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18 BLUE TURNS SILVER ON
Over 25 blockbuster years, the Blue Man Group has made its mark in the entertainment scene and the Vegas community.
COVER ART
Photograph by Christopher DeVargas
14 ENTERTAINING
Kick off summer with a pool party tailored to your crowd.
26 NEWS
Strip casino shareholders ramp up calls to research the economic benefits of nonsmoking policies.
28 SPORTS
Early practices only increase expectations for Raiders rookie running back Ashton Jeanty.
30 THE STRIP
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ Jessi Ngatikaura dishes ahead of the group’s live show at Venetian.
32 COMEDY
After seven years at the Rio, Comedy Cellar proves that New York grit translates to Vegas.
34 FOOD & DRINK
Browsing and devouring Asian grocery chain H Mart’s local debut.
SUPERGUIDE
Want More? Visit us at lasvegasweekly.com.
Lisa Lisa brings dancefloor hits to Orleans Arena, Grey Witch hosts a benefit concert for the homeless and more happening this week.
Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty during rookie minicamp at Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center in Henderson on May 9.
(Steve Marcus/Staff/ Photo illustration)
SUPERGUIDE
THURSDAY JUN 5
ROD STEWART
7:30 p.m., & 6/7-6/8, the Colosseum, ticketmaster.com
MINISTRY
With Die Krupps, My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult, 6:30 p.m., House of Blues, concerts. livenation.com
NINJA KIDZ LIVE
7 p.m., Lee’s Family Forum, axs.com
JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT
Thru 6/7, 8 p.m., Spring Mountain Ranch State Park, supersummer theatre.org
JESUS SEPULVEDA 7:30 p.m., Wiseguys Town Square, wiseguyscomedy. com
With Godluck, 1mposter, 10 p.m., Substance, seetickets.us
FRIDAY JUN 6
LISA LISA
Talk about building a foundation: Puerto Rican pop star Lisa Lisa forged the freestyle movement with the popular ’80s group Lisa Lisa and the Cult Jam, producing classic dancefloor cuts like “Can You Feel the Beat” and “I Wonder If I Take You Home.” The latter has been sampled or interpolated by everyone from Mariah Carey and Missy Elliott to Kylie Minogue—in case you were wondering just how far this singer’s cultural influence goes. She’s back onstage this year with the Take You Home tour in celebration of that 40-yearold hit, stopping in Las Vegas along with star-studded support from legendary freestyle girl group Exposé, R&B star Montell Jordan, “It Takes Two” rapper Rob Base and Atlanta hip-hop duo Tag Team. 7 p.m., $54-$110, Orleans Arena, ticketmaster.com. –Amber Sampson
HENDERSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: JOHN WILLIAMS MOVIE MUSIC
PEPPER With Cydeways, 8 p.m., Event Lawn at Virgin, etix.com
AURELIO VOLTAIRE
9 p.m., Backstage Bar & Billiards, seetickets.us
JAZZE PHA With DJ Quicksilva, Izzy the DJ, noon, Drai’s Beachclub, draisgroup.com
AFROJACK 10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynnsocial.com
MARTIN GARRIX With Justin Mylo, 10:30 p.m., Omnia Nightclub, taogroup.com
JOHN SUMMIT 10:30 p.m., LIV Nightclub, livnightclub.com
LOUIS THE CHILD 10:30 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zouk grouplv.com
TOKYO MACHINE 10 p.m., Discopussy, tixr.com
JOE KAY 10 p.m., Substance, seetickets.us
SATURDAY JUN 7
TYLER CHILDERS
With Hayes Carll, 8 p.m., MGM Grand Garden Arena, axs.com
SHERYL CROW
8 p.m., the Chelsea, ticketmaster.com
MAXI PRIEST
8 p.m., Westgate International Theater, ticketmaster.com
BUJU BANTON
8 p.m., PH Live, ticketmaster.com
LUDACRIS
8 p.m., M Pool, ticketmaster.com
COCO JONES
7:30 p.m., House of Blues, ticketmaster.com
BONE THUGS-NHARMONY
8 p.m., Event Lawn at Virgin, etix.com
BUCKCHERRY
9 p.m., Fremont Street Experience, vegasexperience. com
DAVID COOK
8 p.m., Chrome Showroom, ticketmaster.com
BOOKER T. JONES
5 & 8 p.m., Myron’s, thesmithcenter.com
SLUMBERING SUN With Sonolith, Wicked Reign, Radio Cowboy, 8 p.m., Dive Bar, tickettailor.com
CASA DE BRUJAS With Ronnie Stone, Pitch After Dark, Radio Vampire, 8 p.m., the Usual Place, dice.fm
JOHNNY RUIZ & THE ESCAPERS With Los So Lows, 9 p.m., Swan Dive, swandivelv.com
DL HUGHLEY
8 p.m., Pearl Concert Theater, ticketmaster.com
MOMTOK LIVE 10 p.m., Palazzo Theatre, ticketmaster.com
FIRST SATURDAY
10 a.m., Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum, ritadeaninabbey museum.org
KASKADE Noon, Ayu Dayclub, zoukgrouplv.com
WIZ KHALIFA
Noon, Drai’s Beachclub, draisgroup.com
DIPLO 11 a.m., Encore Beach Club, wynnsocial.com
TIËSTO
11 a.m., Tao Beach Dayclub, taogroup. com
ILLENIUM
10:30 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zoukgrouplv.com
CHROMEO
7 p.m., Citrus Grand Pool Deck, eventbrite.com
2 CHAINZ
10:30 p.m., Drai’s Nightclub, draisgroup.com
DEADMAU5 10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynnsocial.com
ZEDD
10:30 p.m., Omnia Nightclub, taogroup.com
LEE FOSS
10 p.m., Discopussy, tixr.com
THEIR HOME TOO FEST IV
Las Vegas gets loud and lends a helping hand with Their Home Too Fest IV, a grassroots music festival hosted by Pigeon Hat Collective alongside Las Vegas Liberation, Fifth Sun Project, and the city’s newest venue, Grey Witch. Uncover your new favorite local artist as MSMRS, 2Dayz, Sanalba, Pool Party, The Rumors and Appleseed break in this stage. All proceeds support a four-year food share effort that’s served more than 13,500 meals to the Valley’s unhoused population since its launch. It’s DIY with purpose. Come for the sound, stay for the mission, and don’t sleep on Grey Witch’s Detroit-style pizzas and stiff drinks. 5 p.m., $10, Grey Witch, greywitchlv. com. –Gabriela Rodriguez
SUPERGUIDE
MONDAY JUN 9
COMMON KINGS
With Sammy J, 10 a.m., Palms Pool, palms.com
PINKII
With Melissa Brooks, Robopup, Eve Evergarden, 8 p.m., the Usual Place, dice.fm
STEPHEN MARLEY
7 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl, ticketmaster. com.
