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COVER STORY
20 A DREAM THAT WAS ROME
Sixty years on, Caesars Palace has built a Las Vegas legacy like no other.
COVER ART Las Vegas News Bureau Collection, LVCVA Archive/Shutterstock/photo illustration
16 SUMMER UNLOCKED
Billiards aren’t just for late nights in bars. Take an afternoon and escape into the green felt.
28 NEWS
NV Energy’s “demand charge” could adversely affect home solar users.
32 SCENE
Area15’s new Museum of Ice Cream is a sweet diversion for all the senses.
34 COMEDY
Marlon Wayans talks about the Scary Movie franchise and his abiding love of the stage.
35 NIGHTLIFE Camp Palms is hot dogs, summer sips ... and risqué finger-painting.
39 CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR Vegas Inc celebrates excellence among the city’s dream-builders.
BACKSTREET BOYS Thru 7/25, 8 p.m., Sphere, ticketmaster.com.
SARAH SOMEBODY
6 p.m., Fergusons Downtown, fergusonsdowntown.com
LAS VEGAS
AVIATORS VS. EL PASO CHIHUAHUAS Thru 7/25, 7:05 p.m. (& 7/26, 6:05 p.m.), Las Vegas Ballpark, ticketmaster.com.
IVY 10 p.m., We All Scream, tixr.com.
CHASE B 10:30 p.m., Hakkasan Nightclub, taogroup.com.
Canadian pop-punk stalwarts Simple Plan had so much fun in their first Bigger Than You Think tour last summer that they decided to do a sequel covering cities they missed in the first run. And it all starts in Vegas, where the quartet will celebrate its 25th anniversary with the catchy hooks and familiar melodies of early 2000s mall-stompers like “I’m Just a Kid,” “Welcome to My Life,” “I’d Do Anything” and the What’s New, Scooby-Doo? theme song. Assists from fellow nostalgia farmers Bowling for Soup (“1985”) and 3OH!3 (“Don’t Trust Me”) make this an evening your middle school self wouldn’t be caught dead missing. 7 p.m., $103+, Pearl Theater, axs.com. –Tyler Schneider
SPOTLIGHT EVENT
AZÚCAR BANDA & LATIN NIGHTS
Las Vegas finally has its Latin party and it’s happening every Friday and Saturday on the Strip. Azúcar brings together a live banda performance, Latin DJ, and an open bar with breathtaking rooftop views of the Las Vegas Boulevard at Sugar Factory. From reggaeton to cumbia, bachata to salsa, Azúcar is the most electric Latin night in the city. Whether you’re celebrating a birthday, bachelorette or just an unforgettable weekend, this is the party you’ve been waiting for. Ages 21+. azucarvegas.com
MONSTER JAM Thru 7/26, times vary, Thomas & Mack Center, unlvtickets.com.
MANA POLYNESIAN REVUE & LUAU
6:30 p.m., Treasure Island Pool, treasureisland. com.
DANCE IN THE DESERT FESTIVAL 7 p.m., Summerlin Library Theater, thelibrary district.org.
MARLON WAYANS 9 p.m., & 7/25, MGM Grand Theater, mgmgrand.com.
ELLA MAI With Ama, Girlfriend, 8 p.m., Resorts World Theatre, axs.com.
Courtesy
Courtesy
SATURDAY JULY 25
KOE WETZEL
With Ole 60, Bayker Blankenship, Logan Jahnke, 6:45 p.m., Theater at Virgin, axs.com.
MIKE TYSON INVITATIONAL 2
3:30 p.m., Sahara Theatre, ticketmaster.com.
LAS VEGAS ROCKERS VS. CINCINNATI SLINGERS
6 p.m., Orleans Arena, ticketmaster.com.
THE ALL-AMERICAN REJECTS
With The Happy Fits, 8 p.m., Resorts World Theatre, axs.com.
STONE TEMPLE PILOTS
8 p.m., M Pool, ticketmaster.com.
FEMMES OF ROCK SYMPHONIC
7:30 p.m., Reynolds Hall, thesmithcenter. com.
TOTALLY TUBULAR FESTIVAL
With Thomas Dolby & The Lost Toy People, A Flock of Seagulls, Bow Wow Wow, more, 7:30 p.m., the Pool at Sahara, ticketmaster.com.
ONE DROP REDEMPTION
7:30 p.m., House of Blues, ticketmaster.com.
ODESZA
11 a.m., Encore Beach Club, wynnsocial.com.
50 CENT 11:30 a.m., LIV Beach, livnightclub.com.
ELDERBROOK
11 a.m., Palm Tree Beach Club, taogroup.com.
ALESSO
11 a.m., Tao Beach Dayclub, taogroup.com.
WORLD SERIES OF BEER PONG
With DJ Sincere, 11 a.m., Tailgate Beach Club, tailgatebeach club.com.
MONTY KIDDO
9 p.m., Rouge Room, rouge roomlv.com.
DIPLO
With Charly Jordan, 10 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynnsocial.com.
BIG SEAN
10:30 p.m., Hakkasan Nightclub, taogroup.com.
RL GRIME
10:30 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zoukgrouplv.com.
19:26
10 p.m., Discopussy, tixr.com.
LOUIS THE CHILD
Louis the Child soundtracks the kind of nights you never want to forget. The Chicago-bred DJ duo of Robby Hauldren and Freddy Kennett share an incalculable level of chemistry onstage. Behind the decks, they’re bouncing live wires—and their catalog reflects that energy in full. Louis the Child’s Candy beat tapes serve as the perfect introduction to its dance-centric electronica, but don’t sleep on the bigger hits like “Better Not,” with its brightly synthesized horns. It’s a crowd-pleaser, whether you’re in the club or on the festival circuit. And this weekend, when the duo lands at Marquee, you can rest assured the dancefloor will be waiting. 10:30 p.m., $27-$40, Marquee Nightclub, taogroup.com. –Amber Sampson
90S HOUSE PARTY
The 90s House Party is back at Fremont Street Experience. The party starts at 5 p.m. with Downtown Request Live on every stage. Think Total Request Live (TRL), Fremont-style! The playlist is in your hands—submit your favorite ’90s song request at any stage, then hear it played live by our host and DJ. The celebration continues through the night with live ’90s concerts across three stages featuring country, grunge and pop. Plus, don’t miss ’90s-inspired merch vendors, a local food truck village, BMX and skateboard stunts, a silent disco takeover on Casino Center and free giveaways for the ultimate ’90s party. Prepaid parking is available, the event is free and all ages are welcome. vegasexperience.com/dtr/
SPOTLIGHT EVENT
*Spotlight events are sponsored
Courtesy
Courtesy/John Park
SUPERGUIDE
SUNDAY JULY 26
SLOW JOY
Ease into the week by giving in to Slow Joy’s wave of southwestern emo. The Dallas-based solo project of Esteban Flores thrives at the intersection of shoegaze haze, grunge grit and emo vulnerability, crafting songs that feel like the soundtrack to navigating your 30s while unexpectedly reliving the emotional turbulence of adolescence. Joining the bill is Southern California rock outfit The High Curbs, whose hook-heavy blend of indie-punk and garage rock has made them a standout on the West Coast scene. Opening the night is Glom, an indie project that offsets dreamy melodies with darker textures, creating a sound that’s both immediately inviting and discreetly moving. 6:30 p.m., $25+, Grey Witch, dice.fm. –Gabriela Rodriguez
MAHJONG
SOCIAL
3 p.m., the Space, thespacelv.com.
HOWARD JONES
With Wang Chung, The English Beat, Modern English, 6:30 p.m., Resorts World Theatre, axs.com.
DJ GOODVYBE & HALAU/HAKA
10 a.m., Palms Pool, palms.com.
TYGA
11 a.m., Tao Beach Dayclub, taogroup.com.
SULLIVAN KING
With Bella Hue, 11 a.m., Encore Beach Club, wynnsocial.com.
TWINSICK
11 a.m., Omnia Dayclub, taogroup.com.
OMAR+ 7 p.m., Omnia Skybar, taogroup.com.
