[lvoc]

I don't believe I could realistically have carried on my working career in Las Vegas. It might have worked but it would be a one shot. At mid career I did look around a good bit...but it was LA and Dallas and Phoenix and Boston that came up...

The town is not a good place for hardware and software engineering. There are some operations in gaming and games and spooky stuff. But my bag was hardware, and embedded software and physics. Just not the place. When I decided to admit I had burned out and retire LV swiftly got to the top of my list. It was close enough to LA...yet not too close. We took a trial spin at Hawaii, our other high spot, but that cured us. So if I was a technical type I would avoid LV unless I had hit that level where the US is your field of view. If there is even a question about who pays for relocation you are not far up enough to go to Vegas.

[Buzz123]

Originally Posted by Datafeed

Las Vegas does lack higher end white collar jobs. Las Vegas is largely a service orientated town that revolves around vices.

The strippers and hookers in Vegas likely earn --and certainly keep-- more of their income than many professionals.

LV is a place that you either like or don't.

I can see how people could fall on either side of the coin.

Datafeed, Will Rogers said we are all ignorant, it's just that we are all ignorant of different things. So without meaning to insult you, you are being ignorant of this town with those remarks which aren't even close to the truth. That's as bad as the people the OP is talking about.

Las Vegas IS a service oriented town since it is a resort town, but there is no shortage of "high end" white collar jobs here. It's like any other city except we have more resorts ...but in no way is that all we do here.

[ScoopLV]

Originally Posted by Buzz123

Datafeed, Will Rogers said we are all ignorant, it's just that we are all ignorant of different things. So without meaning to insult you, you are being ignorant of this town with those remarks which aren't even close to the truth. That's as bad as the people the OP is talking about.

Las Vegas IS a service oriented town since it is a resort town, but there is no shortage of "high end" white collar jobs here. It's like any other city except we have more resorts ...but in no way is that all we do here.

And the resorts have more resort managers, which is a very high-paying job indeed.

One issue, though. While resorts isn't "all we do," this place would be a gas station on the way to California if it weren't for the resorts. It's hard to deny they're our raison d'etre.

[lvoc]

Originally Posted by ScoopLV

And the resorts have more resort managers, which is a very high-paying job indeed.

One issue, though. While resorts isn't "all we do," this place would be a gas station on the way to California if it weren't for the resorts. It's hard to deny they're our raison d'etre.

No it would not be a gas station on the way to CA. It has a nice climate and a good supply of water...therefore a reasonable size city.

The resort is our steel mill. And there is no reason to apologize for it. It is a great attraction leading to salaries and jobs equaled by few places.

I still consider it a shame we don't parley that resource into something bigger...but perhaps it is better to be content with what is rather than what might be...

[Buzz123]

Originally Posted by lvoc

I don't believe I could realistically have carried on my working career in Las Vegas. It might have worked but it would be a one shot. At mid career I did look around a good bit...but it was LA and Dallas and Phoenix and Boston that came up...

The town is not a good place for hardware and software engineering. There are some operations in gaming and games and spooky stuff. But my bag was hardware, and embedded software and physics. Just not the place. When I decided to admit I had burned out and retire LV swiftly got to the top of my list. It was close enough to LA...yet not too close. We took a trial spin at Hawaii, our other high spot, but that cured us. So if I was a technical type I would avoid LV unless I had hit that level where the US is your field of view. If there is even a question about who pays for relocation you are not far up enough to go to Vegas.

I don't know what your early career was but as far as software and hardware engineering, there is a lot of it here, but much of it (not all of it) is in the field of gaming, entertainment, travel and ticketing, etc. A couple of friends originally from my small West Virginia home town started the business that Ticket Masters now owns here in Las Vegas. And in the beginning, starting in the 1970s, they had to develop software for all of that, and it's much more complicated than you would imagine. It's very complex as a matter of fact.

Most gaming equipment used throughout the world, such as slot and poker machines, and whatever, are manufactured in Las Vegas, and the computers to run them were developed here. It's a pretty big deal. Stage lighting and sound is also pretty high tech, and being in the TV production business, I remember innovators here in town from as far back as the 60's ...probably further back, but that's when I showed up. We had a computer game developer here, but I don't know if they are still here. Banks have developed software here. It goes on and on. We are not the rubes some of you think we are. Not realizing that this is a major city is what this thread is about, but even the people replying to the OP don't seem to have a handle on just how high tech this city is ...and it has to be to survive.

