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The Oklahoma City Thunder and the Brooklyn Nets at the Thomas & Mack Center during NBA Summer League in 2025.
14 WEEKLY Q&A
The man behind VGK’s on-ice knight, Lee Orchard, spends a good amount of time behind a DJ booth too.
Golden Knights owner Bill Foley talks about his bid to bring an NBA expansion team to Las Vegas.
COVER ART AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian
16 SUMMER UNLOCKED
Spend hours wandering local bookstores, finding inspiration and surprises along the way.
24 NEWS
How will Vegas feel the ripple effects of a new wave of casino buyouts on the Strip?
26 SPORTS Conor McGregor faces Max Holloway in a long-awaited UFC comeback at T-Mobile Arena.
28 THE STRIP Prolific hip-hop trailblazer Jeezy embraces the Vegas residency at Planet Hollywood.
30 FOOD & DRINK Black Tap ventures into the realm of sundaes, with plenty of excess to go around.
Martin Lawrence brings the funny to Resorts World, Silver State Brewfest takes over Tuscany, Cauldron Noir captivates at Commonwealth and more this week.
(Photo by Wade Vandervort)
SUPERGUIDE
THURSDAY JULY 9
FRIDAY JULY 10
JIMMY CARR Thru 7/11, 8 p.m., Encore Theater, ticketmaster.com.
DERAY DAVIS 10 p.m., Palazzo Theatre, ticketmaster.com.
PREFIGHT PARTY WITH JON JONES With Nitrane, 10:30 p.m., Hakksan Nightclub, taogroup.com.
KASKADE 10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynnsocial.com.
TY DOLLA $IGN 10:30 p.m., Marquee Nightclub, taogroup.com.
AZÚCAR
BANDA & LATIN NIGHTS
Las Vegas finally has its Latin party and it’s happening every Friday and Saturday on the Strip. Azúcar brings together a live banda performance, Latin DJ, and an open bar with breathtaking rooftop views of the Las Vegas Boulevard at Sugar Factory. From reggaeton to cumbia, bachata to salsa, Azúcar is the most electric Latin night in the city. Whether you’re celebrating a birthday, bachelorette or just an unforgettable weekend, this is the party you’ve been waiting for. Ages 21+. azucarvegas.com
Courtesy
Courtesy/Matt Crocket
MARTIN
LAWRENCE
9 p.m., Resorts World Theatre, axs.com.
JULY 11 DO IT ALL
UFC 329 2 p.m., T-Mobile Arena, axs.com.
LAS VEGAS ACES VS. PHOENIX MERCURY
3 p.m., Michelob Ultra Arena, axs.com.
LAS VEGAS ROCKERS VS. UTAH GREAT 8’S 6:30 p.m., Orleans Arena, ticketmaster.com.
BOBBY BROWN
8 p.m., Pearl Theater, axs.com.
A BOOGIE WIT DA HOODIE
8 p.m., Theater at Virgin, axs.com.
LOS LONELY BOYS
8 p.m., the Railhead, ticketmaster.com.
SLEEPING WITH SIRENS
9 p.m., Fremont Street Experience, vegas experience.com.
LA MAFIA 7 p.m., House of Blues, ticketmaster.com.
MANIC HISPANIC With Los Carajos, Wyatt & The Ashes, Jr Ska Boss, 9 p.m., Backstage Bar & Billiards, eventim.us.
DESERT OPUS
2 p.m., Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum, rdamuseum.org.
FERVENCE With Cyborg Octopus, Nott, Split Persona, 8 p.m., the Griffin, dice.fm.
SHASHOU With Miura, more, 8 p.m., the Wall at Area15, area15. com.
BRIAN REGAN 9 p.m., Palazzo Theatre, ticketmaster.com.
SILVER STATE BREWFEST
DON’T TELL COMEDY 8 p.m., On the Record, ontherecordlv. com.
NEVER DULL 11 a.m., Rouge LaPlage, rougeroomlv.com.
TIËSTO 11 a.m., Palm Tree Beach Club, taogroup.com.
TYGA 11 a.m., Tao Beach Dayclub, taogroup.com.
METRO BOOMIN 10:30 p.m., LIV Nightclub, livnightclub.com.
Benefiting the Animal Foundation’s pet rescue mission, the 9th annual Silver State Brewfest offers all-you-can-drink craft beer from beloved local breweries like Able Baker, Beer Zombies, Big Dog’s, CraftHaus, Electric Eye, Revision and more, hosted by Pub 365 in the air-conditioned comfort of Tuscany’s Florentine Ballroom. Come to experience limited-release pours, snacks and sets from ’90s cover band Bling, but stay for the camaraderie and special appearances from some furry friends. 3 p.m., $30, Tuscany, eventbrite.com. –Tyler Schneider
SISTERS IN SWING 7 p.m., Maxan Jazz, maxanjazz.com.
MICHAEL MALONE With Ken Garr, Luca Ferro, thru 7/15, 8 p.m., Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club, mgmgrand.com.
JAY REID With Spiro, thru 7/19, 8 p.m., LA Comed Club, bestvegascomedy. com.
J. CHRIS NEWBERG Thru 7/19, 8:30 p.m., Laugh Factory, ticketmaster.com.
LAS VEGAS ACES VS. INDIANA FEVER
6 p.m., Michelob Ultra Arena, axs.com.
NIC VANS 11:30 a.m., LIV Beach, livnightclub.com.
DIPLO Noon, Encore Beach Club, wynnsocial.com.
ELDERBROOK 11 a.m., Omnia Dayclub, taogroup.com.
DJ BAYO 11 a.m., DayDream Pool Club, themresort.com.
UPRISING COMMUNITY MUSIC SHOWCASE
1 p.m., the Wall at Area15, area15.com.
HEATED RIVALRY COMEDY SHOW
6 p.m., Wiseguys, wiseguyscomedy. com.
Photo by Wade Vandervort
Grace Potter Los Lonely Boys
Boulder July 11
Cole Swindell
Red Rock
July 18
August 1
Vertical Horizon & Tonic
Green Valley Ranch
August 14
Brantley Gilbert
Sunset August 14
Trace Adkins
Sunset
August 6
Nicholas Cole
Sunset
August 15
Patrick Lamb
Sunset
July 18
Kirk Whalum
Santa Fe
August 8
Durango
August 20
SUPERGUIDE
TUESDAY JULY 14
CAULDRON NOIR BURLESQUE & VARIETY SHOWCASE
It’s too hot. There’s no escape. It feels like crisp, cooler temperatures will never arrive. But there’s someone and something ready to save you: There’s only 100 days until Halloween (give or take), but tattoo artist and entertainer Cervena Fox isn’t waiting until October to bring back Cauldron Noir, her award-winning, scary-sexy variety show. Saint Anique, Cheryl Birch, Sara Lyn, Ty Dupp, Aijiro Tanaka, Clit Eatswood, Kari Korazón, Maude Zoleum and Lady Misdemeanor are all scheduled to take the stage at this showcase, sure to bring exhilarating frights and frightening exhilarations. 7 p.m., $25+, Commonwealth, tixr.com. –Brock Radke
TYGA 10:30 p.m., Omnia Nightclub, taogroup.com.
