The latest in Las Vegas

ÔIt's a death spiral'

2011-12-22T02:30:14Z

Amid the worst recession in more than 50 years, the Clark County School District estimates it will need $5.1 billion (with a "b") to repair and modernize its school buildings over the next 10 years - work that was put off because there wasn't money to do it.

More than $3 billion is needed to fix dilapidated schools. Nine elementary schools need to be built to alleviate crowded classrooms. And the district wants t...

Financial guru bids farewell to LVCVA

2011-11-23T02:32:30Z

It was one of those comic-relief moments of the monthly Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority meeting.

Brenda Siddall, the LVCVA's vice president of finance, would face the board and its chairman, former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Go...

LVCVA boss in line for pay raise

2011-11-01T02:31:00Z

It would be Ralenkotter's first since 2007

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority's compensation committee is recommending a 4 percent raise and a 12.5 percent bonus for the organization's president and CEO, Rossi Ralenkotter.

That would be a $10,238 increase in Ralenkotter's annual salary to $266,182 and a one-time bonus ...

Recession kicks entrepreneurship into high gear

2011-09-08T02:30:47Z

During the boom years, life for Dwayne Eshenbaugh was good. And now, having lost his job, he's wondering if it just got better.

An architect at one of Las Vegas' top firms, Eshenbaugh, 45, said there was no shortage of great projects during the fat years. He had a home in Henderson, a six-figure salary and lived a comfortable life helping raise two daughters.

But when the recession hit ...

How the recession has altered plans at a Henderson intersection

2011-08-06T02:30:11Z

Grocery store, park to replace failed condo site

Three years ago - in the waning days of Las Vegas' building boom - developers envisioned high-rise condominiums and mixed-use retail at the intersection of Stephanie Street and Wigwam Parkway, just off Interstate 215 in Henderson.

What a difference a recession makes.

At the southeast corner of the intersection, the site of a failed $200 milli...

Las Vegas Sands in talks to build "strip" in Spain

2011-02-17T05:00:05Z

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - U.S. casino operator Las Vegas Sands is talking to local governments in Spain about building a Vegas-style strip that would cost 10 billion to 15 billion euros and create up to 180,000 jobs, its CEO said on Thursday.

"We considered it ...

Study says Las Vegas among world's worst economies

2010-11-30T12:30:22Z

International study ranks Las Vegas fifth worst economy in world, says recovery prospects dim

An international study says Las Vegas has one of the worst economies in the world, and prospects for a rapid recovery appear dim.

The Brookings Institution and Reacting to recession, makers aiming to please

Slot machine manufacturers, beaten up by gamblers who often complain about tight machines, have redirected their marketing campaign.

Three years into a recession that has decimated discretionary spending, slot makers at this week's premier trade show eagerly showed off their newest creations - and explained how the games aim to offer players more bang for their buck.

FOUR PROLIFIC CONTRIBUTORS TO THE SUN WEBSITE TALK ABOUT TOPICS AND OTHER MOTIVATIONS THAT SPUR THEM TO WRITE

Steve Mincer

(stevem)Steve Mincer, 40, lived in Las Vegas for seven years before moving to St. Louis in 2008 in hopes of finding better opportunities as a ...

THE SUN'S MOST READ STORIES*

2010-09-15T02:15:19Z

1. Passenger on Las Vegas flight accused of making threat. No arrest has been made in connection with the threat allegedly made after the plane was forced to return to McCarran because of a mechanical problem.

2. Motorcyclist injured in hit, run collision on Tropicana. Investigators said David Maifield, 48, of Las Vegas was riding a homemade motorcycle when he was hit from behind Sunday morning west of Pa...

Ex-doorman: Fear ruled the Strip

2010-08-04T12:14:07Z

With so many Nevadans terrified of becoming part of the highest unemployment rate in the nation, the rumbling among the rank and file at some Las Vegas resorts is that management by intimidation is running rampant in the Great Recession.

But in his book ÒUnder the Neon Sky: A Las Vegas DoormanÕs Story,Ó author Jay Rankin makes a case that the same appro...

HarrahÕs secret: Cut costs, back to basics

2010-03-19T02:15:45Z

Gaming giant Harrahs Entertainments ability to steer clear of bankruptcy while carrying massive debt through the Great Recession has many people wanting to know its secret.

But when two key executives gave a Las Vegas business organization an inside look at what Harrahs did to survive, some of the moves turned out to be surprisingly simple time-honored formulas of hard-nosed cost-cutting and getting back to basics.

A shining lakeside oasis loses its luster

2010-03-02T02:16:25Z

The pitch was right out of a travel brochure for Tuscany. Italian-style architecture, miles of greenery, wineries and sidewalk cafes, all set around a 320-acre lake. Lake Las Vegas would be a Mediterranean oasis plopped in the middle of the desert, developers promised. Nearly 20 miles and a lifestyle removed from the glitz of the Strip, the lakeside community would provide refuge f...

Unfinished Summerlin mall a monument to recession

2010-04-16T07:43:17Z

Optimism takes a back seat as project managers look for answers

Neil Opfer can see the recession from his window.

Opfer is a professor of engineering and construction management at UNLV and lives in Summerlin, not far from the half-finished construction s...