MONDAY JULY 27
EXHIBIT: BIODIVERSITY AT THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN Thru 8/18, hours vary, East Las Vegas Library, thelibrarydistrict. org.
EXHIBIT: BEYOND GEOMETRY Thru 9/20, hours vary, Clark County Library, thelibrarydistrict. org.
KISSING CANDICE 6:30 p.m., the Wall at Area15, area15.com.
LLOVER With Lazer Beam, Lady Starbeast, Electric Sunrise, 7 p.m., Bizarre Bar, swandivelv.com.
INGESTED With Body Of Filth, Within Oblivion, Papsmear, 7 p.m., Backstage Bar & Billiards, eventim.us.
ROB GUSON 10:30 p.m., Omnia Nightclub, taogroup.com.
PAYTON HOWIE 10 p.m., Stoney’s North Forty, tixr.com.
THE MARVELOUS MISS GENDER STARRING BOSCO
7 p.m., House of Blues, ticketmaster.com.
NONPOINT With Spineshank, HedPE, 7 p.m., 24 Oxford, ticketmaster.com.
BALDUVIAN BEARS With VII Ghost, Alex Okami, Pitch After Dark, DJ Boogieman, 8 p.m., the Griffin, dice.fm.
THE EX-FACES 7 p.m., the Wall at Area15, area15.com.
HNTR 10 p.m., Encore Beach Club, wynnsocial.com.
19TH ANNUAL WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
READY TO LEAD, NOT LUCKY TO BE.
AUGUST 31 - SEPTEMBER 1, 2026 | MGM GRAND CONFERENCE CENTER LAS VEGAS
BETH SANNER Crisis Management: How to Prepare for the Unpreparable MAIN STAGE SPEAKER
Leadership isn’t defined by title or tenure. It’s built through skill, resilience, and intentional growth. At the 19th Annual Women’s Leadership Conference, every session is designed to strengthen how you lead with capability, credibility, visibility, and sustainability.
Join a community of leaders committed to doing the workand building what comes next in their career paths.
REGISTER NOW AT FWLE.ORG/CONFERENCE
Experience complimentary self-parking at Fontainebleau Las Vegas, exclusively for Nevada residents and Rewards members. Plus, enjoy valet validation when you dine at our award-winning restaurants and bars, shop our luxury retail collection, or indulge in a treatment at Lapis Spa & Wellness through September 7, 2026.*
BY GABRIELA RODRIGUEZ
Centuries ago, billiards started as an outdoor lawn game until moody French weather forced the game indoors. Somewhere along the way, grass transitioned to green felt, and when King Louis XI reportedly struggled to bend over to play, the cue evolved with him. It turns out, discomfort has always driven humanity’s greatest inventions.
That’s probably how I ended up at Griff’s Bar & Billiards on an otherwise forgettable Monday afternoon, hiding from the white
blast of the sun inside a room where time moves at the speed of rolling cue balls.
The door swings shut and suddenly my world is refrigerated. The lights are low. The tables glow like blue islands and every few seconds comes that unmistakable percussion—the clean crack of the break followed by a clatter of resin balls ricocheting off one another.
Dave, the daytime bartender, slides me a cue after checking my ID with all the urgency of someone who has absolutely nowhere else to be. I grab a cube of chalk and
the white ball and exchange head nods with the fellow midday players. But I’m not here to debate seven-foot tables versus action tables, I’m here because I desperately want to believe I’m naturally good at this.
At the back corner table, my opening shot scratches immediately, which is the game’s elegant way of saying, “Nice confidence. Try again.”
So, I slow down and crouch until my eyes are level with the cue ball. My bridge hand spreads across the felt, thumb locked against my index finger, the stick resting inside that little human tripod. The cloth feels
smooth beneath my fingertips and chalk dust lingers in the air. Pull back. Breathe. Shoot. Click. One striped ball drops. Not exactly Minnesota Fats, but enough to keep me chasing the next one. Soon, I’m less interested in winning than in simply repeating the ritual. Line it up. Listen. Adjust. Hit. Watch physics decide whether I’m a patient genius or an overconfident idiot. Every successful shot feels accidental until it happens twice, then three times, and suddenly I’m loudly convincing myself I’ve unlocked some hidden talent.
Photo by Christopher DeVargas
SCROLLING THROUGH ICONIC IMAGES AND MEMORABLE MOMENTS FROM 60 YEARS OF CAESARS PALACE
BY GEOFF
Before Caesars Palace opened its doors, Las Vegas theming was largely vibes: You could get “western gambling hall” or “western gambling hall with a little Monte Carlo in it.” Jay Sarno, a Missouri-born property developer who came to Vegas with the instincts of a theatrical impresario, changed all that on August 5, 1966, AD. Prior to Caesars Palace, Sarno and his business partner Stanley Mallin opened stylish properties in Atlanta, Dallas and Palo Alto they called “cabana motels.” But Sarno called his Vegas hotel a “palace,” and he fully committed to the name. Built at a cost of nearly $25 million—the most spent on a Strip property up to that point—Sarno aimed not only to resurrect the
they’d only seen in movies, walking beneath giant Roman statuary, ornate marble columns and towering fountains to be greeted by a fanfare of trumpets, actors dressed as centurions and Cleopatra, and employees in proper togas.
Sarno spent $1 million on the opening party, which manifested as 50,000 pours of Champagne, literal gallons of caviar, two tons of filet mignon and the first headliner to play the Circus Maximus showroom, singer Andy Williams. But Sarno’s greatest achievement in opening Caesars Palace, aside from making elegance accessible, was resetting Vegas’ dreams of what it could be, a process he’d continue a few years later when he opened Circus Circus. In Caesars Palace, Sarno imagined a Las Vegas where hospitality, entertainment and escapist theming were all part and parcel of the same thing. And he did it so well that it’s outlasted even some of its imitators. –Geoff Carter
From left, Jerry Wald, Nate Jacobson and Jay Sarno during construction of Caesars Palace on April 9, 1965.
60 YEARS OF CAESARS PALACE
Dining has always been an important part of the experience at Caesars Palace, starting with the original Bacchanal Room, an hours-long feast served by waitresses wearing togas. In the modern era, the center Strip resort has emerged as a leader in Vegas restaurant evolution, importing celebrity chefs like Bobby Flay, Gordon Ramsay, Nobu Matsuhisa and Giada De Laurentiis, as well as acclaimed and famous restaurants from across the country such as Peter Luger Steak House, Rao’s and Mr. Chow. In 2006, Caesars opened the second location of Restaurant Guy Savoy, the first and only U.S. restaurant from the decorated and influential French chef, and the Vegas version earned two Michelin Stars. It’s still going strong as one of the city’s shining stars of fine dining, reopening after its annual summer break on July 28. –Brock Radke
In 1996, Caesars attempted to beat Hollywood’s storied Magic Castle at its own game. Working in collaboration with Caesars and Landmark Entertainment Group—the company that created the Forum Shops and Star Trek: The Experience at the Las Vegas Hilton—Magic Castle creator Milt Larsen conjured up Caesars Magical Empire, a 66,000-square-foot, seven-story venue that combined a threecourse dinner, closeup magic, large-scale illusions and a variety of state-of-the-art visual and mechanical effects into an experience so indescribably maximalist that it’s hard to believe it actually existed. (It did. This writer went there. I think.) Sadly, Magical Empire vanished from our dimension in 2002. –GC
We were there at the Colosseum on June 8, 2019, for the final performance by Celine Dion, sitting between superstar DJ Tiësto and Raiders owner Mark Davis, taking in every powerful note with the surreal understanding that this, the most iconic Strip concert, would likely never happen again.
No one knew that Dion would battle a rare neurological disorder that would take her offstage for years, including the cancellation of her new residency at Resorts World. And if you’re not up to speed, the singer has made a remarkable comeback: Performing during the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics two years ago; releasing new music this year; and scheduling a series of performances at Paris’ Plenitude Arena starting in September. The dream to hear and see Dion sing on the Strip again is still alive.