MICHAEL YO HOT MESS COMEDY
7:30 p.m., Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club, ticketmaster. com.
PRO JAM 6:30 p.m., Sand Dollar Lounge, thesanddollarlv. com.
JULIAN MIRANDA 6 p.m., Composers Room, thecompos ersroom.com.
MIKE DEAN
7 p.m., Easy’s Cocktail Lounge, easysvegas. com.
WEDNESDAY JULY 15
LOUDER THAN LUCK & JUSTIN
CENTENO
6 p.m., Downtown Summerlin, summerlin.com.
TWO FRIENDS With Charly Jordan, 10:30 p.m., Encore Beach Club, wynnsocial.com.
DJ FRANZEN 10:30 p.m., Hakkasan Nightclub, taogroup.com.
MAX MERAKI 10:30 p.m., Marquee Nightclub, taogroup.com.
DJ SHADOWRED 10 p.m., On the Record, ontherecordlv. com.
DO IT ALL
MAREN MORRIS With Scout Willis, 8 p.m., the Chelsea, ticketmaster.com.
Lee Orchard, aka DJ Britlee and the namesake Golden Knight, talks about his dual identity
BY TYLER SCHNEIDER
Lee Orchard has donned 60-pound armor and a sword to portray the Vegas Golden Knights’ knight character in all 408 consecutive home games since the franchise’s inaugural 2017-18 season. The longtime recreational hockey player, Peterborough, England, native and Vegas resident since 2012 was even awarded a 2023 Stanley Cup championship ring for his efforts.
That’s already a heck of a day job, but Orchard’s talents also extend into the wee hours as DJ Britlee. The Weekly’s 2023 Best Local DJ honoree spins at numerous Valley venues, including the recently opened Vanderpump Hotel, and is a co-founder of the entertainment booking agency VBE Talent. We caught up with him just before he tuned in to watch England play in the early stages of the World Cup.
AP Photo/David Becker/ Photo illustration
You’ve lived and worked as an entertainer in England, Spain and throughout the Mediterranean and Caribbean seas, where you served as a cruise ship director. How does Vegas compare?
It truly is the entertainment capital of the world, and one thing I’ve noticed is that it constantly evolves. If something doesn’t work, it gets changed, and I’ve always loved that about this city. As a DJ, emcee and presenter, I don’t think there would be as many opportunities anywhere else. If you have diverse talents, you can write your own story here.
This was your third time suiting up as the Golden Knight in a Stanley Cup series. Any thoughts on how the season ended?
We went up against a phenomenal team from Carolina for one of the best playoff series in many, many years—especially for a Stanley Cup. Unfortunately, we didn’t win, but this year was a little bit different, because nobody really thought we were going to get into the playoffs even a month out, to be honest.
You had an ice hockey background prior to getting the gig. How does a young lad from across the pond end up getting involved in the sport?
We had a local team called the Peterborough Pirates that was coached by a retired NHL ironman named Garry Unger. My dad also traveled to the U.S. for work a lot and kind of got into the hockey mind through the [Detroit] Red Wings. One time, he said to me, “The best guy in the world, [Wayne] Gretzky, just got traded!” That’s how
I really started getting into it—the Gretzky trade from Edmonton to the [LA] Kings. I used to videotape games and watch them on grainy TVs in the U.K. in the late ’80s. Back then, I never thought that I would be here now—not just working for the team, but being in America.
The Golden Knight’s official bio says he was “plucked almost from obscurity based on his merits and special characteristics that allowed him to pull the ancient mythical sword from the stone.”
How do you remember that happening?
Times in Tenerife, Spain— as a knight and then a show director. What was that experience like, and how did it inform your approach to your VGK role?
Right place, right time, right experience. Plus, I had the accent for it. I remember meeting the initial VP of game day presentation, and he’s like, “Do you want to be a DJ?” I didn’t, but I told him I’d love to be the arena host if I wasn’t British. He wasn’t sure what difference that made. I said, look, if I went to see Manchester United play at Old Trafford, and an American came out on the microphone, I’d be like, really? We couldn’t get a British guy? The trail went quiet until about three weeks before the first preseason game, when [former VP of entertainment and production] Jonny Greco called me and said he had an idea—and that’s how the Golden Knight was born. The first year, there was a whole Reddit thread about my fake accent, and I may or may not have created a persona and joined the conversation: “He’s actually from Alabama!”
You spent almost nine years working at Medieval
It was very raw. You’d have 1,300 paying guests watching, but you don’t really get away with much spoken story because they spoke a number of different languages. So, a lot of it was about visual prompts and energy. And I think that’s helped me, because a lot of my work at games is also about hyping people up without a microphone.
You also regularly DJ at venues like the Flamingo Go Pool, M Resort’s DayDream pool, Park MGM, the F1 Paddock and Vanderpump lounges. How did that happen?
It was a hobby for many years before I moved to Vegas, where I got some opportunities to DJ some small events. There was never the intention of being a DJ. I wanted to work in event management and production, but it just became evident really quickly that I had a skill, and I should make the most of it. What’s next?
What’s been achieved with the Golden Knights— not just me, but the actual team—I don’t think it’ll hit me until I stop doing it. I still find it surreal that people know who I am because of it. It all doesn’t make sense to me. I’m just Lee from Peterborough. It’s been a lot of fun, but I don’t know how much longer I’ve got left. I’d love to do 10 seasons. I think that would be a great number to go out on.
THE WRITER’S BLOCK 519 S. 6th St. #100, 702-550-6399, thewritersblock.org. Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Friday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
BY AMBER SAMPSON
Bookstores have a magical property of distorting time. The moment I step inside The Writer’s Block on a Friday afternoon, everything slows down. I’m greeted by the comforting waft of fresh paperbacks and brewing coffee. Smooth jazz flows through the speakers. Colorful spines lining the shelves beg to be thumbed through with care.
My instinct tells me to book it to the back of the store, where my favorite horror novelists like Tananarive Due await, but giving myself over to other genres leaves room for discovery.
The poetry section leaps out to me. Emily Dickinson’s well stocked—and rightfully so. But I’m entranced by epic tales like Beowulf, and director Christopher Nolan’s upcoming adaptation of The Odyssey has landed Homer on my Greek poetry list. Leafing through Melania Luisa Marte’s Plantains and Our Becoming grounds me with her first chapter debunking the myth of the Afro-Latina.
Although reading is solitary by nature, a bookstore has a way of conjuring a community around it. Every corner of this place buzzes with activity. Teens fret over which Hunger Games prequel to buy (do we want Haymitch’s origin story, or President Snow’s?). Bibliophiles admire little Baron, the tuxedo-colored shop bunny. It almost feels as though the stuffed bird plushies that adorn the shelves are watching from their perches.
