TQ Takes: LOCATE Las Vegas Recap

“The biggest surprise for me has been how the entire business community comes together and the way they interact with each other and support each other,” he said. “I’ve been to Las Vegas as a consumer, a visitor, and to visit family, but never as a businessperson until now. So, to learn how everybody is interconnected in a way where they’re trying to lift each other up, that’s just not something you normally find in a city the size of Las Vegas.”– LOCATE Las Vegas guest

Sometimes it takes the word of someone seeing Las Vegas for the first time to remind us how special our community is and underscore our position as the country’s most vibrant place to do business.

That was the case during our first LOCATE Las Vegas initiative; a combination of public and private stakeholders, came together to host 17 business leaders and company founders from around the world who were actively considering Southern Nevada to relocate, or start their companies.

Using Super Bowl LVIII as a centerpiece, LOCATE (Local Opportunity Collaborative Advancing Transformative Economic Development) Las Vegas spent three days immersing our guests in all that makes our region remarkable. From meeting with business and civic leaders including Governor Lombardo, to visiting our national parks and learning of all the geographical benefits of headquartering here.

This made the following remarks by one attendee (all guests were ensured anonymity) so gratifying to hear.

“This is my first time to Las Vegas, and my first impression was it’s a very modern city,” he said. “The next impression was despite the size of the city, it’s such a small community and everyone knows each other and supports each other. Also, the economy is very healthy in Nevada, which means it’s a great place to invest in high-tech and innovative industries. We’re learning the community and the whole business ecosystem is not only prepared for but is the future for developing sectors like life sciences and biotech.”

One of the areas we are consistently educating company owners and founders about Southern Nevada is, beyond the effectual advantages such as the favorable business climate, infrastructure, available workforce, and more, there is a true community behind all that we do.

Along with our Stanley Cup Champion Vegas Golden Knights and WNBA Champion Las Vegas Aces, big events such as Super Bowl LVIII and F1 have established Las Vegas as the Sports Capital of the world. By leveraging these primarily tourist-focused events into introductions to the local community, LOCATE Las Vegas can show prospective new businesses that Southern Nevada provides a work-life combination that is impossible to beat.

And what he says goes for our first LOCATE Las Vegas effort, which would not have been possible without the willingness of a broad spectrum of public and private entities to come together. My thanks go to the Howard Hughes Corporation, Caesars Entertainment, MGM Resorts, Budget Suites of America, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Cox, Allegiant, Republic Services, Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority, and Wynn Las Vegas. Public sector partners are Clark County, the City of Las Vegas, the City of Henderson, and the City of North Las Vegas.

As one of the many programs the LVGEA has to attract new businesses that diversify our community, LOCATE Las Vegas will remain nimble and evaluate further opportunities tied to our most significant special events. One thing is clear after our initial effort: the Kansas City Chiefs weren’t the only team who woke up winners on Monday.