kellogg’s has admitted as much about Froot Loops. What is “Froot?” It’s a blend of fruit flavors.
Achieving the flavor of ripe strawberry demands
more than 300 individual chemical compounds.
The two most commonly simulated flavors are chicken and strawberry.
Sources: American Chemical Society, BBC, Gizmodo, Purdue University College of Science, Society of Flavor Chemists, Time
Preserving baked goods or concentrating fruit juices can sap “volatile compounds” that provide flavor. So they are replaced on the back end. Encapsulation technology ensures that such volatiles are released at the right time, inside the human mouth, sometimes in stages.
What is flavor?
It’s a team effort by your nose, mouth and brain. Chemicals in food are detected by receptors in the nose and mouth, and they produce signals interpreted by the brain as aroma and taste along this spectrum: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, savory (umami).
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The nose accounts for most of the experience of flavor, though the other senses contribute. The color and shape of food, and the environment in which you’re eating it, also affect how it tastes.
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march 19-march 25
To make its “Harry Potter”-inspired line (with such offerings as soap, sausage, vomit and rotten egg), flavor chemists at Jelly Belly used the real thing in lab assessments, finding the compounds that occur in smelly socks or spoiled cheese so the world could experience such terrors in sweet-looking little jelly beans.
The aroma of coffee is almost impossible to simulate, as it comes from key elements reacting with oxygen that dissipate rapidly.
savory (umami)
salty
sour
sweet
bitter
Each flavor represents a unique chemical combination, so that lemon candy you love is the result of a chemist identifying and synthesizing the fruit’s chemical profile. But, it’s not quite that simple. The American Chemical Society says that “a single natural flavor may contain hundreds or even thousands of component substances, and some of these substances are present in minute quantities.”
To illustrate, the ACS points to a key aroma compound of pineapple, which humans can detect in supertiny amounts — “the equivalent of a few grains of sugar in an Olympic-size swimming pool.” So the chemical cocktails that form food identities are notoriously difficult to peg.
The work of a master flavorist Known as “flavorists,” flavor chemists consider their work an art and a science. Using gas and liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry and a host of natural and synthetic chemicals, extracts, oils and essences, they create the distinctive flavors of processed foods and beverages, tobacco products, alcoholic drinks, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, oral care items, vitamins, sports gels, pet foods and so on. They work predominantly to modify existing aromas and tastes, mimicking or attempting to improve on something natural. And they aren’t just creating the flavor — they’re engineering the way it hits, just like the chemists who make fireworks.
For example, a fruit flavor is ideal with immediately bursting sweetness that finishes clean, and it might be floral or jammy. Any flavorist’s aim is to concoct something addictively tasty, and when they achieve that, the formulas are considered incredibly valuable intellectual property. So, how do they do it? Using a palette of thousands of chemicals and hundreds of natural flavors, they practice a refined version of trial and error to find the perfect mix. And the ingredients might surprise (or scare) you. Tech magazine Gizmodo described simulation of the taste of chocolate using substances that “individually taste and smell like potato chips, cooked meat, peaches, raw beef fat, cooked cabbage, human sweat, dirt and other distinctly un-chocolate-like aromas.”
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Chemists construct their flavor profiles with mathematical precision to allow for incredibly minute adjustments, always being sensitive to how chemicals will react and whether mixtures will stand up to cooking.
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THE SUNDAY
MARCH 19-MARCH 25
LITHIU T H I S MI N E RA L F O U N D I N N E VA DA CO U L D P OW E R O U R FU T U R E
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THE SUNDAY
MARCH 19-MARCH 25
Shannon Jackson’s boots scrape over a hardened rut of earth atop a mountain of mud and salt. ¶ Jackson, a third-generation miner and husband of Nevada Mining Association Director Dana Bennett, spent more than 20 years around the rugged gold and silver mines of Northern Nevada, where huge drills and house-sized earthmovers are practically a way of life. ¶ But things are different here in the Clayton Valley, 200 miles northwest of Las Vegas. The air is still and quiet. Evaporation ponds checker the desert like rice paddies. ¶ “Looks like agriculture,” he says. ¶ It’s an almost alien landscape. The only signs of civilization are nearby Silver Peak — more a sprinkling of trailers and shacks in the distance than a ‘town’ — and the contrails of jetliners crisscrossing the sky high above. To the jets’ passengers, the surface of the ponds must look like swirls of milk and molten turquoise, the product of algae in various stages of microbial bloom. ¶ At ground level, everything seems massive and miniature at once, the product of nature’s leviathan scale. Where the waterline meets the shore, where the curve of the banded mountains blends the horizon, it all looks like it can fit in your hand. Far off, toward Silver Peak and an extinct cinder cone near the ghost town of Blair, mounds of black volcanic rock rise like obelisks out of the alkali playa.
Lithium.
M
STORY BY IAN WHITAKER PHOTOS BY STEVE MARCUS
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MARCH 19-MARCH 25
COVER STORY
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WHAT IS LITHIUM AND WHY IS IT IN NEVADA? Believed by cosmologists to be one of the first elements synthesized in the Big Bang, lithium is highly reactive and a natural conductor of electricity. It’s nearly ubiquitous throughout the planet but is particularly abundant in areas with a lot of geothermal activity and volcanic rock. Read: Nevada. “We have that nice combination of factors that produce a fair amount of lithium,” said Jim Faulds, geologist and director of the Bureau of Mines and Geology at UNR. Because of tectonic factors, the Earth’s crust under Nevada is stretched, bringing the surface closer to the hot mantle underneath. The warm geothermal waters rising from the deep mix with the mineral-rich rocks, leaching out the lithium to form subterranean bodies of briny water.
LITHIUM, FROM PAGE 13
The lithium mine in Silver Peak employs about 80 people and is owned by Albemarle, a North Carolina mineral company. It’s the only active commercial lithium mine in North America, and the company touts the product coming out as among the purest in the world. It’s processed in a modern facility tucked in the husk of an old mill near the town. At the end of the line, the lithium falls out of a conveyor belt into a trough under the gaze of Albemarle Vice President of Lithium David Klanecky, who keeps the “recipe” a closely guarded secret. “If we told you, we’d have to kill you,” Klanecky joked to a small group of journalists on a recent tour of the mine. Buoyed by Nevada’s enormous potential reserve of lithium and the opening of Tesla’s Gigafactory nearly 200 miles to the north, 25 mining companies and investorbacked speculators have staked more than 13,000 placer claims, covering almost the entirety of the Clayton Valley and 18 hydrographic basins. Meanwhile, the price for a ton of lithium carbonate has more than tripled since 2015. According to Deutsche Bank, global demand for lithium carbonate in the next decade could double to 534,000 tons a year. Analysts predict that lithium carbonate could become a $1.7 billion market by 2019. The Clayton Valley is ground zero for what analysts call the “lithium rush.” REINVENTING THE WHEEL The technology driving modern car batteries, produced dirt-cheap from toxic concoctions of sulfuric acid and lead, was invented in the 1800s. The potassium hydrox-
ide and ammonium chloride in your average household battery have, ever since the dry cell was invented at the end of the Civil War, been more the provenance of the reclusive chemist than the Silicon Valley genius. “The issue with existing batteries is that they suck,” Elon Musk told fans and reporters gathered to hear the tech mogul’s next big announcement in 2015. But for entrepreneurs like Musk, who founded the electric car company Tesla and co-founded solar energy company SolarCity, existing battery technology is not just unwieldy and ugly, it’s unworkable. So Musk staked his business on a better kind of battery, one with roots in Kawasaki, Japan. Hidden among the city’s sprawling artificial reef of refineries, shipping canals and industrial plants is Kawasaki Works, one of chemical giant Asahi Kasei’s oldest workshops. It was here in 1985 that an unassuming scientist named Akira Yoshino put the finishing touches on a prototype that would alter the path of technology. Building upon research from the late 1970s, Yoshino perfected the industry’s next big breakthrough: A stable, safe lithium-ion battery. Asahi Kasei and Sony released the first commercial lithium-ion battery in the early ’90s. With the help of mass production, the technology became widely used in electronic devices, from mobile phones, tablets and cameras to flashlights and drills. The advantage comes in lightweight, high-energy capacity and low energy usage. A lithium-ion battery can power energy-hungry devices for longer than a standard battery, charge faster and is easy to transport — think the difference between 1984’s brick-like Motorola DynaTAC and 2009’s Apple iPhone 3G. “Lithium is becoming to batteries what silicon is to semiconductors,” The Econo-
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the sunday
Silver Peak Road cuts through the valley floor where the Silver Peak lithium mine has its evaporation ponds near Tonopah.
With the right technological advancements, lithium could revolutionize the renewable-energy industry, with lithium-ion batteries providing a way to store unused power gathered from wind and solar for use at a later time.
mist proclaimed in a 2016 article. “In one form or another, the lithium-ion battery is the technology of our time.” DEMAND AND SUPPLY We may still be on the initial slope of the bell curve. In the mid ’90s, lithium-ion batteries accounted for a tiny fraction of total battery sales. Now, they are one-third of the market, second only to lead-acid batteries that come standard in most gas-powered vehicles. Lithium-ion is making the biggest inroads in the automotive sector for a simple reason: demand. There are thousands of lithium-ion cells in the battery of the Tesla Model S, meaning tens of pounds of lithium per car. Compare that with the spoonful of lithium contained in products like phones and laptops. Years of development have nearly halved the cost of producing the batteries for electric vehicles. From 2010 to 2015, sales of lithium-ion batteries nearly doubled because of automotive demand alone. Electric cars are now the largest market for the batteries, and while sales of them are only a fraction of car sales worldwide, experts predict they will account for 35 percent of all car sales by 2040. If the estimates are correct, the electricity needed to power electric cars worldwide will top 1,900 terawatt hours per year, enough energy to power the entire United States for 160 days. And another industry is poised to have great demand: renewable energy. Sources like wind and solar are crucial to weaning the world off of destructive fossil fuels, but they suffer from the same storage problem as electric cars.
march 19-march 25
Take California. The Golden State has an abundance of energy during the day, when its massive solar farms are generating power along with the state’s traditional natural gas plants. But as families come home from work and school and start to use more electricity, power demand spikes at the same time that the output of solar farms flatlines. There is a fortune to be made by companies solving this problem. “We think lithium is going to be around for quite a while,” Klanecky said. When Musk took to that stage in Los Angeles to decry the state of battery technology, it was to announce his own solution. He unveiled the Tesla Powerwall, a lithium-ion battery pack that taps into the energy grid at every home and regulates power usage to offset demand during peak hours. Tesla’s Gigafactory 1, erected to great fanfare in the desert near Reno, is set to be the sole producer of the company’s Powerwalls and lithium-ion car batteries for the foreseeable future. This year, California energy officials installed 396 industrial-size lithium-ion Tesla batteries in Southern California. The installation can power 15,000 homes for about four hours, easing the grid during peak demand. The potential of lithium-ion technology to disrupt the automotive and energy industries is clear. Less clear is how it will be accomplished. Factories producing the batteries are sprouting up around the world, but, just like electric cars can’t drive an inch without their batteries, the batteries themselves can’t hold a charge without lithium. The mineral is produced predominantly in Chile, Argentina and Bolivia, known as the “Lithium Triangle.” But almost all of the lithium intended for batteries ends up in Asia. While American subsidiaries of foreign companies, such as BASF and TODA, are making strides in cathode development, Japan, Korea and China have been on the cutting edge for years. Companies such as Panasonic, LG and Samsung, which benefit from Asia’s extensive high-tech infrastructure, engineer the lithium into cathodes before they send it back to the States for assembly into battery packs by the likes of Tesla. “It’s hard to beat that,” Klanecky said. But some are trying. Musk has noted the yawning technological gap between the United States and Asia. Tesla already has announced plans for another Gigafactory in Buffalo, N.Y,, which would produce solar panels for SolarCity, as well as several potential Gigafactories in Europe. Musk puts it this way: “There are a hundred million new cars made every year. Just do the basic math: You don’t just need one Gigafactory, you need 200 Gigafactories.” NEVADA’S MOTHER LODE? The impact of the rush for lithium is less clear when it comes to Nevada. Though companies are flooding into the state lured by the mineral’s promise, much of the activity right now is exploratory. Even state mining officials and scientists don’t know how much lithium we might have under our feet, due to the current lack of a statewide survey of the commodity. “Lithium has not been studied in much detail in Nevada to really understand how much might be out there,” Faulds said. Lithium reserves in Nevada would have to be significant to make a dent in a market dominated by South America and Australia. Even if they were, Bennett said, lithium is unlikely to be a major source of revenue for the state. The Silver Peak mine pays about $250,000 per year in mining taxes — half the proceeds from the relatively small limestone industry. If much of the lithium exploration turned out to be fruitful and production were quadrupled, it still would yield a fraction of the approximately $100 million the state receives from the mining of precious metals such as gold and silver. And even though lithium-ion is in vogue, battery technology is advancing rapidly. Spurred by the potential of markets in electric vehicles and mass energy storage, scientists are experimenting to improve current lithium-ion technology as well as develop new types, such as flow batteries that use vanadium. J.B. Goodenough, the 94-year-old scientist behind the discovery of the lithium-based cathode, revealed last month his work on a new kind of solid-state battery with a purported three times the energy potential of lithium-ion. “Lithium is really sexy right now, but it’s not the only one at the beach,” Bennett said. Nevada has no shortage of mineral wealth, and the possibilities of lithium are just one more reason for prospectors to dig. “We don’t know what’s around the corner,” Bennett said. “Five years ago, we would not have had this conversation.”
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Lithium claims in Nevada
7 Companies, mainly in Asia, make crucial battery components such as cathodes with LCE.
8 The components are then shipped back to the U.S. and used to build battery cells by companies like Tesla.
6
Lithium is a prevalent resource, but it can be difficult to collect because small amounts are scattered throughout wide swaths of land.
The lithium carbonate is then prepared in massive bags and shipped.
5 The lithium is treated with other chemicals to produce lithium carbonate (LCE).
4 The solution is processed at a plant to remove impurities and separate the lithium.
3 Once the leftover mineral solution reaches the desired richness, it is pumped away.
Lithium is a light soft metal that can be cut with a knife. It’s also so reactive, it will burn while it floats in water.
2 The water is left to evaporate naturally over a period of months, leaving minerals behind.
The enormous amount of water pumped out of the earth and used in lithium processing has been linked to a decline in water tables, specifically at lithium mines in northern Argentina, where rainfall is already scarce, and there have been concerns raised in relation to lithium-ion battery production.
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How are lithium-ion batteries different from regular batteries? These batteries operate much the same way as traditional batteries, but the reaction that creates the current is reversible, meaning the battery can be recharged. When charging, lithium ions move from the cathode through the cell and into the anode. After enough ions have moved, the battery is charged. Expelling power is just reversing this process: The ions travel back to the cathode, releasing the energy via electrons traveling through the circuit and powering the device.
are there environmental impacts? A 2013 study commissioned by the Environmental Protection Agency explored the impacts of mining and processing components of lithium-ion batteries. They included “resource depletion, global warming and ecological toxicity — primarily resulting from the production, processing and use of cobalt and nickel metal compounds, which can cause adverse respiratory, pulmonary and neurological effects in those exposed.” A subsequent Wired article pointed to the practice in China of passing earth through acid baths to isolate minerals, leaving 99.8 percent of that soil contaminated.
How is it mined?
Global demand for lithium carbonate is more than 150,000 tons per year and rising, with most of the world’s stable supply coming from South America and Australia. However, Nevada is on the list of small operations and remains the only location in the U.S. currently extracting the metal. ¶ It’s not mined in the traditional sense. There are no “veins” of lithium “ore.” Instead, companies pump briny water into man-made ponds and let nature take its course. As the water evaporates, minerals are left behind. When it’s time, the lithium-rich remnants are processed to produce lithium carbonate, a harmless-looking white powder and the key ingredient of the cathode that makes lithium-ion batteries possible. A S I D E F R O M B AT T E R I E S , H O W I S L I T H I U M U S E D ?
1 Pumps pull lithium-rich brine from underground and deposit it into massive ponds.
As a flux agent during the creation of stronger ceramics and glass
As an ingredient in lubricating greases
As an additive in the casting of heavy metals such as iron and steel
In salt form as a treatment for bipolar disorder
To give fireworks a red color
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A time for defiance and joy Yiddish festival organizers say celebrating culture key to combating persecution By Chris Kudialis Staff Writer
This week’s second annual Yiddish Las Vegas festival, a celebration of Ashkenazi Jewish culture, is falling in the midst of a rash of anti-Semitism. Graffiti featuring swastikas and antipolice messages was found this month in a residential area for UNLV students. Sprayed on a power box at 3581 Spencer St., the graffiti followed a February bomb threat made against the Jewish Community Center of Southern Nevada. On March 10, the center was evacuated for a second time after Metro Police said it received “suspicious communications.” Local incidents echo anti-Semitic threats and attacks that have ramped up across the country since the presidential election. Immediately following Donald Trump’s win, Nazi-themed graffiti found its way to walls in Wellsville, N.Y. — one reading “Make America White Again” — and a Jewish school in Middlebury, Vt. The Southern Poverty Law Center documented 100 anti-Semitic acts in the 10 days following the election, about 12 percent of all documented acts of hate in that time period. On Jan. 9, robocall bomb threats were made to 16 Jewish community centers in nine states — Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Tennessee — though no bombs were found. Nine days later, more bomb threats were made to 27 Jewish community centers across 17 states, prompting evacuations and an FBI investigation. Four more waves of such threats, the most recent on March 6, have brought the total to more than 100 incidents targeting about 70 such centers in 30 states. On Feb. 20, more than 200 headstones were found turned over in the Chesed Shel Emeth Jewish Cemetery near St. Louis in what authorities determined to be an act of vandalism. Six days later, about 100 grave sites were found damaged at Mount Carmel Jew-
Temple Sinai Rabbi Malcolm Cohen and Temple Sinai cantorial soloist and spokeswoman Heather Klein emphasize the camaraderie and glee of the Yiddish Las Vegas festival, even in the face of anti-Semitic threats. (Mikayla Whitmore/staff)
Yiddish Las Vegas: A Music & Culture Festival When: 6:30 p.m. March 18 and 9:30 a.m.-noon March 19 What: Featuring live comedy and traditional music and dancing, as well as art and the Beyond Bubbe Bakeoff Where: Temple Sinai, 9001 Hillpointe Road, Las Vegas
ish Cemetery in Philadelphia. Yiddish Las Vegas is expected to draw as much as double its 100 attendees from last year, said Rabbi Malcolm Cohen, who has led operations at host site Temple Sinai since moving to Las Vegas in September 2009. He said much of the projected attendance boost and unity spreading in his community is fearbased, which is “not the main reason we want to get Jews together.” “It’s great because we want everyone to stand up to hatred in whatever form it is in,” Cohen said, “but be part of the Jewish community through hope and inspiration, not because of fear and guilt. We want them to be in-
Cost: $36 ($50 VIP donor tickets include a reception with the festival’s artists at 6 p.m. March 18) Information: Contact Heather Klein at 702-254-5110 or cantorialsoloist@ templesinailv.org
spired and be part of the community. If they want to speak out against anti-Semites after that, even better. I’m just saying come for the defiance, but stay for the joy.” The open-to-the-public cultural festival, staged March 18 and 19 at Summerlin-based Temple Sinai, features a Yiddish/English comedy show, a traditional Klezmer band, art galleries and food sampling, among other attractions for adults and children. With so many threats made against Jewish centers nationwide since November, event organizer and Temple Sinai cantorial soloist Heather Klein said the festival’s focus will be on posi-
tive energy and messages. “This is an event that brings together people of many different ethnicities, and the fact that Jews are coming together is very special,” Klein said. “We are going to celebrate fiercely, because that’s what Jews do.” Klein said security staffers would be on hand, though that’s standard for a weekend event at Temple Sinai. Cohen, who speaks with a British accent, moved to the United States from his hometown of London over a decade ago for more freedom and opportunity to live his faith. A selfdescribed “Reform Jew,” Cohen said Jewish people are more accepted in Las Vegas than anywhere in Europe. Despite the hate Jewish people are weathering in the current moment, Cohen said they must look to themselves for happiness and growth in the face of adversity. He sees the festival as a reminder of how much there is to celebrate. “This is a vibrant culture,” he said, “and events like this weekend help bring it to life.”
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Brothel owner wants to end sex trafficking By Mick Akers Staff Writer
Although many visitors to Las Vegas think prostitution is legal in the city, the fact is it isn’t. The world’s oldest profession can legally be found in eight of the 16 counties in Nevada, all of which are rural. ¶ Two of those counties, Nye and Lyon, are home to various brothels, many of them owned by self-proclaimed pimp Dennis Hof. Hof said he has 540 contracted working girls and 230 employees across his establishments in the state. ¶ Star of HBO’s “Cathouse,” Hof has been in the limelight over the years, most recently when former NBA and reality-show star Lamar Odom overdosed at Hof’s Love Ranch South, just outside of Pahrump. But now he’s getting attention for the solution he sees to curbing sex trafficking in Las Vegas: legalizing prostitution.
Why did you publicize your views on trafficking? There are more than 3,000 active pimps and somewhere around 32,000 girls who come to Las Vegas every year to apply their trade. ... It’s been estimated that there are 300 girls under the age of 16 that are being trafficked all the time. You’ve got pimps having shootouts on the Strip killing each other. You have a pimp kill a couple of girls right in a casino parking garage. It’s out of hand. Las Vegas is the sexual cesspool of America. What other issues does illegal prostitution cause? Sexually transmitted diseases in Las Vegas are way up, partially due to illegal prostitution. There’s also millions of dollars a year in property crimes. More interestingly, studies say that only 20 percent of the people involved in property crimes or identify theft with prostitution report it to the police, because most of them don’t want any trouble in their life. It’s disgusting, and something needs to be done about it.
to go, but they’re not going to do it. So, that’s why I’m suggesting legalization. By the way, former Mayor Oscar Goodman suggested that, too. What do you see as the best way to go about legalizing prostitution in Las Vegas, and what benefits could the city anticipate? It’s a multimillion-dollar-a-year business in Las Vegas, and nobody gets any taxes off of it. All you would have to do is open up 10 Bunny Ranches there in a red-light district. It would have to have a close proximity to the Strip and the tourists, without having a huge cab fare to get there. There’s some industrial areas that are close to the Strip that would be perfect for it. The city and the county could probably make about $25 million a year in taxes off of legalized prostitution.
What do you believe can alleviate these problems in Las Vegas? There’s two answers: Enforce your laws and give law enforcement the budget they need to arrest the girls and put the pimps in prison. Or you can legalize prostitution.
So you would model it off the Red Light District in Amsterdam? Yeah. Create a red-light zone so people know exactly what it is; I wouldn’t want to offend any of the people who live in Las Vegas, you know, the God-fearing folks. But there’s an enormous opportunity. Right now they spend a lot of money policing vice. Why not eliminate that and turn it into a revenue maker, instead of having to pay to police it? Once you legalize it, you’re going to take out most of the illegal prostitution.
Do you think one solution would work better than the other? Well, the first way is the right way
Why are you so confident that legalized prostitution would deter illegal sex operations?
21
Dennis Hof, who owns brothels in rural Nevada, would like to see a red-light district created near the Strip.