DESERT ROOTS RISING STARS FESTIVAL
Now powered by its own nonprofit organization, this second annual music festival features a series of free performances celebrating student musicians in Southern Nevada, complemented by guest artists from orchestras and organizations around the world who have Vegas connections. Desert Roots Rising Stars o ers mentorship and education for the young performers while the community gets to engage with classical masterpieces and contemporary and pop compositions at venues such as the Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum, Freyboy Art Salon and Christ Church Episcopal. And donations and support are welcome to help guide these artistic journeys. Thru 6/14, dates & venues vary, desert rootsrisingstars.org. –Brock Radke a
NEKROGOBLIKON
With Revocation, Ov Sulfur, Exmortus, 7 p.m., Backstage Bar & Billiards, seetickets.us
MARTIN MORENO 7:30 p.m., Wiseguys Town Square, wiseguyscomedy. com
STEVE AOKI 11 a.m., Palm Tree Beach Club, taogroup.com
D.O.D. 11 a.m., LIV Beach, livnightclub.com
EXHIBIT: STORIES FROM BACKSTAGE: CIRQUE DU SOLEIL IN LAS VEGAS Thru 7/17, Mon.-Thu. 7 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Las Vegas City Hall Grand Gallery, neon museum.org
MONDAYS DARK
8 p.m., the Space, mondaysdark. com
MILES V Noon, Fergusons Downtown, fergusons downtown.com
DARA JAZZLYN
7 p.m., Maxan Jazz, maxanjazz.com
JAY REID Thru 6/15, 8 p.m., LA Comedy Club, bestvegas comedy.com
JUSTIN CREDIBLE 10:30 p.m., Jewel Nightclub, taogroup. com
(Courtesy/Mike Lue)
SUPERGUIDE
LAS VEGAS AVIATORS VS. SALT LAKE BEES Thru 6/14, 7 p.m., Las Vegas Ballpark, ticketmaster. com
SERPENTINE FIRE
7 p.m., Myron’s, thesmithcenter. com
KEITH THOMPSON’S PIANO PARTY 6 p.m., Composers Room, thecom posersroom.com
LOUD LUXURY 10:30 p.m., Omnia Nightclub, taogroup.com
CARLOS MENCIA 10 p.m., & 6/11, Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club, ticketmaster.com
SATURDAY JUNE 21
LAS VEGAS PHILHARMONIC & TERRY FATOR
LAS VEGAS ACES VS. LA SPARKS
7 p.m., Michelob Ultra Arena, axs.com
JAZZ VEGAS ORCHESTRA: THE MUSIC OF NATHAN TANOUYE 7 p.m., Myron’s, thesmithcenter.com
MOONSHINERS With Default Valentine, 6 p.m., Downtown Summerlin, summerlin.com
PRIDE HOUSE PARTY 7 p.m., Kassi Beach House, kassibeach.com
DILLON FRANCIS 10:30 p.m., Encore Beach Club, wynnsocial.com
*Spotlight events are sponsored a PARADE Thru 6/13, 7:30 p.m. (& 6/14-6/15, times vary), Reynolds Hall, thesmithcenter. com. (Courtesy/Joan Marcus)
There are two Terry Fators. One is the headliner at the Strat, the ventriloquist and impressionist called the man of 100 voices. And then there is the one who can sing Broadway showstoppers, American standards and his own original songs brilliantly (while actually moving his lips). This is the Terry Fator who joins the Las Vegas Philharmonic, in concert as you’ve never seen him before: in his own voice. 6/21, 7:30 p.m., Reynolds Hall, thesmithcenter.com.
ENTERTAINING POOL PARTY
S CIAL SOAK
Kick o summer with a pool party tailored to your crowd
BY GABRIELA RODRIGUEZ
As we shed the nal layers of spring and slip into the long stretch of summer, a more radiant, social version of ourselves swims to the surface. And what better way to welcome that sun-drunk energy than by gathering your peeps for a day-long poolside a air?
Whether you’re looking to keep it PG or curating a grown-up summer soirée, the key to a killer pool party is planning around the vibe. So, rst things rst: Is this a kid-friendly fest, or an adult-only hang? Once that’s nailed down, everything else, from food to oats, can fall into place.
PREP YOUR SPACE. Before you even think about blowing up the flamingo raft, clean the pool, sweep the patio, check the chlorine levels and stock up on clean towels for your guests. Think ahead about seating (loungers, picnic blankets, even inflatable chairs) and shaded zones. Nobody wants to be the first sunburn casualty of summer. If kids are coming, have some children’s life vests ready to go. Don’t forget to make sure your first aid kit is fully stocked.
SOAK
FEED THE BEAST.
Snacks are the social glue of any good pool party. Chips and dips are mandatory. Fruit spreads, popsicles and a punch bowl are easy crowd-pleasers. Get the grill going for burgers (don’t sleep on veggie options), hot dogs, shrimp skewers, veggie kabobs or anything else that screams “grill me.” For cold sides, bust out some ceviche, caprese sticks, watermelon feta salad and maybe a pasta salad. Bonus points for a cheeky charcuterie board that floats. Just be sure to keep your victuals in the shade when it’s serving time. A general food safety tip: keep the cold foods cold and hot foods hot.
SIP IN THE SUN.
On the beverage front, keep it light and fruity. Margaritas, mojitos, tiki concoctions, hard seltzers and sangria. For the non-drinkers or those who are underage, serve up some mocktails, aguas frescas or soda floats. If you’ll have kids running around (or drunk adults), you might want to consider a glass container ban and go with all cans or plastic bottles.
PICK A THEME.
Themes can guide your decor, music, food, and even dress code. Here’s a few to consider: For kid-centric swims, lean into “Under the Sea,” pirates and mermaids, or a good ol’ fashioned luau. For the 21+ crowd, think Miami Vice (pastels and synth-pop), tiki time, or floaties and frosé. For something more laid back you can never go wrong with a backyard fiesta—the perfect excuse to crack open some cold cervezas and fire up the grill for carne asada.
ENJOY A NIGHT SWIM.
CHICKEN FIGHT
Even as the sun starts to set, that doesn’t mean the party has to end. String up some lights, set up a s’mores station and gather ‘round as you wade into the evening with a wind-down playlist and a final dip in the pool with the last people standing—or swimming.
A timeless pool favorite, the chicken fight brings out everyone’s competitive spirit. This game is played in teams of two, one person acts as the base while the other climbs on their shoulders. You know how it goes—lock hands and try to knock your opponents into the water without falling in yourself.
POOLSIDE TRIVIA
FLOATIE RACES
Turn your pool day into a battle of wits with a game of trivia. Designate a host who stays dry and asks the questions, while the platers float or stand in the shallow end. Tailor the questions to your group’s interests like movies and music. Correct answers keep players in the game, but a wrong answer means a splashy consequence like having to dunk yourself or take a sip of your drink.
This is not Olympic swimming; it’s absurdity at its wettest. Inflatable unicorns, donuts or oversized tacos, whatever floats your boat. Line up, push o , and flail your way to victory. The only rule you need to abide by is to not fall o your plastic float. And above all, don’t take it too seriously. The real win is making it across without going belly up. Loser has to fetch the next round of drinks from the cooler!
EFFORT
Blue Man Group celebrates 25 weird but influential years in Las Vegas
BY GEOFF CARTER
A strange thing happens when you talk to the Blue Man Group organization about their namesake men: If they can help it, no one uses the pronouns “I” or “we.” They artfully eschew them.
move in with any particular piece.”
But to this outsider—an average, esh-colored man with a tiny bit of Latin seasoning—it appears that everyone in the BMG organization believes, wholeheartedly, that Blue Men are bigger than they are. They’re a bit awed by them.
Byron Estep, BMG’s artistic director, calls any given Blue Man “the character,” as does Kalen Allmandinger, the captain of the performing company. Allmandinger appears onstage at Luxor, in the makeup, and still refers to the Blue Men as being something outside of himself.
There are a few reasons they do that. The rst, and most obvious, is that the Men don’t speak; everything they communicate is done through action, facial expressions and lots and lots and lots of nuanced gestures. (Even in a Reddit “Ask Me Anything” chat from eight years back, they answered questions with interpretive photos. My favorite: In answer to “Which one of you hooked up with my friend Amy?,” a Blue Man forlornly holds up a whiteboard reading, “Hey Amy, I’ll never forget U. [Heart], Center.”)
And as the Luxor show celebrates 25 years in Las Vegas—a milestone silver anniversary that few Strip productions without “Cirque” in their title ever reach—it’s a good time for us to be awed by Blue Man Group, too.
You can see their in uence everywhere: In shows like the Jabbawockeez’ Strip production; in interactive attractions like those at Area15, where Chris Wink has a glow-in-the-dark funhouse called Wink World; and they appear, in paint and in action, throughout Vegas’ nuts and bolts. The Blue Man Group is part of the city’s visual identity. They begin eyeballing you the second you land at Harry Reid.