An hour in, I’ve got an armful of books in hand—Octavia Butler’s Fledgling, Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House, Stephen King’s Misery. I’m buzzing from a heady day of book hunting. And after overhearing two staff members talking about the thematic ties between the video game Death Stranding and H. Rider Haggard’s Egyptian fantasy novel Morning Star, I strike up a lengthy conversation.
Twenty minutes and three more recommendations later, I finally check the time. My brief browse has somehow swallowed the entire afternoon, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
THE ANALOG DOPE STORE
A lovingly curated selection of vinyl and books focused on people of color and social justice. 205 E. Colorado Ave., analogdope.com.
COPPER CAT BOOKS
Cozy Henderson outpost featuring thousands of used books, a variety of genres and the occasional roaming cat. 1570 W. Horizon Ridge Pkwy. #170, coppercatbooks.com.
LAS VEGAS BOOKS
Not only do they sell, they also buy and trade used books. Don’t miss their $5 bag sale coming up on August 1. 4790 S. Eastern Ave., facebook.com/lasvegasbooks.
by
Photo
Wade Vandervort
BILL FOLEY HAS A PLAN
IN PLACE TO BRING LAS VEGAS THE FINAL PIECE
OF THE PRO SPORTS PUZZLE
BY BROCK RADKE
Bill Foley/AP Photo/John Locher/ Photo illustration
HOOP DREAMS
t’s hard to imagine there could be a better choice to bring an NBA expansion team to Las Vegas than Bill Foley. He’s the only person on the planet who’s already done something like it, and the results have exceeded any possible expectations.
Of course, hockey and basketball are very different. But Foley’s leadership stewarding the Vegas Golden Knights, Nevada’s first major league professional sports franchise, to unbelievable success over its first nine seasons surely qualifies him as the frontrunner in the bidding for the city’s potential men’s pro basketball team.
On June 22, the VGK owner announced he is officially pursuing the award of a National Basketball Association franchise for Las Vegas, following the March announcement by league commissioner Adam Silver that expansion to Vegas and Seattle would be explored this year. Last week, Silver said the league is targeting the 2028-2029 season, if it does add one or two teams.
That’s pretty fast. The expected price tag for this brand-new team is somewhere between $7 and $10 billion. Whether it’s the group Foley is assembling or another owner, it will be an unprecedented cost; in 2025, two of the NBA’s most storied franchises, the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers, were sold for
$6 billion and $10 billion, respectively.
Putting together the perfect combination of strategic ownership partners—and paying that hefty price—is only part of the task. You also have to figure out where your shiny new NBA team will play, and there are multiple development groups in different early stages of creating yet another arena in Las Vegas for that very purpose. They include LVXP on the former Wet ‘n Wild water park site on the north Strip; the Oak View Group, which is looking for a different site after moving on from a plot south of the Strip; and the more recently announced Starr Vegas and Diamond Arena plans. In a March Gaming Commission meeting, Resorts World President and CFO Carlos Castro suggested that north Strip property could use its unoccupied land to build an arena.
While Foley appears to be the leading candidate for those of us in Las Vegas,
there are plenty other big names in the mix for potential ownership, including basketball legends Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Shaquille O’Neal; Avenue Capital Group CEO and former Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry (who reportedly has WNBA legend and former Las Vegas Aces player Candace Parker on his ownership roster); and, most recently reported by Bloomberg , former Disney CEO Bob Iger.
In his first interview since the announcement of his new sports ambition— and just as the annual NBA Summer League returns to Las Vegas, bringing meetings of the league’s Board of Governors along for the ride—Foley tells the Weekly there’s still a lot of work to be done to get the NBA to award Las Vegas with a franchise, and he and his team are ready.
“We’re excited about the prospects and it’s a natural fit, but it’s very early in the process,” he says.
The key to the plan is
“When we got the NHL franchise back in 2016, Las Vegas had 1.8 million people. Today it’s 2.4 million. It’s a different town, and the NBA represents a different business opportunity.”
–BILL FOLEY
making improvements to T-Mobile Arena, home of the Golden Knights, so the Vegas NBA team could play there as well—at least for some number of years. That might be the easiest way to meet the league’s startup goal two years from now.
If Foley’s group wins the bid, he will be the seventh owner to own a team in both the NHL and NBA. And 11 North American cities have arenas that host both teams, including Crypto.com Arena in LA, the United Center in Chicago, Ball Arena in Denver and Madison Square Garden in New York City.
The course has been set. The plan is in motion. This year could be the year that basketball-loving Las Vegas gets the team it has been waiting for.
When did you first start to consider NBA ownership?
We felt like it was something that was coming over a year ago, and mentally, we started getting ourselves ready for it. We made some changes at the Vegas Golden Knights in terms of our management structure and brought in some highly skilled individuals with NFL, NBA and NHL backgrounds, just to make sure our infrastructure was going to be in a position to help carry the ball in the event they decide to expand. The NBA made the announcement in March, but it’s all contingent upon the right transaction coming before the league.
HOOP DREAMS
There are some other potential ownership groups out there. Is there any possibility of consolidating efforts?
I think it’s highly likely. We’ve been in contact with three or four groups of individuals. Generally speaking, most don’t have a strong local connection other than they’re looking at a piece of ground for a potential new arena. I expect some compaction in the number of groups, some consolidation over the next 30 to 45 days. The whole process is complicated and it’s expensive, and the price for this franchise is going to be significant, but we don’t know what it is yet.
It seems like you have an advantage, especially when you’re talking about a local connection.
I think all the groups are starting from square one. The people I’m associated with or becoming associated with may have a little advantage because we own part of T-Mobile Arena and we’re close with AEG and MGM in terms of the management of the arena. It appears it would be the place to play for some period of time. But we also have a plan in place to improve the arena and ensure that it’s NBA-ready, in compliance with all the requirements. It sounds complicated but it’s not as complicated as you might think. The footprint of T-Mobile includes an area on the northwest side, owned land, that would be perfect for an NBA facility such as it is—business offices, additional suites, even courts. We’ve done some work and there is a layout, but it’s going to take a lot more work, and as we speak now we’re working on it to make sure we’re ready with a plan when we do submit an application.
Why do you think it’s better for Las Vegas to put an NBA team at T-Mobile versus building a new arena?
I think a new arena is certainly possible and it would be state-of-the-art, probably one of the best arenas in the
U.S. We believe we can make T-Mobile NBA-ready and it will take about $400 million to do that. We’re located at main and main, Tropicana and Las Vegas Boulevard in effect, and there’s adequate parking already in place. It’s not uncommon for NHL and NBA teams to play out of the same arena.