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(courtesy of moonlite bunny ranch)
If a consumer has a choice between a legal place of business and an illegal criminal operation, he’s going to go to the legal place. That’s because he knows there’s no problems waiting to happen there. In a legal environment, you know who’s not invited to the party? Pimps. Because you have to have a squeakyclean criminal record to get a license. Underage girls aren’t invited, because the police department would scrutinize them and make sure they have proper identification and they are who they truly say they are, and that they’re 18 years of age. How many prostitutes do you imagine would work in a red-light district in Las Vegas? If you had 10 brothels, you could probably have around 500 girls working. Have you ever had any former street girls come to work for you? If so, what have you heard about the unregulated conditions? It’s terrible. It’s a horrifying experience. A lot of the time, it’s underage girls who are victims. But when they’re arrested, they’re not treated like victims, they’re treated like criminals, and that’s even more disgusting. Do you have a model in mind for how Clark County could legalize? Lyon County. They protect the public but also make it more conducive for a girl to work than Nye County. It’s more working-girl friendly. Nye County has been trying to update codes regarding prostitution for the past six months. What’s the update on that endeavor? All that is pretty much worked out. The bottom line is, (municipalities) always want more money. They look to the brothels as a cash cow. My take on it is, whatever you raise all the businesses in Nye County, whatever percentage that is, raise the brothels the same thing. Have you had any talks with officials in Las Vegas about legalizing prostitution? I have, but I signed a confidentiality agreement that won’t allow me to talk about it. Can you say how far along these talks are? All I can say is we’re moving along as fast as we can.
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selling a home without a real estate agent Ask
an
at to r n e y
The spring and summer months are prime home-buying and selling seasons, and for many, hiring a real estate agent can seem like a must. However, this isn’t the case. Although there can be benefits to using a real estate agent, you can save what you would spend in commission costs by listing your home FSBO, or for sale by owner. Such sales can be risky, and they aren’t the norm in most markets, but bucking the trend could mean saving tens of thousands and selling on your own terms.
How much can you save selling your home FSBO? Zillow reports that the median price of homes listed in the Las Vegas metropolitan area is $250,000. Most real estate agents charge 6 percent commission on their sales. So, if you sell your home for $250,000, you’ll pocket $15,000 in what would be commission costs. An attorney charges about less than half of the real estate agents’ fees.
Should you sell your home on your own? Maybe. One of the biggest benefits to hiring a real estate agent is getting an objective third party capable of doing what many homeowners aren’t comfortable doing, such as listing the home, marketing, hosting open houses and negotiating with potential buyers. Some homeowners find themselves too emotionally invested in their house to manage these tasks, while others may not have the time or knowhow. Real estate agents also have knowledge about the market, and judah zakalik, esq. can advise you accordingly. This is especially important in a market like Las Vegas, which has been historically less stable than many other housing markets in the country. To successfully list and sell your home by owner, you’re going to have to research and study the market closely. If you’re willing and able to dedicate yourself to the task, selling your home without a real estate agent is possible — and you could walk away from the sale with an extra chunk of change.
How to sell your home FSBO Hire a real estate attorney If you’re selling your home FSBO, you’re probably trying to cut costs, but you can’t skimp on a real estate attorney. A home sale is a complicated and high-stakes legal transaction that requires a professional, so retaining an experienced lawyer should be your first priority. Your attorney will be able to advise you on real estate laws in your area, zoning regulations, terms of the sale, pre-sale paperwork, buyer approval processes, disclosures, caution precedent agreements, closing contracts, loan documents and more. Some may even be able to get your home listed on the Multiple Listing Service, a professional realty-listing site that can help drive sales. There’s no way around using an attorney at some point during an FSBO, so it’s best to hire one early to ensure everything is on track throughout the process.
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Price your home This can be done on your own or with the help of an appraiser. To price your home independently, research the value of other homes in the area and the price of recent sales. If you’re not in a hurry to sell, price it on the high end, and remember that you can dip lower than your original asking price from the money you’re saving by selling it FSBO. Also, real estate agents may be willing to provide a comparative sales analysis of your home (“pull comps”) in an effort to try to earn your business — but, do not sign a listing agreement unless you plan to abandon the FSBO route.
2
ANDASSOCIATES PETERS attorneys at law
List and market your home List it on the MLS, either with the help of your attorney or for a flat-rate fee. You can also list it on fsbo.com, an owner-selling site that offers marketing packages. From there, you can market using yard signs, newspaper ads, classified listing services, social media and more. The goal is to reach as many potential buyers as possible.
3
WE MOVED!
Clean it up and host an open house Your house should be in selling condition by now, but getting it ready for an open house means cleaning it thoroughly and removing most of your personal items. Steam clean the carpets, wax the floors, wash all lighting fixtures and windows, repaint anywhere it’s needed, etc. Your house should be spotless for a showing, and the more neutral your home looks, the better.
4
Fielding, negotiating and accepting offers Require that all offers are put in writing by way of a real estate purchase contract. Your lawyer will help you with this. Also require that the buyer provide a preapproved mortgage letter from a bank, or proof of funds. It’s important to know that the buyer is able to get the loan before negotiations. Once you get the contract and preapproval from the buyer, you can either accept their offer or revise the contract and send it back to them. Do not accept an offer before your attorney examines the contract. Closing the deal Once you’ve accepted the offer, you’ll need to work with your attorney and the buyer (and their attorney or real estate agent) on the seller disclosure forms, buyer conditions and any other necessary legal agreements for the sale. Your lawyer will help you with that process as well as engaging an escrow/title company, which is common in all real estate deals.
6
Transferring the title During this time, you’ll also need to work with an escrow officer at a title company to transfer the home title to the buyer and purchase a title insurance policy. If there are any outstanding liens on the property that threaten the title transfer, your attorney will be able to help negotiate them.
PERSONAL INJURY DEBT RELIEF REAL ESTATE CONSUMER PROTECTION
7
Please note: The information in this column is intended for general purposes only and is not to be considered legal or professional advice of any kind. You should seek advice that is specific to your problem before taking or refraining from any action and should not rely on the information in this column.
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student gets the red-carpet treatment Young Las Vegas filmmaker goes for modern-day Frankenstein with ‘Artificial Human’ By Camalot Todd Staff Writer
Whenever Will Smith’s music video for “Men in Black” played on TV, 4-year-old Norvell Ji’Floyd would don his Sunday suit with sunglasses and dance along, entranced by the screen magic. Now 20, Ji’Floyd gets to see his feature film, “Artificial Human,” debut at Eclipse Theaters on March 25 through NJC Productions, a Henderson-based company he founded and for which he serves as CEO. Despite such early success, Ji’Floyd’s life wasn’t always picturesque. Raised by a single mother, he watched her struggle and sacrifice for him. “We know what it’s like to have corn bread and gravy and be without,” said Minnie Foxx, Ji’Floyd’s mother and ‘momager.’ After divorcing his father, an ex-heavyweight boxer, Foxx left California and “walked away from the house and the car, with just me, my child and the dog.” She worked as an actress, though she says she didn’t push her son into the arts. Her parenting motto was: ‘Let your child choose, and they’ll grow into it.’ Foxx
Filmmaker Norvell Ji’Floyd will see his creation hit the big screen March 25 at the Eclipse Theaters in downtown Las Vegas. (STEVE MARCUS/staff)
recalled Norvell being bullied in school, and that he didn’t fit in when he tried out for sports teams. “I introduced him to everything and allowed him to choose,” she said. “I put him in the arts so (despite) that box he didn’t fit in school, he’d have a way to express himself.” Ji’Floyd flourished, taking roles in musical-theater favorites including “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Rent,” “A Christmas Carol” and “Oliver.” After receiving a video camera as a reward for good grades in middle school, he stepped off the stage and got behind the lens. He waded into the medium by making YouTube videos, working his way up to the production of three full-length features in the realms of action and comedy. Now studying film at the Art Institute of Las Vegas and working at Cashman Photo, Ji’Floyd carved out time to partner with his friends and create “Artificial Human,” with the hope of seeing it play on the big screen. This feature differs wildly from his past work, and grew from a short film he started in high school and captured on an iPhone. “I wanted to do something different,” Ji’Floyd said. “The plot centers around the concept: When unnatural things are
made, unnatural things happen.” Ahead of the premiere, he would elaborate only that the story follows a pair of scientists who create a humanoid and must deal with the consequences. He is hands-on in all aspects of piecing together his films, from directing, acting and editing to script writing and composing most of the music. Foxx said composing came the most naturally to her son, like “spreading peanut butter on a piece of bread with no effort.” Ji’Floyd looks to established artists for inspiration, from cinematography — he likes the styles of “Nocturnal Animals,” “Gone Girl” and “Neon Demon” — to the director-actor crossover exemplified by Ben Affleck in “Argo,” to the range in films directed by Antoine Fuqua (“Southpaw,” “Training Day” and “The Magnificent Seven”), to the method acting of Marlon Brando. His life is dominated and enriched by the art form. This may be his first film to drop inside a theater, but it is unlikely to be his last. “Filmmaking has always been a part of me — it’s a part of my blood,” Ji’Floyd said. “I don’t know what I can do if I’m not doing film.”
‘Artificial Human’ Premiere What: Between the screening and the after-party, the filmmaker and cast will do a Q&A, meet-and-greet and autograph signing. When: March 25, doors open at 12:30 p.m. (red carpet at 1 p.m.) Where: Eclipse Theaters, 814 S. Third Street, Las Vegas Cost: Free, though seating is limited; RSVP at rsvp. imageprinciplestudios@ gmail.com
“Let your child choose, and they’ll grow into it. ... I introduced him to everything and allowed him to choose. I put him in the arts so (despite) that box he didn’t fit in school, he’d have a way to express himself.” — Minnie Foxx, Norvell Ji’Floyd’s ‘momager’
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why folic acid is important for pregnancy Taking a folic acid supplement is one of the most important things a woman can do during the early stages of her pregnancy because it can help prevent birth defects. ¶ A member of the Bvitamin family, folic acid is strongly linked to the prevention of neural tube defects (NTDs), such as spina bifida, and also may prevent heart defects and cleft lip and palate defects. ¶ “Folic acid supplementation reduces the incidence of NTDs by 50 to 70 percent,” said Amy Rosenbaum, DO, OB/Gyn at Sunrise Children’s Hospital. ¶ The March of Dimes reports that NTDs affect about 3,000 pregnancies in the United States annually, so if all women took folic acid before getting pregnant and during pregnancy, it could help prevent close to 2,100 of these birth defects. What is folic acid? Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate, a type of B-vitamin also sometimes referred to as B9. “Folic acid is Do you need to take involved in many metabolic processes, including DNA/ a prenatal vitamin? amino acid synthesis and the Prenatal vitamins are recommended formation of red blood cells,” for nearly all pregnant women, and they Rosenbaum said. Folic acid all contain folic acid. However, some women also can help repair DNA may be sensitive to some of the other vitamins and RNA, aids in rapid included and may choose not to take the full cell division and growth, prenatal vitamin complex. “Folic acid is the most and is sometimes used to important component of the prenatal vitamin, help treat certain types and it’s not absolutely necessary to consume of anemia because of its other vitamin supplements during pregnancy, ability to produce red blood though it’s recommended. If the prenatal cells. For pregnant women, vitamin isn’t tolerable to a pregnant folic acid plays a crucial role woman, she can take the folic acid in the healthy development of supplement alone. A balanced diet the neural tube, brain and spinal is also encouraged,” Rosencord of the fetus. baum said.
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How much folic acid do pregnant women need? The general recommended dose for a normal, low-risk pregnancy is 400 micrograms (MCGs) a day for pregnant women. However, some women may want or need to take more. It’s a water-soluble vitamin, so there’s usually no harm in taking extra. “Most prenatal vitamins have 800 micrograms of folic acid and there are certain conditions that require higher doses of folic acid, between four and five milligrams daily,” Rosenbaum said.
Reasons why some women may need to take higher doses of folic acid include: n If either parent has a medical history of neural tube defects n If the mother already has a child with a neural tube defect n If the mother is on certain medications, such as anticonvulsants n If the mother has diabetes n If the mother has impaired gastrointestinal absorption, such as with Celiac disease
When should mothers begin taking folic acid? “Ideally, a woman should be taking folic acid about a month prior to conception and at least through the first trimester of pregnancy,” Rosenbaum said. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, half of all pregnancies in the U.S. are unplanned, and as such, it is recommended that all women between ages 15 and 45 take 400 MCGs of folic acid daily. Most birth defects occur within the first month of pregnancy, before most women even know they’re pregnant, so it’s important for any woman of childbearing age to take folic acid. While it’s ideal that any pregnant women take folic acid before conception and in the earliest stages of pregnancy, don’t panic if you become pregnant and have not been following these guidelines. “A detailed ultrasound will be completed to look for any abnormalities in the fetus, but the likelihood is that the fetus will still be normal,” Rosenbaum said.
Can you get enough folate from your diet, Or do you have to take a folic acid supplement? Folate (the naturally occurring form of folic acid) is found in dark leafy greens, citrus fruits and beans. Further, many bread and cereal products that are labeled “fortified” or “enriched” contain folic acid. While the average, healthy person eating a balanced diet is probably getting enough folate from food, women who are, or may become, pregnant need to take a folic acid supplement. “It would be difficult to quantify how much folate is being consumed due to the way that food is processed and cooked. Also, the bioavailability of the folic acid supplement is higher and therefore more biologically active than folate. For this reason, folic acid is recommended in all pregnancies, regardless of diet,” Rosenbaum said.
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before you consume
billions of live bacteria ...
D
Sunday staff
octors, dietitians, holistic healers, foodies and the generally healthconscious can’t seem to stop talking about probiotics, touted as a miracle cure for everything from digestive diseases to skin problems. But what are these microscopic organisms and how do they work? And do they really live up to the hype? ¶ We explored the claims, the science and the controversy surrounding probiotics. If you’re thinking about introducing them into your health regimen (or if you already have), this is a good place to start in gathering all the facts. Your gut will thank you.
What are probiotics? Probiotics are microorganisms that live in our digestive tracts. A combination of bacteria and yeast, they occur naturally and help our organs function optimally.
lactobacillus
bifidobacterium
While bacteria tend to get a bad rap for causing disease and infection, there are many “good” bacteria, including those found in probiotics. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) reports that the good bacteria in our intestines “help digest food, destroy disease-causing microorganisms and produce vitamins.” Several types of live bacteria are under the probiotic umbrella. The two most common are lactobacillus and bifidobacterium. The NCCIH said these two types have been subject to the most research to date. Both are prominent microorganisms that live in everyone’s digestive system and in female genital organs.
The microorganisms in our bodies outnumber human cells
10 to1
and the majority are found in the gut.
Between 2006 and 2012, probiotic use in hospitals increased almost threefold.
Why take probiotics? Most people naturally have enough good gut bacteria, but an unhealthy lifestyle, poor diet, certain diseases and antibiotic use can disrupt that balance. This is important because our digestive system is intrinsically linked to our immune system, the mechanism that A 2008 study prevents and fights disease. published in Clinical & Experimental Immunology The bacteria found in probiotic found that the gut is supplements and certain foods responsible for almost are the same as, or largely similar to, bacteria naturally found in the gut. Because gut of the immune system. When bacteria play an integral role in people say that most digestive and immune-system diseases start in the gut, health, it’s theorized that taking this is why. probiotics can assist and improve these functions as well, bettering your overall health. While the connection between taking probiotics and improving gut health is logical, research is still mixed about whether or not it works.
Beyond digestive issues, taking probiotics might help treat and/or prevent:
70 percent
n
skin conditions (like acne and eczema)
n
urinary tract and yeast infections
n
allergies
n
autoimmune diseases
n
liver disease
n
colds/flus
While these claims aren’t backed by enough scientific data, many people report successful outcomes after introducing probiotics into their diet. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved the use of probiotics as a treatment or prevention method for any health problem, but it’s an active field of study.
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! Are they safe? The NCCIH reports that probiotics are generally safe for healthy adults to take and do not present serious negative side effects. However, probiotics can be dangerous for people who have underlying medical conditions or compromised immune systems, including elderly people and children. There also is concern about potentially dangerous contaminants lurking in probiotic supplements, which are not evaluated by the FDA. In 2014, contaminants in one such supplement marketed for infants and children caused the death of a baby in Connecticut.
best dietary sources
Lactobacillus and bifidobacteria strains often are used to create fermented foods, including wine and cheese. However, while most fermented foods will have some probiotic benefit, some have more live cultures than others and (unfortunately) wine isn’t the best bet when compared with these other probiotic-rich sources:
Yogurt
Raw cheese
(especially those made from goat and sheep milk)
Kimchi
supplements
There are hundreds of probiotic supplements available in health food stores, drugstores and online. However, because of the contaminant risk, it’s best to do thorough research before choosing one. Heed expiration dates and second-guess supplements that don’t have one. Bacteria are living things that die eventually, so they may not be active anymore.
Kombucha
(fermented tea)
n Consult your doctor to be sure probiotic supplements are safe for you. Some doctors may recommend or prescribe a safe and reliable brand, depending on the symptoms you’re trying to treat.
Sauerkraut
Miso
CFUs
Many supplements advertise the number of “CFUs” or “colony forming units” — basically, the number of single, distinct bacteria. n If you’re taking a daily probiotic to improve your general health, keeping the CFU count in a lower range might be best (around 1 billion to 15 or 20 billion). n If you’re trying to correct an imbalance in your gut bacteria, higher CFU numbers might be more appropriate.
Pickles
Bacteria types
Look at the number of different bacteria in the supplement. Most reputable brands list the specific bacteria as follows: genus/ species/strain. For example, you might see “lactobacillus acidophilus PXN 35” or “bifidobacteria bifidum PXN 23.” The general recommendation is to find a supplement that lists multiple bacteria, especially a good mix of lactobacillus and bifidobacteria.
Kefir
Apple cider vinegar
Best forms
Probiotic supplements come in liquid, powder and pill form, and some require refrigeration. The efficacy of the probiotic depends on the bacteria combination and the product itself, more so than on the dosing technique, so choose whatever form you’re most comfortable with. Be sure to follow the instructions and refrigerate the supplements if necessary.
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The Animal Foundation and the Nevada Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals are shelters dedicated to finding homes for dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, turtles and more. Each week, we feature a selection of animals available for adoption.
Norma (A941445)
Lily (A939028)
Amulet
Elaine
Age: 8-year-old female Breed: German shepherd Description: Norma loves to be stroked and enjoys being around other calm dogs. She knows simple commands such as “sit” and “down.” Adoption fee: $105 (waived in March)
Age: 5-year-old female Breed: Pit bull Description: Lily is sweet and enjoys lots of attention. She loves to sit for treats. Adoption fee: $25 (waived in March)
Age: 2-year-old spayed female Breed: Agouti rabbit Description: Amulet bonds well with soft-spoken people. She has recovered well from the trauma of being abandoned in a vacated apartment. Adoption fee: $25
Age: 4-year-old spayed female Breed: Dilute calico shorthair Description: Elaine gathers clothing from people she cares about and heaps them together to create a bed to nap on. Please plan on quality cuddling time with her daily. Adoption fee: $40
Blake (A935548)
Baba (A943959)
Hogan
Alicia
Age: 11-year-old neutered male Breed: Pit bull Description: Despite his age, Blake still has the energy of a puppy. He looks forward to long strolls with his forever human. Adoption fee: $25 (waived in March)
Age: 2-year-old female Breed: Pit bull Description: Baba loves to pounce on toys but you’ll have to do the retrieving. She has great recall and will happily sit for treats and offer her paw when she wants even more love. Adoption fee: $25 (waived in March)
Age: 7-year-old neutered male Breed: Domestic shorthair Description: Hogan purrs when you cradle him lovingly in your arms. He deeply admires and bonds with people who are kind to him. Adoption fee: $20
Age: 1-year-old spayed female Breed: Medium-size Heinz 57 with retriever and bully Description: Alicia, now healed from physical and emotional wounds, is eager to become a cherished and valued member of a forever family. Adoption fee: $50
Beauty (A940279)
Minnie (A942220)
Canello
Nestor and Kermit
Age: 5-year-old spayed female Breed: Italian greyhound mix Description: Beauty is a loving creature who just wants to be held. Her future family will fall in love with her puppy eyes. Adoption fee: $155 (reduced to $50 in March)
Age: 8-year-old spayed female Breed: Australian cattle dog Description: Minnie walks well on a leash, knows how to sit and will take every chance she can to stop and smell the roses. Adoption fee: $105 (reduced to $50 in March)
Age: 2-year-old neutered male Breed: Chihuahua Description: Canello is a 7-pound sweetheart with enormous loving potential. He is shy but drawn to people with tender touches and soothing voices. Adoption fee: $40
Age: 2-year-old males Breed: Crested guinea pigs Description: Nestor and Kermit enjoy sitting shoulder-to-shoulder peacefully throughout the day. These good-natured brothers are bonded for life. Adoption fee: $20 for the pair
Animal foundation 702-384-3333 x131 | animalfoundation.com/adopt Animals are assigned a color next to their names indicating location: 655 N. Mojave Road, Las Vegas 286 W. Lake Mead Parkway, Henderson
Nevada SPCA 4800 W. Dewey Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89118 702-873-SPCA | www.nevadaspca.org
32
International baller the sunday
march 19-march 25
southern nevada high school product living his dream overseas By Taylor Bern
Special to The Sunday
Mikey Thompson’s current homecourt gym seats about 1,200 people and wouldn’t look out of place in most high schools throughout America, up to and including the on-court lines designating the volleyball area. Thompson has plenty of opportunities to get a good look at Sportcentrum Arena, too, because the Canyon Springs High graduate lives in the multisport facility in industrial Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic, where he’s realizing his dream of playing professional basketball. “I love it because I have access to the gym,” Thompson said. “It’s set up like any other apartment, really.” Basketball already has taken Thompson a lot of places, and now the goal is to see how far he can take the job. As a starting guard for Sluneta Ústí nad Labem in the Czech Republic’s National Basketball League, Thompson has found a good situation with ample playing time less than a year after finishing his collegiate career at Boise State. Meanwhile, he’s figuring out how to live in a foreign country while keeping up with a family that’s mostly nine hours behind him. “I have a really big family that I love so much and that will do anything for me,” Thompson said. “Now I have the chance to give everything back to them and allow them to be able to travel and see the world just like I am.” Thompson started games in all four seasons as a Bronco but didn’t truly emerge as one of the team’s best players until last year, when he averaged 11.9 points and 3.8 assists per game. He gives a lot of credit to former Boise State assistant Jeff Linder, who’s now leading Northern Colorado, for pushing him and making Thompson realize they were chasing the same goal. “I did not understand that until my senior year of college,” Thompson said. “Now that I look back at everything that he has told me, he
Mikey Thompson played four years at Boise State. (associated press file)
just wanted the best for me and for me to understand that if I wanted to be the best, I would have to do things other players did not like to do, and that is work hard and make sacrifices.” In the Czech Republic, those sacrifices include rarely sleeping past 7 a.m. and putting in an exhausting amount of extra gym time. Smaller sacrifices include getting used to meals recommended by his teammates, “which look kind of weird but taste pretty good,” Thompson said, adding that food is a hot topic whenever he talks to his mother, sisters or former teammates. Another one of Thompson’s mentors was his father, Freddie “Machine Gun” Thompson, a former Las Vegas high school legend and UNLV Rebel in the 1970s. With Freddie as an assistant coach, Mikey helped lead Canyon Springs to the state title in 2011, an indelible memory for
the father and son who shared basketball as a passion. Freddie died of cancer in April 2015, and Mikey dedicated his senior season to his father. “If there is any moment that stands out,” Boise State head coach Leon Rice said, “(it’s) when UNLV honored his dad before our game down there his senior year — the way he handled that situation, and even embraced it, really epitomized his growth and the maturation he went through.” Now that growth is taking Thompson to courts across the Czech Republic and around the world. His journey started in March right after Boise State’s season ended, as he earned a spot on the NetScouts Basketball USA AllStar team, which traveled to China and won a four-team tournament against Canada, Lithuania and the host country. That experience helped give Thompson a taste of what to expect when he signed his first professional contract last summer with MBK Baník Handlová in Slovakia. As is often the case in European leagues, though, the situation didn’t work out and Thompson’s agent helped facilitate a midseason change to Sluneta. Through 15 games for Sluneta, Thompson has ranked second on the team in points (14.5 per game), third in minutes (27.3) and posted an impressive 53.6 effective field goal percentage. He could be one of the catalysts in pushing Sluneta into the NBL playoffs in April. If it doesn’t happen, then Thompson will get an early start on an offseason of more early mornings that he hopes will lead him to more gyms around the globe. “I want to be able to show kids that anything is possible if you commit to something and work hard at it,” Thompson said. “I knew I could be a professional ball player early; it was a matter of how much I really wanted it and what I had to sacrifice to get to this point and further on.”
