[von949]

Mod, please edit the title, too many "cans".

Another one of those articles. I seem to be drawn to these.

Are We Picking Up Where We Left Off? | Vegas Seven

At the beginning of the year, economists were pleased to report that Las Vegas unemployment had fallen to 10 percent. That such a number could on any level please anyone is, of course, a sign of these life-after-the-fall times. At our low point, unemployment flirted with 15 percent. So, while we’re still badly bruised, the cast at least seems ready to come off. Among other indicators of relative progress: Florida surpassed Nevada as the foreclosure capital of the U.S.; the Silver State’s health care system rose out of the nation’s bottom 10; and Las Vegas hotels inched back up toward the 90 percent occupancy of the mid-aughts.

The Fate of Our Infrastructure | Vegas Seven
The Coming Tsunami in Education | Vegas Seven
A Luxury Town in Search of Disposable Income
Community Starts With Commitment | Vegas Seven
Water Will Keep Us in Check | Vegas Seven
Wanted: A New Economic Paradigm | Vegas Seven

[MSchu]

I think so... I think this time the local economy is SLIGHTLY more diversified, and continuing to move that way.

there is so much opportunity for manufacturing companies to come here with our labor base, I hope the government can CONTINUE to attract attractive business'

[irishspy]

Thanks Vonn for posting this info. I know I rub some people the wrong way on these subjects but I have experienced seeing other areas of the USA make changes to survive. I believe the state of Nevada is going in the correct direction in most areas to improve but their are some challenges that will take one or two generations to see a positive result especially in education. The inner structure of tourism is going to change because the people with the most money to do so will dictate what that looks like. The way of doing tourist business is going to change also. Las Vegas has not become a multi cultural city but if the influx of new foreign theme resorts happens expect a population increase of many other cultures. This happen on the east coast especially in the NJ and New England area. Hopefully the employment infra structure is just not tourism bases. I see that not happening in Down town LV they are bringing in Tech companies and the spin off businesses changing that area very quickly. I see many plus signs for LV and Nevada for the future hopefully everyone can change with it.

[von949]

Can anyone imagine what this city would look like if the recession would have never happened?


Posted from Nokia 8210

[ScoopLV]

We can play "what if" all day. But the reality is that this city hasn't changed an iota. One new industry -- Zappos -- isn't "diversification."

Our schools are still near the top of all the lists we don't want to be on, and at the bottom of those we do. Our population doesn't care about infrastructure or education, only that their taxes are low.

So, this is as good as it's going to get. Las Vegas will never improve. Next time the country is hit with a financial crisis, Las Vegas will again feel the pinch. We will continue to exist only to suck money away from the rest of the country. And if the rest of the country ever wises up to that, this place will be a ghost town within a decade.

[binionrat]

A little more effort to suck the $ from other COUNTRIES is on the up and up too - Asians, Australians, Canadians for example is happening now. There is a lot more vegas.com advertising showing up here on our Canadian tv and radio stations lately too. Whatever happened to the junkets that used to to fly Canadians down for free in the 80's (2 1/2 hr flights approx) and all you had to do was show a couple thousand dollars or so that you were willing to gamble with. I remember going to Reno and LV on these junkets all the time in my younger years...They'd leave on Friday after work and bring you home late Saturday night or on Sunday. Perhaps the hotels could start that up again. I think the marketing to Asians (new hotel theme etc.) and the promotions by Nevada tourism with out-of-country tourist agents is still moving forward to promote LV in record speeds and I think LV could be a boom town again in the future despite what's happening in the rest of the US. A lot of LV real estate is being sold to Asians, Canadians and other foreigners (we bought in LV and many of our friends have purchased in Nevada and Arizona too in the last year) and although I don't have stats, I believe that is on the up and up. I see a lot of real estate advertised in our newspapers too...Not actually listings, but contacts to buy foreclosures and properties so I think LV must be ready for that influx of foreigners...which they seem to do as everybody I have met are extremely friendly and I love our neighbors when we get to come down and vacation throughout the year and enjoy our condo.

[Everdeen]

Just curious, Von, why only Vegas Seven sources? As a teacher, I was interested in the education article, but it turns out, was just an op ed and I think some of the author's presumptions were false. Isn't Vegas Seven an entertainment magazine?

[lvoc]

Actually it is pretty clear we will do much better in the short term at least.

The Las Vegas situation was virtually perfect to maximize the impact of the recession. It is unlikely that we are going to return to that circumstance.

Our industrial plant is of course the strip. But we had another huge industry - growth. It is likely that the growth will come back in time but no way like it was. So we will have a much more stable economy. We will still be subject to the impact of the national economy but we will not have the growth crash at anywhere near the level of the mid 2000s.

I also think education needs more money and emphasis. The problem is throughout the SW but still it would be nice to see some progress.

And I would not short the downtown drive of Hsieh et al. Those thought of thing often catch on over a span of years.

But it is clear we are coming back and things are getting better day by day.

[ScoopLV]

Originally Posted by Everdeen

Just curious, Von, why only Vegas Seven sources? As a teacher, I was interested in the education article, but it turns out, was just an op ed and I think some of the author's presumptions were false. Isn't Vegas Seven an entertainment magazine?

Vegas Seven and Las Vegas Weekly are the two best long-feature news sources in the valley. Do you expect hard-hitting journalism from the RJ? The RJ writers are too busy waving their pom-poms to write anything negative about this city. They'll gladly point out problems in Washington D.C., or neighboring states. But write anything but love letters about Las Vegas? Forget it.

[Everdeen]

Originally Posted by ScoopLV

Vegas Seven and Las Vegas Weekly are the two best long-feature news sources in the valley. Do you expect hard-hitting journalism from the RJ? The RJ writers are too busy waving their pom-poms to write anything negative about this city. They'll gladly point out problems in Washington D.C., or neighboring states. But write anything but love letters about Las Vegas? Forget it.

I'll give them a second look the next time I see one. For some reason, I had it in my head that they were entertainment tabloids. I asked my husband and he said the same thing. But I'll look again.

I read the RJ and The Las Vegas Sun. A lot of times just to get different perspectives. I just find it better to use a wide variety of news sources since they all have their own agenda.

*shrug*