ONE-STOP CITYCENTER REFERENCE

2010-06-12T08:27:27Z

Whatever your taste in entertainment, the Sun has your info in our comprehensive guide: lasvegassun.com/citycenter.

Click on one of the properties for your one-Web site stop to everything you want to know about each of CityCenterÕs buildings, including the number of rooms and how to book your stay. Find stories, photo galleries, videos and more.

How green is CityCenter? The Report: StateÕs economy worse off than any other

For so long Nevada was like the Globetrotters of the American economy a fun, twirling circus act always winning the race in growth of employment, wages and property values.

But now were the Washington Generals hapless, winless and sad.

And, thats our indefinite future, according to a new report.

Elsewhere, too, recession pushed ÔpauseÕ

2010-06-15T09:24:08Z

Bad timing has perfect symbol in Fontainebleau, but other notable victims

Of all the buildings under construction nationwide left unfinished because of the recession, the Fontainebleau Las Vegas resort, which analysts say may be nationÕs largest and most expensive stalled construction job, might be the poster child for badly timed development.

Fontain...

Reputation and the recession

2010-04-16T09:51:40Z

Brookings economist: Industries need to bolster their images

Anyone who thinks the Brookings Institution is a lefty think tank need only talk to Clifford Winston, a senior fellow in economic studies. Winston was in town this week to deliver a lecture at Brookings-partner Las Vegas grittiest dive bars, stale cigarette smoke hangs in the air, fixtures are coated with 70s-era grime and the clientele often includes sex and drug peddlers.

The Gold Spike used to be something close a dive casino.

Before we bought the place, people were scared to come down here, said Las Vegas, the Streamline Tower has since become a symbol of how the economic downturn has hurt efforts to revitalize the area.

This year, after the owners filed for bankruptcy protection, the bank that funded most of the of the towers construction, Chicago-based Corus Ban...

NevadaÕs banks second in U.S. in lending more than taken in

2010-08-04T12:13:38Z

Result: Liquidity affected, money from secondary sources needed

Nevada banks have lent more than they have taken in, according to a Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. report.

Only North DakotaÕs 172Êpercent loan-to-deposit ratio is higher than NevadaÕs 128 percent. The report is based on a bankÕs loans and deposi...

Busted slot joint’s rebirth?

2010-04-16T12:27:20Z

Dotty’s chain picks peculiar time to try to reopen NLV gaming establishment

To call this tiny 39-year-old slot joint, formerly named the Beverly Hillbillies Gambler Casino, dilapidated would be a compliment.

Pigeons picking at candy wrappers flutter about the front stoop, underneath the red 1980s awning with the cowboy boot logo.

Peek through the dirty tinted-glass doors alo...

In a recession, a delay could be seen by rivals as a positive development

2010-08-04T12:11:37Z

If CityCenter gets mothballed, is that good or bad for the other properties on the Strip?

The answer to the question depends largely on the state of the overall economy.

Think of profit on the Strip as a pie.

When the economy is soaring and tourism seems to be an ever-growing industry, the pie is large with plenty to go around. Casinos operate at near capacity, room rates rise, and everyone gets a big slice.

In ...

Six Questions for Adam Carmer

2010-04-16T17:17:05Z

ADJUNCT PROFESSOR, BARKEEP AND RESTAURATEUR

When Adam Carmer moved to Las Vegas in 1993, he was hired as a relief maitre d’ at two restaurants at the just-opened Treasure Island. Today he owns the Freakin’ Frog, the Whisky Attic and two locations of Adam’s Ribs. But what really interests us: He teaches beer and wine at UNLV...

Investing In Your Business Without Spending A Fortune

2010-04-16T14:10:05Z

With so much talk about recession and cutting costs, it's no wonder there are so many fears surrounding capital spending. Despite economic uncertainty, companies still have plans to replace or upgrade legacy systems. In fact, this may be a better time to do so then the analysts lead us to believe.

Yes, replacing or upgrading technology can be cosdy (in some cases), but if you know what to look for, you can end up saving money and increasing your profit margin in the long run.

Gaming Stocks Still a Poor Bet - Barron's

2010-10-21T09:07:05Z

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Gadget Show Future of Chips

2011-01-04T14:01:51Z

FILE - In this Sept. 13, 2010 file photo, Intel CEO Paul Otellini gives the keynote address at a conference in San Francisco. Intel Corp. and Advanced Micro Devices Inc., whose processors are the “brains” of PCs, are bot...

Las Vegas Snow

2011-01-05T08:05:30Z

A thin layer of snow sits on rooftops west of The Strip, Monday, Jan. 3, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nev. Between one and two inches of snow fell on the west side of town. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

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Toshiba Tablet

2011-01-04T08:31:01Z

An image provided by Toshiba shows the Toshiba Tablet. The Japanese computer and flat-screen TV maker is set to unveil the tablet at the annual International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week. (AP Photo/Toshiba)

Copyrigh...

UFC 125 Mixed Martial Arts

2011-01-02T00:00:58Z

Frankie Edgar reacts as his fight against Gray Maynard is declared a draw shortly after their UFC lightweight mixed martial arts title match Saturday, Jan. 1, 2011 at The MGM Grand Garden Arena in

Nevada Pot Shops

2010-12-29T15:01:29Z

In this photo taken Thursday, Dec. 9, 2010, empty bottles for cola containing THC, known as consumables, are pictured in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

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