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sports
33
the sunday
march 19-march 25
Mikey Thompson helped lead Boise State to a 20-12 record his senior season and continues to pursue a career in professional basketball in the Czech Republic. (associated press file)
“I have a really big family that I love so much ... Now I have the chance to give everything back to them and allow them to be able to travel and see the world just like I am.” — Mikey thompson
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the sunday
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Gaming
We want to hear from you Send your gaming information to gamingguide@thesunday.com
CASINO PROMOTIONS TUSCANY
Point multiplier Date: Mondays and Saturdays in March Information: Earn 12x points on reels and video reels and 6x points on video poker. Mystery multiplier Date: Wednesdays in March Information: Earn up to 5x points. Thank You Seniors Thursdays Date: Thursdays in March Information: Players who are 50 and older are eligible for slot tournaments, discounts and more. Cards to Cash Hi-Low Drawings Date: Fridays in March Time: 7 p.m. Information: Win up to $3,000. Gift giveaways Date: Sundays in March Information: Earn 300 same-day points to receive a gift. On March 19, it’s a Bluetooth key finder.
LUCKY DRAGON
Lucky Wednesdays Date: Wednesdays in March Information: On March 22, earn 10 points to receive a water bottle. Loyalty card required. Point multiplier Date: Tuesdays and Thursdays in March Information: Earn 5x points.
SILVER SEVENS
Swipe and Win Date: Sundays in March Information: Earn 100 same-day base points to play kiosk game and win up to $100 in play. Gift giveaway Date: Mondays in March Time: 2-6 p.m. Information: Earn 1,000 same-day base points to receive a gift. On March 20, it’s a coloring kit. On March 27, it’s a microwave-safe cooker. $50,000 Pass Go, Park Free Camaro and slot play giveaway Date: Fridays and Saturdays through April 30 Time: 8 p.m. Information: Top prize is a 2017 Camaro. Swipe card at kiosk to receive drawing and point multipliers on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Slow cooker giveaway
Date: March 25 Time: Noon-6 p.m. Information: Earn 1,000 points to receive a three-quart slow cooker.
SUNCOAST
$44,000 Lucky Clover cash drawings Date: Tuesdays in March Time: 6:15 p.m. Information: Ten people will be selected to play the game and win up to $500, with the chance to double a prize. Point multipliers Date: Mondays in March Information: Receive 11x points on reels and 6x points on video poker. $80,000 Pot of Gold kiosk game and drawing Date: Fridays and Saturdays in March Time: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Information: On Fridays, earn 25 points and swipe your card to play the kiosk game to earn entries into the 6:15 and 8:15 p.m. Saturday drawings. Ten players will be selected at each drawing to win up to $1,000.
SAM’S TOWN
Gambling tournaments Date: March Information: Every Sunday, participate in a blackjack tournament; $25 entry fee. On Mondays, earn 50 points to participate in $2,500 video poker showdown; on Tuesdays, earn 50 points to enter the Sam’s Town Slot Showdown. Sam’s Town is offering $1,000 dice tournaments March 24 and 25. Play for 10 hours until the first day of the tournament to qualify, then enter for $25.
ORLEANS
Lucky Cash drawings Date: Saturdays in March Time: Hourly, 1-6 p.m. Information: Ten names will be drawn. Win $200. Ultimate X video poker tournament Date: Fridays in March Time: 1-7 p.m. Information: Earn 100 points for the first entry and 400 points more for the next entry.
Cannery casinos
Whirl into Winnings drawings (both locations) Date: Saturdays in March Information: Earn 100 base points to receive a drawing ticket. Win up to $2,000.
Cleaning Out the Closet giveaway (Craig Road location) Date: March 27 Information: Earn 250 base points to choose an item from giveaway inventory. Table games promotions (both locations) Date: March Information: Players at table games can receive Walmart gift cards Mondays through Wednesdays. Win up to $200 in play during a hot seat giveaway offered at 3, 5, 7, and 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Gift giveaway (Craig Road location) Date: March Information: Earn 400 points on Thursdays to receive bedding. Earn 200 points on Wednesdays to receive a bottle of wine or vodka. Earn 300 points on Tuesdays to receive a reed diffuser; different scents available each week. Bonus points (Eastside/Boulder Highway location) Date: Wednesdays in March Information: Earn 100 points on Wednesday to receive up to 1,000 bonus points.
ALIANTE
Lucky Leprechauns kiosk game Date: Through March 30 Information: Be eligible to participate in a kiosk game by earning 20 slot points or playing a $10 average bet for one hour. Win up to $10,000. $92,000 Lucky Leprechauns drawings Date: Saturdays in March Time: 7:15, 9:15 and 9:45 p.m. Information: Fifteen names will be selected at each drawing to win cash, slot play and more. Point multipliers Date: Wednesdays in March Information: Receive 5x points on video poker and 10x points on reels. Table Games Hoops Madness drawings Date: Fridays in March Time: 7:45 p.m. Information: Win a share of $15,000.
SLS las vegas
Bamboo Collection Set Giveaway Date: Thursdays in March Time: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Information: Guests who earn 500 slot points or 1,000 video poker points can receive one piece of a bamboo collection set.
Ceramic basketball mug giveaway Date: March 23 or 24 Time: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Information: Guests who earn 250 slot points or 500 video poker points can receive a four-piece set of ceramic basketball mugs. 10x point multiplier — slots Date: Sundays in March Information: Receive 10x points playing slot machines. 3x point multiplier — video poker Date: March 26 Information: Receive 3x points playing video poker. BMW giveaway Date: Saturdays in March Time: 8 p.m. Information: Ten players will be selected for a chance to win a threeyear lease on a 2017 BMW 320i. To participate, earn 100 slot points to receive 10 drawing entries or 100 video poker points to receive one drawing entry. Additionally, guests who have an average bet of $25 for one hour on table games will receive one drawing entry. Double entries can be earned Mondays through Wednesdays. $30,000 weekly baccarat drawings Date: Fridays in March Time: 8 p.m., 10 p.m. and midnight Information: Up to four names will be chosen at each drawing for a chance to win up to $2,500 in play. To participate, baccarat players must be dealt a winning natural 8 or 9 to earn one drawing entry, and pai gow poker players must have three-of-akind or better to gain one drawing entry. Average bet must be $25 or greater to qualify. Baccarat Hot Seat drawings Date: Saturdays in March Time: 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Information: Players must have an open rating and minimum average bet of $25 on pai gow poker or minibaccarat to qualify. Twelve people will win a share of $6,000 in play.
GOLD COAST
Lucky Cash drawings Date: Fridays in March Time: Hourly, 1-6 p.m. Information: Ten names will be drawn. Win $200.
COSMOPOLITAN
Cosmopolitan Million Point Club Date: June 1-3 Information: Earn qualifying slot points through May 31 for the Million Point Club event. The event weekend
We want to hear from you Send your gaming information to gamingguide@thesunday.com
will include a $100,000 winner-take-all slot tournament, a $100,000 identity play drawing and a custom BMW M4 giveaway. Guests are guaranteed a complimentary cruise for two and $2,000 in slot play if they qualify for the event. For more information, contact casino services at 855-254-5521.
DOWNTOWN GRAND 1957 Thunderbird giveaway Date: Through March 25 Time: Drawing is at 10 p.m. March 25 Information: Earn entry multipliers Sundays through Wednesdays. Grand prize is a 1957 Thunderbird or $20,000. Girl Scout Cookie giveaway Date: Sundays-Wednesdays through March 29 Information: Earn 500 base points to receive a box of cookies. Receive a maximum of five boxes per promotional day.
arizona charlie’s (both locations)
Goldmine Drawing Date: Fridays and Saturdays through April 1 Time: 2:15 and 8:15 p.m. Information: Receive a drawing entry for every 500 base points earned. Win up to $2,500 during the promotional drawings. At the final drawing, three players will receive $1,000 and one will receive $1,000 plus the unclaimed prize money from previous drawings. Table Games Cash Grab Drawing Date: Fridays and Saturdays in March Time: Every half hour, 6-9 p.m. Information: Earn tickets through play. Win up to $500.
Eldorado
Rolling for Dough Special Edition Date: Fridays in March Time: Hourly, 3:30-11:30 p.m. Information: Players can get a chance to roll the dice and win 10x the roll.
Rampart Casino
50-plus Tuesdays Date: Tuesdays Information: Loyalty-card players 50 and older can participate in $5,500 slot and video poker tournaments, $3,000 weekly tournament from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and $4,000 free slot play drawings at 7 and 8 p.m. Earn 50 points and receive a swipe on the kiosk for cash, slot play, points and dining. $150,000 Cars n Cash Giveaway Date: Fridays and Saturdays Time: 6:15 and 8:15 p.m. Information: Seven winners will be called at each drawing and can win
up to $2,500. Each winner qualifies for the grand prize car drawings March 31 and April 1. Earn one entry for $10 average bet for an hour of play or equivalent. $35,000 table drawings Date: Fridays and Saturdays Time: 9 p.m. Information: Earn entries by playing table games for $10 average bet for an hour. Guaranteed $5,000 in prizes each night. $25,000 Free Slot Play Hot Seats Date: Thursdays in March Time: 2-8 p.m. Information: One winner is chosen every 15 minutes; card holders win $200 in slot play. Once an hour, a table game player will be chosen.
KLONDIKE SUNSET CASINO
Winner’s Choice slot machine giveaway Date: March 25 Time: 7:30 p.m. Information: Earn drawing tickets when you play, dine or drink.
Pot of Gold promotion Date: Sundays in March Information: Earn 100 points to select a gift option of your choice. Gift giveaway Date: Wednesdays in March Information: Receive 100 same-day base points to be eligible to get a gift. On March 22, the gift is a bottle of wine. Play and Win Date: Fridays and Saturdays in March Time: 10 a.m.-midnight Information: Receive up to $110 in Smith’s gift cards by accruing points.
STATION CASINOS
Military Mondays Date: Ongoing Locations: All Station properties Information: Veterans and active military members receive discounts. MyGeneration Wednesdays Date: Ongoing Locations: All Station properties Information: For loyalty-card holders 50 and older. Swipe your card at a kiosk to earn up to 10x points on slots and 6x points on video poker, plus discounts on dining, movies and bowling. Slot tournaments are 10 a.m.-7 p.m., with a top prize of $1,000. First entry is free; receive up to four more entries by earning 50 base points for each. Pedal to the Money Kiosk Game Date: Through March 26 Locations: All Station properties Information: Earn five base points to
play and win up to $10,000. Friday Mustang Giveaway Date: Fridays through March 24 Time: 8:15 p.m. Locations: All Station properties Information: Swipe for 10 free entries every day. Earn 5x entries on Wednesdays. Point multiplier Date: Mondays or Tuesdays in March Information: Receive 10x points on slots and 6x points on video poker.
SANTA FE STATION
$50,000 No Fools Cash Giveaway Date: Saturdays in March Time: 8:15 p.m. Information: Prizes start at $1,000 and there will be 10 winners at every drawing. Earn 5x entries on Mondays and 10x entries on March 31. All unclaimed prize money rolls over to the next drawing.
RED ROCK RESORT
$25,000 Lucky Green Cash Grab Date: Thursdays in March Time: 6:15 p.m. Information: Win up to $5,000 every week.
GREEN VALLEY RANCH
Bonus point multipliers Date: March 23 Information: Receive 10x points on slots and 6x points on video poker.
BoULDER STATION
$10,000 March Point Challenge Date: March Information: The top point earner in slots and the top point earner in video poker will each receive $2,500 in slot play. The second and third place earners in each category will receive $1,500 and $1,000 in slot play, respectively. Points must be earned at Boulder Station; there will be 20x points on March 31, valid for point challenge only. Point multiplier Date: Mondays or Tuesdays in March Information: Receive 10x points on slots and 6x points on video poker. Buffalo point multiplier Date: Tuesdays in March Information: Receive 15x points on all Buffalo slots.
WILDFIRE GAMING
Bonus Bounce Back Days Date: Through March 26 Information: Earn 200 or 400 base points on Thursdays, then come back Sunday to get $5 or $10 in slot play.
Gaming
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the sunday
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Point multiplier Date: Sundays in March Information: Receive 10x points on slots and 6x points on video poker.
Fiesta Rancho Point multiplier Date: Mondays in March Information: Receive 10x points on slots and 6x points on video poker.
EL CORTEZ Winter Wonder Wheel Date: Thursdays through March 30 Time: 7 p.m. Information: Win up to 500,000 points. Players earn one virtual drawing ticket for every 100 slot-based points earned every day of the week. Earn 3x entries on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.
SILVERTON Super Bloom Swipe N’ Win kiosk game Date: Fridays and Saturdays through April 1 Information: Earn 1,000 points to win up to $5,000 or earn 500 points to win up to $2,500. A final drawing will be 4 p.m. on April 1. Earn 200 points for each entry. The top prize at the final drawing is $10,000.
HARD ROCK HOTEL Bartop Happy Hour point multipliers Date: Sundays-Tuesdays in March Time: 4-7 a.m. and 4-7 p.m. Information: Receive 10x points on any bartop slot machine. $320,000 Match Madness drawing Date: March 24 Time: Hourly, 5-8 p.m. Information: Earn entries through play. Top prize is $10,000. Slot players can earn 10x entries on Mondays.
SOUTH POINT 50+ weekly slot tournament Date: Thursdays Time: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Information: Open to loyalty-card members 50 and older. First entry is free with a swipe at a club kiosk; collect a second by earning 250 points and a third by earning 500 points. Top prize is $1,500; total prize pool is $5,200.
PLAZA $50K giveaway Date: Through Dec. 10 Information: Earn one ticket for every 25,000 points earned.
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life
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Content Created and presented By Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits
The Perfect Gentleman
CALENDAR OF EVENTS SUNDAY, MARCH 19 A Piece of Hope art contest: Children and teens can create a piece of art with the puzzle piece template provided by Grant a Gift Autism Foundation. The winning entry will be displayed on T-shirts at the Race for Hope and Fun Walk on April 29. Enter by March 22. grantagiftautismfoundation.org. Fit Fest: Activities include fitness classes and yoga for adults, and mini golf, an obstacle course and rock-climbing wall for children. 8 a.m.-1 p.m., free, Skye Canyon Community, U.S. Highway 95 at Sky Canyon Park Drive, skyecanyon. com/fit-fest.
TUESDAY, MARCH 21
Ingredients 2 1/2 oz. Chopin Potato Vodka /4 oz. Marolo Milla Grappa and Chamomile Liqueur 1
/4 oz. Cinzano Bianco Vermouth
1
Lemon peel and Luxardo Maraschino cherry for garnish Optional: 2 dashes of Scrappy’s Bitters
Method Mix ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Pour into martini glass and garnish.
Elegant, refined, tasteful yet strong — this cocktail exemplifies many gentlemanly traits. Chopin Potato Vodka is fullbodied and creamy with a clean finish, while the liqueur and vermouth are both sophisticatedly sweet and fragrant. Whether you’re a perfect gentleman, an aspiring gentleman or simply an appreciator of gentlemen — aren’t we all? — this libation is sure to please. Cocktail created by Francesco Lafranconi, Executive Director of Mixology and Spirits Education at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits.
The Learning Arts: Participate in a conversation about art through videoconferencing. The topic of this talk is cattle branding, from the early Spanish vaqueros to the contemporary facets of the modern western practice. 11 a.m.-noon, free, Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, 888 W. Bonneville Ave.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22 Spring into Health “Fare”: The event will include health and wellness presentations, including yoga, a blood drive, and dental, vision and hearing screenings. 10 a.m.-4 p.m., free, Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, 888 W. Bonneville Ave., keepmemoryalive.org/shf17.
7 p.m., $8-$10, Nicholas J. Horn Theatre, 3200 E. Cheyenne Ave., csn.edu/pac.
door, Lorenzi Park, 720 Twin Lakes Drive, 9thiccoflv.org or call 702-7068381.
Leadership summit: Parents and high school students can take part in discussions on student success, immigration and school deconsolidation. 8 a.m., free, East Las Vegas Community Center, lasvegasnevada. gov/latinonetwork, 250 N. Eastern Ave., 702-229-6242.
“Artificial Human”: Celebrate teen filmmaker Norvell Ji’Floyd’s latest movie at a screening and red carpet featuring a meet-and-greet, autograph signing and live music. Please RSVP, as seating is limited. 12:30 p.m., free, Eclipse Theaters, at 814 S. Third St., rsvp.imageprinciplestudios@gmail.com.
SATURDAY, MARCH 25 PurpleStride: This family-friendly 5K and one-mile walk/run raises awareness and support for the fight against pancreatic cancer. There will be children’s activities, entertainment and refreshments. 7:30 a.m., free-$45, the Green at Town Square, 6587 North St., purplestride.org/ lasvegas. Women’s Conference: Hear from speakers in the health and wellness, family and self-sufficiency fields. There will be a screening of “In Our Heads About Our Hair.” 9 a.m.-4 p.m., free, West Las Vegas Arts Center, 947 W. Lake Mead Blvd., and West Las Vegas Library Theatre, 951 W. Lake Mead Blvd., 702-229-4800 Mahalo Luau: Celebrate Polynesian culture, history and diversity. 4-9 p.m., $45 in advance, $55 at the
Cesar Chavez Day: Celebrate the life of the Latino civil rights activist with music, food merchants and local vendors. 10 a.m.-2 p.m., free, Gary Reese Freedom Park, 850 N. Mojave Road, 702-716-2273. Tunnel Jam Invitational: Enjoy music, food and raffle prizes, or compete in an indoor skydiving competition. Donate a bag of nonperishable food for Three Square Food Bank in exchange for a raffle ticket. 5 p.m., free, Vegas Indoor Skydiving, 200 Convention Center Drive, vegasindoorskydiving.com. March for Suicide Awareness: Students at Palo Verde High School will host a community walk to raise awareness about suicide and suicide prevention. 9 a.m., $11, Palo Verde High School football field, 333 S. Pavilion Center Drive, 702-809-8482.
AnSWers to puzzles on Page 82 KEN KEN
L.A. Times crossword
THURSDAY, MARCH 23 “Hand to God”: In this comedic play, a satanic sock puppet shows God-fearing Texas children, a minister and a school bully who’s really in charge. 8 p.m., $23, Majestic Repertory Theatre, 1217 S. Main St., majesticrepertory.com. *Also: Through April 15 (5 p.m. on Sundays) Monster Jam World Finals: Get up close and personal with monster trucks at the championship of the series. 7 p.m., $61-$197, Sam Boyd Stadium, 7000 E. Russell Road, monsterjam.com.
FRIDAY, MARCH 24 Exposed: College of Southern Nevada student choreographers share personal experiences, beliefs and discoveries through dance.
celebrity cipher “I went to Ireland once ... It was a beautiful country, and both the women and the men were good-looking.” — James Cagney
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editorial
37
the sunday
march 19-march 25
Las Vegas desperately needs to diversify economy
A
t a brief glance of a new study recently released by the Brookings Institution, Las Vegas looks strong. But dig a bit deeper into the research, and the outlook goes downhill quickly. In the study, which examined economic growth in the nation’s 100 largest metropolitan areas, Las Vegas ranked 29th in terms of overall growth from 2010 to 2015. The area’s total number of jobs increased 14.1 percent — the 22nd-largest percentage in the nation — while gross metropolitan product drew 8.9 percent and the number of firms that either started up or moved here went up 5.9 percent. But the city ranked 94th in prosperity, which the researchers measured through changes in the annual wage, standard of living and the economic output per job. And in a category that was measured by changes in the median wage, the poverty rate and unemployment, Las Vegas was 84th. The upshot: Las Vegas has rebounded significantly since the recession
The city ranked 94th in prosperity, which the researchers measured through changes in the annual wage, standard of living and the economic output per job. And in a category that was measured by changes in the median wage, the poverty rate and unemployment, Las Vegas was 84th.
in the size of the workforce and in attracting new employers, but the types of jobs we’ve added are relatively low-paying. So what’s the underlying factor behind the Jekyll-and-Hyde readings for Las Vegas? It’s our lack of economic diversity. The study showed that areas where most of the growth came in low-income jobs in fields like hospitality and retail have continued to struggle since the recession, while metros that boosted their workforces in technology, science, engineering and similar disciplines prospered. The good news for Nevada is that the Legislature’s Democratic leadership is
working on an initiative to help diversify the economy. Known as the Nevada Blueprint, the package includes legislation promoting job training programs in advanced fields, boosting public education, and providing additional small-business loans and reducing red tape to help business operators establish and grow new enterprises here. Another key element: fostering growth in clean energy development. “I think that’s going to be a significant job grower, and I think it’s going to be something that significantly helps to diversify our economy,” Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson said. “We ... need to be leading the charge when it
comes to renewable energy. We have so much sun, and so much land to be able to do it … and I think there is a desire on the part of Nevadans to grow and make us the leader.” It’s crucial that lawmakers come out of the 2017 session with ways to reduce Nevada’s dependence on tourism, gaming and mining. The state has taken some steps in that direction, thanks to bold tax incentive packages to attract companies such as Tesla, while private businesses like Las Vegas-based digital data company Switch also have helped broaden the state’s economy. But a lot more work needs to be done, as is borne out in study after study. A recent look at Bureau of Labor Statistics data, for instance, showed that while Las Vegas was home to 1,960 percent more dancers than the average community, it has 84 percent fewer mechanical engineers, 76 percent fewer electrical engineers, 54 percent fewer people in computer and mathematical occupations, and 22 percent fewer elementary school teachers.
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(702) 457.3888
3365 E. Flamingo Road Ste. 2 Las Vegas, NV 89121
VivacityClinics.com
Applicants must audition in dance-wear, GoGo attire or swimwear.
IT’S MORPHIN TIME! Invite you and a guest to a special advance screening!