But when it comes to witnessing the definitive headlining artist in the venue created for her, it simply cannot be duplicated. Celine Dion at the Colosseum, debuting in 2003, is the mother of all Vegas shows. It redefined music and concerts and production on the Strip, and paved the way for every other star that followed, from Elton John or Garth Brooks or Adele at the same venue, to Britney Spears at Planet Hollywood, to U2 or Eagles at Sphere, to Bruno Mars or Lady Gaga at Park MGM. Dion’s two runs at the 4,300-seat mega-theater are the highest grossing residencies of all time per Billboard, 1,141 performances generating more than $681 million.
Currently occupied by a fascinating array of residents including Kelly Clarkson, Rod Stewart, Josh Groban, Tim McGraw, and Lisa from Blackpink, the Colosseum still sparkles, thanks to strategic updates and refreshing renovations. This singular venue made Caesars Palace the center of live entertainment in Vegas for decades, and after you witness your favorite artist there, you’ll understand why. –BR
Celine Dion toured the Colosseum for the first time in 2002.
60 YEARS OF CAESARS PALACE
Despite the fact that it has never housed a permanent venue for sports, Caesars Palace was instrumental in hosting many of the earliest sports events that built a foundation for what we see on the Strip today. The city’s first Formula 1 races took place at the resort’s parking lots in the early 1980s, and WrestleMania IX landed at Caesars in 1993. But its former makeshift outdoor arena is best known for its many legendary boxing bouts featuring the likes of Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns, Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson. In a fight known as “The Last Hurrah” on October 2, 1980, Muhammad Ali made his final attempt to capture a championship and was dominated by Larry Holmes –BR
On December 31, 1967, legendary stuntman Evel Knievel attempted a 141-foot ramp jump over the fountains in front of Caesars on a stripped-down Bonneville T120-TT motorcycle. He cleared the fountains but hit the landing ramp at a poor angle, flipping over the handlebars and bouncing on the pavement looking like the rubber-legged action figure he would eventually become. He crushed his pelvis and femur, fractured his hip, wrist and ankles, and suffered a concussion. Rumors swirled that he was comatose for nearly two months, but he might have fed those rumors himself with the help of casino owner Jay Sarno. In a way of speaking, Sarno was one Knievel’s first and most important co-pilots. He initially turned down Knievel’s request to jump the fountains, relenting only after Knievel and his friends repeatedly called Sarno pretending to be curious journalists. That jump—and that crash—cemented Knievel’s reputation as an indestructible daredevil, and Caesars’ reputation as a backdrop for the truly spectacular. Three motorcyclists repeated Knievel’s jump over the years: Knievel’s son Robbie on December 31, 1989, Travis Pastrana on July 8, 2018, and Colby Raha on May 17 of this year.
By the way, the Evel Knievel Experience, now open in Downtown Las Vegas, proudly displays the helmet Knievel wore for that ill-fated jump. Unsurprisingly, it’s not in great shape. –GC
The first time anyone in Las Vegas saw a movie shot on large-format IMAX-style film—indeed, the first time many people in America saw one—was at Caesars’ Omnimax Theater, a striking, geodesic-dome shaped auditorium that sat at the front of the property from December 1979 to May 2000. It was one of the few theaters of its kind outside of science museums, and the films it screened were largely Disneylike documentaries with the occasional crazy, “Whoa, you’re on a rollercoaster!” goof thrown in. Part of the land it occupied now belongs to the Colosseum performance hall, but Omnimax’s legacy lives on in two significant ways—at Sphere, which resembles Omnimax both physically and spiritually, and in the name of Caesars’ high-tech nightclub, Omnia. –GC
Unbelievably naughty, utterly hilarious and astonishingly beautiful, Absinthe opened in 2011 in a big, crazy tent in front of Caesars Palace. It was something new for Las Vegas, even though it skillfully combined elements like comedy and acrobatics that we’d seen before in other production and variety shows on the Strip. It quickly became a rarity—a favorite of both locals and tourists who returned to see it again and again, since the acts are constantly changing. Absinthe brought—is still bringing—a special kind of edge to Caesars, something you’d never expect at Las Vegas’ original themed casino –BR
The Last Hurrah, Evel Knievel and Omnimax courtesy Las Vegas News Bureau Collection,
LVCVA Archive; Absinthe by Christopher DeVargas
Several films have heavily influenced the perception of Las Vegas through the years, but few have had the cultural impact of 2009 comedy caper The Hangover—and we’re not just referring to goofy guests continuing to ask hotel staff, “Did Caesar live here?” Its cliché portrayal of Las Vegas, and Caesars Palace specifically, as headquarters for bachelor party shenanigans and other risqué behavior was nothing new, but the off-the-wall fun of the movie reminded plenty of visitors why they love to visit. You don’t need to wake up with a tiger in the bathroom to go home with a great story. –BR
60 YEARS OF CAESARS PALACE
When the Forum Shops arrived in 1992, rising from the pavement of the Caesars Palace parking lot where Formula 1 once raced, it was unlike anything we’d seen before.
Its visually striking re-creation of Roman streetscapes and ancient architecture sold the scene of a palatial playground. A themed luxury mall of this scale—240,000 square feet at the time and connected to the casino— simply didn’t exist anywhere else on the Strip. You could get swept away for hours under the faux skies, admiring the marble statues and lavish boutiques. It became a destination in and of itself, boasting retailers like Versace and Gucci alongside upscale restaurants like Spago and Italian eatery Lombardi’s.
And were we not entertained? The Forum Shops’ animatronic shows set it further apart. Its Festival Fountain show resurrected wine-sipping Roman deities for an hourly spectacle of lasers and loose-lipped drama.
Meanwhile, the Fall of Atlantis—a show that arrived with the mall’s expansion in 1997—unleashed a fire-spewing, 20-foot winged dragon that rewired my brain chemistry. We made it a family tradition: birthday dinners at the Cheesecake Factory, stroll past the aquarium’s brightly colored fish, then a face-blast from the dragon’s heat. And the three-story FAO Schwarz toy store blew my childhood mind just as thoroughly. Its 40-foot Trojan horse, gigantic nutcrackers and oversized pianos made me feel like I’d wandered onto the set of Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. And I adored every moment of it.
After all these years, the Forum Shops still retains its luxurious reputation. FAO Schwarz might be gone, and the Fall of Atlantis might be the last animatronic show standing, but when it comes to shopping, there’s no place like Rome. –Amber Sampson
Pure Nightclub, the original venue in the space now known as Omnia from 2004 until 2014, wasn’t the first Las Vegas Strip megaclub, but it raised the stakes and set new trends with its all-white motif and overthe-top bottle service, open-format resident DJs, multiple rooms of music and ability to draw celebrities. You can still see Pure’s influence at the biggest nightlife spots in Vegas, and certainly feel its legacy at Tao Group Hospitality’s Omnia Nightclub and new Omnia Dayclub. –BR
I’ve written about the Las Vegas Strip for decades and attended every type of event imaginable here, but that’s the thing about Vegas; you can’t imagine what might happen until it does. There have been dozens of times I’ve asked myself, “How is this happening, and how did I get here?” and I have to believe most repeat visitors have had a similar experience. But there were no tourists at the rooftop villa of the Nobu Hotel at Caesars Palace celebrating its fifth anniversary in 2018 with me and Robert De Niro and the governor of Nevada and a few other folks. The world’s first Nobu Hotel was a significant innovation at Caesars, but a better example of something that can happen first in Las Vegas, or only in Las Vegas. There are no limits here in hospitality and entertainment, and Caesars Palace was one of the successful projects that set that ambitious standard. –BR
Forum Shops exteriors by Steve Marcus; interior
Photo by Steve Marcus
IN THE NEWS
IMMIGRATION
Former FBI agent says viral botched ICE arrest at Las Vegas airport defies police standards
A botched arrest attempt by federal immigration agents last week at Harry Reid International Airport departed from several standard law enforcement practices, according to a retired FBI special agent who reviewed the incident.