Another reason is that the founders of the company, the three original Blue Men—Matt Goldman, Phil Stanton and Chris Wink—no longer perform in the show. But the primary reason appears to be that to be part of BMG is to be part of a larger, creatively integrated whole.
“It’s always [been] a big collaborative e ort,” Allmandinger says. “When Chris, Matt and Phil were still frontand-center running the company, they were very active about seeking out input. We would have rehearsals together where we would just workshop ideas, and they would kind of act as directors to pick and choose the direction we were going to
“It’s funny, as theater has evolved over the last 30 years, to see things that we did—you know, breaking the fourth wall, interrupting the show, involving the audience, things that were once considered very taboo and were extremely surprising to people—it’s interesting to see them now incorporated into other people’s shows,” says Estep, who formerly performed in the show himself. “In the old days we kind of talked about [how] what we do is a multi-dimensional experience that happens in a theater. It’s not a play; it’s not a theater show. … It’s like a hybrid of a rock concert, a theatrical show and maybe a more abstract, vaudeville type of experience. It’s a mishmash of a lot of di erent things. And just because it happens in a theater doesn’t mean we have to play by those rules.”
THE (BLUE) DAWN OF MAN
Blue Man Group came together in New York City in 1987. Longtime friends Goldman, Stanton and Wink put the concept together over a series of salon-style “happenings” around the city, which they eventually shaped into a production that made its o -Broadway debut at the Astor Place Theatre in November 1991. It would run in that theater for nearly 34 years, nally closing in February 2025. Goldman, Stanton and Wink per-
BLUE MAN GROUP Daily, 5 & 8 p.m., $68+. Luxor, blueman.com.
formed the rst three years of that show without understudies. They were constantly blue. Soon, however, there were lots of Blue Men beyond the OG three, which allowed BMG to expand to Boston and Chicago in productions named Tubes, after the cool handmade PVC tube instruments the Men still play on stage, using at mallets to push air through the pipes. That alone is arguably worth the price of a ticket. (While we’re talking about the Chicago shows: You can unearth both a historical document and some good laughs by doing a web search for “Blue Man Group Radio Spots.” You’ll nd the surreal, hilarious ads they used to advertise this unexplainable show. And while you’re online, look for a TikTok video of Blue Man Group called “We’re back,” which features some of the cast members out of makeup. Sample comments: “They have no business being this ne,” and “My new favorite thing to ask people is, ‘Did you know the Blue Men Group are hot?’”)
Because anything worth doing is worth doing in a pointy building with a spotlight at the top, the Blue Man Group came to Luxor Las Vegas in January 2000 with a show called Blue Man Group: Live at Luxor. Since then, the show hopped around the Strip before returning to Luxor; Cirque du Soleil has acquired the Blue Man Group LLC; Las Vegas’ “family entertainment” era has largely vanished from memory; BMG-inspired interactive shows like De La Guarda and Fuerza Bruta have appeared in Vegas and disappeared almost as suddenly; and the New York and Chicago runs of BMG ended, now replaced by productions in Berlin, Boston, Orlando and Spain’s Canary Islands.
Through it all, the most unlikely thing happened. Las Vegas, a city not previously known for theatrical innovation, managed to hold onto this weird azure production for a quarter-century. The why of it isn’t that hard to gure out.
“It’s just a good show,” says Antonio Aguirre, a member of the propulsive musical combo that backs the Men on stage. “I think that’s evidenced by the fact that I’ve played it who knows how many times—a lot, like, a lot—and I’ve seen the show a lot, and it’s still enjoyable. It’s still funny. It still kicks ass. It’s great. And I think people feel that way regardless of where they come from. We’ve been able to do the show all over the world, and people love it because the character is transcendent. You don’t need to speak [the language] to get the jokes or to get the premise.”
If you’ve yet to see the Blue Man Group—if all you know of them are the ubiquitous bald blue heads, checking you out from billboards and taxicabs—I confess I’m hesitant to tell you exactly what you’re in for. But I can recommend the show, wholeheartedly, on these merits: It’s funny, hilariously so at times; it’s interactive, invasively so at times; it’s unpredictable, wildly so at times; it’s loud, head-bangingly so at times. Like Looney Tunes cartoons of old, it’s engaging for young audiences and contains plenty of ohno-they-didn’t moments for older audiences. And it’s clever in a way that makes you feel smarter for following along with it.
“I couldn’t even see Blue Man going to Vegas [in 2000],” Chris Wink said to the Weekly shortly after the 2021 opening of his splendid psychedelic freakout at Area15, Wink World. “When we came in, we said, ‘This is either going to be the worst idea ever or it’s going
to be really interesting.’ And the fact that we weren’t like everything else made it interesting for people. People really do have a desire to see something new.”
The truly weird thing is that Blue Man Group’s Luxor show still feels new. Shortly before I began working on this story, I realized that I hadn’t seen the show in decades. It didn’t seem that way to me, because the boldness of the show—its lingering, indelible newness—had stuck fast; entire skits and musical numbers existed in my memory nearly intact.
I watched the show again just before I began writing, and while it was familiar to me, it also felt fresh and surprising and ageless. At no point did I feel like I was watching a show that’s carbon-dated to the late Bill Clinton period. And yeah, the sketches have changed with the times—the show now contains references to mobile devices and other current technologies—but the immediacy of Blue Man Group’s show isn’t in its references. It’s in the playful attitudes of monochromatic stars. To paraphrase an immortal city tourism slogan, what happens with Blue Man Group could only happen with Blue Men.
“The character is such a unique presence,” Allmandinger says of the Blue Men’s wide-eyed wonder and good-natured chaos.
“There are certain similarities [in what he does] with clowning and mime, but we don’t use those terms because clowning and mime are specific kinds of artforms, with a very long heritage and specific ways to go about
“It’s just a good show. ... It’s still funny. It still kicks ass. It’s great. And I think people feel that way regardless of where they come from. We’ve been able to do the show all over the world, and people love it because the character is transcendent.”
-Antonio Aguirre, Blue Man Group band member
them. There are Blue Man performers who have histories in those fields. … But it’s kind of our version, which came about over years of doing the show.”
Estep, the creative director, adds that the Blue Men’s interpretations of three key tropes define the show.
“We’re sort of obsessed with certain themes,” he says. “One is humanity’s relationship with technology. Another thing that we’ve always been really obsessed with is art… You know, we use a Jasper Johns painting as a target, and the Men make abstract art throughout the show. It’s kind of an homage to the creative act and to the art world—but it’s also kind of making fun of art, because we never want to take anything too seriously. It’s sort of reminding people that making art is actually just a form of play. It should be fun. It’s not something you put on a wall in a museum and then you don’t touch it kind of thing.”
The final theme, the one that ties everything together, is connection with the audience. There are several episodes of audience interaction in Blue Man Group’s show, and yes, they’re awkward. But it’s a good kind of awkwardness, which Aguirre, the backing musician who enjoys watching the show when he’s not busy jamming out on zither or Chapman Stick, perfectly describes.
“The awkwardness is part of the show,” he says. “I think all the performers love that and tend to lean into it. If there’s kind of an awkward or uncomfortable moment, the Blue Men are really good about kind of curating that, trying to take something that would be a negative and make it more of a moment, into something funny or relatable.”
ENDLESS BLUE WORLD
One of the things the Blue Man Group did almost immediately after arriving in Las Vegas was … let’s call it “nesting.” Those three nonverbal fellows are tremendously social, and they have been right from the jump. In the early 2000s
Making music with PVC tubes. (Courtesy)
they appeared in passenger instruction videos at the airport. Members of the razor-sharp backing band perform on local stages; I remember seeing Elvis Lederer’s BMG offshoot band Uberschall at the Double Down Saloon regularly in the early aughts, and Aguirre plays in Tinnitus, a “solidly rock band” that plays the music of the 1990s and 2000s. And Wink World draws in curious throngs at Area15 every day.