AMC Town Square Wednesday, March 22 7:30PM Log onto LionsgateScreenings.com and enter the code: SUNPRLV for your chance to win a pair of tickets to the advance screening! #PowerRangersMovie /PowerRangersMovie /PowerRangersMovie @ThePowerRangers
Supplied code will give instructions on how to download two tickets to the advance screening on Wednesday, March 22, 2017. Rated PG-13 for sequences of Sci-Fi violence, action and destruction, language, and for some crude humor. The screening will be overbooked to ensure a full house. Seating is limited and not guaranteed. Tickets cannot be exchanged, transferred or redeemed for cash in whole or in part. You must arrive early to ensure seating. No phone calls, please. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.
IN THEATERS MARCH 24
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Mississippi State plays Connecticut in the regional semifinals of the 2016 women’s NCAA Tournament in Bridgeport, Conn. (associated press file)
What a team they could be Basketball analyst is on a mission to bring women’s Sweet 16 to Las Vegas By Adam Candee | STAFF WRITER
Debbie and Frankie Antonelli wait impatiently each day for an envelope that contains a letter that contains words that contain all the world. ¶ Born with Down syndrome 18 years ago, Frankie thrives today thanks in part to the determination of his parents, Debbie and Frank. They push their son, his two brothers and everyone in his orbit to make Frankie’s life as much like anyone else’s as possible. ¶ The Antonellis hope that envelope holds Frankie’s acceptance women’s basketball, Continued on page 47
9,223,372,036,854,775,808 Number of unique brackets that can be made for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. Because of seeding, your odds are better than 1 in 9.2 quintillion to pick a perfect bracket, but even optimistic calculations have these odds at more than 1 in 100 billion.
1.2B
Barrels of oil discovered in Alaska’s North Slope, the biggest U.S. onshore discovery in 30 years. Spanish company Repsol said production could begin in 2021 with an output of 120,000 barrels of oil per day.
$1B 53.2M
Amount short-term rental company Airbnb raised in its latest round of financing, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Number of U.S. vehicles that were recalled in 2016. Automakers issued 927 recall campaigns that resulted in a 7 percent increase in recalls, compared with 2015.
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CONTENTS GROUP PUBLISHER Gordon Prouty ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Breen Nolan
NOTEWORTHY STORIES
43 44 51 Q&A WITH SUE COOK
The owner of Homewatch CareGivers of Las Vegas talks about the need for increased investment in Southern Nevada schools, her admiration for Michelle Obama and why she expects her home health care business to triple in size within 10 years. THE NOTES People on the Move, P42
MEET KONA ICE OF VEGAS VALLEY
The KEV, or Kona Entertainment Vehicle, is a party on wheels. It blasts tropical music and dispenses 10 flavors of shaved ice. It serves up to 500 people in an hour and can be booked for school fundraisers, sports events or even corporate events. TALKING POINTS Celebrate women’s history with an eye on future, P45
For more on the Raiders, see Page 46
DATA AND PUBLIC INFORMATION
A listing of local bankruptcies, bid opportunities, brokered transactions, business licenses and building permits. MORE VEGAS INC BUSINESS NEWS Calendar: Happenings and events, P49 The List: Largest employers, P53
EDITORIAL EDITOR Erin Ryan (erin.ryan@gmgvegas.com) MANAGING EDITOR Dave Mondt (dave.mondt@gmgvegas.com) ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR/SPORTS AND DIGITAL Ray Brewer (ray.brewer@gmgvegas.com) STAFF WRITERS Mick Akers, April Corbin, Yvonne Gonzalez, Jesse Granger, Chris Kudialis, Thomas Moore, Cy Ryan, Camalot Todd, Ricardo Torres-Cortez, Ian Whitaker COPY DESK CHIEF John Taylor GENERAL EDITOR Paul Szydelko ASSISTANT GENERAL EDITOR Adam Candee COPY EDITORS Christian Bertolaccini, Jamie Gentner SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS EDITOR Craig Peterson RESEARCHER Clayt Keefer EDITORIAL CARTOONIST Mike Smith LIBRARY SERVICES SPECIALIST Rebecca Clifford-Cruz OFFICE COORDINATOR Nadine Guy
ART ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR Liz Brown (liz.brown@gmgvegas.com) DESIGNER LeeAnn Elias PHOTO COORDINATOR Yasmina Chavez PHOTOGRAPHERS L.E. Baskow, Christopher DeVargas, Steve Marcus, Mikayla Whitmore
ADVERTISING PUBLISHER OF DIGITAL MEDIA Katie Horton GROUP DIRECTOR OF SALES OPERATIONS Stephanie Reviea PUBLICATION COORDINATOR Denise Arancibia SENIOR ADVERTISING MANAGER Jeff Jacobs EXTERNAL CONTENT MANAGER Emma Cauthorn BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST Sandra Segrest ACCOUNT MANAGERS Katie Harrison, Dawn Mangum, Sue Sran ADVERTISING MANAGERS Kelly Decker, Brianna Eck, Kelly Gajewski, Chelsea Smith, Danielle Stone, Alex Teel
MARKETING & EVENTS EVENT MANAGER Kristin Wilson DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER Jackie Apoyan
Laborers Union Local 872 showed support for the Las Vegas stadium project at a meeting at the Clark County Government Center.
PRODUCTION VICE PRESIDENT OF MANUFACTURING Maria Blondeaux PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Paul Huntsberry PRODUCTION MANAGER Blue Uyeda PRODUCTION ARTIST Marissa Maheras, Dara Ricci ART DIRECTOR Sean Rademacher GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Michele Hamrick, Dany Haniff TRAFFIC SUPERVISOR Estee Wright TRAFFIC COORDINATORS Kim Smith, Meagan Hodson
CIRCULATION DIRECTOR OF CIRCULATION Ron Gannon ROUTE MANAGER Joel Segler
GREENSPUN MEDIA GROUP CEO, PUBLISHER & EDITOR Brian Greenspun CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Robert Cauthorn MANAGING EDITOR Ric Anderson CREATIVE DIRECTOR Erik Stein
(CHRISTOPHER DEVARGAS/ STAFF)
OUR TAKE: RAIDERS’ MOVE INEVITABLE — AT LEAST FOR THE MOMENT Inevitability returned to Las Vegas this month at the Clark County Government Center. At least that’s what the jovial atmosphere at the Las Vegas Stadium Authority board’s March meeting suggested as talk of the Oakland Raiders moving to town swung from cautious to celebratory with the team’s stadium financing restored. Cheering union members and jokes about the fun of two hours of lease details replaced the funeral pall of February’s gathering that took place after Sheldon Adelson’s $650 million retreated to his pocket. But while the Raiders appear headed for a relocation vote at the National Football League meeting in Phoenix this month, Raiders owner Mark Davis still must convince fellow owners that his team’s finances can withstand the massive leveraging it will take
to build a $1.9 billion facility near the Strip. The NFL’s TV contracts ensure no franchise will find itself in the bread line anytime soon, but replacing Adelson’s $650 million with a loan from Bank of America opens the Raiders to financial questions that a group of billionaires will want answered. Remember that the team’s original $500 million commitment includes a $200 million loan from the NFL, and the Raiders also must pony up a relocation fee to the league that will be in the hundreds of millions. Neither the Raiders nor the league plan to leave Nevada’s $750 million investment of public money on the table without exploring all options to take it. Just remember that inevitable always plays better on paper than on the field. — ADAM CANDEE
VOLUME 4, ISSUE 11 Vegas Inc (USPS publication no. 15540), 2275 Corporate Circle, Suite 300, Henderson, NV 89074 is published every Sunday except the first Sunday of the year by Greenspun Media Group. Periodicals Postage Paid at Henderson, NV and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO: Vegas Inc 2275 Corporate Circle Suite 300 Henderson, NV 89074 702.990.2545 For inquiries, write to: Vegas Inc 2275 Corporate Circle, Suite 300 Henderson, NV 89074 For back copies: Doris Hollifield at 702.990.8993 or e-mail at doris.hollifield@gmgvegas.com For subscriptions and customer service: Call 818.487.4538, or visit vegasinc.com. For annual subscriptions, $50. For single copies, $3.99.
Jim Murren, Chairman and CEO of MGM Resorts International
Saving water is more than civic duty. For us, it’s an art. In recognition of its leadership in water efficiency and conservation, the Water Conservation Coalition presented its Water Hero Award to Jim Murren, Chairman and CEO of MGM Resorts International. The award was presented at MGM Resorts’ newest outdoor attraction, The Park on Las Vegas Boulevard. Over the past five years, MGM Resorts has saved more than 800 million gallons of water. To learn what you can do to save water, visit snwa.com/waterconservationcoalition
The SNWA is a not-for-profit water agency.
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Var Lordahl is a member attorney at Dickinson Wright. He focuses his practice on trust and estates, and taxation. He also sits on the board of directors for the Foundation for an Independent Tomorrow, which provides job training and coaching to people searching for jobs.
Send your business-related information to news@vegasinc.com
lordahl
Justin Henderson and Marla Hudgens were named partners at Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie. henderson hudgens Henderson represents creditors, landlords and debtors in Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases involving businesses and individuals, with a particular focus on preferential and fraudulent transfer litigation. Hudgens is a member of the firm’s regulatory and government practice group and represents businesses, business owners, developers, banks and insurers in complex litigation cases, procurement matters and civil, commercial and administrative appeals. Jessica Sayles is managing principal and Lynn Myers is principal at Houldsworth, sayles myers Russo & Company. Sayles served as a principal for the firm since 2013. She provides nonprofit management guidance and performs both profit and nonprofit audits and tax returns. Myers was hired as tax director in 2015. She advises high net worth clients and guides small-businesses owners through all areas of business operations and compliance. Ally R. Haynes-Hamblen is director of the Las Vegas Office of Cultural Affairs, which oversees venues such as the Charleston Heights Arts Center, the Centennial Hills Amphitheater, the West Las Vegas Arts Center, Sammy Davis Jr. Festival Plaza and the Historic Fifth Street School. The office also curates four art galleries and manages the Rainbow Co. Youth Theater Program.
North Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Kalani Hoo was named the chief judge of North Las Vegas Justice Court. This is Hoo’s first term as chief. He has been the North Las Vegas Justice Court Department 1 Justice of the Peace since December 2012.
tion and harassment, labor management, breach of employment, unfair competition and trade secrets, Family and Medical Leave Act, and the wage and hour law. Selert represents private and public entities for matters of prevention and compliance, appellate practice, employment law training, labor and employment litigation, labor arbitration, OSHA inspections, and litigation. hoo
Bryan Ure is a partner with Murchison & Cumming. He is experienced in all phases of litigation. Dan Stewart, Gardner Co.’s vice president of development in Southern Nevada, is serving as the board chairman of the Nevada State College Foundation.
Fred Howard is the Clark County Credit Union’s chief technology officer. Synergy Sotheby’s International Realty opened an office in Summerlin at 10100 W. Charleston Blvd., led by manager Kyle Northup. howard
Health Binge is open at 6040 W. Badura Ave., Suite 140, stewart Las Vegas. It was founded by former Notre Dame football captain, NFL athlete and Harvard MBA graduate Gerome Sapp. Michael Feder, member partner in the Dickinson Wright Las Vegas office, is serving on the board of directors for the American Red Cross of Southern Nevada. Stephanie Buntin, Ellen Ernst, Robert Hernquist and Nolan Yaldo are shareholders at Howard & Howard. Buntin concentrates her practice on intellectual property. Ernst concentrates her practice on corporate tax matters. Hernquist feder concentrates his practice in all aspects of commercial and complex civil litigation. Yaldo concentrates his practice on tax law, general and complex business transactions, and corporate matters, including corporate formations, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate dissolutions. David Dornak and Whit Selert were named partners at Fisher Phillips. Dornak dornak selert advises and represents employers in employment discrimina-
Dean Ehrlich is the executive vice president and games business leader at Everi Holdings. Rachelle Crupi is the president of Bank of Nevada. Crupi serves on the board of the Las Vegas Philharmonic, the Nevada Bankers Association and the Nevada State Development Corp. Terry Downey is the SLS Las crupi Vegas president and chief operating officer. Downey is a 15-year veteran of Station Casinos, where he oversaw multiple properties. He most recently was president and general manager of Aliante Gaming. Robert Schaffhauser is the property’s chief financial officer. He previously served as CFO at Aliante and worked in finance roles for Colony Resorts LVH Acquisitions (Las Vegas Hilton) and the Trump Hotels & Casinos organization. Alisa Nave-Worth is a shareholder at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck. She is a member of the firm’s government relations department. Terrance Shirey is the president and CEO of Nevada State Bank. SR Construction finished construction on TruFusion, a wellness and yoga studio in Downtown Summerlin. The 13,000-square-foot space shirey includes group fitness classes for yoga and barre pilates, three unheated studios, two heated rooms, a private training space, juice bar and café.
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Send your business-related information to news@vegasinc.com
Q&A with sue cook
‘Investing in our youth will set us up for greatness’ Sue Cook owns a Homewatch CareGivers franchise in Las Vegas and is president of the Personal Care Agencies of Nevada, which ensures home care providers are licensed and offer proper services. She opened her business in 2009 and last year was recognized by the international brand at Homewatch CareGivers’ annual conference. Cook was singled out to receive the Paul Sauer Visionary Award for best exemplifying the founder’s mission of compassion and care for all people who need home health care. Do you have any recent news to share? Outside of my day-to-day work, I regularly present to local organizations such as assisted-living, skilled facilities and caregiver groups. Some presentations are broader, but many are used to educate on specific topics like dementia or living with chronic illnesses. It’s important that the community is well informed on these types of topics as they become more prevalent in the community. What is the best business advice you’ve received? When I launched my franchise, I was talking to Bob Sternberg, vice president of finance and chief financial officer at Homewatch CareGivers, and he said, “Just remember, you’re starting out, so watch your cost. That will hurt you more than anything else if it gets out of control.” I’m a firm believer that no matter how long you’ve been in business, you should run your company with the amount of mindfulness and awareness that you had on your first day. If you could change one thing about Southern Nevada, what would it be? I really love living here. I’m not from the Las Vegas area originally, but when I moved here I instantly fell in love with its openness and friendly atmosphere, so there isn’t much I would change. If I had to change one thing, it would probably be shifting construction on roads to updating our schools. Though I know repairing infrastructure is important, we need to develop schools so that our children can have the best environments to learn. Schools are meant to inspire and educate, so keeping them fresh is super-important. What’s the biggest issue facing Southern Nevada? I think the quality of jobs available could improve, and that’s a change that will take some time, starting with improving education. I’m a firm believer that investing in our youth will set us up for greatness in the future.
Sue Cook helps set the standard for nonmedical home health care in Nevada. (steve marcus/staff)
What’s your favorite place to have fun in Las Vegas? Las Vegas is a blast, but my favorite place has to be outside — anywhere. The area’s weather is beautiful, and I love to just be outside in the sun as much as possible. Describe your management style. I like to think I challenge my employees to be creative and organized. I love when my team members come to me with ideas and suggestions to improve systems that are already in place. Innovation is such an important part of running a home care business. However, I am a stickler when it comes to documentation; keeping our paperwork is extremely important for our team and for our patients’ safety. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? I see Homewatch CareGivers of Las Vegas tripling in size because of the growing need for nonmedical home care. People are living longer, and our
community will need more home care services if that continues. What is your dream job outside of your current field? I would want to be a pilot. I love to travel and learn about different cultures, and if I could fly my own plane, I would be able to do that more often. If you could live anywhere else in the world, where would it be? I would live in the Caribbean, probably Aruba. I absolutely love the beach, and Aruba is gorgeous. Whom do you admire? There are so many people, who can pick just one? I admire Paul Sauer, the founder of Homewatch CareGivers, because he started this international business from scratch. I admire Paul because he saw a need for quality home care while he was pet sitting for neighbors and provided a solution. It is an honor to work with him. I also admire former First Lady
Michelle Obama because she saw the need to help kids to improve their diets and overall health. To improve life, we have to start educating children about their health early, and Michelle did an incredible job making this a priority for the nation. Finally, I admire female leaders who have worked through their hardships, made something of themselves and continue to give back to others, like Barbara Corcoran from “Shark Tank.” She has money, but uses her money to help others. What is your biggest pet peeve? Misspelled words. I can pick them out right away — it’s a gift and a curse. What is something that people might not know about you? I was raised on a farm in Indiana. We raised animals, including cows, while growing up. Growing up in rural Indiana was nice, but being closer to the hustle and bustle of Las Vegas is more enjoyable for me.
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get to know a local business Send your business-related information to news@vegasinc.com
Driven to spread happiness and give back VEGAS INC STAFF
When Diona Fonte and Nick Friel were deciding on a business franchise to open, they came across Kona Ice’s recent ranking in Entrepreneur magazine: No. 1. Apart from the appealing business model, which allows the couple to engage and experience the community, they also fell in love with the company’s devotion to philanthropy. The two have carried on that tradition, and in the short time they’ve operated in Southern Nevada, have given back more than $4,000. Their KEV, or Kona Entertainment Vehicle, is a party on wheels. It blasts tropical music and dispenses 10 flavors of shaved ice. It serves up to 500 people in an hour and can be booked for school fundraisers, sports events or even corporate events. Describe your business.
We are a fundraising mobile shaved ice truck. We play tropical calypso music at each event or group gathering and dish up overflowing cups of freshly shaved ice with 10 flavors on our self-serve Flavorwave.
Diona Fonte and Nick Friel own a Kona Ice truck and offer 10 choices to flavor shaved ice. They moved to Southern Nevada from California last year to launch their business. (christopher devargas/staff)
What is your business philosophy?
We’re all about making people happy and giving back to our community. Our goal is to keep adding to the $40 million the company as a whole has already given back since 2007. We are continuing the Kona Ice tradition of donating thousands of dollars each year to local school groups, teams and community organizations. As we book events with these groups, we pledge to give back a percentage of the proceeds from each stop. What obstacles has your business overcome?
We just moved from California and started our franchise in Summerlin. When we started, we were pretty busy from the get-go, with only one truck. It made it hard when three schools wanted us to be at their events on the same day, but we could only accommodate one. We are excited to announce that we will have a second truck in operation by early May.
ing in the Kona Ice truck.
Kona Ice of Vegas Valley Phone: 702-423-3327 Email: dfonte@kona-ice.com Website: kona-ice.com/find-a-kona Hours of operation: 24/7 Owned/operated by: Diona Fonte and Nick Friel In business since: July 2016
Many times, kids have come across running, smiling, yelling, “Kona Ice is here!” In fact, one little girl was running toward the truck and ran up to me and gave me a big hug, and then went to hug the truck, too. What separates Kona Ice from other snow cone or shaved ice places?
Do you do this full-time, or do you have other careers?
We are fully dedicated to this business and are both doing this full-time. What are your favorite flavors or combinations of flavors?
Probably Monkey Business (banana) and Tiger’s Blood (watermelon, strawberry and coconut). Tell us your funniest or favorite story from work-
Two main factors come to mind. The nutrition factor is one: We are Smart Snack-approved by the Food and Drug Administration, as our flavors are made with a Vitablend, which is sweetened with Stevia, and have vitamins C and D. Vitablend has 60 percent of your daily needed value of vitamin D, and 25 percent of your vitamin C. Second, we offer a great giveback program. The bonus and benefit with us being mobile is that we bring the fun and fundraising to you.
YOUR GOALS MATTER.
Bank of Nevada, a division of Western Alliance Bank. Member FDIC.
Your business matters. 702.248.4200
bankofnevada.com
talking points Send your business-related information to news@vegasinc.com
Reader comments We want to hear from you. Visit vegasinc.com to post your opinion.
On Thomas Moore’s lasvegassun.com story “Intraparty squabbles about Schwartz cloud future of ESAs”: Every Nevada student deserves a quality public education, and siphoning more money from public education is not the answer. — NSEAOnline On Thomas Moore’s lasvegassun.com story “Lawmakers target hotels, motels that tolerate prostitution”: There are much more serious things going on in Las Vegas — break-ins, violent crime, murders, etc. In a way, these hotels protect prostitutes. Find a way to make it legal and taxable. Then spend the money to bring down the real crime rates. — Peter Fritz On April Corbin’s lasvegassun.com story “Las Vegas’ shortage of affordable housing is worst in the country, study finds”: I wish this country would be more compassionate toward the poor. A shrinking middle class means many Americans are often just a layoff or a medical emergency away from being classified as extremely low income. — Rick Van Diepen On Mick Akers’ and Ray Brewer’s lasvegassun.com story “Bank of America to fill funding gap for Raiders stadium in Las Vegas”: A first-rate city like Las Vegas deserves an NFL franchise. Oakland was dead last in attendance, but we will fill the stadium here every game. And instead of burdening us taxpayers, they are spreading the borrowing ‘pain’ out so thin that the tourists won’t even notice the tiny room surcharge. — 360dunk
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Celebrate women’s history with eye on future
I
These graduate students are committed am, in all practical sense, a naguest column: to this city, and through our program, tive of this city. Having moved amy lee these young leaders stay within our here as a young child in the late community. ’80s, I have witnessed numerous Being a woman in a city of some of the master-planned communities grow, most powerful businesses and among some of the world’s multiple resorts rise and fall, streets extend farther most keen-minded individuals, it is important to comand farther out, and the empty desert lots that I had municate that these students can achieve whatever career been so accustomed to seeing become fewer and fewer. ambition their dreams desire. Our organization is built I consider slot machines in grocery stores to be norupon the foundation that dedication, hard work and commal. Las Vegas is home. mitment will allow you to be whatever you wish to be. My relationship with this town drives my desire to The female leaders we have on our board work at ensure that we’re always going to have individuals who incredible companies such as Brown-Forman, Surevest lead in the right direction. Wealth Management and others, allowing our students As part of National Women’s History Month, it’s to have a hands-on learning experience with some of the important to celebrate the incredible females who are best. Through the program’s training and connections, helping shape future leaders and who will become leadwe have seen our graduates go on to work for the comers themselves. pany of their choice and achieve goal positions. When I accepted the role as the first executive direcOur graduates have garnered a wealth of well-rounded tor of the Las Vegas Business Academy, I had a shared and comprehensive knowledge across multiple indussentiment with the founder and chairman, Rino Armeni, tries during their time with the LVBA. It is gratifying to to create thoughtful, charitable and expert business be part of the students’ journeys and to see them go on to professionals. I also felt a great camaraderie with UNLV contribute back to our community. students, having been a Rebel myself. These are the people who make up the next generaAs a nonprofit organization, the LVBA remains dedition of leaders, the people who continue to give back and cated to the development of future business and commake our home even better. munity leaders through scholarship funding, mentorship Amy Lee is executive director of the Las Vegas Business and leadership. This is evident in the commitment of our Academy. board members who contribute their time and resources.
Smith’s world
Mike Smith is an award-winning editorial cartoonist who also draws for the Las Vegas Sun. His work is distributed nationally by King Features Syndicate. See archives of his work at lasvegassun.com/smithsworld.
