⚰️ Data center back from the dead

The NBA Summer League is back for its 22nd year in Las Vegas. (Yes, it’s really been that long.) The annual off-season tournament showcases 30 teams of up-and-coming players in games that run July 9-19 at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion at UNLV. [ESPN]

• Tickets range from general admission to an elevated courtside deck with an open bar and other Vegas-worthy perks. [NBA Experiences]
• For the first time, games will adopt a new “one free throw rule” — a policy already used by the G League — to speed up the action. [Associated Press]
• Opening day includes a bonus: the return of the PlayStation NBA Creator Cup, featuring social media personalities. [KVVU]
• It’s the first Summer League since the NBA officially revealed plans to explore the idea of a new NBA team in Las Vegas. The “Las Vegas Jacks,” an investment group led by former Phoenix Suns owner Jerry Colangelo, announced its intention to bid after locking down billions in capital. [KSNV]
• Vegas Golden Knights owner Bill Foley also has an official bid in the works — and is cutting a vacation short to make his presence felt during Summer League games. [Las Vegas Review-Journal]
• With so much attention on the NBA right now, are the vibes different with the Summer League back in town? City Cast Las Vegas takes a closer look at the potential future of professional basketball in Vegas as our community continues to build a reputation as a bona fide sports town. [City Cast Las Vegas 🎧]

🚘 Waymo Expands Operations in Vegas

Waymo will soon have autonomous vehicles — with no driver behind the wheel — on the streets of Las Vegas. The service will be provided to company employees before opening to the public later this year. The company also unveiled a spiffy new vehicle, the Ojai ☝️ [KLAS]

• Competitor Zoox is already taking non-paying customers while in something of a beta phase in Vegas. [City Cast Las Vegas ✍️]

💀 Dead Boulder City Data Center Revived

Boulder City responded to local opposition by putting a new data center on hold, but plans continue to change. The project, originally slated for a lot near Interstate 11 and U.S. 95, is now targeting construction on federal land after receiving BLM approval. [KTNV]

• Clark County commissioners heard from the public on data centers — most of it negative — but made no commitment to exploring new regulations or any sort of moratorium on pending projects. [Nevada Current]

💰 Lombardo Outspends Ford … By a Lot

Nonpartisan political analysis group 270toWin calls Gov. Lombardo “the most at-risk incumbent governor in the country” this year. That could be why the Republican and his affiliated groups have spent $13 million on reelection ads since December, dwarfing the $77,000 spent by Democrats on rival AG Aaron Ford’s campaign. [Nevada Independent]

🎤 Las Vegas Comeback

Barry Manilow returns to the stage tonight at the Westgate. It’s the singer’s first shows of his “lifetime residency” at the resort after months of cancellations due to a lung cancer diagnosis in December. Welcome back 👍 [KLAS]