We think T-Mobile is a good option, but is it the option forever? Maybe, maybe not. Hopefully we would be part of that group that would build that arena, but T-Mobile is ready and with some additions … it’s a fantastic arena and we can make it much better. Our plan includes adding roughly 1,000 seats, adding high-end suites, and [enhancing] the hospitality piece. We have a good plan in place. We’re not so bold to say it’s the only plan that could make sense, but certainly it’s a place to play a number of years if another arena is to be built. That’s how we look at it.
Do you think it could be easier in some way to build this franchise because Las Vegas has a significant basketball history, compared to starting from scratch with hockey and the NHL?
I think Vegas is definitely NBAready. It does have a history of summer leagues and exhibition games played in Las Vegas. When we got the NHL franchise back in 2016, Las Vegas had 1.8 million people. Today it’s 2.4 million. It’s a different town, and the NBA represents a different business opportunity. The NHL is fantastic, we love our team and love our connection with the community, and we would want to develop the same connection with the community with the NBA, if we were fortunate enough to be chosen.
The NBA is truly international. It’s very strong in Asia and Europe, especially with the number of players coming to play from Europe. We think we could really market it and do a great job, not just locally but nationally and internationally.
5, 1984.
RIGHT Kareem Abdul-Jabbar shoots a sky hook against the Utah Jazz in Las Vegas on April
JAZZ “HOME” GAMES
1983-84
When the New Orleans Jazz relocated to Salt Lake City in 1979, the team played in the 12,700seat Salt Palace. Heading into the 1983-84 season—in an effort to build its audience and make more money—the Jazz worked out a deal to play 11 games at the newly built Thomas & Mack Center, and the first NBA game in Las Vegas was Utah vs. Chicago at the Mack on November 23, 1983, attended by more than 13,000 fans. (The arena’s capacity was only 15,000 back then.)
In that same season, Los Angeles Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar set the all-time regular-season scoring record in Las Vegas -
LAKERS EXHIBITION GAMES 1988
Los Angeles is the closest NBA city to Las Vegas, and since so many Southern Californians have moved here through the years, it makes sense that Vegas has sort of adopted the Lakers. The team played its first preseason exhibition game in 1988 against the Phoenix Suns—the next closest team—and it’s been more or less an annual tradition since 1993.
LAKERS PLAYOFF GAME 1992
The Lakers’ 1991-92 season ended with a Game 4 playoff loss May 3, 1992 to the Portland Trail Blazers—in Las Vegas. It was supposed to be a home game for LA at the Forum in Inglewood, but the game was relocated to the Thomas & Mack at the last minute due to the civil unrest after the Rodney King verdict on April 29.
APPhoto/JoeCavaretta
SUMMER LEAGUE 2004
The NBA Summer League, which gives teams an opportunity to compete with an extended roster including rookie and developmental players, began in Orlando, Florida in 2002 and expanded to multiple cities, including Las Vegas in 2004. Returning to UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion this year July 9-19, the league will broadcast all 76 games on Prime Video or
ALL-STAR WEEKEND 2007
NBA CUP 2023
Originally dubbed the In-Season Tournament and now known as the Emirates NBA Cup, this league innovation has been successful in drumming up excitement for fans during the long regular season while raising the stakes for players (who receive prize money if their team wins). The tournament championship, held in December, has been played at T-Mobile Arena since its inception.
–Brock Radke
reer total of 31,419 points as the Lakers
The NBA All-Star Game was held at the Thomas & Mack Center on February 18, 2007, with the Western Conference team winning big, Kobe Bryant taking MVP honors, and UNLV grad Shawn Marion playing as an All-Star selection from the Suns. It was the first time the game was played in a city without an NBA franchise. Mayor Oscar Goodman met with then-NBA commissioner David Stern during the weekend’s events to discuss the potential of a Vegas team.
ABOVE The Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets clash during the first year of the NBA Summer League at Cox Pavilion on July 13, 2004
BELOW Dwight Howard competes in the Slam Dunk Contest during NBA All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas on February 17, 2007.
IN THE NEWS
UNLV announces new sport hospitality management degree
UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hospitality is introducing the state’s first undergraduate degree in sport hospitality management, the college announced July 6.
The bachelor’s degree program will begin in the fall.
The college developed the degree in collaboration with industry executives to address workforce demand in the sports management field, the college said in a news release. Las Vegas is home to more than 10 pro -
fessional sports organizations and regularly hosts tournaments and championship games.
“This degree combines the expertise of the nation’s top-ranked hospitality program with the needs of the rapidly growing sports industry, preparing graduates to lead at the intersection of sport, hospitality, entertainment and events,” said David Cárdenas, dean of the William F. Harrah College of Hospitality.
The 120-credit program requires an
internship and classes such as sport sales and revenue generation, sport event management and promotion, and sport policy and governance. The curriculum is designed to prepare students for careers in game-day management, sports marketing, corporate partnerships and guest relations.
The program builds on UNLV’s hospitality management program, which the 2026 QS World University Rankings ranked No. 1 in the United States. –Las Vegas Sun Staff
Parts of Maryland Parkway construction to wrap up soon
After nearly two years of construction, Maryland Parkway is poised to see the launch of a new bus rapid transit line this August. The Red Line will replace the Regional Transportation Commission’s Route 109, increasing service frequency along the 12.5-mile route that serves roughly 35,000 vehicles and 9,000 transit riders daily. Crews are wrapping up cleanup work near the Medical District and Downtown, while additional utility work is scheduled in the coming weeks between Russell Road and Flamingo Road, and between Desert Inn Road and Sahara Avenue. Some final work on the southern portion of the corridor in unincorporated Clark County will extend into 2027 due to material timelines, said Andrew Kjellman, deputy CEO of the RTC. When complete, the corridor will include enhanced bus shelters, lighting, landscaping, wider sidewalks and dedicated lanes for buses and cyclists in many sections. Major stops will include Harry Reid International Airport, UNLV, the Boulevard Mall and Sunrise Hospital. –Grace Da Rocha
POPPING OFF Fireworks explode over Las Vegas Strip casinos as viewed from the High Steaks Vegas restaurant patio at the Rio on July 4. The synchronized, eight-minute show, launched from nine resort rooftops, was part of the America250 celebrations.
(Steve Marcus/Staff)
MGM ANNOUNCES SUMMER DEALS FOR LOCALS
It pays to be a Nevada resident at Park MGM. The Strip’s only non-smoking hotel-casino has announced offerings and deals for locals Sunday through Thursday through September 30: parking validation with an eligible purchase of food, beverage or retail item valued at $75 or more ($100 or more during special events); 20% off food and beverage purchases up to $500 at participating restaurants and bars; and special savings on select shows including New Kids on the Block and Mary J. Blige. More information is available at parkmgm. mgmresorts.com. –Staff
“These facilities are designed to replace human labor. The money that it generates flows to Silicon Valley and Wall Street, not Nevada families. We need to ensure we’re holding these companies accountable.”