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your Business-to-business news Send your business-related information to news@vegasinc.com
Lack of stadium lease not seen as barrier for Raiders’ move By adam candee Staff Writer
Cheering union workers wearing silver-and-black Oakland Raiders helmets filled the chambers at the Clark County Government Center on a recent afternoon, a return to a lighter atmosphere of earlier meetings on bringing the National Football League to Las Vegas. Confidence about the future of the Raiders and a proposed Las Vegas NFL stadium apparently returned to the community following the revelation that the franchise secured a $650 million commitment from Bank of America to replace the funding withdrawn by casino magnate Sheldon Adelson in January. “Obviously (the Raiders) have some Union members show support for the proposed Las Vegas stadium at a meeting momentum on their side,” said Steve at the Clark County Government Center. (christopher devargas/staff) Hill, chairman of the Stadium Au“The Raiders and Bank of America lease agreement could take “several thority board. “We’re certainly haprepresentatives confirmed that fimonths” and would not be completed py about that.” nancing for the project has been sebefore the Phoenix meeting. The team’s relocation application cured, as the Raiders informed the The absence of a stadium lease to will be considered by NFL ownStadium Authority board at the last play in Las Vegas, though, was not exers at the league’s annual meeting Stadium Authority board meeting,” pected to impede the application. March 26-29 in Phoenix. If the ownthe statement read in part. “The re“Certainly we are going to work exers decide to vote on the proposal, 24 location issue is on pace for considerpeditiously to get that lease done, but of 32 would need to approve the move ation at the annual meeting.” I do want to say that we’re not going for the Raiders to end up in Las Vegas. The Raiders presented the comto rush that process,” Hill said. “We In addition to considering the fimitment from Bank of America refcertainly are not going to shortcut nances of an arrangement in which erenced in the statement to the ownthat process in any way. That’s not the Raiders now would contribute ers this month. That funding, which wise and it is not what we are going $1.1 billion through a combination of likely would be a large loan, effectiveto do.” loans and personal-seat license sales, ly replaces the original investment At the meeting, the Raiders proowners also must review additional offered and then withdrawn by Adelvided a written statement read into details, including the lease agreeson after a failed negotiation with the the record by board adviser Jeremy ment being negotiated between the football team. Aguero. board and the franchise. Hill said a
Board counsel Mark Arnold spent most of the meeting discussing technical issues of the draft lease agreement submitted in January by the Raiders. Arnold and Raiders attorneys have spent the weeks between the lease submission and the meeting working through issues brought up by the board in response to the initial lease proposal. The discussion touched on the issue of shared use of the stadium between UNLV football, which would play six home games at the facility, and the Raiders. The initial lease draft gave the Raiders substantial control over the appearance and scheduling of the facility. Board member Mike Newcomb, executive director of the Thomas & Mack Center, said university officials still see significant issues to work out between the sides. “It’s a big concern for everyone with the university to walk into the stadium and not just feel like they’re leasing it out for the day,” Newcomb said. The other major issue discussed was ensuring that the stadium events company that operates the facility — which likely would be an offshoot of the Raiders under the current structure of the development — brings a sufficient number of events into the stadium for revenue generation. The facility would likely need to host another 30 events a year — beyond professional and college football — to meet revenue targets on which projections were built.
Study: Las Vegas’ shortage of affordable housing is nation’s worst By april corbin Staff Writer
Poor families seeking affordable housing are better off in any other metro area than Las Vegas. According to a study by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, Las Vegas has the biggest shortage of affordable and available rental homes. Only 12 affordable rental units are available for every 100 households classified as “extremely low income.” Nevada overall fares only slightly better, with 15 units available for every 100 households. The national average is 35. A household is considered extremely low income if its annual income is at or below 30 percent of the area
median income. The area median income in Clark County is $59,000. That means a family of four would be considered extremely low income at $24,300 or less. Nationally, 11.4 million households are classified as extremely low income. This group accounts for more than 10 percent of all households and 26 percent of all renter households. According to the study, 71 percent of these extremely low-income renter households spend more than half of their income on rent and utilities, leaving them cost burdened and forced to sacrifice other needs, such as food and health care. The study found that 83 percent of extremely low-income households in
Nevada and 86 percent of extremely low-income households in Las Vegas were severely cost burdened. The next-highest percentage was Florida, where 79 percent of extremely lowincome households were considered severely cost burdened. Las Vegas topped the list of large metropolitan areas with the lowest availability of available rental homes for extremely low-income households. Los Angeles ranked second, with 16 affordable units available per 100 households in need. Houston, Orlando and San Diego rounded out the top five. At the other extreme, Boston has the greatest availability of these rental units. However, even that city
has a shortage, with 46 units available for every 100 households. The study estimated the shortage of affordable rental homes was 3.9 million nationally. One known issue is that rental units that are affordable to extremely low-income households are sometimes rented by those classified as “very low income,” “low income” or even “median income.” Homeless households were not included in these findings. Adding them, the national affordable housing shortage sat at 7.8 million units. The National Low Income Housing Coalition study concluded by calling for tax reforms and a restructuring of priorities to help those households with the greatest housing needs.
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wom en’s bas ket ball, from page 39
Plan to build fan base: Target young male audience letter to a certificate program at Clemson University, two hours away from their home near Charleston, S.C. There, Frankie can learn to be independent and experience college like any other student. “I told my husband, ‘Please, please, please do not let him open that,’ ” Debbie said. “You’re gonna have to tape that. You can’t do it without me.” Debbie might not be home when those words arrive because she will be working somewhere in America as one of the most prominent basketball analysts on TV. Last week, she became the first woman in 22 years to broadcast games in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. Barriers and rules bend around Antonelli’s drive to better her home and career, so the weight of challenging the NCAA’s firm stance against Las Vegas hosting collegiate championship events does little to slow her. “I came up with an idea, used all my ideas working in the game, my marketing background — everything I have, I’ve put into this idea,” Antonelli said. The idea: move the Sweet 16 of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament to Las Vegas, centralizing on the Strip an event played this year in hot spots like Bridgeport, Conn., and Stockton, Calif., from March 24-27. Antonelli’s challenge remains convincing the NCAA Board of Governors to change its long-standing rule that its championship events cannot take place in a state with legalized gambling. “Generally speaking, the NCAA championship sports wagering policy prohibits the conducting of any championship session in a state with legal wagering that is based on singlegame betting,” NCAA spokeswoman Meghan Durham said. “This policy is in place to ensure the integrity of the game, provide consistency in awarding NCAA championships and address concerns for student-athlete well-being.” Basketball already pervades the desert in early March now that the Pac-12, West Coast Conference and Western Athletic Conference joined the Mountain West in contesting their conference playoffs here in recent years. The NCAA does not restrict where conferences host their championships, and those tournaments generate an estimated nongaming impact of more than $20 million annually, according
Debbie Antonelli, left, talks with play-by-play announcer Beth Mowins before tip-off of a women’s basketball game between Duke and Notre Dame at the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament. (associated press)
to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Sustained success of conference tournaments might help Las Vegas soothe NCAA officials, who last year softened to the point of allowing Las Vegas Events to bid on championships in wrestling, ice hockey and men’s basketball for the first time. Yet legislation proposed last year by the Mountain West to open Nevada for business gathers dust as the NCAA prepares to award regional sites for 2019 through 2022 in mid-April. Former UNLV Athletics Director Jim Livengood consults for Antonelli, and he hoped Las Vegas could prepare a bid for the Sweet 16 within this cycle, but admits at this late date, the timing “has a little bit of a rope around us.” “All of this, all the planning, all the work with the women’s basketball committee, with the oversight committee, the women’s basketball coaches committee, is a little bit of a fruitless effort without being able to have NCAA championships in Nevada,” Livengood said. “That’s the big elephant in the room.” That elephant doesn’t intimidate Antonelli. In fact, she wants to grab it by the tusks by rebranding the Sweet 16 to appeal to the younger male demographic obsessed with fantasy sports and wagering that already comes to Las Vegas for March Madness. “I don’t know how many fantasy football teams combined there were under my roof,” Antonelli said. “Women don’t do that as much, but that’s what guys do. Why would we stick our head in the sand and kind of
ignore that?” The Las Vegas plan began forming in Antonelli’s head six years ago as she watched the game she played collegiately at North Carolina State struggle to gain new fans. The four women’s basketball regional sites attracted 51,588 fans to 12 games in 2016, an increase of 2,000 from the previous year but still an average of just 4,299 people per game. Women’s basketball loses $14 million annually, according to NCAA President Mark Emmert, leaving revenue generators football and men’s basketball to subsidize it and other sports that don’t draw well. “When you look at the women’s tournament, and we’re losing millions, why are we losing millions and why do we continue to do it that way?” Antonelli said. Two years ago, Antonelli assembled a local consulting team that includes Livengood, sports marketing expert D.J. Allen and Las Vegas Events President Pat Christenson. Key among the group is Livengood, a former chairman of the men’s Division I selection committee for March Madness working to leverage his ties to pitch Las Vegas. “Jim has been able to introduce the idea to top-level people at the NCAA,” Antonelli said. The group toured potential venues three months ago, including the Orleans Arena, Mandalay Bay Events Center, MGM Grand Garden Arena, Thomas & Mack Center and T-Mobile Arena — Antonelli’s preferred option after working with event company BD Global on the Play4Kay Shootout
women’s tournament in the new facility in December. The strength of the Las Vegas brand alone cannot solve all Antonelli sees as ailing in an event that ranks 89th among 90 NCAA championships in terms of profitability, according to Livengood. The marketer in Antonelli, who gave away a new car at a women’s game while working at Ohio State in 1993, comes out to in her attempt to break this barrier. Antonelli wants to repackage the Sweet 16 as a destination event, not only to increase attendance but to utilize what she considers economies of scale to reduce the cost of putting on the regional rounds across the country. “Instead of putting on an event in four different cities, you come to one market, you have one staff, you limit the number of arenas and you work with the destination,” Allen said. “With Las Vegas being a destination location, you would anticipate higher revenues when it comes to ticket sales and everything that comes with that.” Her second major prong requires the heaviest lift, perhaps as much a challenge with the NCAA as lifting the Nevada ban. Antonelli wants to separate the Sweet 16 from the NCAA Corporate Champion and Corporate Partner Program, which controls sponsorship and advertising revenue for all collegiate championships. Antonelli understands through conversations with collegiate officials that contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars could be difficult to circumnavigate, but still sees a chance to sell inventory specific to a rebranded Sweet 16. “Who is selling women’s basketball and what is being sold? The NCAA Corporate Partner program was created for the men’s tournament, and few NCAA Corporate Partners activate on the women’s side,” Antonelli wrote in a recent article for FastModel Sports. Opportunities could extend to a career fair and a distance-learning center for student-athletes, Antonelli said, suggesting potential sponsors like IBM and Intel. First, though, the NCAA must unlock Nevada’s doors. Antonelli vows to be ready when that barrier falls. “In a golf analogy, I think we’re 3 feet from knocking in a putt for a championship,” Antonelli said. “(My team is) always like, ‘Be patient.’
48
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Get followed: Marketing your brand through social media
N
ot too long ago, social media was considered a way for friends and relatives to stay informed on your life. It was a way for people to communicate with one another digitally. Over the past few years, though, times have changed and digital interaction is now one of the leading and most vital marketing tools businesses can utilize to grow. According to Brandwatch, there are more than 3 billion internet users — and more than 2 billion of them have active social media accounts. In a rapidly changing and competiGuest column: tive city such as Las VeBryan Kroten gas, there is no way you can pass up the opportunity to use platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, TripAdvisor and Instagram to stay relevant and be successful. Social media gives businesses a voice to communicate with past guests or potential customers. It personalizes the brand and helps you spread your message in a conversational way.
By keeping our various digital platforms relevant and informative, we are ensuring the message our customers receive is engaging and useful. Direct dialogue through social media between brands and customers is something traditional marketing cannot achieve.
Today, people cannot get news quickly enough. We are in the midst of a new media apocalypse, where instant gratification is wanted and needed. Internet users have an average of 5.5 social media accounts, with 1 million new active mobile users added every day, according to Brandwatch. By having your business interact digitally, you can provide 24/7 customer service and generate instant conversations with your clients. Providing an immediate response is not only necessary, it is expected. Adapting to social media’s ever-changing landscape and to the evolution of our customers’ buying habits is a conversation we have on a daily basis at Maverick Aviation Group. We have observed how social media has directly affected our business. In fact, over the past five years, our website sales have more than doubled and our social media
reach has grown exponentially. Our customers are more likely to shop for vacations or do extensive online research to influence their travel itineraries. By keeping our various digital platforms relevant and informative, we are ensuring the message our customers receive is engaging and useful. Direct dialogue through social media between brands and customers is something traditional marketing cannot achieve. As one of the most popular destinations in the world, Las Vegas is a hub for international travel. In fact, the majority of Maverick’s customers are from outside of the United States. In the past, connecting with these guests directly was always a challenge. However, social media has made these connections much easier and has helped us bridge the communication gap with clientele around the world. With digital marketing’s presence continuing to grow, businesses must learn to adapt to this necessary and vital communication tool. By embracing social media into your marketing tactics, it will share your brand’s voice, generate instant conversation, influence decisions and provide international exposure worldwide. Get on board. Bryan Kroten, vice president of marketing for Maverick Aviation Group.
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Calendar of events MONDAY, MARCH 20 Media Group Time: 11:30 a.m. Cost: $17 Location: Las Ventanas, 10401 W. Charleston Blvd., Las Vegas Information: Call 213-479-6006 Mike Schaefer will speak about 50 years of election litigation. 6D Global: Customers, Friends & Partners Appreciation Reception Time: 8-11 p.m. Cost: Free Location: Public House at the Grand Canal Shoppes, Venetian, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas Information: Email tj.iaciofano@6dglobal.com to request an invitation Join marketing company 6D Global for networking over drinks. UnSummit 2017 Time: 1-5 p.m. Cost: $15-$20 Location: Greenspun Hall at UNLV, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway Information: Visit eventbrite.com Analytics practitioners, academics and interested parties can get to know each other prior to the digital analytics conference Adobe Summit.
TUESDAY, MARCH 21 PowHer of WE Breakfast Time: 8-9:30 a.m. Cost: $40 Location: Canyon Gate Country Club, 2001 Canyon Gate Drive, Las Vegas Information: Call 702-328-5028 This event celebrates Women’s History Month by celebrating businesswomen. Hear from local, female professionals over a breakfast buffet, featuring Donna Miller, owner of Flying ICU; Melissa Warren, managing partner at Faiss Foley Warren; and Tammy Starring, founder and owner of multiple businesses. Chamber Connections Time: 5:30-7 p.m. Cost: $120 for six-month session; must be a Metro Chamber member in good standing
Location: Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce, 575 Symphony Park Ave., Suite 100, Las Vegas Information: Call 702-586-3848 Business professionals come together to expand their network and their business. By sharing contacts, referrals and ideas, members learn effective ways to network. Chamber Voices Toastmasters Time: 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Cost: $63 every six months for Metro Chamber members Location: Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce, 575 Symphony Park Ave., Suite 100 Information: Call 702-641-5822 Improve your communication skills in both your personal and professional life.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22 Women Empowering Women Luncheon Time: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Cost: $15 Location: Blueberry Hill Family Restaurant, 4875 W. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas Information: Call 702-355-5718 Connect with local professional women and expand your network. The featured guest speaker will be Anna Vance. Vegas Young Professionals Bigwig Lunch Time Time: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Cost: $15 Location: Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce, 575 Symphony Park Ave., Suite 100, Las Vegas Information: Call 702-586-3834 Speakers will be Bob Brown, president and CEO of Opportunity Village; and Bruce Spotleson, director of corporate partnerships for Vegas PBS.
THURSDAY, MARCH 23 Networking mixer Time: 5-8 p.m. Cost: $15 for Henderson Chamber members; $25 for nonmembers; $10 additional for walk-ins; parking is 10 per vehicle Location: Orchid Lounge at Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas Information: Call 702-565-8951
Grow your network by sharing contacts, referrals and ideas. Each attendee’s first drink will be covered in the admission cost. Cyber Security: Protecting Your Business Time: Noon-1 p.m. Cost: Fee Location: Innevation Center, 6795 S. Edmond St., third floor Information: Call 1-877-763-7429 or visit eventbrite.com Learn from Aasim Cyber Group about how to mitigate damages of cyber crimes.
FRIDAY, MARCH 24 iAMradio Empowerment Breakfast Time: 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Cost: Free for VIPs; $15 early bird; $28 at the door Location: Gold Coast, 4000 W. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas Information: Call 704-990-5634 This is an exclusive event for industry executives, radio announcers, program directors and representatives of organizations that deal with various music awards shows. The event is held in conjunction with Stellar Awards Weekend. To attend, please RSVP. Funding for Entrepreneurs Time: 8 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Cost: Free Location: Nevada Hispanic Business Group, 4530 S. Eastern Ave., Suite 9, Las Vegas Information: Visit eventbrite.com Learn about the lending process for small business.
saturday, MARCH 25 Nevada Women’s Business Center: Business Math Basics Time: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Cost: Free Location: Green Valley Library, 2797 N. Green Valley Parkway Information: Visit nevadawbc.com/ Learn about calculating start up costs, cost of goods sold, monthly revenue, expenses, breaking even and more.
Conventions
expected Show Location Dates attendance
ASD Las Vegas
Las Vegas Convention Center
March 19-22
46,000
National Air Traffic Controllers Association Communicating for Safety
Bally’s
March 20-22
1,050
CinemaCon
Caesars Palace
March 27-30
6,000
Credit Admiral Software meeting
Harrah’s
March 27-30
600
Nightclub and Bar Show
Las Vegas Convention Center
March 28-29
39,000
National Association for Pizzeria Operators International Pizza Expo
Las Vegas Convention Center
March 28-30
12,000
Globalshop
Mandalay Bay
March 28-30
14,000
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Records and Transactions BID OPPORTUNITIES
residential 221 W. New York Ave., Las Vegas 89102 Landlord: Isabel Santana Landlord agent: N/A Tenant: Michael Mays Properties Tenant agent: Soozi Jones Walker and Bobbi Miracle of Commercial Executives Real Estate Services
Owner: Eduarda Diaz-Cisneros and Ivan Cisneros
2:15 p.m. Regional Justice Center: sanitary sewer improvements Clark County, 604350 Sandy Moody-Upton at scm@ clarkcountynv.gov
BUSINESS LICENSES
Pandaco Holding License type: Automated teller operator Address: 823 S. Third St., Las Vegas Owner: Nevada Wellness Project and Ted C. Loh
3 p.m. Annual requirements contract for fire hood cleaning, inspection and repairs countywide Clark County, 604360 Adriane Garcia at akgarcia@clarkcountynv.gov
Neos Pros License type: Short-term residential rental (PM) Address: 8513 Capella Rico Ave., Las Vegas Owner: Viacheslav V. and Elena A. Fentisov
3 p.m. Annual requirements contract for grease trap, jetting/camera and lint trap services countywide Clark County, 604362 Adriane Garcia at akgarcia@clarkcountynv.gov
Nest Revisions Home Staging License type: Designer-draftsman Address: Did not disclose Owner: Lisa D. Bendixen
March 23 2:15 p.m. Alexander Villas Park improvements Clark County, 604344 Sandy Moody-Upton at scm@ clarkcountynv.gov
3 p.m. Current production model 4-wheel drive service rruck Clark County, 604370 Ashley Peterson at ashley.blanco@ clarkcountynv.gov
Brokered transactions Sales $1,400,000 for 1.64 acres, commercial North Rainbow Boulevard and West Ann Road, Las Vegas 89130 Landlord: Rainbow Ann 1 LLC Landlord agent: Rob Moore and Matt Patros of Sun Commercial Real Estate Inc. Tenant: Herbst Development LLC Tenant agent: Northcap Commercial $1,100,000 for 8750 square feet, industrial 4224 Wynn Road, Las Vegas 89103 Landlord: Dragon & Phoenix Comm Landlord agent: Tim Behrendt, Lisa Hauger and Tim Erickson of Sun Commercial Real Estate Inc. Tenant: Boarsk Leasing NV LLC Tenant agent: N/A $700,000 for 5200 square feet, retail 3980 W. Ann Road, North Las Vegas 89031 Landlord: Interim Holdings Landlord agent: N/A Tenant: Renate Bollig Tenant agent: Dan Gluhaich $435,000 for 4704 square feet,
Nelson Technology Services License type: General retail sales Address: Did not disclose Owner: Justin Nelson
Nets Enterprise License type: General retail sales Address: 1963 N. Decatur Blvd., Las Vegas Owner: Nets Enterprise Nevada 1 Cleaning License type: Janitorial service Address: 4623 Startrain Drive, North Las Vegas Owner: Tomas Lopez Norton Dog Training License type: Gross revenue Address: 345 W. Country Club Drive, Henderson Owner: Norton Dog Training Nuclear Care Partners License type: Residential home care provider Address: 2810 W. Charleston Blvd., Suite H80, Las Vegas Owner: Jenna Noem and Leslie Olkowski Oakridge Townhomes License type: Apartment house Address: 325 Gayle Ave., Henderson Owner: E3J Oakridge Oganes Zakaryan License type: Real estate sales Address: 1820 E. Sahara Ave., Suite 101, Las Vegas Owner: Oganes Zakaryan Optic Gallery the District License type: Medical office Address: 2260 Village Walk Drive, Henderson Owner: Optic Gallery the District P & C Mobile Detail License type: Mobile auto detailing Address: 4016 Mill Point Circle, North Las Vegas
Panacea LLC License type: Restaurant Address: 750 S. Rampart Blvd., Suite 15, Las Vegas Owner: Shane Stuart, Dillon Berkabile and Sarah Lucas
Patricia Giusti License type: Real estate sales Address: 10220 W. Charleston Blvd., Suite 3, Las Vegas Owner: Patricia Giusti PCCU License type: Towing (NLV locations) Address: 2220 N. Commerce St., North Las Vegas Owner: PCCU Piranha Industries License type: Independent massage therapist Address: Did not disclose Owner: Juanito Operana Playtex Manufacturing Inc. License type: General retail sales Address: 3695 Highland Drive, Las Vegas Owner: Barb Brinkmeyer Preferred Legal Support License type: Management or consulting service Address: 2300 W. Sahara Ave., Suite 800, Las Vegas Owner: Jennifer Tell Pro Greens Landscaping License type: Property maintenance Address: 352 Esquina Drive, Henderson Owner: Pro Greens Landscaping Project BBQ License type: Open-air vending Address: 24 Fremont St., Las Vegas Owner: LV Food Trucks LLC Property Professional Group License type: Contractor Address: 4970 Arville St., Suite A, Las Vegas Owner: Did not disclose Public Action Management License type: Management/marketing/consulting Address: 170 S. Green Valley Parkway, Henderson Owner: Public Action Management Purple Violet LLC License type: Trucking Address: 3110 Polaris Ave., Suite 39, Las Vegas Owner: Purple Violet LLC
Quail Tree Apartments License type: Apartment house Address: 7100 W. Alexander Road, Las Vegas Owner: A-T QTA LLC Quality Painting License type: Residential property maintenance Address: Did not disclose Owner: Yenisel Perez
BUILDING PERMITS $8,365,942, commercial - new 4650 Losee Road, North Las Vegas Nevada General Construction $4,408,438, commercial - new 455 W. Centennial Parkway, North Las Vegas Breslin Builders $1,885,980, commercial - new 535 E. Lake Mead Blvd., North Las Vegas Richardson Construction $600,000, tenant improvement 333 S. Valley View Blvd., Las Vegas Pacific Studio $595,080, multifamily 316 W. Baltimore Ave., Las Vegas Precision General Commercial $501,120, multifamily 321 W. Baltimore Ave., Las Vegas Precision General Commercial $400,000, wall and/or fence 651 Sky Vista Drive, Las Vegas Burke Construction Group $397,461, reroof x2 2707 and 2711 E. Craig Road, North Las Vegas Eberhard Southwest Roofing $336,962, single-family dwelling 6145 Pebble Glen Court, Las Vegas DR Horton $313,200, multifamily x8 301, 304, 305, 308, 309, 312, 313 and 317 W. Baltimore Ave., Las Vegas Precision General Commercial $313,200, multifamily x5 2200, 2204, 2208, 2112 and 2116 Tam Drive, Las Vegas Precision General Commercial $300,000, commercial 651 Sky Vista Drive, Las Vegas Burke Construction Group $295,000, tenant improvement 8800 W. Charleston Blvd., Las Vegas Cahill Construction $280,000, tenant improvement 2400 S. Rancho Drive, Las Vegas Affordable Concepts
$248,342, single-family dwelling 9636 Ramon Valley Ave., Las Vegas Greystone Nevada $245,000, tenant improvement 105 N. Nellis Blvd., Las Vegas Bogart Construction $227,781, single-family dwelling 9632 Ramon Valley Ave., Las Vegas Greystone Nevada $221,208, multifamily x5 311, 313, 315, 317 and 319 W. Cleveland Ave., Las Vegas Precision General Commercial $220,051, single-family dwelling 8327 Beldina St., Las Vegas Pulte Homes of Nevada $211,982, single-family dwelling x2 12107, 12124 Abbey Glen Court, Las Vegas Greystone Nevada $211,711, single-family dwelling x2 12116 and 12123 Abbey Glen Court, Las Vegas Greystone Nevada $210,000, single-family dwelling 10028 Village Walk Ave., Las Vegas Tiburon Construction $200,647, electrical 3840 Civic Center Drive, North Las Vegas G & G Systems $196,197, single-family dwelling 12115 Abbey Glen Court, Las Vegas Greystone Nevada $188,985, single-family dwelling 9682 Bruschi Ridge Court, Las Vegas Richmond American Homes of Nevada $186,000, onsite 5835 E. Ann Road, North Las Vegas Reliant Construction $174,675, residential - new 4009 Carla Ann Road, North Las Vegas DR Horton $170,509, residential - new 4017 Carla Ann Road, North Las Vegas DR Horton $151,404, residential - new 4021 Carla Ann Road, North Las Vegas DR Horton
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REthink H I E R A R C H Y
The student-teacher connection is the most important one. One of respect, shared goals, and discovery. It isn’t about hierarchy, titles, levels, or being “just a student”. At Roseman, teachers and students walk alongside one another on the path to learning and discovery. Students take re s p o n s i b i l i t y fo r t h e i r l e a r n i n g , a n d teachers enable success. It is much more than a partnership of equals; it is a shared journey to success. Roseman University of H e a l t h S c i e n ce s h a s b e e n re t h i n k i n g hierarchy since our inception in 1999. Using the Six-Point Mastery Learning Model we train a different kind of student to thrive and practice in today’s complex world of medicine and patient care. Challenge. Rethink. Roseman. Learn more at roseman.edu
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COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
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The List
Category: largest employers (Ranked by number of employees as of march 15) Year est. locally
Employees
Local offices/ locations
Type of business
Top local executive
MGM Resorts International 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. South Las Vegas, NV 89109 702-693-7120 • mgmresorts.com
2000
53,157
20
Resort entertainment
James J. Murren, chairman and CEO
2
Caesars Entertainment 1 Caesars Palace Drive Las Vegas, NV 89109 702-407-6000 • caesars.com
1946
30,000
14
Entertainment and hospitality
Mark Frissora, president and CEO
3
Station Casinos 1505 S. Pavilion Center Drive Las Vegas, NV 89135 702-495-3000 • sclv.com
1976
14,000
20
Gaming and hospitality
Frank J. Fertitta III, owner/CEO
4
Wynn Las Vegas 3131 Las Vegas Blvd. South Las Vegas, NV 89109 702-770-7000 • wynnlasvegas.com
2005
12,000
2
Resort/casino
Steve Wynn, chairman and CEO
5
Boyd Gaming Corp. 6465 S. Rainbow Blvd. Las Vegas, NV 89118 702-792-7200 • boydgaming.com
1975
11,700
14
Casino entertainment
Keith Smith, president and CEO
6
Las Vegas Sands Corp. 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. South Las Vegas, NV 89109 702-414-1000 • sands.com
1990
8,600
3
Integrated resorts
Sheldon Adelson, chairman and CEO
7
The Valley Health System 2075 E. Flamingo Road Las Vegas, NV 89119 702-388-4000 • valleyhealthsystemlv.com
1971
7,463
8
Health care
Karla Perez, regional vice president
8
McDonald’s Greater Las Vegas Operator Association 1966 2217 N. Green Valley Parkway Henderson, NV 89014 702-454-3485 • mcdonalds.com
5,250
100+
Fast food
James Vance, president
9
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. South Las Vegas, NV 89109 702-698-7000 • cosmopolitanlasvegas.com
2010
5,008
1
Resort
Bill McBeath, CEO
Southwest Medical Associates/UnitedHealthcare 2704 N. Tenaya Way Las Vegas, NV 89128 702-243-8500 • smalv.com
1984
4,808
34
Health care provider, insurance provider
Robert McBeath, president of OptumCare Mountain West region and CEO of Southwest Medical
Company
1
10
Source: VEGAS INC research. It is not the intent of this list to endorse the participants or to imply that the listing of a company indicates its quality. Visit vegasinc.com for more. Although every attempt is made to ensure the accuracy and thoroughness of VEGAS INC charts, omissions sometimes occur and some businesses do not respond. Please send corrections or additions on company letterhead to Clayt Keefer, research associate, VEGAS INC, 2275 Corporate Circle, Third floor, Henderson, NV 89074.
