City Cast Las Vegas
🎰 Tourism is down. Time to panic?
May 2, 2025 · — Rob Kachelriess
🙂 Hello,
Our spring City Cast Las Vegas Neighbor membership campaign is winding down 🙏
So let’s keep it short and sweet. Became a Neighbor today and you’ll get:
- Perks, giveaways, and exclusive events 🥳
- The satisfaction of supporting local journalism ✍️
- A City Cast Neighbors coffee mug ☕
- And to seal the deal: an exclusive look at the most embarrassing baby photos of the City Cast Las Vegas team — if we reach our goal this week. (We’re almost there.) 👶
What's CITY Talking About?
🎸 Rockin’ in the Free World
The Fremont Street Experience revealed this year’s lineup for the Downtown Rocks free concert series. It goes heavy on the rock of the ‘90s and early aughts with Hinder, Drowning Pool, Saliva, Alien Ant Farm, and Jet all playing Memorial Day Weekend to kick things off. [Fremont Street Experience]
- We love free stuff, including parking, birthday gifts, and date ideas 🤗 [Hey Las Vegas ✍️]
🛌 New Hotel Planned Near Allegiant Stadium
Clark County will consider plans for a new eight-story hotel within walking distance of Allegiant Stadium near Valley View and Russell. Don’t get too excited. It’s an Embassy Suites — somewhat routine by Vegas standards (although the sushi bar and rooftop pool sound nice 🍣). However, it could help reshape the industrial area into an entertainment district around the stadium. [Las Vegas Review-Journal]
🤔 What is DOGE Nevada Anyway?
A newly announced “DOGE” office in Nevada has nothing to do with the budget-slashing federal department of the same name — at least officially. It’s a volunteer registered nonprofit that analyzes data to identify waste in state government spending. Some examples: $12 million for a pickleball complex and $9 million for rural internet services that never happened. [KLAS]
🧳 Uh Oh, Tourism is Down
A new report by the LVCVA says Las Vegas tourism was down nearly 8% in March compared to the same month last year. [Nevada Independent]
- I had a few thoughts about this, so I joined City Cast Las Vegas for the latest Friday news roundup — a lively discussion that also included two education bills and yes, the phenomenon of “sperm racing” in Las Vegas 🙃
Your Las Vegas News Quiz
🗞️ Hey news junkies!
It’s the end of the week. That means another edition of the Hey Las Vegas news quiz. The questions are based on stories in the newsletter over the past week. Up to the challenge?
Here’s the first question to get you started:
What did MGM Resorts recently cut from six of its Strip properties?
Button: Take the News Quiz!
Results will appear at the end.
What To Do
Friday, May 2
- 🎞️ The Warriors at Beverly Theater | 3 & 9:30 p.m. | $11 | Downtown
- 🎭 Rainbow Company Youth Theatre: A Play Festival at Charleston Heights Arts Center (through May 3) | 7 p.m. | $10+ | Charleston Heights
- 🍷 UNLVino at the Thomas & Mack Center | 7 p.m. | $100+ | Tropicana & Paradise
- 🎨 First Friday at the Arts District | 5 p.m. - 11 p.m. | Free entry | Downtown
- 🎭 The Glass Menagerie at Las Vegas Little Theatre | 7 p.m. | $35 | Chinatown
- 🏜️ Elevations: A Salon at the Clark County Library | 6 - 7:15 p.m. | Free tickets | Flamingo & Maryland
- 🎶 UNLV Opera Theater: Fêtes & Follies! At Beam Music Center | 7:30 p.m. | $10 | UNLV
Saturday, May 3
- 🛍️ Giant Garage Sale at Black Mountain Recreation Center | 7 a.m. - noon | Free admission ($20 booth rental) | Henderson
- 🩺 Community Wellness Fair at Howard Lieburn Active Adult Center | 9 a.m. - noon | Free | Charleston Heights
- 🪶 Paiute Spring Festival at The Lawn | 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. | Free | Downtown Summerlin
- 🇺🇲 Salute to Service Military Fair for Heroes at Centennial Hills Library | 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. | Free | Buffalo & Deer Springs
- 🌸 Flavors of Aloha at Craig Ranch Regional Park | 11 a.m. - close | $5+ | North Las Vegas
- 🌮 Cinco de Mayo Fiesta at Tivoli Village | 11 a.m. - 11:30 p.m. | Free admission | Rampart & Alta
- 🇲🇽 Cinco de Mayo Festival at East Las Vegas Community Center | Noon - 4 p.m. | Eastern & Stewart
- 🎰 Meanwhile in Vegas… at the Vegas Theatre Company | 6 & 8 p.m. | $16.79 | Arts District
- 🪶 New Vista Wine Walk at the Pavillion | 7 - 10 p.m. | $50+ | Downtown Summerlin
- 🎶 A Les Misérables Night of Music at Lorenzi Park | 7:30 p.m. | Free | Washington & Valley View
- 🎛️ Colorfest at Swan Dive | 9 p.m. - 2 a.m. | $15+ | Arts District
🍃 It’s going to be a windy weekend.
Check ahead when attending events. A few have been canceled or postponed due to weather, including Market in the Alley at UnCommons (which is now happening May 10) and the Nevada Shakespeare Festival’s “The Comedy of Errors,” moved to May 20 at Inspirada.
Be safe and enjoy Cinco de Mayo Weekend! 🌮
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