But where BMG truly shines is in the charitable realm. The Men are quick to support organizations like Aid For AIDS of Nevada and Sunshine Kids; I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve seen them goofing around on a dais, in front of an oversized check. But one event stands out for Allmandinger, for both its charitable mission and its efforts to bring this loud, propulsive show to an audience that
The grand finale. (Courtesy)
couldn’t enjoy it otherwise.
“We have an ongoing relationship with Grant a Gift Autism Foundation, where we do sensory-friendly performances every year,” he says. (The next one is on June 29.) “It’s nice to be able to share the show with everybody possible. But if people have sensory issues, that could be hard. … We kind of customize the show a little bit, so it’s not quite as stimulating. The lights are a little muted, the music’s not quite as loud. Those audiences are just a joy to perform for.
“It’s nice to feel like you’re a part of the community,” he adds. “I’ve only been here for eight years, which is relatively short compared to how long Blue Man’s been in the community. But one of the things I was struck with when I got here was seeing how really integrated it was [with the local community]. You’re meet-
ing people from other shows, or the [Las Vegas Convention and Visitor Authority], or other institutions in town. It feels good to be a part of that.”
So it happened that three Blue Men came to America’s unlikeliest city, moved into a pyramid and stayed for 25 years. And if the Luxor stands, it’s hard to imagine Blue Men not occupying it. It’s their house. It’s their blue world. They could well be there in another quarter-century, celebrating a golden anniversary.
Estep thinks it’s not only possible, but a solid bet.
“If you had told me 25 or 30 years ago what we would be doing now—that we would be all over the world and we’d have all these different shows … I would never have believed it. It’s kind of incredible what’s happened. But we’re constantly branching out. … We’re definitely trying to continue to push that boundary of where the stage is, where the audience are. We’re trying to develop new musical avenues, new instruments and new media. There’s no world in which I can’t imagine Blue Man doing a movie or branching out into other media.
“The hard part about that is if we do it, we want to maintain the same experience. We want to figure out a way to create that same sense of unique, spontaneous interaction and connection with the character. So, I definitely think Blue Man Group is going to be around in 25 years, and probably not just as a theatrical show. The question is how we’re going to get there.”
Smoke drumming. (Courtesy)
LEGISLATURE
NEVADA LEGISLATURE APPROVES RECOGNIZING THE FRUIT LOOP AS HISTORICAL LANDMARK
The commercial area located around Paradise Road and East Naples Drive—informally known for decades as the Fruit Loop—has been a hub of the Las Vegas LGBTQ+ nightlife scene since the queer hangout Club Black Magic opened there in 1954. The Nevada Legislature formally recognized it as Clark County’s newest historical landmark by passing Senate Concurrent Resolution 2 on May 22. Introduced by Sen. Fabian Doñate and backed by 10 additional Democratic co-sponsors, the resolution encourages the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, the Nevada
Division of Tourism and the Nevada Department of Transportation to promote the Fruit Loop in marketing materials, on maps and through the installation of commemorative street signs nearby.
In a May 22 Instagram post, Doñate commemorated its success and wrote that he plans to work with the Clark County Commission “to establish a formalized cultural district around the Fruit Loop, with long-term plans for infrastructure improvements like better road safety, upgraded lighting and enhanced pedestrian access.” He also urged fol-
lowers to stay tuned for information about an upcoming event celebrating its newfound status.
Doñate previously likened the designation to that of Las Vegas’ Chinatown and joined other supporters in stressing the Fruit Loop’s cultural significance as the site of the Valley’s first openly gay social establishments. “They were safe spaces for many of our community members to gather and build connections at a time when such spaces were rare and deeply needed,” he told the Assembly Committee on Government Affairs on May 1. –Tyler Schneider
brary District presented Hip-Hop Storytime with cast members from touring Broadway musical Hamilton at Whitney Library on May 23. They were joined onstage by branch manager Billy Allen, who created the event as a fun way to engage children in reading through movement and rhythm.
(Courtesy/LVCCLD)
iHeartRadio Music Festival 2025 announces lineup
BY THE NUMBERS
GloRilla, Jelly Roll, John Fogerty and Justice are set to perform at this year’s iHeartRadio Music Festival at T-Mobile Arena on September 19 and 20—and the surprises don’t end there. On Friday night, Justice joins Lil Wayne, LL Cool J, Maroon 5, Tate McRae and more. Saturday’s showcase will feature Fogerty, Jelly Roll and GloRilla, alongside Mariah Carey, Bryan Adams, Ed Sheeran, Tim McGraw and others. Hulu will stream the epic weekender for those unable to attend. Tickets go on sale to the public on June 13 at 11 a.m. at axs.com –Amber Sampson
180,000
“The City of Las Vegas has never labeled itself as a sanctuary city. In fact, Mayor Shelley Berkley has said numerous times on the record that Las Vegas is not a sanctuary city, and that law enforcement and jail facilities comply with federal law. We are not sure why [the Department of Homeland Security] has classified Las Vegas in the manner it has. We hope to have conversations with those at the federal level to clear up this misunderstanding.”
–A City of Las Vegas statement responding to the DHS including “Las Vegas City” on a list of more than 500 “sanctuary jurisdictions” on May 29.
That’s the decrease in visitation in April compared to April 2024, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. It represents a 5.1% drop in tourism and the fourth consecutive month this year that visitation has dipped compared to last year.
MIC DROP
The Smith Center for the Performing Arts and the Las Vegas-Clark County Li-
Shareholder votes show an increased desire to study the fi nancial impact of nonsmoking policies in casinos
BY TYLER SCHNEIDER
It’s an early Friday morning before Memorial Day and the slots on the Park MGM casino oor are already chirping when former smoker Chris Nelson notices a distinct absence of the smell of cigarettes.
“A smoking ban? Cool! I quit four years ago,” the Wyoming visitor says, unaware that the property became the only smoke-free casino on the Las
SMOKE-FREE?
Vegas Strip in 2020.
Others say they don’t mind either way, but a handful cite the policy as a key in uence on their travel plans. Amy Chamberlain of California “wouldn’t even consider” staying elsewhere.
It’s been nearly two decades since Nevada legislators banned indoor smoking in public places, but the exceptions they made for businesses like casinos, bars, strip clubs and brothels remain intact. Aside from Park MGM,
Strip resorts have kept casino smoking in place since then, but recent shareholder votes suggest public opinion could be trending in favor of eliminating that allowance.
According to an American Lung Association analysis of CDC data, only 11.6% of Americans were regular cigarette smokers in 2022—a sharp drop from 42.6% in 1966 and 19.3% in 2010. Based on a 2024 poll from the Nevada Tobacco Control
and Smoke-Free Coalition, more than two-thirds of 800 registered Nevada voters now favor smoke-free casino policies. Participants were given an overview of counterarguments before weighing in, including concerns over casinos losing customers and revenue.
Not long after that nding went public, the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation (ANRF) and a handful of partners in the health care
(Photo Illustration)
industry who own shares in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Penn Entertainment and Wynn Resorts submitted shareholder proposals calling for investors to ask operators to “commission and disclose a report on the potential cost savings” of smokefree policies.
All but Penn attempted to block the question from appearing on their respective 2025 ballots, but each was overruled by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The ruling paved the way for 8.6% of Wynn shareholders to vote in favor of a smoke-free study on April 30, followed by 11% of Boyd shareholders on May 8. Caesars and Penn are set to hold similar votes on June 10 and 17, respectively.
While the June tallies are also unlikely to garner a favorable majority, ANRF advocacy director Bronson Frick nds optimism in the fact that the Wynn result guarantees the topic will be revisited in 2026.