–Aaron Harris, volunteer transit coordinator, Sierra Club Toiyabe in a press conference before the Clark County Board of Commissioners held a discussion on the application process and approval criteria for data centers on July 7.
JUL 9-11 JUL 16-18
Manilow show tickets are available at AUG 20-22
AUG 27-29 SEP 17-19 SEP 24-26
CHANGE AT THE TOP
Caesars Entertainment and MGM
Resorts
deals display positive outlook for Las Vegas
BY BROCK RADKE
Changing ownership of casinos has been a significant part of the gaming landscape in Las Vegas from the very beginning, perhaps most notoriously with Bugsy Siegel at the Flamingo, the oldest resort on the Strip. Buyouts and mergers have shaped the Strip through generations.
But the immediacy and scale of two current potential transactions has captivated the industry. In late May, Caesars Entertainment entered into an agreement to be acquired by Fertitta Entertainment in a $17.6 billion deal. Texas businessman Tilman Fertitta, owner of Golden Nugget casinos in Las Vegas and elsewhere as well as the Landry’s restaurant group and the NBA’s Houston Rockets, will pay $5.7 billion for the Caesars empire, including eight casino resorts on the Strip and more across the country, and assume approximately $11.9 billion of the company’s debt.
A few days later, media company People Inc. offered to buy MGM Resorts—owners of a dozen Strip casino resorts—valuing it at $18 billion. People chairman Barry Diller sits on the MGM board and owns 26% of its outstanding stock, a stake valued at $2.9 billion.
“Watching both of them happen at the absolute same time, both places potentially selling within days of each other, is a bit of a surprise for people,” says Dr. Amanda Belarmino, associate professor at UNLV’s Harrah College of Hospitality. “But they are two very different buyouts. MGM is someone who exists on the board and by all accounts has been vocal for a while about taking it private.
“Caesars is a different ballgame,” she continues. “This is someone who knows the market but isn’t on the Strip, so there’s probably a lot more potential there to see some changes in day-to-day operations.”
Caesars merged with Eldorado Resorts in 2020, forming one of the biggest casino and entertainment companies in the U.S., operating more than 50 properties across the country. Fertitta’s acquisition of the iconic company—and its hefty debt, accumulated over decades—signals the mogul’s confidence in the future of the Las Vegas economy.
“Most people perceive it as a positive both for the consumer and employee point of view. [Fertitta] is a seasoned professional, a well-known businessman, his company has expertise in gaming and non-Las Vegas gaming, which is important because Caesars has so many regional properties,” Belarmino says. “He also owns the Houston Rockets and we’re about to see an NBA team come into the city, so that’s a positive because he knows how the NBA works and how it impacts demand, so he can bring that level of knowledge to the city as it incorporates that team into the landscape.”
She adds that Fertitta has a good reputation for taking care of employees and guests.
While a change in ownership can be a scary proposition for workers, neither of the Caesars or MGM transactions are expected to bring significant job losses in Southern Nevada. Past Strip mergers like Caesars with Harrah’s or MGM with Mandalay Bay create duplication that leads to job cuts. But since People is not a hospitality company, that duplication doesn’t exist with the possible sale of MGM Resorts, Belarmino says, adding “with Fertitta and Caesars, I think it’s unlikely, even though he has a Golden Nugget in the city. You need to keep your people in place.”
In a recent NPR State of Nevada interview, longtime Las Vegas gaming reporter David McKee said the seem-
ingly risky buyouts could be very bad for the industry if tourism doesn’t improve. But recent positives in the market seem to bolster the apparent opinions of Fertitta and Diller.
“We began investing in MGM nearly six years ago because we believed it represented a rare kind of business: one with real world assets that AI cannot easily replicate,” Diller said in a statement accompanying his letter to MGM’s board. “We continue to believe the market materially undervalues the power and durability of MGM’s assets. We believe MGM’s management team is superb, and that there is a compelling opportunity to support MGM’s next phase of growth and help unlock its full value.”
PUBLIC VS. PRIVATE
In April, Golden Entertainment, parent company of the Strat hotel and casino and the widespread pub chain PT’s Taverns, went private, selling the Strat’s operations to chairman and CEO Blake Sartini, who founded the company in 2001, and real estate to Vici Properties.
Diller’s takeover offer for MGM would make the state’s largest employer a private company after it began trading publicly as MGM Grand Inc. in 1988.
“These things seem to come in waves, public and private. I think we’re in a private wave now, with more companies not wanting to be overexposed to the slings and arrows the stock market and all the other things that go on,” says Belarmino. “[Going private] allows for better long-term investment and not a valuation to be subject to short-term change.”
Operating privately ostensibly allows for a more tailored and flexible approach. With Diller saying MGM is undervalued and praising management, consumers shouldn’t expect wholesale changes to the company’s varied offerings. It’s more likely Fertitta would make changes to Caesars properties based on his company’s methods.
Belarmino points out that those changes, should they take place, would likely be considered positive by customers. “An ownership change often allows a refresh that it needs, that the current company can’t afford to do,” she says.
“[Las Vegas] has had a lot of really positive things going on. We’ve struggled since COVID and haven’t rebounded completely, and we struggle with international travel based on policies that are not ours,” Belarmino continues. “Those are things we’ve had to contend with, but when you look at [the buyout offers] it shows the outlook is positive. There’s a lot of bullish feeling about Las Vegas and that’s a good thing.”
Conor McGregor ’s long-awaited comeback fight at UFC 329 comes against a familiar opponent in Max Holloway BY CASE KEEFER
Five years have passed since the last time Conor McGregor fought in the UFC, but the Irish superstar never fully left mixed martial arts behind.
The 37-year-old kept watching the fights and listening to the ensuing discourse, even when it bothered him. McGregor took particular exception with some of the opinions on his former opponents like Max Holloway, whom he beat via unanimous decision in his second bout in the octagon in August 2013.
“Do you know that I sit by and hear people
“Do you know I have to sit back and listen to people throughout the years say, ‘They were only kids back then.’ Well, I’m sorry. Holloway was only a kid back then, but I was not.”
Nearly 13 years later, McGregor and Holloway will meet again at welterweight in the former’s return fight on July 11 in the main event of UFC 329 at T-Mobile Arena.
McGregor’s initial win over Holloway was regarded as perhaps the least impressive of his 7-0 start to his UFC career that saw him become the undisputed featherweight cham-
But the victory has aged tremendously, as Holloway has arguably put together the best career of anyone McGregor faced in the run.
The Hawaiian went on to reign as featherweight champion for three years and reached legendary status by knocking out current lightweight champion Justin Gaethje for the “BMF” title at UFC 300 in April 2024.
McGregor lost back-to-back fights to Dustin Poirier the last two times he stepped in the octagon, in 2021, and broke his leg in a TKO stoppage in the second match.
But now, facing a fighter with Holloway’s standing and pedigree, he could get right back into the championship mix with a victory.