The confrontation July 13 went viral three days later after a video was posted on social media showing Phu Nguyen, 57, an Australian citizen born in Vietnam, frantically yelling, “I do not know what they are doing.”
Ray Johnson, former assistant special agent in charge of the FBI’s Las Vegas field office, said the incident was one of the most poorly handled he’s seen.
“I have never seen a scenario where an attempted arrest left one handcuff on a subject and they just abandoned their arrest and walked away just casually down the hall,” Johnson said.
When Metro Police arrived, officers found Nguyen with a handcuff still attached to one of his wrists, officials said. Police said their investigation determined that agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement had attempted to detain Nguyen but left before completing the arrest.
Johnson, an adjunct professor at UNLV’s William S. Boyd School of Law, flagged the officers’ lack of identification and their attempt to cover their faces with their hoods
during the arrest. He also singled out the handcuffs they left behind, the second pair of pink handcuffs held by one of them and their failure to call for backup despite backup being readily available from Metro Police at the airport.
Metro officers ran a records check and found no outstanding warrants for Nguyen.
ICE agents arrested Nguyen the following day at Los Angeles International Airport, the agency said. ICE said Nguyen had overstayed his visa and was “taken into custody as soon as he landed in Los Angeles,” adding that “agitators” had attempted to help him evade ICE officers. –Ava Chatlosh
BY THE NUMBERS
The report estimates that Nevadans have paid $514 million more in gasoline than they were spending prior to the war’s onset. $460
The increase in Nevada household gasoline spending since the war with Iran began on February 28, according to a new report from Democrats’ Joint Economic Committee.
Report: Colorado River crisis puts trillions of dollars and millions of jobs at risk
The Colorado River Basin is experiencing its worst water year on record, putting at risk 16 million jobs, $1.4 trillion in annual gross domestic product and the hydropower generated by Hoover Dam, according to a new report from the Thirst Foundation.
The State of the Basin Report 2026 found that Lake Mead was around 29% of capacity in June, while Lake Powell—upstream at Glen Canyon Dam—was around 24% of capacity.
The report estimated that the basin generates $20.6 billion in annual direct economic benefits—$18.3 billion from urban use, $1.4 billion from agriculture and $874 million from hydropower—citing a 2025 study.
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has warned that the low water level in Lake Mead could cause Hoover Dam to generate up to 40% less hydropower this fall than normal. –Las Vegas Sun staff
MORE BAM! Legendary chef and longtime Las Vegas Strip restaurateur
Emeril Lagasse celebrates the opening of Meril at the M Resort in Henderson on July 14, a new casual concept open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
(Courtesy/Meril at M Resort)
The Library is Your Back-to-School Headquarters!
FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!
Space and school supplies are on a first-come, first-served basis and vary by branch. Quantities are limited. Please scan here for event details.
EVENTS
Rockin’ Back to School – Featuring The Dollheads Live in Concert
Saturday, July 25: 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Windmill Library
Featuring backpack giveaways, live music by teen punk powerhouse band The Dollheads, crafting, and a resource fair.*
Back-to-School Celebration
Thursday, July 30: 4 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Clark County Library
Supplies will be given out on a firstcome, first-served basis.*
*While supplies last.
Prepare for the upcoming school year at the Library! Bring your family & friends to enjoy featured crafts, live music, and more. Select branches will give away FREE school materials, while supplies last.
For Kids Ages 5 – 18 Plus Their Families & Caregivers
Back-to-School Fair
Sunday, August 2: 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. Spring Valley Library
Featuring games, activities, and a FREE school supply giveaway.*
Back-to-School Slime Day
Tuesday, August 4: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. West Charleston Library
Celebrate your Summer Challenge success at this free resource fair and slime your librarian!*
Back-to-School Bash – Dance, Create, and Get Ready!
Wednesday, August 5: 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Centennial Hills Library
Movement, creativity, and the tools you need for a strong start to the school year.*
Back-to-School Kickoff
Thursday, August 6: 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. Rainbow Library
Get ready for the start of the new school year!
Back-to-School Fair – at Blue Diamond Clark County Park
Friday, August 7: 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. Blue Diamond Library
FREE school supplies, giveaways, and a free Kona Ice.*
Back-to-Homeschool
Friday, August 28: 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Centennial Hills Library
We’re supporting local homeschool families and all students that are eager to learn!
SOLAR SUNSET AT
NV Energy’s upcoming daily demand charge draws opposition from solar customers, renewable advocates and Nevada’s attorney general
BY TYLER SCHNEIDER
Like many of our readers, I received a June 30 email from NV Energy outlining its January 2027 implementation of a new daily demand charge, which is calculated based on the 15-minute daily period when your usage peaks. It included an estimate for what I would have paid in May under that structure—a $4 decrease for my one-bedroom apartment.
The company tells the Weekly the new charge is “not a rate increase,” but a “restructuring of how electric bills are calculated.” Other components of customers’ bills—like the basic service charge—will decrease to offset the new line item, a spokesperson wrote. Reflective of my own estimate, the utility maintains that “most residential customers” should see little change or even a slight decrease in their average bill, “depend-
ing on their individual usage patterns.”
However, ratepayers with home solar panels may not share the potential decrease, as NV Energy has also estimated that solar customers could see bills rise from $12 to $20 per month under the daily demand charge. That’s largely because solar customers normally earn net-metering credits for excess solar they collect and send back to the grid. But those can’t be
applied against the daily demand charge, so if a solar customer’s single highest-use moment happens when their panels aren’t producing, their highest 15 minutes of use count fully even if their panels are otherwise generating a surplus.
“The new structure also helps address inequities in the current rate design, where rooftop solar customers pay less toward the cost of maintaining the grid than non-solar customers, even though all customers rely on that infrastructure,” NV Energy explains on its website.
This apparent disparity has drawn legal opposition from both Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford and renewable energy advocacy groups like Vote Solar and Earthjustice. Ford’s Bureau of Consumer Protection has mounted a lawsuit challenging the change, while Vote Solar and Earthjustice have filed their own. Both were dismissed within 48 hours of each other in late May but are separately appealing to the Nevada Supreme Court.
It’s an important distinction in a state that ranks seventh nationally for total installed solar capacity, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. Ford’s office and Vote Solar estimate that roughly 10% of Southern Nevada homeowners use rooftop solar systems, meaning the fix could create problems for a sizable number of customers.
Brad Heusinkveld, Vote Solar’s Interior West regulatory director, argues the charge is not just legally dubious but also poor policy design.
“It’s hard for customers to adopt, understand and manage,” he says. “While it may not increase rates on average for the customers, people are going to see a lot more variability month to month depending on their
usage. That’s especially difficult for people on fixed incomes or low-income families.”
He also says it could take away incentives from adopting solar panels.
“The demand charge puts those costs in such a bucket that those benefits are hard to grasp for customers. So, if they’re not compensated correctly, fewer people will invest in those, and the grid will have less access to customer-side resources that, in aggregate, can lower costs for everyone,” he says.
Speaking in a media briefing on May 27, Ford said he believes his own case against the daily demand charge is “far from over.”
“It undermines Nevada’s clean energy future, and it violates a state law that has been on the books since 2013,” Ford said. “Nevada law explicitly bans timebased rate structures. This charge is exactly that.”
Julia Hubbard, Nevada director for Solar United Neighbors— another nonprofit not engaged in the lawsuit—argues that the new charge doesn’t even target the problem NV Energy says it’s solving. She says the mismatch is compounded after dark, when panels aren’t producing at all.
“One of our critiques of this charge is it doesn’t actually coincide with when the grid is most strained, which again is that 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. period,” Hubbard says. “That’s when everybody is coming home and making dinner.”
Heusinkveld and Hubbard both see a bigger opportunity beyond this fight to fairly compensate customer-owned solar and battery usage to lower system-wide costs.
“It’s a moment where we can envision a more democratic energy future, where customers have more control over their energy and can use their voice to make that possible,” Hubbard says.
WHAT ARE YOUR RIGHTS AS A TENANT WHEN YOUR AC GOES OUT?