“I think it’s the beginning of a process, but these votes tell us that, even when the company opposes the measure, a signicant percentage of investors are sending a signal that this issue is on their radar,” Frick says.
Anthony Lucas, a UNLV professor who spent a decade working as an operations analyst for MGM Grand, Palace Station and Harrah’s, believes the industry is still too “risk-averse” to go smoke-free without outside in uence.
“Casinos are the last bastion for indoor smoking, and they’re concerned about gaming revenues because they worry that gaming and smoking go together like peanut butter and jelly. But players aren’t going to leave. They never do,” Lucas says.
The theory that casino smoking bans will drive away business has also started to show wear. A 2022 report from Las Vegas-based C3 Gaming found that adopting smoke-free policies “no longer causes a dramatic
drop in gaming revenue,” while “non-smoking properties appear to be performing better.”
The results echoed a similar study by UNLV graduate Sojeong Lee, who examined the impact of a smoking ban at South Korea’s Kangwon Land casino in 2015. UNLV professor Ashok Singh, who helped Lee develop statistical models, says they found that the ban “didn’t really impact gaming volume.”
“The implication was that smoke-free casinos may save money by reducing costs for ventilation and employee health coverage,” Singh says.
Singh is puzzled by the industry’s hesitancy to explore that possibility. At the very least, he doesn’t “see any harm in doing a study,” and notes that UNLV researchers could do it for “no more than $25,000.”
Despite the CDC’s position
“I think it’s the beginning of a process, but these votes tell us that, even when the company opposes the measure, a signifi cant percentage of investors are sending a signal that this issue is on their radar.”
–Bronson Frick, advocacy director, American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation
that “separating smokers from nonsmokers, cleaning the air, and ventilating buildings cannot eliminate exposures of nonsmokers to secondhand smoke,” some resorts have opted to compromise by establishing separate non-smoking sections in their casinos.
Culinary Union secretary-treasurer Ted Pappageorge says the union has always prioritized member safety in contract negotiations, including advocating for improved ventilation. It also supports the smoke-free designation at Park MGM, where 1,400 of its 60,000 members work. Though it’s been “a few years” since the union surveyed members on smoking policies, he says they’re generally “mixed” on the issue.
ANRF’s Frick and UNLV’s Lucas say tribal casinos that went smoke-free after COVID saw little to no decline in revenue, while Frick points to a recent Spectrum Gaming newsletter in which the group walked back its earlier claim that Illinois—a state that banned casino smoking in 2008—was performing poorly in comparison to unregulated neighbors like Indiana.
Frick suspects that casino operators are willingly ignoring the signs.
“Nearly all commercial gaming operators never ask employees or customers about smoking status or preference. Why is that? One could wonder if it’s because they don’t want to know the answer,” he says.
Lucas believes it’s only a matter of time before smoking bans become the norm both on and o the Strip.
“I do think social pressures are going to force it at some point,” he says. “When it does happen, the bottom line is I think they’re going to be OK.”
Ashton Jeanty carries the ball after catching a pass at Raiders headquarters in Henderson on May 21. (Steve Marcus/Sta )
its inability to pick up yards on the ground was nothing out of the ordinary. In the ve seasons since moving Las Vegas, the Raiders have ranked better than 20th in yards per carry only once—in 2022 when then running back Josh Jacobs won the rushing title with a career year where he gained 1,653 yards.
That was the second-largest tally in franchise history—behind Marcus Allen’s 1,759-yard Most Valuable Player campaign in 1985—but Jeanty believes he can threaten the mark in his rst season.
AIMING HIGH
Early practices only increasing expectations for Raiders rookie running back Ashton Jeanty
BY CASE KEEFER
The passing game is almost always the focus of NFL teams’ initial, pre-training camp practices as part of o season activities in late May and early June.
Full-contact sessions are not yet permitted, and there’s only so much that can be gleaned about rushing attacks with the players in shorts and helmets without pads.
That’s not stopping anyone that’s been around the Raiders’ practices this year from trying. The 2025 Raiders have approached their rst few times on the eld together in the usual fashion, with 11-on-11 periods near-exclusively featuring new quarterback Geno Smith dropping back and scanning the eld against a rebuilt starting defensive secondary.
But attention amps up and heads turn on the rare occasions when he hands o . The cameras
during portions open to the media similarly are more drawn towards running back drills than the quarterbacks throwing.
It’s all because of rookie running back Ashton Jeanty, the Raiders’ No. 6 overall draft pick whom they expect to emerge as the focal point of the offense under new coach Pete Carroll and o ensive coordinator Chip Kelly.
“He’s doing great, he really is,” Carroll said of Jeanty. “He’s right on point with everything that we’re doing. He’s studying really hard. He’s been really diligent about all aspects. There’s nothing that he doesn’t nd important.”
The 21-year-old Heisman Trophy runner-up in his nal season at Boise State University is immediately tasked with turning around what’s been a moribund Las Vegas running game. The Raiders were last in the NFL a season ago in averaging 3.6 yards per rush attempt.
While that was a low moment for the franchise,
He recently told CBS Sports that his goal for his rookie season was 1,500 rushing yards, a bar just eight players in NFL history have topped, including none since the Dallas Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliott in 2016.
“I mean, I wouldn’t say I’d get 2,600 yards again (like at Boise State) right o the rip,” Jeanty told reporters. “But de nitely just be a great asset to this team, a great teammate and just help bring home wins each and every week.”
A great deal of hype surrounded Jeanty before he became the highest drafted running back since reigning Super Bowl champion/O ensive Player of the Year Saquon Barkley went No. 2 overall to the New York Giants in 2018.
He opened the favorite to win the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year award in the betting market, currently sitting at odds as low as +250 (i.e. risking $100 to win $250).
But excitement among the Raiders has grown further with him on the practice eld.
“It’s only been a couple weeks with him but I love the kid,” said Raiders’ edge rusher and face of the franchise Maxx Crosby. “He’s a hell of a worker, hell of a player and I’m excited to be teammates with him.”
Jeanty’s footwork, cuts and sprints up the eld have mesmerized with their uidity in non-padded practices, and those aren’t even considered his best attributes.
Kelly, a decorated college and NFL coach for the last 35 years, said he had perhaps never seen a harder-to-tackle prospect coming into his rookie season. Just wait until he can also show o that part of his game in silver and black come the preseason in August.
“I’ve got so many di erent ways to describe how I run, but I think my favorite [was] somebody said that I was like a rolling ball of knives,” Jeanty said.
MOMTOK
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives ’ Jessi Ngatikaura talks fame, finding community and our obsession with reality TV
BY AMBER SAMPSON
Will MomTok survive this? Since the debut of Hulu’s reality TV show The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, that’s all the internet’s been asking. The breakout show follows a group of friends who are part of a popular TikTok collective called MomTok as they navigate motherhood, Mormonism, drama-fueled swinging scandals, arrests and Swig’s unholy union of “dirty soda,” a combination of cream, syrup and fizzy carbonation. The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives aired in 2024 and broke Hulu records as the streaming service’s mostwatched unscripted premiere. Now season two is taking those numbers to new heights. We caught up with Jessi Ngatikaura, the self-proclaimed “grandma” of the group (she’s 32) to chat about MomTok: The Unholy Tea, coming to the Palazzo Theatre on June 7.
How much has your life changed since that first season of the show?
I feel like my life is completely different than it was a year ago. We knew people would watch
the show, but we had no idea it would become a cultural phenomenon. People dressing up as us for Halloween, and the Swig and Fruity Pebbles of it all—all of these things that took off online. It’s a really weird feeling to know that people have seen my labiaplasty journey and the ins and outs of our relationships and our friendships. We signed up to do the show knowing we’d be vulnerable and sharing the good and the bad. I just am so grateful that people connected with it. But it is weird that anywhere we go now, we get recognized.