[lvoc]

Originally Posted by Buzz123

I don't know what your early career was but as far as software and hardware engineering, there is a lot of it here, but much of it (not all of it) is in the field of gaming, entertainment, travel and ticketing, etc. A couple of friends originally from my small West Virginia home town started the business that Ticket Masters now owns here in Las Vegas. And in the beginning, starting in the 1970s, they had to develop software for all of that, and it's much more complicated than you would imagine. It's very complex as a matter of fact.

Most gaming equipment used throughout the world, such as slot and poker machines, and whatever, are manufactured in Las Vegas, and the computers to run them were developed here. It's a pretty big deal. Stage lighting and sound is also pretty high tech, and being in the TV production business, I remember innovators here in town from as far back as the 60's ...probably further back, but that's when I showed up. We had a computer game developer here, but I don't know if they are still here. Banks have developed software here. It goes on and on. We are not the rubes some of you think we are. Not realizing that this is a major city is what this thread is about, but even the people replying to the OP don't seem to have a handle on just how high tech this city is ...and it has to be to survive.

Nope. Sorry Buzz. Stick to what you know. I doubt very much there was a single processor ever developed in Las Vegas. I am sure there was some software done. And that there is even a specialized industry in the software for gaming. But I doubt the entire city and industry did as much as my organizations did over the same period. And we were one company out of 15 or 20 active in the field.

There are certainly lots of software packages. We had a client who apparently made a fortune automating the sports book. So sure there was that sort of development. But that is small scale stuff where the cleverness is in the entrepreneur conception.

And Las Vegas is well staffed with the normal computer folk who support business and industry.

And I suspect you will find that only a small part of the electronic hardware was done locally. Much easier to run down to LA then try and get it done in town. I am sure some of the manufacturers here maintained a skill base for the gaming equipment. But it is relatively small.

[irishspy]

Most people who make the remark of why are you moving there have never been to LV. They are the ones who also believe Native Americans still live in Teepees it is over 100 degrees year around in LV it is full of snakes and scorpions and there is no water or trees. These same people play the states lottery with a passion with odds of 1 in 176 million chance to win but who also think casinos are evil lol. They must enjoy paying outrageous school and land tax and also put up with the miserable weather. The ironic thing is most people want to visit once they hear about where you are moving to. Like I told them I am moving to LV to live and I do not own the place so plan on paying you way if you show up.

[Nurse B]

Originally Posted by Datafeed

Las Vegas does lack higher end white collar jobs. Las Vegas is largely a service orientated town that revolves around vices.

The strippers and hookers in Vegas likely earn --and certainly keep-- more of their income than many professionals.

LV is a place that you either like or don't.

I can see how people could fall on either side of the coin.

With all due respect, I think you missed the boat on my post. People can fall on either side of the coin and that's OK. I wasn't remarking on her thoughts about LV, merely her inappropriate and awkward timing in bringing them up.

[Nurse B]

Originally Posted by Siduri

I have been experiencing the same thing. I get a lot of "but...where are you going to LIVE?". As if everything happens on the strip and there are no communities. But my favorite was quite literally all of my extended family members asking the same thing at a family gathering: "What are you going to do with your MBA out there? I didn't think too many jobs in Vegas needed that much education...". We'll ignore the fact that I've worked for my mother's very successful company for two years and don't plan on changing that, but they were looking at me as if the only jobs in Vegas were Stripper, Prostitute, and possibly Bartender. Unreal.

LOL, every girl who goes there becomes one of the hot girls who shows up at your doorstep on the strip in 15 minutes or less? Why yes, I'm going to give up my successful nursing career to hop on the pole. haha Yes, people have no idea that anything exists but the strip in this region.

[Nurse B]

Originally Posted by MediocreButArrogant

Clearly they are woefully uninformed about the employment picture in Las Vegas. They missed "limo drivers". I mean, who do they think drives around all the prostitutes?

ha!