Summer electric bills are already stressful enough. But when the Mojave heat is at its peak and your air conditioning shuts down, it can become a life-ordeath situation.
For renters facing this scenario, Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada consumer rights attorney Jordan Savage has a few tips on how to proceed.
PUT IT IN WRITING.
Air conditioning, running water, functional electric and gas systems and working locks are all considered to be essential under Nevada law as far as landlord responsibilities are concerned. Therefore, a failure to provide air conditioning should be met with an immediate written inquiry to your landlord, Savage says.
“Everybody—especially the elderly—should put their landlord on notice as soon as possible,” he adds. “That starts a clock where the landlord has 48 hours to use ‘best efforts’ to fix it.”
Written notification is the gold standard here. Savage says certified letters are ideal, but an email or text will also typically qualify, while a phone call may not. Savage says judges often recognize a work order as proper notice as well.
INVOKE YOUR OWN REMEDY AS NEEDED.
Once that 48-hour period is up, Savage says you have options to protect yourself that include withholding any rent that comes due during that period, staying at a hotel while your rent abates, or buying a portable AC unit and deducting the cost from your next payment.
Again, he advises sending a follow-up notice to your landlord on what your intended remedy is.
“Keep copies as documentation, because if there is any litigation later over those issues, you’ve got proof that you followed the law,” he says.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS.
Although Savage says only a small percentage of landlords will contest his suggested solutions, that possibility is still worth prepping for.
“If they can’t fix it and won’t pay for you to be at a hotel, you’ve certainly got damages,” Savage says. “You could do either a small claim or a lawsuit for those outof-pocket costs, and I do think you could, at some point, terminate the lease if it continues.” –Tyler Schneider
This story is not a substitute for legal advice. For more information, visit lacsn.org.
Fernando Mendoza has found his first favorite target as a Raider, and it’s not someone many would have expected.
Relegated to playing mostly with his fellow rookies and roster hopefuls during pre-training camp practices in May and June, the overall No. 1 NFL Draft pick developed a notable rapport with draft classmate Malik Benson. Mendoza and Benson connected on a variety of routes, from deep balls to quick-read strikes, to create some buzz.
“He’s going to be a real great player, man,” veteran receiver Tre Tucker said of Benson. “He can run all day. He’s fast, and the best thing about him is he’s very coachable and willing to learn.”
Excitement isn’t typically this high for a sixth-round pick like Benson, who finished his college career at Oregon after stints at Florida State and Alabama, but it’s a reflection on the
WIDE OPEN
Snaps are up for grabs in the Raiders ’ receiving unit as training camp begins
size for his success.
Tucker has underperformed when thrust into a No. 1 receiver role, while Nailor has never gotten a shot at it while playing alongside stars Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison in Minnesota.
But Kubiak is counting on the pair to grow under his tutelage as they should lead the receiving unit as long as they can hold off the likes of Benson and second-year draft picks Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton.
“We’re just trying to be a whole complete room,” Nailor said. “We want guys to be able to play all three positions—inside, outside, and be able to move around. So, just having that competition, we’re pushing each other. We’re just trying to build something special here.”
Thornton was largely in Benson’s situation a year ago after regularly lighting up training camp and earning an immediate starting role. But his combination of speed and size never translated on gameday, as he had a disappointing rookie season.
Bech got more opportunity late in the season but also found it hard to shed professional defensive backs though his sure-handedness and comfort in traffic provided some optimism for the future.
Kubiak has talked up both Bech and Thornton and complimented them for spending much of their offseason at the team’s Henderson headquarters.
state of the Raiders’ receiving corps.
Playing time is readily available for whomever earns it. Most would refer to receiver as the Raiders’ weakest position group, though that might be a bit unfair with tight end Brock Bowers entrenched as the undoubted focal point of the passing game.
But it’s likely the spot with the most to sort as the Raiders begin training camp with rookies like Mendoza and Benson reporting July 24 ahead of the full team arriving on July 28.
“There’s a lot of competition in that receiver room,” Raiders coach Klint Kubiak said, “and may the best man win.”
Kubiak spoke of an excitement to work with Tucker, a fourth-year
Raider originally drafted by the Dave Ziegler/Josh McDaniels regime, ever since taking the job. The 5-foot-9 speedster has been electric at times, including leading the NFL with 145 receiving yards and three touchdowns in a Week 3 loss to Washington last year, with his shiftiness and big-play ability making up for his undersized frame.
But it was curious when one of the Raiders’ first acts of free agencies was signing former Minnesota Viking receiver Jalen Nailor, whose scouting profile reads similarly to Tucker’s. The Bishop Gorman High graduate Nailor is slightly bigger at 5-foot-11 but likewise relies more on speed and yards-after-catch prowess than physicality and prototypical
Las Vegas also signed special-teams standout receiver Dareke Young, who won the Super Bowl alongside Kubiak in Seattle last year, in free agency, as well as a host of undrafted rookie free agents at the position. The latter group includes a pair of Mendoza’s national-championship winning teammates at Indiana in E.J. Williams and Jonathan Brady.
Kubiak has already mentioned he expected to have five active receivers on the roster come gamedays. There’s a lot of work to be done to determine which five players will emerge.
“That’s what’s going to make us better,” Tucker said. “There’s no complacency in the room, and guys know that and know that’s what we’re out here to do.”
A choose-your-own-adventure guide to Area15’s Museum of Ice Cream , where slides, sundaes and selfies await
BY GABRIELA RODRIGUEZ
here isn’t a correct way to experience the new Museum of Ice Cream in Las Vegas, and that’s probably the point.
The latest addition to Area15’s Zone 2 isn’t going to guide you from one exhibit to another with a curated itinerary. Instead, it literally hands you a spoon, letting your childlike whimsy and taste buds lead the way. Beyond its bubblegum-pink re -
ception desk and kooky welcome staff, the museum boasts nearly 30,000 square feet of sugar-fueled escapism. Slides empty into sprinkle pools. Craft cocktails compete with crazy good scoops. And every room is designed to tempt a different impulse.
You won’t leave knowing the history of vanilla or the science behind gelato. But you will gain
an appreciation for the gleeful absurdity adulthood doesn’t often make room for.
The best museum route depends on who’s walking through the door. So, consider this your unofficial guide to finding the sweetest version of the experience, whether you’re bringing kids, planning a date, chasing the perfect scoop or the perfect photo.
Photos by Christopher DeVargas
Off the rip, kids will gravitate towards the massive slide that greets all guests. Make your way upstairs and through the banana mirror maze, and line up to race down. But if the kiddos are too small, head to the museum’s massive sprinkle pit. The dual slides that empty into the pool of plastic-shaped confectionery are smaller scale and perfect for little ones still awaiting their growth spurt.
Dentists be damned—this is your moment. Make a beeline for the unlimited Golden Scoop ice cream buffet and don’t hold back. With soft serve, hard scoops, sorbet, Dole Whip and more, this is truly what sweet dreams are made of. Start with specialty flavors like Sorry Not Sorry’s pineapple upside-down cake or stick with classics like cookies and cream. Then sauce it down with caramel, hot fudge or sticky marshmallow. Finally, get wild at the toppings station with 48 options, including crushed potato chips, CheezIts and mini-M&Ms.
Looking for a new way to make your sweetheart swoon? Start by ordering a s’mores martini at the bar. Head into the wedding cakethemed chapel, then slide into a pew and make lovebird bracelets. After, profess your undying devotion with matching ice cream-themed temporary tattoos in the parlor across the way, or play a game of mini golf on the Vegas Golden Knights-themed course.
Choose this path if your camera roll’s hungry for fresh content, because let’s face it, you weren’t leaving the Museum of Ice Cream without a few dozen photos. Start in the s’mores suite, where giant graham crackers and pillowy marshmallows frame a bed built for group shots. Next, grab a mirror selfie in the banana-draped mirror room while you wait for the slide. Then strike one final pose inside the museum’s futuristic pink monorail, a pretty sweet ride if you ask us.
