🚰 Nevada faces historic water cuts

In a move that’s significant, but no surprise, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation released its official proposal for how six states will share the Colorado River. The 10-year framework, expected to be finalized within days, will be revised every two years in response to evolving conditions. [Associated Press]

• Read the full executive summary — if you got time to kill. [U.S. Department of the Interior]
• Nevada joins Arizona and California in shouldering the largest burden with historic water-use cuts. The Silver State could face a reduction of 50,000 acre-feet to its 300,000 acre-foot share each year. [Las Vegas Review-Journal]
• The restrictions are actually in line with what Nevada officials proposed. Thanks to conservation and recycling, our state uses less than its allocation (about 212,000 acre-feet in 2024). [Nevada Independent]
• An acre foot is 325,851 gallons — the amount of water needed to cover one acre of land in water a foot deep. It’s usually enough for two or three households a year. [KLAS]
• Population growth and drought will only put continued stress on our water supply in the years ahead. Ever-expanding data centers are notorious water guzzlers, and we have more than 40 in the Las Vegas area so far. [Data Center Map]
• Every drop counts. Nevada is the driest state in the nation — and the only state to average less than 10 inches of rain per year — leaving Lake Mead reliant on the flow of the Colorado River. [Yahoo/Travelbinger]

✈️ Commander in Chief Vegas Bound

President Trump is coming to Las Vegas on Wednesday to talk about the Iran War, inflation, tariffs, Marjorie Taylor Greene's wedding tax policy. [Las Vegas Review-Journal]

🏀 Caesars Now Wants an NBA Team Too

Caesars Entertainment is teaming up with its landowner, VICI Properties, to pitch an NBA-ready arena on vacant lots behind the Horseshoe and Paris. (Those two hotels already share the same garage, so let’s at least get some new parking in the mix.) It’s just the latest proposal for a new team in Las Vegas. [KSNV]

🌎 How Many Spheres Can the World Handle?

An announcement for a fourth Sphere could come by the end of 2026. The first one in Vegas lost nearly $70 million in the latest quarter, but revenue is trending in the right direction, prompting shares to go up on Wall Street. “The Wizard of Oz” has sold more than 3.6 million tickets since opening last year, adding up to about $450 million in sales with an updated “2.0” version coming next month. (You’ll “go for a ride with the witch,” CEO James Dolan teased.) Versions of the Sphere are already in the works for Abu Dhabi and National Harbor. [KLAS]

• Which city should get the next Sphere? Let us know 📬

😡 Anger Builds in the Arts District

Between revamped parking fees, single-lane road construction, and rising expenses, Arts District business owners say it’s a tough market right now. A new garage opens in October, which offers some relief, but no guarantee of a space for employees asked to pay $30 a month. [KVVU/KLAS]

• With that in mind, I joined the latest episode of City Cast Las Vegas to talk about challenges facing new restaurants in Las Vegas. Our mid-year report card on Vegas dining includes a few picks for the best new restaurants of 2026 — so far — and upcoming openings we’re excited to check out. [City Cast Las Vegas 🎧]