“It’s great to be back,” McGregor said. “It’s refreshing to be back. The body is invigorated. The mind is sharp and fresh and ready to go. I’m ready to enter this brutal business as a ruthless fighter once again.”
McGregor has limited his media availability leading up to the fight with the chat with Rogan, one of his only public appearances. He and Holloway won’t hold a news conference until fight week—much different than a decade ago when the UFC would parade him around on global tours before fights.
Much of that strategy, according to McGregor, is because of his renewed commitment to training. McGregor said he was sleeping at his longtime home camp, Straight Blast Gym in Dublin, for weeks to maximize his time to prepare for Holloway.
That would make for a decided lifestyle change from the previous five years where he was often spotted globetrotting on his yacht and partying in places like Miami, Ibiza and Mykonos.
Holloway meanwhile stuck to his combat-sports career, fighting eight times since McGregor’s last bout, where he’s gone 5-3 with all three losses in title fights.
“A lot of hands are going to touch that pretty face, brother,” Holloway told McGregor,
cutting in for one of the few thoughts he managed to share in the joint interview with Rogan. “Keep it clean for me.”
McGregor’s chances in the fight may come down to if he’s as rededicated to fighting as he claims. He sold his Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey brand for $600 million in 2021—the second reported nine-figure payday of his career to go with a 2017 boxing loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr.—with reports of waning motivation ever since.
A slew of legal issues also followed him since the Mayweather fight. Most notably, an Irish jury in November 2024 found McGregor civilly liable for sexually assaulting a woman in December 2018 at a Dublin hotel.
The incident significantly tarnished his reputation in Ireland with groups in his native country now publicly protesting his UFC return.
The scene for UFC 329 therefore could look a lot different from McGregor’s heyday. Irish fans would notoriously take over the Strip with tens of thousands—more than T-Mobile’s capacity—traveling to Las Vegas to at least be
near the event.
Holloway has even intimated that he will have the crowd support, especially given that four of his last five fights have now taken place at T-Mobile.
Holloway teased McGregor about coming into enemy territory given Las Vegas’ reputation as, “the ninth island,” to face MMA’s “best boxer.” The pair have mostly kept it cordial but talk about Holloway’s boxing prowess and championship legacy clearly get under McGregor’s skin.
“No disrespect, Max, but you’re not going to lay a glove on me, and even if you do lay a glove on me, I’m going to laugh in your face,” McGregor said. “It’s another world here against me and it’s another world at this weight. I’m going to come out of this bout unscathed and in all glory.”
Max Holloway, left, hits Dustin Poirier in a title fight at UFC 318. (AP Photo/Ella Hall)
Prolific hip-hop trailblazer Jeezy brings culture to the Strip on his own terms BY
TYLER SCHNEIDER
t’s Juneteenth, and pioneering rapper Jeezy is midway through the seventh of 21 shows in his Legend of the Snowman residency at PH Live. Decked out in a tuxedo, he shares center stage with a cream-coated 1966 Ford Thunderbird, underneath a neon backdrop depicting a cowgirl and glowing “Casino” sign. Fifty musicians from LA’s Color of Noize orchestra flank him on both ends.
A full house—dressed to the nines—hangs on every move as the bows, reeds and horns settle to make way for a video clip of Barack Obama’s comments at the 2012 White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
“In my first term, I sang Al Green,” Obama quipped to instant cheers. “In my second term, I’m going with Young Jeezy.”
Jeezy—now older, wiser and a godfather of hip-hop’s Atlanta-bred trap subgenre—launches into “My President” over an Obama slideshow. Smoke billows from underneath the stage, ushered upward by shimmering strings and enveloping the vehicle. Nobody needs to explicitly acknowledge the significance of the moment. They can all feel it.
“I wanted it to feel cinematic and tell a story where, even if you didn’t know the music, you would know the
story,” a burgundy tracksuit-clad, black-coffee-sipping Jeezy tells the Weekly in his suite hours earlier. “It plays out like a film.”
The concert’s 29-song setlist spans three acts—“The Man,” “The Myth” and “The Legend.” More than a third of the songs came from his landmark 2005 commercial debut, Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101. But the showman otherwise known as Jay Jenkins drew from every corner of his vast, 13-album catalog to curate a 90-minute mix of “anthems that have stood the test of time.”
“‘Soul Survivor’ hits different on that stage,” he notes.
Indeed. Strings flutter into a triumphant guitar solo during his Grammy-nominated Andre 3000 and Jay-Z collab “I Do.” Sinister riffs morph “Who Dat” into a metallic bop. Heavy drums bleed into a frenzied Western groove on “And Then What.” And on any given night, he’s liable to tap surprise guests like Usher, 2 Chainz, YG and Bun B.
“A lot of those records are 20 years old, and for some people, that takes them back to when they was in that space and still trying to figure their life out,” Jeezy says. “Here, you have them in this tuxedo or gown, and they’re living great. They’re doing just fine because they believed and kept going, and the music kept going with them.”
The seeds of this concept were sown last year, on the heels of a 23-city tour honoring TM:101 ’s 20th anniversary. In November, he enlisted a 101-member iteration of Color of Noize to join him at Planet Hollywood, setting a Guinness World Record for the largest orchestra at a hip-hop concert.
“There’s a place for greats when your music is timeless, and that’s Las Vegas,” Jeezy says. “Growing up, all the greats that I saw were out here, the Sinatras and Elton Johns. People always said things like, ‘Vegas is where artists go to die.’ It’s actually where artists go to live.”
Inspired by Ol’ Blue Eyes, Jeezy now orchestrates one of the first major hip-hop residencies on the Strip.
“From the streets to the Strip, it shows the evolution. It’s bigger than hip-hop—it’s culture,” he says. “We have things in our culture that are timeless as well, and they deserve to be in Vegas.”
He ultimately extended his initial 10-night residency to 21 dates, including Juneteenth.
“We celebrate freedom today, and I think freedom is doing what is in your heart, taking your ideas and actually executing them. Freedom is doing things that, just by history, haven’t really been done because nobody’s been free to do it,” Jeezy says before the show.
JEEZY July 10 & 11, 8 p.m. (& select dates thru August 22), $175+. PH Live, ticketmaster.com.
In between acts, the headliner steps aside as Ralfi Pagan’s 1971 Latin-soul ballad
“To Say I Love You” punctuates a memoriam video for deceased friends like Nipsey Hussle, Pimp C and Shakir Stewart.
It’s a reminder that this stage is as much about honoring the past as it is about owning the present. And Jeezy is not ruling out another extension for a residency that’s still “forming in real time.”
“People are getting the word and showing up, and as long as they come, I’ll be here,” he says. “Vegas is my home right now, as crazy as that sounds.”
What comes next is anybody’s guess.
“I’m open to life, living, experiences and all my ideas come with that. I haven’t been in that place since I put my first album out over 20 years ago,” he adds. “Now that I’m back in that space, I’m inspired. To me, we’re trailblazing. We’ve got a clean canvas and we’re doing this our way—like Sinatra.”
