The state has a comprehensive study by the Brookings Institute to guide the preparation of an economic development plan, a full-time executive director and an Economic Development Board that officially has met a half-dozen times.
Nevadans can be forgiven a degree of skepticism about the notion of economic renewal, not to mention about “Unify / Regionalize / Diversify”—the new state economic development agenda my team at the Brookings Institution, Brookings Mountain West, and SRI International presented to Gov. Sandoval last month.
Until recently — the past three years — Nevadans have had a pretty easy time of it compared with our 49 sister states.
For decades, Nevada’s economy had a reputation for being bulletproof. It quickly rebounded from any economic downturn and continued to grow. A decade ago, Nevada was dealing with the slump after the 9/11 terrorist attacks but would quickly rebound and take off on a torrid pace of growth.
If I had a dollar for every time I’d heard somebody suggest Nevada needs to diversify its economy, I’d have enough cash to build a major-league stadium, a high-tech video poker server farm, a solar energy plant big enough to power the entire West Coast and a high-speed train to Anaheim.
Confession: I find it hard to be optimistic about the state’s future.
There’s a lot to chew on in a 178-page report presented to the Economic Development Board on Monday, but that one stood out to me for its short- and long-term benefits.
Nevada’s most substantial look yet at economic development has produced an ambitious road map for diversifying the economy.
A new report aimed at guiding Nevada out of its economic abyss delivers the bad news first.
For all the talk of economic diversity, consider that there is a nondescript warehouse in town with contents so vital to the operations of American businesses and government that it is protected by guards armed with assault rifles.
Ten clusters consisting of 23 “megapolitan areas”—networks of metropolitan centers fused by common economic, physical, social, and cultural traits [Eds. see attached map]-- are the emerging economic engines of the U.S., with substantial growth predicted in population, construction and jobs in the next 30 years.
A foreclosure-riddled neighborhood in east Las Vegas was a fitting backdrop for President Barack Obama to discuss his plan to help some of the nation’s homeowners who have been financially decimated by the real estate crisis.
As part of a deal to reduce the nation's deficit, Congress created a "super committee" tasked with finding $1.2 trillion in cuts over the next ten years. With those cuts could come reduced funding for state programs that rely on federal money. The Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction as it is officially known, has been working since September but has been pretty quiet about what's going on.
Western states are becoming more urban and diverse, with an influx of Hispanic, Asian and young voters who tend to vote against Republican candidates, according to political strategists who spoke Monday at a Democratic conference.
With a "lost decade" hanging over the region's economy, the "Sun Corridor" from Prescott to Tucson will grow more slowly and draw at least 900,000 fewer people than originally forecast, experts say.
In a twist to notions of race identity, new 2010 census figures show an unexpected reason behind a renewed growth in the U.S. white population: more Hispanics listing themselves as white in the once-a-decade government count.
Las Vegas continues to struggle with how to climb out of the current economic crisis. The numbers are overwhelming and all too familiar. The highest foreclosure rate, lowest graduation rate, tops in unemployment and a struggle with diversification.
Yes, things are bad — really bad — out there. But, if Las Vegas follows the long road home, it will come out on top this time, too.
We have myriad problems facing our community today, but none greater than economic development.
Las Vegas bills itself as the entertainment capital of the world, but it should promote another strength that gets virtually no attention — its specialization in green architecture and construction services.
Who’s looking out for Southern Nevada in the Legislature?
A single word drives the thoughts of many Nevadans: “When?” It can be heard in conversations at neighborhood taverns, as friends bump into each other or when business operators scan the books.
The 1990s' urban renaissance that ended decades of decline for many of the nation's major cities lost steam the past 10 years when most of America's largest cities either grew more slowly or lost people at a faster rate.
The Nevada Development Authority has underdelivered on diversification. That’s no secret. But is it really to blame for our single-track economy?