What’s interesting is there are people who aren’t even on TikTok or know about MomTok but they’re obsessed with watching Secret Lives What’s keeping them hooked?
One of my favorite episodes was when you saw Chippendales in Vegas. Every reality TV show seems to have a Vegas episode. Why do reality TV stars love bringing their drama here?
For our show specifically, we have the saints and the sinners, so it was a natural fit. But I think it’s just because Vegas has so much going on, there’s always something to do. It’s not like it would be a boring episode, and for those that drink, there’s things to do. For those that don’t drink, it causes controversy. So I think it’s just like a really fun place to have any story unfold.
MOMTOK: THE UNHOLY TEA LIVE SHOW June 7, 10 p.m., $62-$132, Palazzo Theatre, tick etmaster.com.
I think people are curious about Mormon and Utah culture specifically. I think that got people interested. But once you tune in and you see the raw emotions of Taylor and Dakota’s relationship, and Jen and Zac, and then our friend group as a whole, navigating all of this drama, and then also coming together as a sisterhood and being there for each other ... I think a lot of women specifically can relate to having a friend group where you have really close friends, but also some enemies, you know? And the ups and downs that come with being a girl.
What kind of tea are you spilling at the show at the Venetian?
We’ve never gotten a chance to do a live show for our fans, and we’re so excited to be able to connect with them in person. There’s different VIP packages. We have games. We have interactive audience experiences. There’s a Sinner’s Sunday confessional segment where we’re going to read confessions like what happened on season one. We’re going to include some of the husbands. There’s surprise guests. And I’m excited because I know that the people coming are people who loved our show, and they’re our type of people, so we’re really excited to just give that back to them and have a good fun night all together.
Read more of this interview at lasvegasweekly.com
Jessi Ngatikaura (left) and the moms of MomTok. (Courtesy)
THE HOUSE ALWAYS LAUGHS
After seven years, Comedy Cellar’s Vegas outpost proves New York grit translates to the Strip
BY GABRIELA RODRIGUEZ
A real deal comedy club has an undeniable pull. Brick walls, tight tables, a microphone just inches from the front row—these details deliver something deeper than a cheap laugh. They provide a transportive escape.
When the Comedy Cellar opened its Las Vegas location at the Rio in 2018, it faced a unique challenge: how to bring the feel of its iconic New York club across the country without losing its edge and soul.
Seven years in, the club has clearly met that challenge, boasting nightly shows with a rotating cast of all-star comics while staying true to the original with that low-lit, brick-lined basement vibe and stained-glass signage onstage.
Mark Cohen, longtime comedian and emcee of the Vegas club, still remembers opening night. “It was quiet. I don’t think it was that busy, but the show was incredibly strong,” Cohen says. “It was just amazing how they transferred the Comedy Cellar vibe from New York to here.”
Since the ’80s, Comedy Cellar has built its reputation on trust rather than flashy names— though it’s bred plenty of those as well. When you attend a gig at the Comedy Cellar, you’re going to see a comic at their best.
“In New York, most of our shows are sold out before we even announce the lineup, because they trust our brand,” says owner Noam Dworman. “If somebody’s funny in New York, they’re funny in Vegas.”
was the wisest thing to really partner with a casino. They’re in the hospitality business and would take care of the day-to-day challenges that I would risk if I was not able to check on it myself.”
In light of the property’s new multi-phase renovation, Dworman says he’s “optimistic about the new regime at the Rio” and eager to keep booking the best comedians who will familiarize folks with the Comedy Cellar brand.
Vegas crowds, a majority of them consisting of visitors, aren’t always comedy-savvy.
“A lot of our crowd comes in knowing what they’re going to get,” Cohen says. “Sometimes they’ve never even been to a comedy club before … it takes them a couple minutes to go, ‘Oh, we can laugh at that.’”
But the city’s catching on. “The comedy scene has doubled or tripled since we opened,” says Dworman. “There’s more and more clubs and local comedians who are very funny … it’s an exploding scene there.”
There’s a wealth of comedic talent gaining momentum and how they’re going about it is changing.
“[Comedians] are coming up differently. They’re not coming up in the clubs like I did,” says Cohen. “So they don’t have that muscle of dealing with the live audience as much.”
“If they’ve only seen comedy on social media, they’re pleasantly overwhelmed by the live experience,” Dworman adds.
Dworman inherited the Cellar from his father, Manny, and he’s notoriously hands-on and diligent about keeping the quality high. But running another location from 2,500 miles away? That’s a different beast.
“It’s very challenging to run a place the way I like to run a place, which has a lot of attention to service and customer satisfaction,” Dworman says. “I decided that it
“It’s much more visceral than seeing it on a phone.”
But Cohen, who’s spent countless days at the club, gets it.
“I want the show to be good no matter what,” he says. “I’ve had bad sets, obviously, but I always try to make sure that the show is good.”
Because at the Cellar, whether it’s New York or Vegas, every set counts.
(Photographs Courtesy/Edward Randa)
Beloved Korean-American supermarket H Mart opened its first Las Vegas location just about a month ago, and the long lines and word-of-mouth have made it o cial: the hype is justified. ¶ The 53,000-squarefoot store at Decatur and Sahara (a once-mighty central Valley intersection that needed the boost) is packed with its signature expansive produce section; a premium meat and seafood department; aisles upon aisles of cookware, collectibles, cosmetics, Asian and Western food products; and a food hall dishing up everything from Korean barbecue chicken to sushi and boba drinks. Here are some of our favorite finds after our initial visits.
H MART
2620 S. Decatur Blvd., 702-688-7788, hmart.com. Daily, 8 a.m.-10 p.m.
H MARTATLAST LAST
Browsing and devouring the new-to-Vegas cult favorite grocer
TOMOMASU
LEMON RAMUNE
SAMYANG
TANGLE BULGOGI ALFREDO
($6.50)
I was curious how the two distinct flavors in this instant egg noodle packet would complement each other, and the answer is “really, really well.” The sauce mix—spread over three packets, helpfully numbered— is tangy, sweet and mildly spicy, with just enough creaminess to put everything in perfect balance. –GC
SAVORY EXPRESS ASSORTED DIM SUM ($8)
This is a box of small, steamy miracles: ginger-laced dumplings that punch above their weight, translucent shrimp haukau with a chewy snap, chive-packed bites and shrimp shumai stacked like edible trophies. This is restaurant quality comfort food, just hidden in a refrigerated case. –GR
($2)
This refreshing Japanese soda is as fun to open as it is to drink. It’s served in a Codd-neck bottle, meaning there’s a marble in the lip that you release by tamping down on a piece of plastic the shape of the bottle opening. With the way the bottle is shaped, the marble stays in the neck of the bottle, rattling and slowing you down every time you go for a sip—reminding you this is a moment to be savored. –SM
BY GEOFF CARTER, SHANNON MILLER, GABRIELA RODRIGUEZ & AMBER SAMPSON
KOREAN MELON
($2/lb )
It looks like a cartoon fruit—sunshine yellow, oblong shaped, lightly ribbed like a football and begging to be sliced open. Inside, the melon’s flesh is crisp and refreshing, with a delicate sweetness somewhere between a honeydew and pear. It’s the kind of fruit you eat barefoot, standing over your kitchen sink. –GR
The Pinkglow pineapple—DelMonte’s “Jewel of the Jungle”—is a summer essential. Forget its Instagram-ready pink hue; what you want is its candylike taste. It’s sweet, but not cloyingly so, and it improves both tiki drinks and fruit plates by a considerable amount. Invite it to your pool parties. –GC
MOCHI ICE CREAM
(prices vary)
H Mart’s abundant selection of cream-filled confections stopped me cold. I’ve dreamt of a miles-long stretch of mochi ice cream before; this aisle comes close. Flavors, spanning from red bean and pistachio to Earl Grey and mint chocolate, tempt the sweet tooth and test the resolve. We’ll take one of everything, please! –AS
MATCHA LATTE KIT KAT ($6)
Our crispy chocolate wafers have evolved. Never would I have expected this to be a match made in matcha heaven, but the tea-flavored combo has everything. It’s bright, bitter, crunchy and sweet—a union of flavors I’d gladly take anywhere on-the-go. –AS
OTOKI JIN SPICY RAMEN ($2)
South Korea’s Otoki one-ups other dried ramen brands with its Jin line. Named after the BTS sweetheart, this ramen comes with a soup base packet, made with New Zealand beef bone broth simmered for 13 hours, and a veggie mix packet with dried carrots, Chinese cabbage, green onions, mushrooms and red pepper. Take care when choosing between the mild and spicy versions—spicy will make you break a sweat. –SM
CHORIPDONG ROASTED LAVER SEAWEED ($2)
Why reach for oily potato chips when you want a salty, crunchy snack? Just 30 calories per serving, this seaweed snack is roasted with canola, sesame and perilla oils and sprinkled with coarse salt and baked to a satisfying, umami crispiness. –SM
ORION SUN CHIPS, GARLIC BAGUETTE FLAVOR
($4)
Mind blown. Yes, they’re Sun Chips— grainy, wavy, you know what they’re about— but the taste, as advertised, is mildly sweet garlic bread. Straight up. Why this isn’t more readily available stateside is a mystery. Imagine satiating your craving for garlic bread and Sun Chips at the exact same time. Stoners, write your congresspeople. –GC
(Photo Illustration)
Marcus Kurle, CEO of AAA20 Group, with a robotic palletizer in the company’s warehouse. (Steve Marcus/Staff)
RENT-A-ROBOT FIRM IS PART OF LOCAL TECH RENAISSANCE
BY KATIE ANN MCCARVER VEGAS INC STAFF
ALas Vegas-based company is providing manufacturers with what can only be described as a rent-a-robot service.
