🛬 Airline drops ICE deportation flights

🛬 Airline Ends Relationship with ICE

At least 120 deportation flights passed through Las Vegas in 2025 — more than double the amount of the previous year — and the airline responsible for most of ‘em wants out. Avelo, which quietly dropped commercial flights at Harry Reid in August, will end its contract with ICE later this month, although the decision appears to be more financial than political. [Nevada Independent]

• A crowd gathered in Downtown last night to protest the deadly shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. [KSNV]

👮 Metro Expands Drone Force

Metro Police have unveiled a new network of “skyports” to deploy up to 1,700 drone missions each month. The unmanned aerial vehicles can respond to a call within a two-mile radius in two minutes or less. (How soon before I’m arguing with these things about speeding tickets? 🤔) [KTNV]

🌎 The Sphere Is Now an Evil Space Station

The Sphere may have found its true calling as the world’s largest video game console. The venue’s exosphere turned into a Lego Death Star for an interactive game during CES, allowing players to hop into a life-size X-Wing to simulate the climactic trench run from the first “Star Wars” film. [Hollywood Reporter]

🤠 Durango Goes Country

Construction began this week on the northside expansion of the Durango casino, which will include a movie theater, bowling alley, and Moonshine Flats — a two-story honky tonk with five bars and all the boot scootin’ the Southwest Valley can handle. [KSNV]

• If country music isn’t your thang … how about some EDM? The Boulevard Mall is now home to the DJ Museum. City Cast Las Vegas has more (and thoughts on what other museums Vegas is missing) in the latest Friday news roundup, along with the latest on a new ride to the airport and a demolition dilemma at Historic Commercial Center. [City Cast Las Vegas 🎧]

😃 Hey, news junkies!

It’s time for the latest Hey Las Vegas news quiz. The questions are based on stories featured in the newsletter over the past week. Have you been paying attention?

Here’s the first question to get you started:

Which upcoming Las Vegas attraction is NOT expected to open in 2026?

• Cadence Crossing Casino
• Omnia Dayclub
• The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
• The Vanderpump Hotel