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Abram, Aga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7A Affronti, Brian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7A Bass, Laiyla . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7A
“Always be on the lookout for the presence of wonder” — E. B. White
Bembry, Latoya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8A Cohen, Eric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8A Craig, Jason . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9A Davis, Bret . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9A
S
eems like only yesterday that Station Casinos was younger than 40. And, while we reflected on four decades of accomplishments, we knew the best was yet to come. The same could be said about each of the 40 Under 40 honorees. These 40 Under 40 are already excelling in various fields and industries, leaving their own indelible marks. We can only guess what their futures hold. We take great pride in celebrating their success. By allowing us to share in this group milestone by hosting the event at Green Valley Ranch Resort, they remind us what a close and caring community we are. We can all take great pride in their success. Congratulations from the entire team at Station Casinos!
Flores, Dan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9A Gray, Loni . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9A Hormechea, Alejandro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10A Johnson, Cory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10A Krausman, Bryce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10A Maddela, Christine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10A Markman, Kyle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11A Massaro, Michelle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11A Mathis-Coleman, Tya. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12A
—FROM THE EDITOR—
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ith a magic combination of smarts, skill, compassion and commitment to community, the honorees of our annual 40 Under 40 publication represent the best that Southern Nevada has to show the world, and VEGAS INC is proud to share their stories with you. In our 17th annual publication, we’re recognizing 40 men and women from a cross section of industries in the valley who have one thing in common — they’re making Las Vegas is a better place. As has been happening since 2001, nominations for the honor poured in. We assessed each candidate’s community service, entrepreneurial spirit and impact on their respective industry. Another commonality is that our honorees possess an outlook that helps showcase Southern Nevada in the best light possible. Laiyla Bass, marketing manager for IKEA, has made it a goal to find ways that her company can be a community partner by addressing issues such as children’s education and homelessness. Humility is another important ingredient. “You may not be the smartest, most talented person in the room, but not being afraid to put in a good day’s work, coupled with a willingness to learn and better oneself, will level the playing field,” said Latoya Bembry, director of public relations at the Ferraro Group. Take the time to read about these young leaders and their amazing accomplishments. This distinguished group plays a crucial role in Southern Nevada’s business development vision, all in their own special way. And last but certainly not least, a special thank you goes to Green Valley Ranch Resort for hosting the soiree where we honor these leaders and innovators. Craig Peterson Editor of Special Publications craig.peterson@gmgvegas.com
Michaels, Stacie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12A Mohr, Stephanie. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12A Moore, Amanda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13A Oh, Christopher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13A O’Reilly, Timothy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14A Pacheco, Gerald. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14A Peralta, Steven. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14A Perkins, Robin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15A Phillips, Micah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15A Riches, Greg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16A Rincón-Camacho, Sasha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16A Salinas, Jonathan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16A Sartini II, Blake. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17A Shelton, Earl. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18A Skidmore, Rachel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19A Smith, Chris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19A Smith, Sydney . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19A Stuart, Christian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20A Tanenbaum, Rikki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20A Taylor, Robert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20A Thievin, Romain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21A Wallace, Patrick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21A Yemenidjian, Armen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22A Zakalik, Judah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22A
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Aga Abram
Director, Brand Marketing and Entertainment Marketing
Wynn Las Vegas and Encore
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Age: 35
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olleagues of Aga Abram admire her Abram was instrumental in the opening way to push myself out of my comfort zone ability to get the job done in a pro- of the Wynn Palace in Macau. As part of the on many different levels.” fessional manner. Despite working in support team that traveled there, she sucAs for her career, she will focus on learna high-stress environment, she is known for cessfully managed the production of two ing and mastering new skills. “I believe it is staying calm, collected and collegial. photography crews and a videography crew important to keep challenging yourself, since Abram completed her executive masters simultaneously, a feat of organization, flex- the world doesn’t stop.” of business administration at UNLV in 2011 ibility and endurance. Working extremely Indeed, her advice to colleagues is to and has risen through the ranks at Wynn. long hours for 30 straight days, she ensured “keep challenging yourself and set up wellAs director of brand marketing, Abram is the imagery was ready for the opening. defined goals that you work to achieve. The responsible for curating the image of Wynn Abram insists on always moving forward. main point is that by setting and pursuing Las Vegas and Encore. She has been de- “I do not want to be stagnant. I want to keep pre-set goals, you will be forced to develop scribed as having “an amazing eye,” which growing and challenging myself, both on as a person. In addition, don’t get down. can be seen in the styling of the photogra- a personal and a professional level.” She is Work and life will throw you challenges, and phy and overall look of the resort's market- planning to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Pic- it’s important to keep pushing.” ing campaigns. chu this year, which, she said, “will be a good — Howard Riell
Brian Affronti Managing Partner
Drai's Enterprises
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Age: 36
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lorida native Brian Affronti, who moved to Las Vegas in 2001, found his professional niche in the nightlife business quite by accident. “When I first moved to town, I didn’t know anybody but my sister, so I started going out after work with her and her friends and meeting people in the nightclub industry,” said Affronti, who was tapped to help open OPM Nightclub in 2003. “The general manager called and asked me if I wanted to give nightlife a shot, and I found my calling. It was a fantastic time for nightlife in Las Vegas, when nightclubs were really elevating to the next level.” After wetting his beak at OPM, Affronti
went on to work at Wynn Las Vegas, where it. We bring in live acts — full-blown conhe was general manager of nightlife opera- certs — and we’ve been trending up for evtions for Tryst and XS from 2005 to 2012, ery show. We recently had Nelly perform, working for several of those years along- and he stayed on stage for two hours.” side nightclub owner and film producer With a slant toward hip-hip, other reVictor Drai. In 2012, Affronti was recruited cent nightclub acts include Future, Kenas managing partner with Drai’s Enterpris- drick Lamar, Chris Brown and Trey Songz, es, playing an integral role in the launch said Affronti, who also helps oversee of Drai’s Rooftop — comprised of Drai’s After Hours, which is located in the baseBeachclub and Drai’s Nightclub — which ment of the Cromwell and has been operaopened in May 2014 atop the Cromwell. tional for more than 17 years. “It’s a 65,000-square-foot indoor/outAffronti is also a franchise owner of Trudoor space, and we really wanted to do Fusion gym's Summerlin location, and is an something a little different with the night- advocate for nonprofits that support chilclub,” Affronti said. “Everybody is doing dren and battered women. electronic DJs, and we wanted to reinvent — Danielle Birkin
Laiyla Bass Marketing Manager
IKEA
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Age: 39
s IKEA Las Vegas’ marketing manager, Laiyla Bass has created relationships in a short time to establish IKEA as a strong community partner. She proactively seeks partnerships that strengthen the community by supporting local businesses. For example, Bass partnered with Southern Hills Hospital’s Balloon Festival in 2016, as well as several others, to catapult IKEA into Las Vegas’ fabric, helping make her company “a household name in the positive aspect of community relations.” Bass said that she has played “an integral role by being part of the most highly anticipated retail grand openings in
Las Vegas. As a brand ambassador for a global brand, I managed to introduce IKEA to Southern Nevada with high-profile ad campaigns and interactive activities to enhance the customer and community loyalty experience.” By traveling and exploring different cultures while working for IKEA, she said, “I have been exposed to a significant amount of global diversity that I can admire and appreciate.” Two of Bass’s major goals for 2017 are to be “an advocate for seizing the moment” and to “focus on work life balance more frequently, including valuing a fika (Swedish for coffee or tea break) every once in a while.”
Looking ahead, Bass says she will focus on further connecting IKEA to the community with sustainability efforts and initiatives highlighting children’s education and homelessness. “My goal is to create a home away from home for those who need supportive shelter, and to contribute towards remodeling projects for struggling families who cannot afford their dream furnished home.” One thing Bass points to that she has learned from a series of mentors is that “You should always be courageous enough to take risks which will result in bigger rewards.” — Howard Riell
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Latoya Bembry
Eric Cohen
The Ferraro Group ■ Age: 35
The Calida Group ■ Age: 39
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Director of Public Relations
communications professional for 13 years and lifelong local, Latoya Bembry dedicated her career to helping businesses seeking public relations and marketing assistance. As PR director at the Ferraro Group, she oversees client relations, business development, social media, employee relations, community outreach planning, strategy development and day-to-day operations of the company. Among the clients with whom she works are Nevada State Contractors Board, JAG (Jobs for America’s Graduates) Nevada, and Dunkin’ Donuts. “Helping our clients reach their goals, and having a seat at the table when they make decisions that affect the image of their company/organization, will always be an accomplishment,” said Bembry. “Being promoted to director of public relations for the Ferraro Group wasn’t too shabby, either.” Assisting with business development “will always be a goal,” she added, “but I will also be looking more into continuing education to enhance my skill set so that I may be able to help our clients more.” Bembry’s message to others is that they can often accomplish more than they think they can. “You may not be the smartest, most talented person in the room, but not being afraid to put in a good day’s work, coupled with a willingness to learn and better oneself, will level the playing field.” — Howard Riell
Congratulations to a man definitely hungry for success.
Co-founder and Managing Director
fter working in the real estate industry in South Florida for more than seven years, South Florida native Eric Cohen moved to Southern Nevada to open the local office of Trammell Crow Residential in 2006. But the graduate of Florida Atlantic University, who holds a degree in finance and real estate development, had a vision to bring high-end, multifamily housing to the region, teaming up with Douglas Eisner to launch The Calida Group in August 2007. After completing construction on other condo projects and reverting them back to apartment projects, The Calida Group broke ground in 2011 with Elysian at the District and now has Elysian at Southern Highlands, Elysian at St. Rose, Constellation at Downtown Summerlin, Elysian West, Elysian at Stone Lake and Elysian at Flamingo, with plans for two additional properties at Hughes Center and the Palms. The company also has developments in California, Texas, Florida and Utah. “We’ve built about 4,000 apartments in Southern Nevada, with another 4,000 in the pipeline, but we also wanted to diversify not only geographically, but product-type as well, so we’re also now focusing on our health care platform, building skilled nursing facilities, assisted-living and memory-care facilities,” said Cohen, who added that the Calida Cares philanthropic platform includes the Elysian Foundation which in 2017 benefits Habitat for Humanity. — Danielle Birkin
GOLDEN ENTERTAINMENT IS PROUD TO CONGRATULATE
BLAKE L. SARTINI II ON EARNING THE
4 0 U N D E R 4 0 AW A R D
Your McFamily congratulates our own Christopher Smith on being named to Vegas Inc.’s “40 Under 40”. Your commitment to service inspires us every day.
©2017 McDonald’s®
GOLDENENT.COM
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Jason 'JRoc' Craig
Bret Davis
81/82 Group ■ Age: 35
Jones Lang LaSalle Brokerage ■ Age: 39
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Dan Flores
Loni Gray
Maverick Aviation Group ■ Age: 39
Brown-Forman ■ Age: 35
Co-owner
fter attending UNLV and serving in the Marines, Los Angeles native Jason “JRoc” Craig moved to Las Vegas with plans to get into the nightlife business. “So I took any position I could get, starting out as the glass and trash guy at the Hard Rock Hotel in 2004, then moving on to become a bar-back and then a bartender at Center Bar,” said the United States Marine Corps veteran. Craig helped open Rehab prior to moving over to the Palms in 2006, where he served as a VIP host and was promoted to marketing manager before leaving the company. In 2012, Craig co-founded 81/82 Group with business partner Ryan Labbe. “We’ve worked with just about every nightlife company in Las Vegas,” said Craig, adding that 81/82 Group partnered with former Light Group owner Andy Masi to open Clique Bar & Lounge at the Cosmopolitan in late 2015. “We’ve also partnered with a company called 50 Bleu vodka and anti-hangover recovery drink Resqwater to assist in their brand launches.” Most recently, 81/82 Group partnered with Clique Hospitality and Montage International on the Pendry San Diego, an upscale hotel. “The Pendry was a really big deal for us, and represents the largest project we’ve undertaken,” said Smith. “We operate The Pool House — which is a rooftop lounge — and also the Oxford Social Club.” Craig also is a brand ambassador with Stitched, a men’s boutique in the Cosmopolitan. — Danielle Birkin
Vice President of Business Development
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hen Dan Flores was recruited to Maverick Helicopters in 2007 as director of business development for the Grand Canyon South Rim location, the company had 19 helicopters and focused its business primarily on the Nevada and Arizona markets. A decade later, Maverick Aviation Group operates one of the world’s largest and youngest fleets of Airbus ECO-Star helicopters — with 47 — and also has six airplanes and business operations in Nevada, Arizona and Hawaii. The parent company now operates six enterprises, including Maverick Helicopters, Maverick Airlines, Mustang Helicopters, Maverick Maui, Grand Canyon West Rim and Grand Canyon South Rim, and has spread its wings to reach international markets to further bolster its business, with Flores at the helm of the outreach, serving in his current post for more than six years. “I travel 150 to 200 days per year,” said Flores, who was raised in Las Vegas, attended UNLV, and previously worked in various capacities at Bellagio and Walters Golf, where he was acting as business development manager when he made the move to Maverick. “As we grew, we needed to diversify. I started working with the Canadian market, then made my way into Europe, establishing business-tobusiness relationships with wholesale travel companies that sell tourism packages to Las Vegas. The United Kingdom is our biggest market, but there are also opportunities in India, Eastern Europe and Russia.” This year the company is looking to expand its Hawaiian presence with the launch of Maverick Kauai, according to Flores, who supports Boys & Girls Club of Southern Nevada, sitting on its gardening/healthy lifestyles committee. — Danielle Birkin
Executive Vice President
s executive vice president of commercial real estate brokerage firm Jones Lang LaSalle, Bret Davis has a hands-off management style that has served him well since he was recruited to run the Las Vegas office in May 2010. “I hold as few meetings as possible,” said the Ohio native, who holds a bachelor of science in business management from UNLV and previously worked at CB Richard Ellis and Glenborough LLC. “Everybody is clear on their goals and we hire experienced, selfmotivated people that gel with the JLL culture. The result is a casual but highly productive office.” Indeed, since Davis came on board, the local office of the publicly traded, Chicago-based company has grown from two brokers and one support staff to a workforce of nine, with annual revenue in excess of $25 million, which represents a tenfold increase since 2010. Davis played an active role in several high-profile transactions, including the 2012 brokerage of the largest office lease in Southern Nevada history. “It was a phenomenal opportunity because of all the moving parts and details involved in a transaction of that size, and it was a great learning experience,” said Davis, who has concluded more than 5.2 million square feet of transactions. He has a positive outlook for 2017. I think it will be a great year for the market with a lot of activity,” said Davis, a seven-time participant in AIDS LifeCycle and fundraiser for San Francisco AIDS Foundation and also an Ironman competitor. — Danielle Birkin
National Accounts Manager
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oni Gray has been described as a force to be reckoned with within the beverage industry — not only in Las Vegas, but around the country. “I think I’ve had the passion, focus, and balance that has helped me get to where I am today,” she said. In her role at Brown-Forman, Gray is responsible for managing the national casino channel for brands under the Brown-Forman umbrella, such as Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey. She oversees the sales, marketing and financial plans related to the top four customer chains in the United States. As a working mother, she has found, “Each day that you can share your whole self with your family is a huge accomplishment. To be there to comfort your little one when they fall, or cry because an episode of ‘Peppa Pig’ has been deleted, is the best feeling in the world, even if you have a crazy deadline at work or a project that needs your immediate attention.” Gray says she was inspired by my mother’s strength and courage. “She’s taught me that no matter what challenges I may face, to always stay positive and remain optimistic.” She believes it is important to maintain integrity throughout one’s career. “Even if there are tough conversations to be had or business that you may have to walk away from, in the end your character is how you are measured.” Gray is hoping to expand her reach. “I also am hoping to further enhance my efforts at the Las Vegas Business Academy to recruit new students and engage potential board members.” Personally, she is “looking forward to taking photography lessons so I can really capture some special moments with my husband and daughter.” — Howard Riell
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Alejandro Hormechea
Cory Johnson
Fino For Men ■ Age: 39
Caesars Palace ■ Age: 39
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Bryce Krausman
Christine Maddela
DW Bistro ■ Age: 39
Fox5 News Las Vegas ■ Age: 34
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Chief Executive Officer
fter growing up in New Jersey and earning a degree in hotel and restaurant management from Widener University in Pennsylvania, Alejandro Hormechea moved in 1999 to Las Vegas, intending to gain experience in the hospitality industry at Caesars Palace before relocating back to the East Coast. Plans changed after he took to heart some sage words from his barber. “One day I asked him what he would do if money wasn’t an object, and he said, without hesitation, ‘Open a men’s salon’,” Hormechea said. “It made sense, because who doesn’t like to look good and feel good when they get up in the morning? I envisioned more than a traditional barbershop experience, and not quite a ladies’ salon, but more of a gentlemen’s grooming lounge, with a comfortable, masculine vibe.” To that end, Hormechea spent almost two years researching the industry, eventually opening Fino For Men on West Sahara Avenue in May 2008. “At the beginning, business was dismal because of the economic downturn, and I was $500,000 in debt,” said Hormechea, whose motto, “Fake it ’til we make it,” got Fino For Men through the recession and beyond. “Every single year since inception we’ve outdone ourselves revenue-wise, and we now have 10 full-time employees and a client database of about 14,500 customers.” In 2017, Hormechea anticipates creating a Fino For Men product line and opening a second valley location, with plans in the works to expand the brand to other major U.S. markets. — Danielle Birkin
Owner
ith the casualty rate for new restaurants estimated at more than 90 percent during the first year of operation, Las Vegas native Bryce Krausman took a gamble when he co-founded DW Bistro in 2009 with Dalton Wilson. With a shared passion for everything epicurean, “We were brothers in food,” said Krausman, adding that the pair used to host lavish dinner parties and Sunday brunches, and had been kicking around the idea of opening their own eatery when serendipity intervened and presented a golden opportunity. “We found a restaurant space that had closed, with all the equipment left behind, so it was basically a turn-key operation with very low overhead required to realize our dream.” Eight years later, DW Bistro is a southwest neighborhood favorite, with a menu that fuses Jamaican flavors with a New Mexican-inspired flair. “(Jamaican-born) Dalton was raised in New Mexico, so our menu is savory and spicy and flavorful,” said Krausman. Last November, DW Bistro relocated from its previous 3,600-square-foot space on Fort Apache Road into 4,700 square feet in the Gramercy, and the owners have also signed a lease to convert the closed Mundo space in the World Market Center and launch a new venture, DW Kitchen & Bar, which will serve lunch and dinner Wednesdays through Saturdays, taking advantage of the built-in theater crowd from the nearby Smith Center for the Performing Arts. “It’s 8,000 square feet, and will include a restaurant, lounge and market with readymade DW food and some aspects of a little bodega,” said Krausman, who also owns houseseatslv.com, hosts a weekly podcast — House Seats Presents — and supports Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation, Candlelighters and Alzheimer’s research. — Danielle Birkin
Vice President of Food and Beverage
s vice president of food and beverage for Caesars Palace, Cory Johnson directs the property's $320 million food and beverage program and 2,300 employees. The Pittsburgh native has a healthy respect for fresh ingredients and recognizes the distinction between good and great, having begun his career in the kitchen. “I have never had a job outside of F&B, and fell in love with the industry working as a line cook at the famous Louis Tambellini’s in Pittsburgh as a young man,” said Johnson, who joined Caesars Entertainment in 2010 as food and beverage director at Horseshoe and Harrah’s in Council Bluffs, Iowa, assuming his current post in January 2015 following numerous promotions. “I oversee 13 restaurants, seven bars and lounges, pool operations, and culinary for banquets and room service,” said Johnson. Johnson has produced record-setting financial and service results two years consecutively. He maintains a restaurant portfolio featuring some of the top chefs in the world, including Gordon Ramsay, Guy Savoy and Bobby Flay. Milestones in 2016 include the successful opening of Las Vegas’ first MR CHOW restaurant, Montecristo Cigar Bar and Alto Bar. In addition, he received the company's 2016 Excellence in Leadership Award, and the Bacchanal buffet was voted No. 1 in the U.S. by the New York Post, and is the single largest-grossing restaurant in the country, at $52 million. — Danielle Birkin
News Anchor
s a weekday news anchor with Fox5 Las Vegas, Christine Maddela reaches valley viewers at 5, 6, 10 and 11 p.m., providing award-winning coverage since joining the station’s news team in April 2015. In an era of fake news, the journalist, who was raised in Denver, is an advocate for her profession, holding herself and her colleagues to the highest standard of ethics. “I believe good journalists are public servants and truth-seekers who serve the community,” said Maddela, who holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri. “I’m not here because it’s a glamourous lifestyle or because I wanted to be on air.” An Emmy-award winner for a 2015 story about a Henderson man who returned the Japanese flag his father captured from a Japanese soldier in WWII to the heirs of the soldier, Maddela also provided coverage of the deadly 2015 crash near Planet Hollywood that killed one and injured about three dozen. “I was on the Strip with family, and got an alert from my executive producer, and was the first journalist on the scene,” she said. More recently, Maddela spearheaded Fox5’s political debate coverage, and last November she produced a 30-minute news segment on immigration, traveling south to conduct interviews on both sides of the U.S./Mexico border. But Maddela’s work off-camera is also notable. A board member of the Embracing Project, which helps child victims of sex trafficking, she also is an advocate for young journalists, whom she mentors. “It’s a tough, subjective industry that’s getting tougher by the day, and it’s important for young reporters to know there’s somebody who’s been where they are,” said Maddela. — Danielle Birkin
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Kyle Markman
Michelle Massaro
Silent Savasana ■ Age: 33
Westgate Las Vegas ■ Age: 39
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Co-founder
Director of Advertising & Marketing
few years ago, Dallas native Kyle Markman was attending a music festival when he stumbled into a campground of millennials and discovered silent disco. “They give you headphones and that’s the only way to hear the music,” Markman said of the craze. “From the outside looking in it looks like a huge dance party that’s completely silent.” A marketing professional who holds a degree in statistics from the University of Denver, Markman was brainstorming ideas for other headphone-related events. He partnered with certified yoga instructor Dray Gardner, then reached out to Station Casinos, and — after a few test runs at a Summerlin park — brought Silent Savasana — whereby participants wear headsets to hear the instructor’s voice — to Red Rock and Green Valley Ranch resorts. “It’s not a yoga class, it’s a yoga experience, both mentally and physically,” said Markman. “Our biggest day of the summer in 2016 we had 550 people, and we recently had an event with 400.” Silent Savasana also offers a yoga experience on the High Roller and partnered with Maverick Helicopters for excursions to Valley of Fire. “It costs $3,500 for as many as six people, and it’s like doing yoga on the moon,” said Markman, who also created the Royal Crawl pub crawl and supports Boys & Girls Club. — Danielle Birkin
ichelle Massaro began her career in casino special events and has learned the casino marketing, advertising, entertainment and digital marketing industries. With her vast knowledge of the marketing industry, Massaro has helped develop marketing departments from the bottom up and promote numerous shows and launches throughout her career. “Rebranding the world’s largest sports book, improving the property’s TripAdvisor scores and opening great several new shows, a new spa and more convention space, along with exceeding financial goals in 2016, is something to be proud of,” she said. “Being able to sit back and see success in my career without skipping a beat in my home life is something I also take pride in, and is important to me." One of the things Massaro is looking forward to in the months to come is giving more back to the community; in fact, she calls it her No. 1 goal. Professionally, she said, “This is a big year for Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino. With new branding and marketing campaigns, we are constantly adding more experiences for our guests and creating a vibe that we’re hoping is a game changer in Las Vegas.” In every position she has ever held, Massaro said, she has “made sure to understand everybody’s role. Being well rounded and understanding the gaming and financial side of special events has been a key to my success in marketing. Not to mention, I have a husband who is a saint and has been so supportive.” — Howard Riell
congratulations STEVEN
P E R A LTA , J . D.