AAA20 Group’s business model is “flexible, robotic automation,” which prevents companies from having to purchase and make space for permanent machines, said co-founder Marcus Kurle. The company instead rents machines to other entities for cheaper than manual labor, Kurle said, functioning not unlike subscription services such as Netflix or Amazon Prime.
“Let’s say you produce candles, for example, and during the holidays of Christmas you produce 50% more,” he said. “You rent a robot for three months. In January, you call me and say, ‘Hey, I don’t need the robot anymore. Take it.’ … Then I move to a factory that makes chocolate for Easter, and they need it for three months, and then they take it out. And then I send (it) to Napa Valley for a winemaker, (who) only produces wine for three months during harvest.”
Now, AAA20 Group is expanding with its third and largest facility in Las Vegas—a 9,000-squarefoot robotic manufacturing complex with the capacity to assemble around 20 robots, each nearly the size of a car.
The new AAA20 Group facility is also strategically located within minutes of Harry Reid
International Airport. When a manufacturer buys robotic equipment, it can take up to 18 months to receive it, Kurle said. So when a company rents that equipment instead, they want it as soon as possible.
“Many of my machines are produced to have in stock,” Kurle said. “So when the customer calls me, I say, ‘No problem. I’ll ship it to you next week.’”
Diversification of Southern Nevada’s economy has been a priority for leaders for quite some time, said Clark County Commissioner Michael Naft. Bringing in a company with high-tech experience and background like AAA20 Group is a priority for economic development, he said.
“All of the organizations, from the state to the county, have been working to prioritize diversifying our economy for my whole life,” Naft said. “So to see that happen, and this be one example of that, is really an exciting thing.”
There’s been an organic migration of tech companies like AAA20 Group from places like California to Nevada, Naft said, so local leaders are trying to foster the tech corridor and make sure it’s appealing.
He pointed to the low cost of living, competitive quality of life and taxes, the number of visitors to Las Vegas and more as benefits of settling a business here.
Though AAA20 group was originally estab-
lished in Chicago, Kurle said the company moved to Las Vegas for weather, cost of living and warehouses, and the convenience of the airport.
He also pointed to Las Vegas’ proximity to manufacturing hubs in California.
“Being here is very strategic for logistics, besides the cost and the weather,” he said. “And now, in the last year and a half, I developed a great relationship with UNLV as well, and I just hired two graduates from there.”
It’s integral to have opportunities and employers who are willing to hire locally if people who are educated at UNLV are going to remain a part of the Southern Nevada community for a long time, Naft said.
“Not only is it good for the community, but it’s good for the university system in Southern Nevada to have feeder programs like this one where jobs are being created for these specific skills that are being learned right here in Las Vegas,” Naft said. “I think that is vitally important.”
While one goal of automation may be to prevent having to hire and pay for more physical labor on the factory floor, Kurle emphasized that the robots themselves are not completely autonomous and just redefine the job descriptions of workers.
“It’s much more fun work to do, and less, let’s say, injury-related,” he said. “Usually our customers call us when they have over 50 people. So whenever they get over 50 people, it’s time for them to consider some robots, because they can duplicate their capacity without needing another 50 people.”
With regard to AAA20 Group’s main product of palletizers—robots that carry boxes and place them on pallets—Kurle said the machines do a job that “nobody wants to do.”
“That’s the point,” he said. “Some of my customers, they cannot produce more because they don’t have people to do those jobs. But someone needs to do it because the box will not fly to the supermarket.”
Data Architect (Las Vegas, NV) Develop, maintain, and manage data models that underlie petitioner’s interactive robots including ADAM, the robot that can perform barista, bartender and chief duties, and ARM, an robotic arm that can perform precise food preparation duties, and other interactive and online products and sources using database tools and data development best practices. Design and implement Cloud data and workbook security model, and partner with IT to manage access, user roles, and permissions on petitioner’s delivery robots Matradee L and Richie. Ensure data integrity, security, and adoption of best data management practices. Salary range: $82,160 - $83,000 per year. Send resume to: Richtech Robotics Inc., 4175 Cameron St, Suite 1, Las Vegas, NV 89103
Q+A: MARK STUTZMAN Chief Technology Officer at AREA15, Discusses His 2024
What is it like to win a Top Tech Award?
Winning the Top Tech Award was both humbling and energizing. It’s an acknowledgment of personal achievement, but also of the incredible teams and collaborators who push boundaries alongside me every day. It reinforces that the risks, late nights, and crazy ideas really matter and make a difference in shaping the tech landscape here.
Why is it important to have a technology recognition awards program in Las Vegas?
Las Vegas is often seen globally as just entertainment and hospitality, but beneath that there is an amazing tech ecosystem. Programs like this shine a light on the innovation happening across sectors—from immersive entertainment to sustainability, health tech and beyond. It helps attract talent, investment and attention to the region, showing that Vegas is a serious player in the future of technology. But it also provides an evening where we can celebrate with likeminded colleagues.
How will technology evolve in the next five years?
We’ll see a deeper blending of physical and digital worlds—AI, spatial computing and immersive experiences will reshape how we live, work and play. Expect more automation, hyper-personalization and ethical debates about where we draw the line between convenience and privacy. I also think industries like entertainment, hospitality and health will see huge advancements.
VEGAS INC NOTES Spotlighting the best in business
Le Cafe Central, a cafe and bistro serving French pastries, desserts, sandwiches and more, opened in Las Vegas’ Chinatown district. It’s the third Valley location for its owners, who also operate Le Cafe du Val Henderson and Le Cafe du Sud in Southern Highlands.
Resorts World Las Vegas announced that Zoox, an autonomous ride-hailing company, is the property’s official robotaxi partner. It’s the first official agreement between a robotaxi company and a Las Vegas resort property. Zoox has been operating in Las Vegas since 2023.
Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix presented the Just One Project with a check for $20,000 to help those in need access food, housing resources, workforce connectivity and other supportive services.
Nevada State University announced Yvonne Wade as its first director of athletics. Wade officially begins July 1, including hiring coaches, recruiting student athletes, scheduling opponents, securing temporary locations to host athletic events and engaging the community. She brings more than two decades of experience building successful student-athlete programs, most recently serving as director of athletics at the College of Southern Nevada and formerly serving as the track coach at UNLV.
Intermountain Health is now offering a national first-of-its kind expansion of CAR-T Cell therapy, bringing cutting-edge cancer care closer to patients in Southern Utah and Nevada. Before expanding the program, patients in southwest Utah, Nevada and beyond had to
travel hundreds of miles to Intermountain LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City for collection, transplant and follow-up care. CAR-T Cell Therapy is a form of immunotherapy that harnesses the power of a patient’s own immune system to fight cancer by genetically reprogramming T-cells to target and destroy cancer cells.
Project 150, a nonprofit serving homeless, displaced and disadvantaged high school students, announced that more than 100 students will receive scholarships at an awards ceremony June 18. This year’s record-breaking scholarship program was made possible in large part due to the contributions of EōS Fitness and the Charles and Phyllis M. Frias Charitable Trust
Three Square and HELP of Southern Nevada received donations totalling over $300,000 from Ethel M Chocolates. Since COVID, Ethel M Chocolates has been collecting an entrance fee for the annual Holiday Cactus Garden Lights in November and December, and the Lights of Love Valentine’s Cactus Garden during February.
Makeshift Union announced its relocation to Summerlin South, 8700 Sunset Road #D250, Las Vegas. Core services, hours of operation and booking systems remain unchanged, but clients can look forward to classic barber-style straight razor shaves and, eventually, an express nail service.
Resorts World Las Vegas appointed Josef Wagner as senior vice president of food and beverage and hospitality development. Wagner previously worked as vice
president of food and beverage for Bellagio, Park MGM and the NoMad Hotel Las Vegas.
Cirrus Aviation Services appointed of a new executive leadership team to guide the company through its next phase of strategic growth and service innovation. Eric Grilly will serve as president, Gary Reinert as chief financial officer, Brian Kip as chief marketing officer, and Travis Turner as vice president of guest experiences. Grilly previously served as president of the Resident Shows Division for Cirque du Soleil. Reinert is former CFO of May Manufacturing and Morito Scovill Americas. Kip co-founded SKC Group, a marketing agency. Turner is chairman of Leadership Las Vegas and the founder of the Emergent Group, a consulting firm, and Luxe Lifestyle Managers, which provides concierge services to high-net-worth individuals.
Wynn Las Vegas was recognized at the 2025 Southern Nevada Hotel Concierge Association’s Top Honors Awards, receiving honors for Best Production Show, Best Asian Restaurant, Best Supper Club, Best Dayclub, Best Nightclub, and this year’s newest category, Best Latin/ Mexican.
Jackson-Shaw, a national real estate developer, hired Mark Kirsch as general manager for its dual-branded AC Hotel by Marriott Symphony Park and Element by Westin Symphony Park in Las Vegas.
Elizabeth Blau, CEO of strategic restaurant planning and development firm Blau + Associates, was honored with the 2025 Augie Award from the Culinary Institute of America. Augie Award recipients exemplify a tradition of innovation and leadership.
HopeLink of Southern Nevada CEO Aaron Sheets was honored as a Vegas Knight Hawks Hometown Hero during the indoor football team’s game May 10. His nomination was selected in recognition of his leadership, compassion, and unwavering dedication to serving the Southern Nevada community.
The Sunrise Children’s Heart Surgery Center welcomed two pediatric cardiothoracic surgeons, Doctors Michael Ciccolo and Sunjay Kaushal, to its team. Both are board certified in cardiac and pediatric thoracic surgery and specialize in the treatment of children, including newborns, with congenital heart conditions.
The Campus for Hope Foundation named Kim Jefferies to lead its project to address homelessness in Southern Nevada. Most recently, Jefferies served as president and CEO of San Antonio’s Haven for Hope, the model upon which the Campus for Hope will be based.
The Coffee Class, a locally established bakery bistro, opened its third café. The new location, at 9580 W. Sahara Ave., is the brand’s first on the west side of the Las Vegas Valley.
Eric Grilly
Summer Challenge
Reading & Activities Program for Kids, Teens & Adults!
EVENTS FOR KIDS:
Circus of Bubbles with Kirk Marsh
The art of bubble-making combined with lights and music
Ages 3 – 12
Thursday, June 5
4 p.m.
Clark County Library
Adam London
Comedian & Magician
Ages 3 – 17
June – July
Mutiple times and locations
Science Heroes Live Science Experiments
Ages 6 – 11
June 9 – 14
Mutiple times and locations
Fyütch
Children’s Hip Hop Artists
Wednesday, July 30
Concert for ages 5 – 17
10:30 a.m. at Windmill Library
Teen Workshop for grades 6 – 12
4 p.m. at Whitney Library
Thursday, July 31
Concert for ages 5 – 17
10:30 a.m. - at Whitney Library
Scan here for event details
Clay Creations - UNR Extension - 4H
Teens learn to work with clay
Ages 12 – 17
Clark County Library
Tuesday, June 10 at 1:30 p.m.
Tuesday, June 24 at 1:30 p.m.
Tuesday, July 1 at 1:30 p.m.
Tuesday, July 8 at 1:30 p.m.
Tuesday, July 15 at 1:30 p.m.
Tuesday, July 22 at 1:30 p.m.
Paint Pouring With Vibes DIY Studio Teens learn to work with clay
Ages 12 – 17
Monday, June 9 at 1 p.m.
Centennial Hills Library
Monday, June 16 at 1 p.m.
Enterprise Library
Monday, June 23 at 1 p.m.
Sunrise Library
Monday, July 7 at 1 p.m.
Clark County Library
Monday, July 28 at 12 p.m.
Windmill Library
Professional Poetry 101
A workshop with Clark County Poet Laureate
Ashley Vargas Ages 18+
Thursday, June 12
5 p.m.
Indian Springs Library
Wednesday, June 18
11 a.m.
West Charleston Library
Writing Workshop: Past Travels with Joylynn Ross Storytelling Workshop
Ages 18+
June & July
Mutiple times and locations
Jay Cameron – African Diaspora Travels
World traveler, speaker, author & radio personality
Ages 18+
Friday, June 13
2 p.m.
West Las Vegas Library
Sarah Penner
Meet the author of “The Lost Apothecary”
Thursday, June 26
6 p.m.
Sahara West Library
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VEGAS INC is seeking nominations for the 2025 Angel Awards. These awards recognize Southern Nevada’s most philanthropic businesses and nonprofits. Nominate to help us honor the kindness and generosity of some of the community’s most service-minded individuals and organizations.
BACKSTORY
(Steve Marcus/Staff)
CALEB PLANT FACES OFF WITH ARMANDO RESENDIZ | MANDALAY BAY | MAY 30, 2025
Locally-based longtime super middleweight champion Caleb Plant was supposed to make quick work of the relatively unknown Armando Resendiz on May 31 at Michelob Ultra Arena. But that’s not how the main event of the Premier Boxing Champions card on Amazon Prime Video played out. The up-and-coming 26-year-old Mexican stunned the established 32-year-old American star via split decision (116-112, 116-112, 113-115). Most fans thought those scores were generous as Resendiz thoroughly outworked and overwhelmed Plant enough to merit a more lopsided unanimous decision. Resendiz claimed the WBA interim super middleweight title with the victory and ruined tentative plans for Plant to make his third payper-view headlining fight later this year. Resendiz was as high as a 12-to-1 underdog, making the performance one of boxing’s biggest upsets of the year, especially among major bouts. –Case Keefer