Courtesy Troy Conrad
Camp Palms is nostalgic kitsch that keeps you coming back
BY SHANNON MILLER
ast a mosquito net-curtained doorway, the glow of grill charcoal and lanterns beckons. Leafy vines—as well as brassieres and life jackets—hang from the ceiling. At the back of a bar that comfortably seats about 20 is a small stage where camp activities take an adults-only turn. A cast of camp counselors, nurses, park rangers and occasionally Bigfoot turn sing-alongs into raunchy air guitar solos, and talent shows into stripteases.
After hosting a holiday pop-up in December, Palms and ThemeDream Productions bring a new themed experience to wet your whistle for summer nostalgia with over-the-top decor, live actors and themed food and cocktails.
Like the actors, the food is overzealous, hilariously presented and meant to be shared. A trio of overdressed hot dogs ($22) “smokes” on a mini grill. Ritz crackers, housemade pickles and three different dips—grilled smoked trout, spicy pimento cheese and Wagyu beef and bean chili—come in the Starter Trail ($14). For dessert, gooey s’mores fundido dip ($12) topped with roasted marshmallows sparks memories around the campire.
Creative cocktails make for happy campers here. The Red, White and Boom ($16) comes with a glass of prosecco with a patriotic popsicle in it.
CAMP PALMS
The Tito’s-based When Camp Gives You Lemons ($18) is a refreshing delight that tastes less like real lemon and more like yellow Skittles. It also wins the Most Fun Presentation Award, as it arrives in a flamingo floatie. Bigfoot’s Watermelon
Thru August 9, Wednesday-Sunday 5 p.m.-late. Palms, palms.com.
Smash ($16) features fresh watermelon puree, Botanist Gin and fresh lime juice. But don’t expect to enjoy your meal or drink in peace—Camp Director Larry will let you know when he needs your attention by blowing a whistle, bringing you back to your gym class days. Camp Counselor Sandy wows onlookers
slightest achievements, and Bigfoot makes an occasional appearance for photo ops.
Camp Palms invites you to leave adulthood at the door, gather ’round the fire and embrace your inner camper. And with no cover, there’s no reason not to enjoy it while you can—summer camp doesn’t last forever.
Discover the uncomplicated, convenient glory of Tacos Los Barrios
BY JIM BEGLEY
Anyone who has spent considerable time here has likely made a desperation Roberto’s run—either a midday default for an easy, tasty meal, or as an attempt to satiate the powerful hunger which inevitably accompanies a late night out in Las Vegas. The Valley is stacked with convenient and casual taco shops offering reliable, standard Mexican fare.
But what if I were to offer an alternative? Started as a food truck during the tail end of the pandemic, Tacos Los Barrios quickly opened its first brickand-mortar in Henderson before expanding to four restaurants Valleywide. I found the Rainbow location after some day drinking at the nearby 595 Craft and Kitchen and have been hooked ever since. Nothing outwardly differentiates Tacos Los Barrios from the multitude of cookie-cutter, strip-mall Mexican joints dotted throughout Vegas. You’ve got your standard collection of tacos, burritos and tortas, along with more trendy
options including a variety of birria dishes: ramen, quesabirria, eggrolls and more. But just because it’s familiar doesn’t mean it’s not good. Take my go-to order, the carne asada quesadilla ($12). Stuffed with beef a bit more seasoned than the competition and enveloped in a generous serving of cheese—enough to curb a craving without upsetting the overall balance—the ingredients are swaddled in a tortilla charred enough to provide smoky contrast. It’s a simple yet addictive work of art.
The other proteins can be described as similarly exceptional: heartier birria, spicier chorizo, tender carnitas offering a fair amount of crunch, and even a surprisingly flavorful pollo asado—which means a lot coming from a guy who never orders chicken. If you’re feeling fancy, Los Barrios offers flavorful grilled shrimp—particularly good as a quesotaco ($5)—as well as campechano, which combines almost all the meats, a great option for the indecisive.
Tacos are available in classic Maizero style ($3) with meat, cilantro and onion; Americano ($3) with cheese and sour cream; Mexicano ($4) with guac and pico; and Del Barrio ($5) with beans, sour cream, guac and cheese, but honestly, you can customize to your heart’s content. I’d be remiss to not mention Taco Tuesdays, where most tacos are only $2.
Tacos El Barrio isn’t reimagining Mexican cuisine. It’s simply doing the basics better than the rest.
Tropical cocktails, bigger Better Buzz, a food hall party and more
The Resort at Summerlin has announced another Neighborhood Food Hall Community Block Party for August 1 at 1 p.m., showcasing the varied cuisine at the food hall and raising money for Project 150. A tasting passport is $25 in advance or $30 on the day of the event, with more info at theresortatsummerlin.com.
Local fave Meraki Greek Grill has opened a new eatery Downtown at 1551 S. Commerce Street #110.
Downtown smokehouse Soulbelly BBQ has opened a second location at the Miracle Eats Food Court at the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood.
Better Buzz Coffee Roasters has opened three more locations—at 110 E. Lake Mead Parkway in Henderson, 7120 S. Rainbow Boulevard and 10020 W. Sahara Avenue— bringing its Valley total up to six stores.
Nacho Daddy has opened its fourth local restaurant at Area15.
Global bubble tea brand Chatime has opened its first Las Vegas store at 4626 S. Maryland Parkway, with plans to open six locations around the Valley.
Sam’s Town has opened STG Bar & Grill , an all-new classic American restaurant, and parent company Boyd Gaming has gastropub concepts in the works at the Fremont and Aliante Casino.
Suncoast has debuted its new Quick Bites food hall featuring Steak ‘n Shake and Huey Magoo’s Chicken Tenders along with the resort’s Starbucks store.
Todo Bien at UnCommons is chilling us all out with a Christmas in July takeover, with over-the-top tropical decor and a limited-time cocktail menu with festive, island-inspired libations including: Christmas in the Tropics ($17) with Lunazul tequila, Vago mezcal, fresh lime juice, coconut, allspice and Curaçao; and Mr. Sandman ($16) with Tito’s vodka, Genepy Alpine liqueur, lime and cran-rosemary cordial, topped with soda. The party continues all month long and more info is at todobientiki.com
Meanwhile on the Strip, Flanker Kitchen & Sports Bar has brought back its summer Mai Tai tropical popup, with island-inspired bites and tiki-ish drinks ready and waiting through August 31.
Fremont East’s La Mona Rosa recently reinstated its Pink Brunch, available every Sunday from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m., with a new menu inspired by coastal Mexican cuisine.
Balla Italian Soul has launched its Ciao Bella Brunch, with chef-driven Italian cuisine and cocktails and live entertainment, on Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. Reservations can be made at saharalasvegas.com
Ferraro’s Ristorante is back to its seasonal ways with the return of the Summer in Italy four-course prix fixe menu, available for $75 per person through August 23.
–Brock Radke
Carrot Cake White Russian (Courtesy Daniel Virchow)
NCA
At the Nevada Contractors Association, we are committed to ensuring the voices of our contractors are heard and that the future of our industry remains strong. Through unified leadership, advocacy and industry collaboration, we proudly represent nearly 500 general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and affiliated firms helping shape Southern Nevada’s continued growth.
Together, our industry is building more than projects—we are building the infrastructure, businesses and communities that drive our region forward.
The Contractor of the Year Awards represent some of the highest honors in Nevada’s construction industry. These awards recognize outstanding contractors, industry professionals and projects that exemplify excellence in craftsmanship, innovation, leadership, safety and community impact.
Congratulations to this year’s honorees and award recipients! Your dedication and commitment to excellence continue to strengthen our industry and community.
Ann Barnett CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
GENERAL CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR
MARTIN-HARRIS CONSTRUCTION
Founded in 1976 by Frank Martin and Frank Harris, Martin-Harris Construction has grown into one of the Southwest’s premier commercial general contractors. Fifty years later, the family-led firm remains under the leadership of President Guy Martin, with offices in Las Vegas and Reno and an expanding presence in Colorado.
Martin-Harris Construction employs more than 427 associates and has averaged more than $500 million in annual revenue over the past three years. The company has completed 60 projects between May 2025 and May 2026 across sectors including aviation, healthcare, hospitality and education.