2017
40 under 40 Challenge. Rethink. Roseman.
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12A
Tya Mathis-Coleman
Director I, Recruitment: Diversity and High-Need Areas Focus
Clark County School District
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Age: 35
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ya Mathis-Coleman is a passionate the Las Vegas area. United States, “things can be very chalpublic servant for Southern Nevada. According to Mathis-Coleman, 2016 lenging. However, this is one of the most She drew her passion to serve our was “hands down the most demanding, rewarding jobs in the world. Each year, my community from her mother's parents who challenging yet rewarding year of my life. focus is to create and develop a targeted devoted their lives to Clark County educa- People always say, if you want something recruitment plan that will help us reach our tion. She interned in the state legislature done right ask a busy person. That was ultimate goal — to have a highly-qualified while pursuing her undergraduate degree definitely my motto in 2016. teacher in every classroom in the Clark in political science at UNR. “Professionally, I took on more responsi- County School District.” Recognizing the value in higher educa- bility when my team of eight grew to 20 in For this year, she calls finding balance tion, she continued to pursue a master's January of 2016. Even with the growing de- “crucial. Being a young professional woman degree in public administration while mands of this position, I feel very fortunate can be very challenging. It is important working with UNR. that I get the opportunity to work with an that I learn to find a balance between my In her role as an admissions coordi- amazing team each day." personal and professional life and that I nator for the university, her primary reAs the director over teacher recruitment learn to take time for myself.” sponsibility was recruiting students in for the fifth-largest school district in the — Howard Riell
Stacie Michaels Vice President & General Counsel
Wynn Las Vegas
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Age: 36
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tacie Michaels is one of the youngest detailed process, but the end results were general counsels of a major gaming great for the company and our workforce.” company in the world. She is bright, Michaels’ first mentor after law school articulate and hardworking, which only was Edward Garcia, who was a partner at goes part of the way toward explaining her Jones Vargas. “He took me under his wing success. in what could be perceived as a male-domOne of Michaels’ most impressive ac- inated industry and taught me not only complishments of the past year was her how to practice law, but also to step outparticipation on the committee for Wynn side my comfort zone and put myself out Las Vegas to negotiate a new agreement there. Without his support, I would have with the Culinary Union. never had the confidence to run for public “I remember the Frontier strike, and the office at the age of 26.” impact labor relations can have on our Though it was an unsuccessful run, that community as a whole," she said. "It was a experience ultimately lead to her intro-
duction to Kim Sinatra, general counsel for Wynn Resorts, whom Michaels says has been “an unbelievable mentor, both personally and professionally. As a female executive in the gaming industry, she is someone I look up to, and I am so thankful to have the opportunity to work with her." “Professionally, I love my job and I enjoy the work that I do, and I hope that that continues in 2017,” Michaels said. “Personally, I want to continue to set a good example for my three daughters by showing them that hard work pays off.” — Howard Riell
Stephanie Mohr Director of Customer Care
SolarCity
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Age: 31
tephanie Mohr has a keen ability to think outside of the box, and is always willing and able to put herself in others’ shoes — which allows her to adapt to a multitude of situations. Mohr moved from the Bay Area in California to Las Vegas in the summer of 2013 to help support the build-out of the SolarCity call center, which is now home to more than 700 employees and supports six internal teams. She started as a customer care specialist at SolarCity, and within four years has managed the department skillfully and helped build a number of processes and additional departments. Mohr has proven an integral part of So-
larCity’s rapid growth through hiring, process development and improvement. She was also among the first to step up to the challenge of building brand recognition in an area that was completely unfamiliar with the SolarCity name. The year just ended presented new opportunities for outreach. “Last February, I was asked to speak at the Customer Happiness Tour, hosted by Freshdesk, in San Francisco,” Mohr said. “This was the first customer service conference with an audience of small tech companies looking for advice on how to start or grow a call center. We covered many different topics, including training program development, hiring and retaining
the best staff, and implementation of proactive customer service.” Her goals for the months ahead include improving resources for her employees by deploying a knowledge-management system that is speech-to-text capable. “That will guide my reps through live calls, and ensure that customers hear the most current and relevant information.” Mohr also wants to improve the customer experience by expanding self-help tools online and more proactive communication. In addition, she plans to introduce more methods of communication with her customers, including chat, screen sharing and more. — Howard Riell
13A
Amanda Moore
Timothy O'Reilly
Live Nation ■ Age: 38
O'Reilly Law Group ■ Age: 39
Las Vegas Director of Marketing
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he Las Vegas director of marketing for concert promoter Live Nation, Amanda Moore began her music career at record labels in 2000, a year before graduating from Loyola Marymount University. In 2006, she began working for Vans Warped Tour Founder Kevin Lyman and hasn't looked back. The Boulder Creek, Calif., native moved to Southern Nevada in 2014, working at AEG Las Vegas prior to opening the Live Nation Las Vegas office in March 2015. “Basically, I am the precipice for any facet of marketing for our shows that you can imagine,” said Moore, who is responsible for marketing nearly 150 concerts annually at venues such as the Axis Theater, T-Mobile Arena, the Park, Mandalay Bay Events Center, MGM Grand Garden Arena and the Park Theater. Since assuming her current position, Moore — who donates ticket and packages to the Human Rights Campaign, Make-A-Wish Foundation, AFAN of Southern Nevada, the Animal Foundation and others — has launched local residencies for the Backstreet Boys, Lionel Richie, Pitbull, Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin and others. “I’m also very excited for the launch of Las Vegas’ own rock festival, Las Rageous, which takes me back to my roots,” Moore said. “I love working with rock and metal bands and fans. They might be the most passionate of the bunch — after Backstreet Boys fans, of course!” — Danielle Birkin
President
O
’Reilly Law Group President Timothy O’Reilly is a strong advocate for his clients both in and out of the courtroom. Licensed to practice law in both Nevada and California, he has been successful in securing and saving millions of dollars for his clients. O’Reilly and his family have deep roots in the Las Vegas community and are proud to support and serve the community in a variety of ways. Among his many commitments, O’Reilly serves as a mentor in the State Bar of Nevada’s Transitioning into Practice Program, sharing his experience, wisdom and guidance with newly admitted attorneys. He has also served as the president of the UNLV Rebel Football Foundation, and actively looks for ways to give back to his alma mater, from which he was a nationally recognized student athlete and received his law degree. While president of O'Reilly Law Group, O’Reilly also became involved with the financial and fundraising aspects of developing a football training facility for UNLV. “The successful development of collegiate athletics is critical to the success of our university, community and the State of Nevada,” he said. O’Reilly’s professional goals for 2017 involve continuing to serve his clients. “As for my personal goals,” he said, “I look forward to spending valuable time with my young family, and to being a role model to my children as they strive to achieve their own personal goals.” — Howard Riell
Congratulations Stephanie and all 2017 40 under 40 Winners! Thank you for your commitment to the Las Vegas community! You’re such an inspiration to all of us! SolarCity.com
14A
Christopher Oh Vice President of Strategic Operations
MGM Resorts International
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Age: 39
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ince joining MGM Resorts International in April 2009 as manager of financial analysis and strategy at Project CityCenter, Christopher Oh has ascended the corporate ranks with steady momentum, having served as director of finance and strategy at ARIA, and as director of strategic planning at MGM Resorts International prior to assuming his current post two years ago. The Baltimore native, who worked on Wall Street in investment banking and management for 10 years, is now responsible for developing the overall corporate strategy for the company, which breaks down into several key components. “One piece is improving our overall effi-
ciency and our effectiveness of operations, tomer experience with projects such as and uncovering ways to build profitability T-Mobile Arena and The Park. and cash flow,” said Oh, who holds a deOh also leads initiatives related to corgree in economics from Princeton Univer- porate responsibility, volunteerism and sity and an MBA from the Wharton School philanthropy — which he said are integral of Business at the University of Pennsylva- to corporate culture — and is active with nia. “Our profit growth plan has been very the MGM Resorts Foundation, having volsuccessful over the last year and a half, and unteered with Three Square Food Bank, last year all our different financial results among other charitable outreach efforts. were phenomenal.” As for the year ahead, “2017 is about Another component of corporate strat- building on our foundation to enhance caegy relates to growth and development, pabilities in areas such as guest and emOh said, and includes expansion of op- ployee engagement, and making sure the erations into new markets, including new company maintains a structured approach properties in Maryland; Springfield, Mass.; to the strategic direction we’ve identified,” and Cotai, China. On a local level, Oh said Oh said. the company is also reimagining the cus— Danielle Birkin
Gerald Pacheco Regional Director of Operations
sbe Las Vegas
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Age: 37
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erald Pacheco aspired to a career paid off, and he went on to hone his nightin the nightlife and hospitality in- life-management and marketing skills in dustries, and he wasn’t afraid to do Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Miami, holding some dirty work to achieve this goal. positions with companies and brands such “My first gig was at Club Seven in 2001,” as Ice, The Raleigh Miami Beach, Empire said the Northern California native, who Ballroom, Graystone Manor, CityCenter sold his car to pay for bartending school, and The Light Group, joining the sbe family and taught himself the art of flair bartend- in 2013, where he became regional director ing. “My first night, a guy named Tony gave of operations for Los Angeles Nightlife. me a Club Seven T-shirt, a bar rag and a In November 2015, he was recruited as flashlight, and told me my job was to make regional director of operations for the Las sure there were no empty beer bottles, Vegas market, tapped to spearhead the dirty ashtrays or vomit on the floor.” opening of Hyde at T-Mobile Arena, an Despite his unglamorous introduction 18,000-square-foot venue that extends over to the industry, Pacheco’s perseverance the arena’s general seating area. Open since
last April, the space offers a VIP experience with views of concerts and sporting events as well as Las Vegas Boulevard. “It’s crazy to see how big the venue is, but I was up for the challenge, and it’s my crowning achievement,” said Pacheco, who also has increased flow through for two other local sbe properties, Hyde Bellagio and Double Barrel Roadhouse. “In the future, we’re looking to build a brand that’s going to tie all of our venues across the country and internationally together via memberships and premium packages, and have other projects in the pipeline for Las Vegas.” — Danielle Birkin
Steven Peralta Director of Philanthropy
Roseman University College of Medicine
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n looking back at the year just ended, Steven Peralta is justifiably proud of many things. “Professionally, I’m real humbled and proud of our team at the College of Medicine and at Roseman University,” he said. “We have great health care leaders and physicians working on some really groundbreaking projects in education, patient care services and research. Our team is made up of leaders from the Las Vegas community, and also from around the country.” Personally, he feels “very grateful for my wife and kids. My family is the founda-
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Age: 39
tion of everything I do. Having three beautiful young girls, my wife and I were very excited to welcome our new baby boy, Giovanni, last October." Balance is a key value for Peralta. “Earlier in my career, when I was getting started, I was a ‘fanatic’ about working long hours every day and just being focused on my career. It was great for my career, but I felt like I was not fulfilling my ultimate purpose. Now I feel like I have the best of both worlds, a great family life and work that I really enjoy. "Professionally, I want to continue making more progress on our $66-million-dol-
lar campaign for the College of Medicine in 2017.” Peralta’s advice to others hoping to emulate his success is to focus on just a few things in life “and make them extraordinary. I think too many times we all try to do too much all at once. I certainly learned this the hard way in my career. I tried to do everything and was all over the place because I thought this was the right way. I was wrong. "As John Maxwell says, 'Sometimes you win and sometimes you learn. Use your God-given talents and take a risk'.” — Howard Riell
15A
Robin Perkins
Micah Phillips
Snell & Wilmer ■ Age: 37
Nevada State Bank ■ Age: 39
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M
Partner
rive and determination are just two of the words that describe Robin Perkins in her professional life as a Snell & Wilmer litigator. Both inside and outside the court room, she tirelessly pursues justice for her clients. But there are three additional words — advocate, humanitarian and counselor — that truly reflect this business and community trailblazer. Her philanthropic endeavors include board leadership on the Animal Foundation and Rebuilding Together Southern Nevada; promoting and improving the legal practice through her substantial involvement in the American Bar Association; mentoring women attorneys; and representing abused and neglected children through her pro bono work. In addition to her professional and volunteer work in Southern Nevada, Perkins serves on multiple national committees for the bar association, including co-chairing the Woman Advocate Committee for the Litigation Section. “Being elected as a partner at Snell & Wilmer was a milestone accomplishment in 2016 that I’ve been working towards for many years,” Perkins said. “I am so proud to be a Snell & Wilmer partner, working with smart and talented attorneys and allaround good people. ” Her goals for the coming year are to represent her clients to the best of her ability and second, to “continue to build and foster strong relationships with my existing and potential clients.” — Howard Riell
Executive Vice President, Marketing Director
icah Phillips has been instrumental in Nevada State Bank’s continued efforts to be an industry leader. Phillips is able to manage the industry’s growing complexity and see the big picture. He understands how the business runs, how it connects with the community, and where the intersection is to make sure the two come together. In nearly 20 years, Phillips has worn many hats. He helped work with clients to meet their needs, lead internal organizational development and strategy efforts, manage key areas of risk, and drive a marketing program that supports the bank’s growth efforts. Phillips said he is proud of what his team has been able to accomplish. “In late 2015, we combined three work groups into one. In 2016, we were able to organize and operate with greater synergy. I work with a very talented group of individuals, and to see them produce such great work was inspiring for me. Phillips said he is “energized by the prospect of accelerating the growth of our bank. We have a tremendous value proposition, and our clients give us great feedback. What is unfortunate is that so many of our competitors’ clients, though unhappy, stick with their current banks.” He hopes to affect change “by inspiring our prospective clients to take the leap in changing their banking relationship through effective marketing.” — Howard Riell
CONGRATULATIONS TO
SYDNEY SMITH 2017 VEGAS INC 40 UNDER 40 HONOREE
CENTER
FOR
RECOVERY
RISE Center For Recovery is a comprehensive addiction treatment center that specializes in helping problem gamblers and their families. risehelp.com
16A
Greg Riches Vice President and Legal Counsel
MGM Resorts International
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Age: 34
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s vice president and legal counsel “In terms of entertainment, T-Mobile Also during 2016, he served as corpofor MGM Resorts International, Greg Arena was the highlight for MGM Resorts rate legal counsel in connection with MGM Riches played a pivotal role in the International and the Strip, and my role en- Resort’s recent acquisition of Borgata in construction, development of the $375 tailed wearing quite a few different hats as Atlantic City, and the formation and initial million T-Mobile Arena. an attorney to balance the needs of a joint public offering of MGM Growth Properties, The facility, which opened in April, is a venture owned by two different large cor- a real estate investment trust which now joint venture between MGM Resorts and porations. It’s been an amazing experience owns the property underlying several of AEG — one of the leading sports and enter- fostering a strong partnership between MGM Resort’s casinos. tainment presenters and venue operators in MGM and AEG.” Looking ahead, “2017 is about buildthe world. Riches was also instrumental in negoti- ing on momentum for the wide-variety of “Generally speaking, 2016 was a yet an- ating the venue license agreement for the entertainment venues we have now by deother dynamic year for MGM Resorts In- Vegas Golden Knights National Hockey veloping and engaging content,” he said. ternational,” said Riches, who joined the League franchise to play at T-Mobile Are- “Live entertainment and dynamic expericompany in 2013 as senior associate gen- na, and in opening the Park Theater in Las ences will fill the void where gaming was eral counsel and assumed his current post Vegas and the National Harbor Theater in the leader in terms of tourism.” about two years ago. Maryland. — Danielle Birkin
Sasha Rincón-Camacho Director of Marketing & Communications
House of Blues Las Vegas — Live Nation
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ne of the things for which Sasha Rincón-Camacho is best known among her colleagues is her unwavering work ethic. Indeed, one recently described her as “always being the hardest working person in the room. When I think of what dynamic means, it is characterized by continuous change, vigorous activity, high effectiveness, energy and force. She is a force to be reckoned with.” Rincón-Camacho’s proven ability to recognize and capitalize on market trends and assume bottom-line responsibility for strategic planning, pricing, market research and forecasting complement her broad knowledge of marketing disciplines,
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Age: 36
including research, direct marketing, promotional planning, production, event planning and advertising. “There are several things I am proud of and grateful to have been a part of professionally” in 2016, she said. “One that stands out is staying steadfast in my mission to build a high-performance marketing team ripe with passion and authenticity — much the way I handle many of the important decisions and factors in my life.” As with any significant endeavor, RincónCamacho said, building “the ideal marketing team starts with a solid foundation and plenty of grit, of course. With that, one can build or even re-build anything.”