Known for its rib-sticking craft burgers, which flirt with excess, and its immense CrazyShakes, which propose to and then marry excess and start a family with it, Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer has ventured into the realm of ice cream sundaes with the same wild abandon you’ve come to expect of a place that serves burgers with bone marrow butter and cake batter milkshakes topped with an entire slice of funfetti.
Their new trio of vanilla ice cream-based CrazySundaes, priced at $25 each and big enough for two or more hungry maniacs, includes the Cherry Bomb, a cherry pie a la mode’s flattering dream of itself with sour cherry sauce and crunchy pie crumble; Churro Hot Fudge, which boasts not only the named ingredients but Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal and dulce de leche; and the Strawberry Glazed, strawberry sauce and strawberry cake crumbs finished with fresh strawberries and an entire glazed donut.
Crazy? Yes. Necessary to survive July and August? Very, very yes. –Geoff Carter
Diverse Asian food hall Stix Asia is coming to UnCommons
Las Vegas has plenty of Hawaiian food; that’s part of the reason it’s been called the Ninth Island. But it doesn’t necessarily have all the different kinds of Hawaiian food, a cuisine that incorporates dishes brought to the islands by Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Filipino and Portuguese immigrants, among other influences.
BLACK TAP CRAFT BURGERS & BEER Venetian, 702-414-2337, blacktap.com. Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, 11 a.m.-midnight.
That’s essentially the idea behind Stix Asia, a wildly popular three-yearold food hall on the lower level of the Waikiki Shopping Plaza in Honolulu, on the island of O’ahu. It offers dishes from Japan, Taiwan, China, Korea and Vietnam, including the Michelin Guide-feature Baikohken, a Hokkaido-style ramen spot.
Did we forget to mention Stix Asia is coming to the Ninth Island?
“With the growth of the southwest area of Las Vegas and especially UnCommons and the Durango Resort, we thought this would be the best location for the next expansion of the Stix brand,” says Frank Clark, CEO and founder of Stix Asia. “We looked at the Strip and it was challenging, and we looked at the strength of the Chinatown area with so many restaurants and tremendous local support, and we realized creating a food hall in the suburban market has not really been done, and thought it would be a good fit.”
Stix Asia Las Vegas is set for a fall opening at UnCommons, in the vast former space of the Sundry, a different food hall concept. The local version will span 18,000 square feet and seat approximately 400 guests indoors and outdoors, with 12 international imports and some Las Vegas-based favorites.
“Our goal is bring all authentic brands, and we’re trying to bring firsttime concepts into Vegas,” Clark says. “Each location has its own seating area with some common area, and that’s unique. Our three objectives are to provide that authentic experience, it has to be affordable, and it’s gotta be Asian. You’re not going to find pizza or hamburgers.” –Brock Radke
Black Tap Craft
& Beer
CANCER RESEARCH
NEW PARTNERSHIP BRINGS CLINICAL RESEARCH CLOSER TO HOME
BY KYAW ZIN THEIN, MD GUEST COLUMN
For many cancer patients, access to promising new treatments can feel out of reach. Historically, participation in leading clinical trials often required travel to major academic medical centers, creating additional burdens during an already difficult time. At Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, we have spent decades working to change that reality by bringing advanced cancer care and clinical research directly into our community.
That commitment recently took an important step forward through our collaboration with the Sarah Cannon Research Institute, a leading oncology research organization conducting community-based clinical trials. Through this relationship, known as SCRI at Comprehensive Cancer Centers, we are expanding access to innovative clinical trials for patients throughout Southern Nevada.
Clinical research remains one of the most important drivers of progress in cancer care. Many of today’s standard treatments exist because patients and physicians participated in studies that established new approaches to treatment. Research continues to improve outcomes and create additional options for patients.
By partnering with an organization at the forefront of that work, we can bring more of those opportunities to Southern Nevada. SCRI has conducted more than 900 first-in-human clinical trials and contributed to research behind the majority of new cancer therapies approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration during the past decade.
One of the most meaningful benefits of this collaboration is expanded treatment options. Eligible patients will have access to a broader portfolio of clinical trials aligned with their treatment plans. These studies may provide access to emerging therapies while benefiting future generations of patients. Among our active studies are Revolution Medicines’ RMC6236-303 and RMC-6236-304 trials for pancreatic cancer. This investigational therapy has recently drawn significant attention for its promising early results in a disease with historically limited options. Experts at American Society of Clinical Oncology have described the trial as unprecedented and landscape-changing.
to match patients with clinical trials. Through SCRI’s Personalized Medicine Team and Genospace, a sophisticated trial-matching platform, physicians can leverage clinical and genetic information to help identify potential research opportunities. As cancer care becomes increasingly personalized, this approach helps connect patients with the studies most relevant to their unique circumstances.
Research has been part of Comprehensive’s mission for decades. Since 1974, we have remained focused on bringing advanced cancer care into the community. Today, that commitment has enabled our physicians and research teams to participate in the development of more than 120 FDA-approved cancer therapies and conduct more than 100 Phase I, Phase II and Phase III clinical research studies annually.
Our new flagship treatment center in the Las Vegas Medical District further demonstrates that commitment. Located within the Molasky Corporate Center, the 15,000-square-foot facility expands access to oncology services, PET/CT imaging, genetic counseling and clinical research. Select SCRI trials will be conducted there, giving patients another way to access innovative treatments close to home.
Cancer research continues to move at an extraordinary pace. Our responsibility as physicians is to ensure that patients in Southern Nevada can benefit from those advances as quickly and effectively as possible. Through our collaboration with SCRI and continued investment in facilities and research infrastructure, we are helping bring the future of cancer care closer to home.
The collaboration also enhances our ability
Dr. Kyaw Zin Thein is a medical oncologist and hematologist with Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada.
Courtesy
BY JAKE ARMBRUST, DO
Knowing where to turn for medical care can be confusing. A primary care provider, urgent care and the emergency room each serve a different purpose. Here’s a guide to help you make the best decision based on your situation.
When to visit your primary care provider: If you’re experiencing a minor illness or injury, your PCP should usually be your first choice for care. They know your medical history and are in the best position to help manage your long-term health. Primary care providers commonly treat aches and pains, cold and flu symptoms, infections, rashes and uncomplicated urinary tract infections. They also provide preventive care and help patients manage chronic conditions.
When to visit urgent care: If you need more timely attention for a condition that is not life-threatening, urgent care can be a great option for cold and flu symptoms, muscle or body aches, and minor injuries. Remember, too, that your PCP may not be equipped to address every minor issue, such as lacera-
GUEST COLUMN
Primary care, urgent care or the ER? Here’s how to decide.
tions requiring stitches or minor injuries requiring an X-ray.