The company is also deeply rooted in the community, making a meaningful impact beyond construction. Martin-Harris partners with Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada, Make-A-Wish Nevada and the Clark County School District. Associates regularly participate in school improvement projects, community cleanups, holiday donation drives, career fairs and mentorship opportunities that introduce students and young adults to careers in construction.
Martin-Harris has earned multiple ABC Excellence in Construction Awards and NAIOP Southern Nevada’s General Contracting Firm of the Year honors. The company’s high-performing, people-first culture has also been recognized as a Great Place to Work.
CONSTRUCTION SERVICES FOR TOMORROW’S NEEDS
New-Com is the consolidated parent company of TAB Contractors, MMC, and Acme Electric. With a proven ability to implement efficient operational strategies and cost-competitive building practices, New-Com has become one of the largest selfperforming construction entities in the Southwest. As a vital contributor in the growth of the Las Vegas Valley’s infrastructure, New-Com has successfully constructed numerous treatment plants, pumping stations, pipelines, power lines, and street and roadway lighting – helping to build a stronger future for the residents of Southern Nevada.
• CCTV/Panorama 3D Mapping
• Trenchless Pipe Rehabilitation
• Hydro-Excavation Safe Dig
• Commercial
Subcontractor of the year HIRSCHI COMPANIES
Hirschi Companies is one of the only specialty contractors in the Southwest that delivers masonry, ironwork and powder coating on a single commercial project, all coordinated by one team. Founded more than 17 years ago as a regional masonry contractor, Hirschi has grown into a multi-brand construction enterprise operating across Nevada, Arizona and Utah, with brands including Hirschi Masonry, Hirschi Iron, Hirschi Powder Coating, HaulCore Transport, Brickhouse Fleet Services, Pathways School of Masonry and Hirschi Helping Hands.
The company serves general contractors, developers, homebuilders and public works clients through its multi-trade integration model. This year, Hirschi launched Hirschi Technologies, a dedicated tech division supporting its operating brands with proprietary systems and tools. Some of Hirschi’s recent projects include the Faith Lutheran Crusader Technology Center, the Crown Transfer Facility and the Switch data center campus.
Supplier of the Year PROFESSIONAL CONTRACTOR SUPPLY
Professional Contractor Supply, previously known as Fasteners, Inc., has spent nearly four decades supplying contractors throughout Nevada with construction and industrial products. Earlier this year, the company changed its name to PCS to better reflect the full breadth of the services it offers, while its ownership, leadership team and service philosophy remain.
PCS has three core priorities: the highest in-stock inventory in Las Vegas, customer-focused real-time service and expansive logistics powered by integrated technology and distribution networks. The company is also a leader in industrial safety, offering products backed by hands-on training at its on-site safety facility. PCS has recently supplied materials for some of Nevada’s largest builds, including the Las Vegas A’s Stadium and the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.
Service Firm of the Year
TRINITY LAND SURVEYING
Trinity Land Surveying opened in 2012 during one of the toughest economic stretches in Las Vegas history, growing into a company built on hard work, loyalty and industry passion. Today, the certified women-owned company employs more than 60 team members and has expanded its services across multiple states.
TLS provides land surveying, 3D scanning and construction layout services. Its investment in advanced surveying technology allows field data to be transmitted to the office in real time, improving accuracy, productivity and client communication.
TLS has worked on projects including the Tennessee Titans’ stadium in Nashville and SpaceX in Texas. Locally, TLS has supported Formula 1 Las Vegas, the Las Vegas A’s Stadium, the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Sphere and community-focused education and transportation projects, guided by its philosophy of building relationships by exceeding expectations.
Safest General Contractor of the Year
MCCARTHY BUILDING COMPANIES
At McCarthy Building Companies, safety is treated as a core value with one uncompromising goal: everyone who steps onto a jobsite or into an office goes home safely. That standard is upheld through a genuine safety culture built on ownership, accountability and consistent execution.
Companywide safety policies meet or exceed OSHA and state requirements, while programs such as McCarthy Vital Processes—a behavior-based field observation initiative—help identify hazards and adjust training before incidents occur. Each project team develops a site-specific safety plan addressing the work’s unique risks, with integrated work plans and task hazard analyses reviewed before work begins. New craft employees also complete a full day of hands-on training covering power tools, ladders, scaffolding, fall protection and equipment awareness before reporting to a jobsite. McCarthy’s approach also extends to mental health, offering employees robust support resources.
Safest Subcontractor of the Year
ALL 5’S CONSTRUCTION
All 5’s Construction measures success through safety, with leadership committing to project pre-planning and training that keeps jobsites and off-site environments secure. The results reflect that focus: All 5’s Construction boasts an experience modification rate of .64, well below the 1.0 industry average, and recorded 726,597 manhours worked last year with zero lost-time incidents. Field teams use digital safety and quality management tools for real-time inspections, documentation and hazard tracking, particularly during concrete operations. Safety managers and foremen maintain competent-person status, with the director of safety holding CHST certification and managers required to complete OSHA 500 and 502 training.
Civil Project of the Year
THE KORTE COMPANY
THE VILLAGE 25 SUMMERLIN COUNCIL PARK
The Village 25 Council Park is a 21acre recreational facility in Summerlin West, built by The Korte Company, that opened in December 2025 as the first phase of the larger 90-acre Grand Park development. Surrounded by five new neighborhoods in the gated Grand Park Village area, known for its views of Red Rock Canyon and the Las Vegas Strip, the park includes landscaped open spaces, pedestrian pathways, gathering areas, shade structures, recreational amenities and supporting infrastructure. The project required careful coordination of civil, landscape and infrastructure work within an active residential area to establish a signature public amenity for the community.
PUBLIC SECTOR
Building Project of the Year (Under $15 Million)
BUILDERS UNITED CSN HISTORIC WESTSIDE EDUCATION AND TRAINING CENTER
The CSN Historic Westside Education and Training Center is a 16,590-squarefoot facility built by Builders United to expand access to career technical education and workforce training in Las Vegas’ Historic Westside neighborhood. Completed in August 2025, the center offers hands-on training and credentialing in healthcare, advanced manufacturing, information technology and construction trades. Its design pairs modern educational functionality with community identity, featuring sustainable systems, drought-tolerant landscaping, solar parking canopies with EV charging, a public plaza and a local artist mural. Despite underground utility conflicts, specialty systems coordination and procurement delays, the project was delivered through disciplined planning and collaboration.
PRIVATE SECTOR
Building Project of the Year (Under $15 Million)
STATION GAUDI BAR AND TABLE GAMES REMODEL
Taylor International served as general contractor on the $8.5 million remodel of the gaming floor at Sunset Station. The project rebuilt the casino’s core through two connected spaces: the Gaudi Bar, featuring an elliptical bar wrapped in a sculpted Gaudi-inspired facade, a raised platform, an ice room and a suspended Preciosa crystal chandelier, and an adjacent table games pit with reworked layout, lighting and finishes. Work ran through spring 2026, with the gaming pit opening May 14 and the Gaudi Bar May 22—all while the casino remained open and operating around the clock.
PUBLIC SECTOR
Building Project of the Year (Over $30 Million)
THE PENTA BUILDING GROUP LAS VEGAS CONVENTION CENTER PHASE THREE RENOVATION PROJECT
The Las Vegas Convention Center Phase Three project was a 3.2 million-square-foot renovation of the nation’s second-largest convention center, built by the PENTA Building Group. This project unified a campus constructed haphazardly over 11 phases dating back to the 1950s. A new tapered roof and quarter-mile curtain wall facade tie the buildings together while flooding pre-function areas with natural light, culminating in a 95-foot-high cantilever at the grand lobby. Interior upgrades included widened pre-function spaces, nearly 20 new elevators and escalators, and full HVAC, lighting and A/V improvements. The center hosted more than a million attendees annually throughout construction, and the project was completed on budget and on schedule.
