Building 1 of the Harry Reid Research & Technology Park, which houses Black Fire Innovation.

Black Fire Innovation News

Opened in 2020 in collaboration with Caesars Entertainment Corporation, Black Fire Innovation is the centerpiece of applied research and innovation for UNLV. By combining the power of big tech with the research resources of UNLV, we serve to accelerate development in the hospitality, gaming, and entertainment industries.

Current Black Fire Innovation News

woman and man talking inside wig shop
Business and Community |

The Nevada Small Business Development Center brings resources for microbusiness owners to the heart of a community.

The Sphere on the Las Vegas Strip.
Campus News |

A collection of news stories highlighting expert insights, research, and academic achievement.

sign saying "Gaming & Risk Taking"
Campus News |

UNLV gathers international experts to discuss emerging gaming industry issues, including the intersection of tourism, sports, and entertainment.

U.N.L.V. students pose with check after winning innovation challenge
Campus News |

UNLV launches new challenge for Rebels with an entrepreneurial eye, encourages interdisciplinary problem-solving.

Palm trees and U.N.L.V. banner
Business and Community |

A yearlong collection of headlines featuring innovative ideas, discoveries, and partnerships to move Southern Nevada forward.

A man stares out of a hotel room window
Business and Community |

Housekeeping robots and meltable bedsheets are no longer the stuff of sci-fi. Here's how UNLV and industry partners are helping to steady a shaken hospitality industry through innovative product development.

Black Fire Innovation In The News

Hospitality Upgrade

Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) and Hospitality Upgrade today announced the recipient of the 2024 John Cahill student seat is Andrew Pham, a student at the College of Hospitality, University of Nevada in Las Vegas (UNLV). In its 22nd year, the upcoming CIO Summit will be held Sept. 4-6, 2024, at the Thompson Hotel by Hyatt in Nashville, Tennessee.

Hospitality Upgrade

Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) and Hospitality Upgrade today announced the recipient of the 2024 John Cahill student seat is Andrew Pham, a student at the College of Hospitality, University of Nevada in Las Vegas (UNLV). In its 22nd year, the upcoming CIO Summit will be held Sept. 4-6, 2024, at the Thompson Hotel by Hyatt in Nashville, Tennessee.

Meetings Today

It’s likely you’re hearing the term “intellectual capital” thrown around more during your site selection and RFP talks with destination marketing organizations (DMOs). But what is it, really? And why does this matter to a meeting planner?

Las Vegas Review Journal

Jan Jones Blackhurst has had plenty of experience putting cracks in the glass ceiling. Now, the chief executive in residence at UNLV’s International Gaming Institute, a Caesars Entertainment board member and first female mayor of Las Vegas, is preparing to share her expertise with women on the verge of taking the next step toward the C-suite with a new six-month program designed to address common barriers and challenges that women are experiencing in the corporate workplace on their path to executive level roles.

Las Vegas Review Journal

Jan Jones Blackhurst has had plenty of experience putting cracks in the glass ceiling. Now, the chief executive in residence at UNLV’s International Gaming Institute, a Caesars Entertainment board member and first female mayor of Las Vegas, is preparing to share her expertise with women on the verge of taking the next step toward the C-suite with a new six-month program designed to address common barriers and challenges that women are experiencing in the corporate workplace on their path to executive level roles.

CDC Gaming Reports

The Mirage volcano spewed lava and steam one last time Wednesday morning to mark a celebratory yet bittersweet end of an era on the Las Vegas Strip that phased in nearly 35 years ago.

Black Fire Innovation Experts

An expert in hospitality innovation, business development, esports, and technology incubation. 

Recent Black Fire Innovation Accomplishments

On July 18, Pitch Mayhem, the premier pitch tournament designed to elevate Las Vegas as a leading tech destination, successfully took place at UNLV's Black Fire Innovation. The event brought together the brightest minds in technology, venture capital, and entrepreneurship, marking a significant milestone in the city's…
Robert Rippee (Black Fire Innovation), Amanda Belarmino (Hospitality), and Ph.D. alumna Nasim Binesh recently had an article published in Current Issues in Tourism. Their paper, "User segmentation in human–robot interactions: insights from sports betting patrons using diffusion of innovation theory," groups together different types …