An inspirational quote that she said has always kept her simultaneously aware of the present and focused on the future comes from Walt Disney: Keep moving forward. “Whether personally or professionally, I’ve always kept those words close to heart,” she said. “I fell in love with marketing and advertising at a very young age — 13, to be exact — and I’ve never deviated. I’ve spent a lifetime learning every nuance of this industry, and am as passionate about it now as I was then. The fact that the business I’m in does, in fact, always keep moving forward in every sense of the word is no coincidence.” — Howard Riell
Dr. Jonathan Salinas Laryngologist - Voice & Swallowing Disorders Specialist
Ear, Nose and Throat Consultants of Nevada
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r. Jonathan Salinas was born in Lima, Peru, and at an early age began developing a deep appreciation for music, especially the voice, from his mother, a professional singer. His comprehensive approach to the care of the professional voice is influenced by his personal experience as a musician and the unique experience of treating voice professionals at UCLA, Las Vegas, and abroad. It was as a medical student at UCLA that Salinas developed a close mentorship with world-class laryngologists and voice specialists Drs. Gerald Berke and Dinesh Chhetri. He remained in Los Angeles to
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Age: 36
complete his residency training in otolaryngology at the prestigious Department of Head and Neck Surgery at the Ronald Reagan – UCLA Medical Center. He was then chosen to complete a laryngology fellowship at UCLA, where he further honed his skills in the comprehensive management of voice, airway and swallowing disorders, while concurrently holding positions of Clinical Instructor in Head and Neck Surgery at UCLA Medical Center and as an attending surgeon at Olive View – UCLA Medical Center. “I feel very fortunate that I was able to accomplish a number of important goals
in 2016,” said Salinas. “Nevertheless, the greatest accomplishment that I experienced last year was the honor of becoming a first-time father and to begin the lifelong journey of caring for my son.” Salinas is expanding his medical practice to include ancillary specialized speech pathology care. “I believe that optimal voice care for singers begins with the development of an impeccable singing technique.” He has also decided to start a music production company to develop the voice of up-andcoming singers in Latin America. — Howard Riell
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18A
Blake Sartini II
Earl Shelton
Golden Entertainment ■ Age: 31
Sephora ■ Age: 37
Senior Vice President of Distributed Gaming
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as Vegas native Blake Sartini II joined Golden Entertainment (then known as Golden Gaming) in 2010, tending bar by night at one of Golden’s PT’s taverns, and crunching numbers by day as a financial analyst for the company, which owns and operates casinos, taverns and slot routes in Nevada and Montana. Firmly rooted on the executive track, he rapidly ascended the corporate ranks, assuming his current position as senior vice president of distributed gaming in July 2015, a move that coincided with Golden Gaming’s $341 million merger with Lakes Entertainment the following month. “We were gearing up to take the company public and were restructuring for growth,” said the executive. The largest route operator in Nevada, Golden Gaming is now the second-largest in Montana, having expanded in Big Sky Country in 2016 under Sartini’s leadership. In 2016, Golden Entertainment opened five new taverns in Southern Nevada, with Sartini responsible for the management of the expansion. This year, the company plans to open an additional seven taverns in the Las Vegas valley under the PT’s Gold brand. “We’ve got a full plate in 2017 as we continue to strengthen our market share in Nevada and Montana,” said Sartini, who holds a bachelor of science in business administration from Chapman University, and supports Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation and Stillpoint Center for Spiritual Development. — Danielle Birkin
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rior to joining the team at French cosmetics chain Sephora in September 2013, Las Vegas native Earl Shelton was associate publisher at LBGT publishing company QVegas from 2004 to 2010. He was also previously development director at Aid for AIDS of Southern Nevada and co-founder of boutique LGBT marketing and consulting firm Shelton & Smith LLC before turning his professional focus to the business of beauty. “A long-time friend was a store director with Sephora, and I started as an event coordinator at the Caesars Palace location planning in-store events and introducing existing friends and business partners to the brand,” Shelton said. “After spending a year at Caesars I was promoted to district event specialist, where I oversee events in the valley and negotiate sponsorships with various partners to get Sephora active in the community.” Shelton has recently been instrumental in securing local partnerships and sponsorships with companies such as Tao Group, Southern Nevada Hotel Concierge Association, Las Vegas Women’s Leadership Council and Greenspun Media Group. Shelton loves the diversity of his current role and engaging the Sephora team in giving back to the community. For the past three years, he has organized volunteer time for the cast of Sephora to serve the women and children of The Shade Tree breakfast each week. — Danielle Birkin
19A
Rachel Skidmore Emergency Manager
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
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s Metro Police’s emergency manager assigned to the Southern Nevada Counter-Terrorism Center, Seattle native Rachel Skidmore oversees the program, including preparedness exercises, Silver Shield, the critical infrastructure protection program, and works to maintain Department of Homeland Security grant funding with federal counterparts. Metro’s Homeland Security Division is comprised of the Southern Nevada Counter-Terrorism Center (a “fusion” center), Organized Crime Bureau, Emergency Operations Bureau and SWAT Bureau. “The concept of the fusion-center designation was identified after 9/11 informa-
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Age: 34
tion gaps,” Skidmore said. emergency planning committee, Skidmore “The National Suspicious Activity Report- — who supports Three Square Food Bank ing Initiative is the primary purpose and and Child Haven — said it’s all about pregoal of fusion centers, which is to collect, paredness and prevention. analyze, report and disseminate suspicious “We develop ‘tabletop’ exercises, where activity reporting.” we pull together all of our partner agenWith a degree in business administration cies and exercise our responses to events from Brigham Young University, Skidmore such as NASCAR, the Life is Beautiful previously worked locally at Applied Analy- Festival, Electric Daisy Carnival and New sis as well as at PricewaterhouseCoopers as Year’s Eve,” said Skidmore, adding that a forensic accountant. Metro began installing Strip cameras in As chairwoman of the critical infra- 2013, which has also aided law enforcestructure committee and a member of the ment efforts. “Keeping the community cybersecurity committee for the Nevada safe by reducing violent crime is the No. 1 Homeland Security Commission, as well as priority at Metro.” vice chairwoman for Clark County’s local — Danielle Birkin
Chris Smith Owner
McDonald's
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Age: 30
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hris Smith is a second-generation McDonald’s owner who is following in the footsteps of his parents, who opened their first restaurant in Lake Havasu City, Ariz., and now operate 13 locations across the Las Vegas valley. But the California native, who first moved to Southern Nevada in 1996, originally intended to pursue quite a different professional path, earning a bachelor’s degree in political science at the Citadel, Military College of South Carolina, and a master’s degree in strategic intelligence at the Institute of World Politics. While considering career options in Washington,
D.C., Smith — realizing the growing business opportunity in Las Vegas — began to reconsider his future. “I thought it might be a good idea to learn how to run a business, and McDonald’s is the most successful multinational company in the world,” said Smith, who moved back home and started working at the location on Sunset Road and Durango Drive, going on to become the general manager and co-owner of the store at Blue Diamond Road and Durango Drive when it opened in June of 2013. “It was my baby,” said Smith, adding that the restaurant achieved a 12.5 percent in-
crease over projected sales in its first year and has continued to surpass anticipated annual projection. “We’ve also increased our drive-through business from about 76 percent to more than 80 percent, which is a substantial number, and a difficult goal to achieve.” An advocate for community support, Smith participate in numerous programs through Ronald McDonald House Charities, including its family-dinner program and its scholarship program, and also hosts teachers’ nights several times a year to raise money for Wright Elementary School. — Danielle Birkin
Sydney Smith CEO and Clinical Director
Rise Center for Recovery
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Age: 38
ydney Smith has built three addiction treatment centers from scratch in the last two years while simultaneously doing community service work and research in tribal communities across Nevada. As a member of the Cherokee Nation, Smith saw firsthand the difficulties that befell other Native Americans when tribal casinos opened in her home state of Oklahoma. She developed an expertise in treating problem gambling at her Rise Center for Recovery practice, which led to her being selected by the Desert Research Institute to study how the issue affects Nevada’s 27 federally recognized Native American tribes.
“The founding of Rise Center for Recovery in early 2016 was a professional milestone in my mission to more comprehensively help those suffering from gambling addiction,” Smith said. She places a strong priority on being culturally sensitive in her clinics. “The two-state practice, which serves clients in Las Vegas and Oklahoma, assists both problem gamblers and family members," she said. The focus of Smith’s work this year is the development of a problem-gambling residential treatment center to provide more intensive long-term care. “This is a particular need in Las Vegas that is cur-
rently not available,” she said. “Personally, my commitments are to spend more time on self-care, take a vacation to Bora Bora with my two amazing kids Gavin and Cali, and finish writing my book for the families of problem gamblers.” Two longtime mentors who graciously shared their time and wisdom with Smith are Gordon Greco and pastor Dr. Larry Petton. “These two gentlemen have taught me about business, living an authentic life, being of service to others, and the importance of continued personal growth. For this, I am grateful beyond measure. ” — Howard Riell
20A
Christian Stuart Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff
Caesars Entertainment
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Age: 38
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hristian Stuart has hit his stride as senior vice president and chief of staff to Caesars Entertainment President and CEO Mark Frissora. He also recently served as regional chief marketing officer for Las Vegas, responsible for marketing operations and strategy of all nine resorts. Stuart has more than a decade of experience in the gaming and entertainment industry, spanning analytics, operations, finance and marketing. He has worked here and in New Orleans, Gulf Coast, London, Egypt and South Africa. He began his career with Caesars in 2005 at Harrah’s New Orleans as the di-
rector of planning and analysis for the Gulf Coast Region. After a three-year leadership role in finance and management with Caesars UK, he was named the regional vice president of finance in 2010, assisting all of Caesars’ affiliated resorts in the Gulf Coast Region. In 2013, he relocated to Las Vegas as general manager of the Cromwell, Flamingo and Linq resorts, where he oversaw the day-to-day operations as well as the opening of the Linq Promenade and the High Roller. Stuart’s goal at Caesars over the months to come is “to continue to ensure that we stay focused on our core mission
of customer first in all the products and services Caesars offers worldwide.” His company has made great strides in the areas of corporate social responsibility, as well. “Given our scale and global presence, we can truly make a difference in the lives and well-being of others. For example, I am honored to serve as a board member for Clean the World, an organization that has distributed over 40 million bars of soap in over 115 countries worldwide. Approximately 1.8 million deaths a year can be prevented by simple access to a bar of soap.” — Howard Riell
In late 2016, she was promoted to chief marketing officer for Golden Nugget Casinos. Previously, she had worked as senior vice president of marketing, overseeing several properties. In explaining her impressive inventory of accomplishments, Tanenbaum points out that “the best of my supervisors have both schooled me in technicalities of the job and have gone out of their way to prepare me for the next opportunity. Probably the greatest learning was how to temper a type-A personality with patience, compassion, humor and the realization that it takes all types — without compromising the drive to achieve.”
Over this past year, she has become involved with the Animal Foundation, where she serves on the board of directors and its Capital Campaign Committee; UNLV’s College of Hotel Administration; and the United Way’s Women’s Leadership Council. Her to-do list for the months ahead is daunting. “I’ve been in my new role for a few months, so I’d like to figure it out and execute on a number of initiatives that should be helpful to the business. "Personally, I’m looking to deliver on my commitments to the organizations that I care about outside of work. Also, I plan to read more books on the social sciences.” — Howard Riell
Rikki Tanenbaum
Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer
Golden Nugget Casinos
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Age: 37
ikki Tanenbaum has never been satisfied with “good enough.” Instead, she is always searching for ways to achieve new levels of success in terms of financials, customer satisfaction, team development and personal growth. Tanenbaum has a reputation for consistently seeking out the latest technologies and the best new ideas to be found in the gaming and hospitality sector, while never losing sight of the need for a healthy return on investment. “Since returning to Las Vegas about two years ago, it’s been important to me to find impactful ways I could contribute to the city,” she said.
Robert 'Twix' Taylor Owner
Fade'Em All Barber Shops and Salons
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Age: 39
obert Taylor started out by cutAmong Taylor’s proudest accomplishting hair in junior high school and ments of 2016 was receiving the Empowerhas gone on to successfully open ment Award from Victory Baptist Church, multiple barber shops and beauty salons recognizing him as a positive figure in his throughout the Las Vegas Valley. community. “It is giving back to the same A native of North Las Vegas, Taylor, community that got me where I’m at today.” known as “Twix” to his friends, has asIn 2017, Taylor says he plans on going sumed a variety of roles from trailblazer to back to college and taking courses in pophilanthropist, mentor and motivational litical science “so I can be knowledgeable speaker. He is most passionate about be- about politics. My future goal is running ing involved with youth groups such as the for mayor of North Las Vegas.” In business, Sigma Beta Club through Fraternity Phi he plans on opening another barber shop Beta Sigma Inc., of which he is a longtime “and hopefully another tattoo shop with member, S.O.S. (Save Our Sons), and the the same name as my previous one, Tatted Boys and Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada. Up Tattoo Studio.”
Taylor credits his parents, Alvin and Levette Taylor, and siblings with guiding him toward the road to success. “Not only have they been supportive my entire life, but they have invested in any goals and dreams I had. My parents let me know at a young age the importance of being a leader, and that there are no ceilings when it comes to your dreams.” Taylor’s message in unequivocal. “You must believe in yourself. Other people will never invest in your dreams if they see you don’t. The only difference between goals and dreams is that goals actually have a plan.” — Howard Riell
21A
Romain Thievin
Patrick Wallace
Exotics Racing ■ Age: 37
Red Rock Resort ■ Age: 37
R
P
Co-founder
Vice President and Assistant General Manager
omain Thievin is a one-time television host and stunt driver who appeared in more than 100 movies and earned the Hollywood Taurus World Stunt Award for Best Work with a Vehicle for “The Bourne Identity.” His motto is, “If I can dream it, then I can make it.” Thievin, a vice champion of Euro NASCAR, is also the co-founder of both Exotics Racing and the EXR Series, as well as a race car driver, father and husband. If that were not enough, by the end of 2017 he and his wife will have launched a cosmetics business. “Ambition and determination have always been my two mottos,” Thievin said. “I have never been afraid to take the lead and ‘get my hands dirty’ to achieve my goals.” His greatest accomplishment in 2016 was launching the first season of the EXR Series. “Indeed, it was a personal project that I created and supported throughout the year to make motorsport accessible to all levels, and to give access to anyone who has dreamed of it.” Thievin hopes to continue the expansion of the Exotics Racing Group, now beginning its eighth year as the Ultimate Driving Experience in Las Vegas and Los Angeles. “Also, I am developing the second season of the EXR Racing Series, with an expanded schedule for Sprint and Endurance races.” Thievin urged those who are early in their careers to “evaluate what you wish to accomplish, then create detailed plans and projections for a successful outcome. There is nothing that cannot be achieved with work and determination.” — Howard Riell
atrick Wallace has devoted nearly two decades of his life to the local hospitality industry. Originally from Chicago, Wallace visited Las Vegas in January 2000 and never left. Soon after, he began his hospitality career as a hotel front desk agent at the then newly opened Bellagio. Wallace started with Station Casinos in June 2012 as the hotel manager of Red Rock Resort, then transferred to Sunset Station as the director of hotel operations. He then moved to Green Valley Ranch Resort in the same capacity before being promoted to his current position. “At the beginning of 2016, I had the privilege of being part of an amazing hotel renovation at Green Valley Ranch Resort,” Wallace said. “Although it was a rigorous project, it was extremely challenging. It’s really rewarding now to see the beautiful end result. In July, I was promoted to my current role, which was a very humbling and exciting time for me and my family.” Wallace said he strives every day to keep up with his “quick-moving” 13-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter, “yet at times it seems impossible. I will continue to improve my work-life balance.” Wallace is convinced that ambition, dedication, building relationships and taking chances “are all things that have helped me accomplish my professional goals. I have been very fortunate to work for great leaders who helped lead me down the right path. And on occasion, they’ve been the ones to talk me through tough situations.” — Howard Riell
PATRICK, YOU ROCK! WE’RE PROUD TO HAVE YOU ON OUR TEAM Congratulations on being included in this elite group.
STCI 135772 Frs 40under40_PatrickWallce_AD • AO> 9.5”x6” • 4/C • Runs March 2017 - v2
22A
Armen Yemenidjian
Judah Zakalik, Esq.
Essence Cannabis Dispensary ■ Age: 31
Peters and Associates ■ Age: 39
A
J
Founding Partner
CEO
udah Zakalik has disrupted the legal profession in Southern Nevada, transforming the way it is viewed in Las Vegas because of his innovative methods of educating the public. Zakalik has created a marketing powerhouse because of the ecosystem he has built in social media, commercials, billboards, radio and print. One is hard-pressed to drive any distance without seeing or hearing one of his commercials. Thus, he has made the legal profession fun and engaging for all generations. “The greatest professional accomplish of 2016 for Peters and Associates was the opportunity to partner with local TV, radio and print outlets to provide free information to the public on areas of law that they were interested in,” Zakalik said. “Specifically, my partner and I appeared on various news broadcasts, radio shows and wrote stories for weekly news magazines where we answered questions asked from the public directly. I view it as a great accomplishment because we were able to give the local Las Vegas community access to free legal advice, which empowers them to make wise decisions and protect themselves from those that may wish to take advantage of them.” For 2017, Zakalik said his personal goal as one of the "Panda Guys" is to "further educate the public as to their basic legal rights by speaking to local youth and answering their questions about finances, how to deal with law enforcement encounters and using credit wisely.” — Howard Riell
s CEO of fully integrated medical cannabis operation Essence Cannabis Dispensary, Armen Yemenidjian admits he was initially skeptical of medicinal marijuana. Then he did his homework and had an about face. “I did a lot of research into the medicinal cannabis market and the medical benefits of medicinal cannabis and how it filled gaps that conventional Western medicine couldn’t fill,” said Yemenidjian, who previously served as vice president of casino marketing and operations at Tropicana Las Vegas and holds a degree in business from USC. Essence launched its first Las Vegas dispensary on West Tropicana Avenue in February 2016 with a Henderson location on East Sunset Road and a dispensary on South Las Vegas Boulevard — the only one of its kind on the Strip — opening the following month. A year later, business is brisk, with the possibility of mushrooming growth on the horizon as recreational marijuana comes online in Nevada. “There are only 25,000 medical marijuana patients registered in the state, but we have the potential to reach 3 million Nevada residents and 44 million visitors, so we’re excited about the potential for a high amount of growth in the cannabis industry,” said Yemenidjian, who also co-owns Desert Grown Farms. — Danielle Birkin
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CONGRATULATIONS ERIC COHEN
Pinnacle Property Management Services congratulates Eric Cohen, Co-Founder and Managing Director of The Calida Group, on being honored as one of VEGAS INC’s “40 Under 40” for 2017.
With the Elysian Living brand, the Calida Group has raised the bar for luxury lifestyle development in Southern Nevada. We can’t wait to see what comes next.
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99¢ Bagel and Cream Cheese *Limit one coupon per customer per visit. Coupon must be presented at time of purchase. Shop must retain coupon. No substitutions allowed. No cash refunds. Void if copied or transferred and where prohibited or restricted by law. Consumer must pay applicable tax. May not be combined with any other coupon, discount,promotion combo or value meal. Coupon may not be reproduced, copied, purchased, traded or sold. Internet distribution strictly prohibited. Cash redemption value: 1/20 of 1 cent.
SERVING LAS VEGAS SINCE 1978 THE ONLY TRIBAL SMOKE SHOP IN LV
© 2016 DD IP Holder LLC. All rights reserved. GOOD AT Valleywide Expires: 4/08/2017
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Las Vegas Smoke Shop 1225 N. MAIN STREET, LV, NV 89101
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82
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“BE AWARE” By frank longo
top downloads of the week (as of march 16) books on itunes
1 2 3 4 5
3/19/2017
Across 1 Goof (up) 5 Gland near a kidney 12 NASCAR units 16 ER skill 19 Vocal quality 20 On the dot 21 Jai — 22 “... boy — girl?” 23 “This shop sells every fruity frozen dessert flavor”? 26 Ryan of films 27 Hot peppers 28 Bank charge 29 In — (bored) 30 Three or four 31 Segway inventor Dean 32 Broncos’ gp. 33 “John Brown’s Body” poet’s wages? 36 Mexico Mrs. 37 Long cut 38 TV’s Swenson 39 Lofty nest 40 Flying disc that toy spaniels love to fetch? 44 Was a blowhard 46 Big name among cello virtuosos 47 Label for Elton John 48 Bric-a- — (trinkets) 49 Ship’s trail 51 Thorough search of an Apple computer? 59 Pierre’s “here” 62 Virile type 65 Inferior to 66 Mixed in with 67 Lots of sun-dried brick surrounding an empty space? 72 Former Navaho foes 73 Toy with 74 Massive mammal, for short 75 K’ung Fu- — (Confucius) 76 Political group turns against one of its own members? 80 This, in Argentina 82 Dinghy pair 83 — polloi (the masses) 86 Some electric cars 90 Early-flowering
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leguminous trees 94 Flemish painter being violent? 98 Love, in Paris 99 Slacken 100 Beard, e.g. 101 Ming of basketball 102 “The Zoo Story” playwright with red hair? 105 — Jima 106 “— de Lune” 108 Momentous time periods 109 Omanis, e.g. 110 D.C. ballplayer 111 Milano of “Charmed” 112 Was idle 113 Enter a sea between Siberia and Alaska? 117 Broke bread 118 Years on end 119 Put in place 120 Tony winner Adams 121 Danson of “Dad” 122 Player’s fee 123 Mutinied ship of 1839 124 Mems. of the upper house DOWN 1 Is loyal to 2 Romeo type 3 Closeness 4 Norman Vincent — 5 Big goons 6 ER figures 7 Assert again 8 Drawing from many styles 9 Aswan Dam’s river 10 Obstinate animal 11 Astral feline 12 Noted locale of tar pits 13 Alaskan language 14 Singer LuPone 15 She’s part of the fam 16 Solace 17 Early baby, informally 18 Pollen-count plant 24 15-Down, e.g. 25 Scope 30 Tennis zingers 32 ’80s sitcom 33 Highchair neckwear 34 Atlanta-to-Charlotte dir. 35 Racial rights gp. 37 Twisted and turned
41 “— goes it?” 42 Largest city of Nebraska 43 Walton of Wal-Mart 44 Chocolate treat 45 Sturdy wood 48 Kiosk, e.g. 50 Stage hams 52 Nuns’ home 53 Co. honcho 54 Hazy image 55 Rally yell 56 Skip over 57 Boxes for recycling 58 Ax feature 59 “It’s my turn” 60 — rug (dance) 61 Cake froster 63 Helps illicitly 64 Approaching 68 Pres. before DDE 69 White — ghost 70 GM security service 71 Clan symbol 77 “— one to talk!” 78 Severe 79 The lady 81 Nile slitherer 84 Away for an extended break 85 Cry after catching someone in the act 87 Save for later 88 “Little Birds” author 89 Warehouse charges 90 Directs fury toward 91 Dubai, e.g. 92 Gave away 93 Pesters 94 Shul head 95 Spend 96 Stinging flier 97 Brazilian port city, in brief 99 Pass by 103 Expose by blabbing 104 “— you clever!” 106 The Indians, on sports tickers 107 U-shaped instruments 110 Terse denial 111 Undercover? 113 Viking realm 114 Intel org. 115 Senator Kaine 116 Hellenic “H”
KenKen® is a registered trademark of Nextoy, LLC. ©2017 KenKen Puzzle LLC. All rights reserved. Dist. by Universal Uclick for UFS. www.kenken.com
without repeating. Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 through 4 (easy) or 1 through 6 (challenging)
The numbers within the heavily outlined boxes, called cages, must combine using the given operation (in any order) to produce the
target numbers in the top-left corners. Freebies: Fill in single-box cages with the number in the top-left corner.
For answers to this week’s puzzles, go to Page 36
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