PUBLIC SECTOR
Building Project of the Year ($15-$30 Million)
CORE CONSTRUCTION CITY OF HENDERSON FIRE STATION NO. 92
The Fire Station No. 92 project spans nearly 15 acres and includes a 14,803-square-foot fire station, a city vehicle fueling station and a street sweeper dump. One of the Henderson Fire Department’s largest facilities, the station houses 13 firefighter dorms, four apparatus bays, decontamination and PPE storage rooms, a workout room and full kitchen and office spaces. The varied and complex functions of the Fire Station No. 92 project presented several challenges. Midway through construction, CORE and project partners identified that the sweeper dump’s original design didn’t meet the city’s operational needs, prompting a redesign. CORE collaborated with the architect, the civil engineer and city representatives to find a revised solution while staying within budget.
J.A. Tiberti Member of the Year Award TIESHA MOORE G3 ELECTRICAL
Tiesha Moore has been an active and dedicated member of the Nevada Contractors Association, serving on the Diverse/Developing Contractors Council, the Construction Career Outreach and Recruitment Committee, the Government Affairs Committee and as an NCA Board Member. For more than four years on the DCC Steering Committee, she guided outreach initiatives, mentoring discussions and educational programming for contractors. Through C-COR, she promoted construction careers and workforce development. As a legislative advocate on the Government Affairs Committee, she has represented contractors’ interests, testifying before city councils, school boards and legislative bodies, including in Carson City, on issues affecting Nevada’s construction industry.
Member Company of the Year HIRSCHI COMPANIES
Hirschi Companies’ involvement in the Nevada Contractors Association spans its leadership and field organization. Crystal Hirschi, executive vice president and co-owner, serves on the NCA Board of Directors and the Construction Career Outreach and Recruitment Committee, and took part in the Government Affairs Committee last legislative session. Safety Director Wes Pettus has served on the NCA Safety Committee for several years, while general counsel Ryan Daniels joined the Government Affairs team. Marketing Manager Jessenia Abrego attends NCA events with the team and has served on C-COR.
The company’s commitment to workforce development and service extends beyond its NCA involvement. Hirschi Helping Hands engages employees in community service, while the Pathways School of Masonry creates training and employment opportunities for people re-entering society. Together, these efforts strengthen the construction industry and wider community.
TONY A. MARNELL II, CHAIRMAN EMERITUS
Through decades of education and experience, Marnell has propelled Marnell Companies and its associates to international acclaim for designing and constructing some of the world’s most recognizable resorts, hotels and gaming properties. As founder, CEO and chairman of the board, Marnell has grown Marnell Companies and Marnell Architecture into a premier firm known for reliability, stability and industry-leading design. An architect by trade, Marnell brings a comprehensive perspective, having worked as an architect, contractor, developer, owner and operator. Marnell and his family are also active in Las Vegas’ charitable community, marking 45 years of local involvement.
The Pioneer Legacy Award
702-438-7426
CONGRATULATIONS
to the 2026 Contractor of the Year Nominees
Congratulates the Winners of the NCA 2026 Contractor of the Year Awards!!!
TO THE 2026 CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR AWARD
The Nevada Contractors Association proudly celebrates this year’s award recipients for their outstanding leadership, craftsmanship, innovation, and commitment to excellence.
Your dedication continues to strengthen Nevada’s communities, elevate our industry, and inspire the next generation of construction professionals.
We are honored to recognize your achievements and contributions to building a stronger Nevada.
Congratulations to all of this year’s winners.
Nevada Contractors Association Building Nevada’s Future Together
HOROSCOPES
WEEK OF JULY 23 BY ROB BREZSNY
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Authentic love songs are rare. Much of contemporary music leans toward infatuation and heartbreak, while few artists sing unabashedly about unique expressions of tenderness. In the months ahead, your inner life will be gloriously out of step with that trend. Your heart is poised to wake up in surprising ways. I suspect lush emotions will soon bloom in you.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Nobel Prize-winning Taurus physicist Richard Feynman kept a notebook titled “Things I Don’t Know About” to log unanswered questions. Keep a log of “Beautiful Mysteries I Don’t Really Need to Solve.” Rejoice that not every paradox needs resolution. Savor the fact that some riddles enrich your life precisely because they remain open-ended. Some of your finest qualities will flourish in the presence of productive uncertainty.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In the early days of radio broadcasting, listeners sometimes heard static until the dial was adjusted to exactly the right frequency. The message was clear; the challenge was homing in on it. A similar phenomenon is going on in your life. Useful information and fun inspiration are circulating in your vicinity, but you must adjust your attention to receive them. To bring the signals into focus, listen differently.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Neuroscientists have found that remembering the past and imagining the future rely on the same brain networks. When we repeatedly simulate alarming scenarios, our brains treat them like memories, making us prone to spotting threats in safe places. The coming months are an excellent time to retrain this habit. Fantasize about wonderful possibilities with the same intensity you once gave to scary speculations.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Oak trees produce far more acorns than could ever grow into trees. Squirrels bury thousands and forget many of them, preparing the way for the next generation of forest. The trees succeed through strategic overproduction. In the coming weeks, overproduce. Make more than you can track and release more than you can manage. You do not need to be perfect, just abundant.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): In the 19th century, Virgo naturalist Alexander von Humboldt helped launch the modern science of ecology by concluding that nature is an intricate web of relationships rather than separate objects. Shift your focus away from isolated problems and observe the larger systems. Solutions may be elusive when you are bound to a narrow view but strikingly clear when you perceive the wider pattern.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): The coming months will be a favorable time to triple your devotion to the art of rowdy fun. I urge you to attend more celebrations than usual, and always be ready to energize social functions with infusions of festive wit. You will also have extra power to inject buoyant amusements into your intimate liaisons. Carry out your role with maximum exuberance and joy.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): What if your most personal and potent dream could come true—but only through months of persistence and disciplined sacrifice? Would you reorder your priorities to chase it with every ounce of creativity you have? Or would you set it aside in favor of a safer and easier possibility? Between now and the end of October, I predict the moment will arrive to choose one path or the other.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): On some occasions, you just do not have the power to act with impeccable integrity. Doing the partially right thing may, however, be a useful and compassionate option. There are moments when the perfect ethical or practical choice simply is not available because resources are thin. Waiting around for a flawless solution is a kind of paralysis. Instead, you can aim for the best available good.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In gardening, companion planting involves growing certain plants near each other because they share nutrients or repel pests. For example, Indigenous peoples planted corn, beans, and squash together so they could support, feed and shade one another. This principle is useful for you to contemplate now. By blending complementary energies, your efforts will flourish without strain.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Author Alain de Botton observed that the person we marry is always far more complex than we realized when we first declared our love. Rather than feeling alarmed by this revelation, I invite you to find it thrilling as you apply it to your best allies. The fact that they contain mysteries means the relationships are not likely to grow stale. Approach even your most familiar intimacies as ongoing discoveries.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Do you ever fear or distrust your own desires? Are you suspicious of achieving “too much” success? Do you ever fear your own desires, go emotionally blank before thrilling possibilities, or belittle yourself for wanting hope? If so, the coming weeks could bring a breakthrough. You will have a chance to perform a rare kind of exorcism of the quiet defeatism and lack of faith that dull your brilliance. Seize this moment, dear Pisces. Purge the automatic doubts that the world has trained you to mistake for wisdom.
SHE WEEKEND | TOSHIBA PLAZA | JULY 16, 2026 Olympians from Team USA received a warm welcome—and keys to the Strip—at SHE Weekend, hosted by rapper, longtime Las Vegan and proud girl dad Flavor Flav. The four-day celebration brought hundreds of female sports stars onto a level playing field, where their athletic accolades were championed by Flav and hundreds of local fans. The hip-hop legend with the famous timepiece has long served as a hype man for women’s sports, sponsoring the U.S. bobsled and skeleton teams during the Winter Olympics, and the women’s U.S. water polo team. During SHE Weekend, Clark County Commissioner Tick Segerblom officially proclaimed July 16 as Flavor Flav Day. Yeahhhh, girls! –Amber Sampson