When to go to the emergency room: The emergency room is designed to handle severe, potentially life-threatening conditions. Visit the ER for emergencies such as choking or trouble breathing; chest pain or pressure that may indicate a heart attack; stroke symptoms including sudden inability to speak or see, facial drooping or weakness in an arm or leg; loss of consciousness or sudden confusion; heavy bleeding; serious burns; severe allergic reactions; sudden, severe headache; substance overdose; suicidal thoughts; head trauma; or major injuries such as large fractures.
When to call 911: If you are experiencing severe or rapidly worsening symptoms—especially signs of a heart attack or stroke—call 911 immediately.
By understanding the role of each health care option, you can make informed decisions about where to seek care.
Dr. Jake Armbrust is a family medicine physician with Southwest Medical, part of Optum.
Comprehensive proudly announces its flagship cancer treatment center at the Molasky Corporate Center in downtown Las Vegas, where our mission is to deliver world-class cancer care while contributing to the district’s growth as Southern Nevada’s premier hub for academic medicine and clinical research. Designed to foster healing and collaboration, our new flagship facility provides multi-disciplinary cancer care with medical oncology, diagnostic PET/CT imaging, genetic counseling, and access to an extensive clinical trials menu through a collaboration with Sarah Cannon Research Institute (SCRI), one of the world’s leading oncology research organizations.
cccnevada.com • 702.952.3350
PREMIER CROSSWORD
CELEBRITIES”
BY FRANK LONGO
2020 KING FEATURES SYNDICATE
ACROSS 1 “-- diem!” 6 Feeling fear 12 Instagram alternative 20 -- acid (fat product)
21 Loma -- earthquake (1989 event in California)
22 Hawaiian dance with a repetitive name
23 Co-star of Volver and Nine
25 Days of yore
26 Trick-taking game akin to whist
27 Singer of the 1965 #1 hit “Downtown” 29 Enter by sidling 31 Put a tear in 34 Top of a “j” 35 Clues 36 Physics Nobelist with his wife Marie 39 In the current situation 42 Baseball’s Slaughter 43 Poker holding that beats ace-high 45 Maiden-named 46 Alphabet start 49 Many eras 50 Pre-TiVo device 52 1933-34 heavy weight champion 55 Go down a snowy slope after skydiving 58 Imam’s faith 59 Four-award showbiz acronym 60 1970s-’90s frontman for Genesis
64 Twisting letter 65 Ancient Brit 66 Gregory of tap dancing
67 San -- (city in Marin County)
Online biz
Wry Bombeck
Fitting
French painter who influenced cubism
Grasslands
Very top
Averse (to) 82 He played Grand Moff Tarkin in Star Wars
And not 86 Twisting fish
MI-to-SC dir.
Huge Brit. lexicon
In the near future
Folk singer Guthrie
Most wan
First recorder of Bach’s Cello Suites
Moved in a curved path
Rim of a cup
Not yet on the sched.
Performs the function of
She co-starred in Gremlins
Like software that works on Windows machines ... or like this puzzle’s nine featured celebrities?
HOROSCOPES WEEK OF JULY 9 BY
ROB BREZSNY
ARIES (March 21-April 19): We are all a messy blend of luminosity and ignorance. Now is the perfect moment to study how those two currents move within you. When you clearly see how you contribute to the murky jumble, your commitment to love, harmony, and justice will soar.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Move with style by taking quick jaunts and gentle risks, but avoid wandering too far afield or chasing swaggering adventures. Keep it light, sharp and intuitive, Taurus. Trust your sprightly impulses without dissecting the magic out of them. Align with sly visionaries and soulful realists, but sidestep bitter contrarians and nostalgic clingers.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Astrocartography suggests our strengths shine brighter in certain locations than others. In the coming weeks, Gemini, experiment with the possibility that this is true for you. Wander far and wide, and pay attention to where your intelligence and wisdom naturally soar. Find out where you feel most aligned with your deep, bright, genuine self.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Male humpback whales in the Pacific Ocean constantly change their songs, valuing novelty even in ancient rituals. Consider what this suggests for your relationship with the past, Cancerian. The memories and patterns you carry do not have to remain frozen. You can honor your history while remixing it and changing the key; preserve the living spirit, not the exact form.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In the 1950s, oceanographer Marie Tharp mapped the ocean floor using data from others because women were banned from research vessels. Her distance became an advantage, allowing her to see patterns field researchers missed. You may be working with incomplete information, Leo, but this limitation will compel you to see the larger picture. What you are missing will enable you to see what others cannot.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The problem confronting you right now is unusual: Your vision is too sharp and your thinking too precise. This focus is blocking you from noticing the subtle openings life is presenting. These portals may only reveal themselves if you soften your intense scrutiny and call on a creative, blurry logic. Peer from the edges of your vision rather than staring straight ahead.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): This is a perfect moment to express your unique power. Act with conviction, assert your influence, and claim what you have earned. Clarify your ambitions, write down a formal vow, and stop waiting for approval from anyone higher up. The succulent opportunities are not somewhere else or someday later—they are here and now.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Whether it is a vigorous mountain bike ride that dissipates illusions or a sudden breeze carrying the aroma of a rebellious garden through city asphalt, sudden awakenings are beautiful. Where do you search for your salvations, Scorpio? Keep your inner radar tuned in the coming days; those flashes of truth are circling close.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sagittarian physicist Freeman Dyson proposed looking for extraterrestrial civilizations by searching for megastructures around stars. Though none have been found, his idea revolutionized exploration. Valued contributions can come from inventing the framework for how to search for unknown things. You might not find the answers in the coming weeks, Sagittarius, but you can redesign the questions.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): If you do not have a muse, please find an inspiring presence to stir your imagination. If you already have one who faithfully fuels your creative fire, bestow a reward or gift. And if your existing muse has grown quiet lately, go off on an adventure together to stimulate the bursts of kaleidoscopic energy you two are capable of generating.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Some monastics practice “work prayer,” transforming ordinary tasks into meditation through complete presence. Try this experiment, Aquarius. For the next two weeks, approach routine duties with ceremonial reverence. Inspiration will arrive when you perform tasks with gratitude.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Your magnetism and charisma will expand as you ruminate deeply on what is most meaningful to you. Seeking out new teachers and fresh lessons will bring lucky breaks into your sphere, and every surge of curiosity will add to your glow.
NATHAN’S FAMOUS HOT DOG EATING CONTEST QUALIFIER
| NEW YORK-NEW YORK | JULY 4, 2026 Maybe you tune in on the Fourth of July, this year or every year, to ESPN to watch the iconic “sporting event” known as the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, New York City. The legendary Joey Chestnut did it again this year, taking down 66 dogs and buns. But in Las Vegas on the Fourth, we’re looking to the future, hosting a qualifier for the 2027 competition on the New York-New York casino’s Brooklyn Bridge. Canadian eater Scott Watkins (left) won the men’s division by eating 45 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes, which is still, of course, a lot. Good luck next year, Scott; we know you’ll represent Vegas and Canada well. –Brock Radke
