Center for Business and Economic Research News
Current Business and Economic Research News

A collection of stories highlighting UNLV experts and their analysis of all things politics in 2020.

As the pandemic tightened its grip on Nevada, the nation, and the world, UNLV responded in ways big and small. Members of the media also turned to UNLV's faculty experts for answers.

A collection of news stories highlighting the election, COVID-19, and scientific discovery at UNLV.

A collection of news stories highlighting UNLV’s commitment to community, health care, and research.

A collection of stories featuring UNLV’s continued flexibility and adaptability in the face of COVID-19.

A collection of news stories highlighting the staff and students of UNLV who exemplify what it means to be a Rebel, even from home.
Business and Economic Research In The News

As the United States prepares for a COVID-19 recovery, policymakers need to understand why some cities and communities were more vulnerable to the pandemic’s economic consequences than others. In this paper, we consider the association between a city’s core industry, its economic susceptibility to the pandemic, and the recession’s racially disparate impact across six select metropolitan areas. We find that areas with economies that rely on the movement of people—like Las Vegas with tourism—faced substantially higher unemployment at the end of 2020 than cities with core industries based on the movement of information. Further, we find the hardest-hit areas have larger Hispanic or Latino communities, reflecting the demographic composition of workers in heavily impacted industries and susceptible areas. We conclude by recommending targeted federal policy to address the regions and communities most impacted by the COVID-19 recession.

Lori Calderon has looked through so many job applications that she often finds herself evaluating potential hires for Resorts World on her personal time.

Las Vegas’ jobless rate remains the highest in the nation among large metro areas, a new report shows, yet another sign of the pandemic’s crushing financial effects.
Nevada’s economy must expand beyond its gaming industry reliance and add other types of industries, two economists said. Their prescription comes in response to a recent call by Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) to diversify the industries in the state, given the coronavirus economic downturn.

Las Vegas continues to operate at a fraction of normal capacity, as vaccine deployment brings hope to end the COVID-19 pandemic. This is the January Vegas economic update; here is my Vegas economic report from December 2020, discussing the likelihood of a K-shaped recovery.
Nevada’s gaming floors, bars, and restaurants must keep in place the 25 percent occupancy limit for another 30 days due to coronavirus risk, Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) announced on Monday. But the move led experts to question its effectiveness and the impact on the economy.