City of Las Vegas

Established

1905

Population

659,236

Businesses

19,821

Las Vegas was founded as a city on May 15, 1905, when 110 acres of land were auctioned off by the Union Pacific Railroad. Las Vegas was incorporated on June 1, 1911. The city is divided into six wards with an elected representative for each ward. The mayor is elected at large to serve the entire community.

The city of Las Vegas is a council-manager form of government, combining the strong political leadership of elected officials, with the vigorous managerial experience of an appointed city manager. All policies and major budget decisions rest with the City Council, with the city manager charged with running the day-to-day operations of the organization.

Quick Facts

Mission: Building community to make life better

Employees: 2,457

Business Development: Economic and Urban Development Department & Redevelopment Agency

Website: lasvegasnevada.gov

City Leadership

Carolyn Goodman, Mayor

Brian Knudsen, Councilman Ward 1

Victoria Seamn, Councilwoman Ward 2

Olivia Diaz, Councilwoman Ward 3

Francis Allen-Palenske, Councilwoman Ward 4

Cedric Crear, Councilman Ward 5

Nancy E. Brune, Councilwoman Ward 6

Catalysts for growth

The Smart City Transportation Master Plan is another way the city of Las Vegas is leading the way in essential areas of innovation. The city’s philosophy is “mobility for all” and this led the city to establish an Innovation District. This demonstration site is within downtown Las Vegas and allows testing of new technologies. As a result of a study that concluded driverless vehicles would change the landscape of mobility, the city begun an exploration of this technology. The city implemented a test site for a driverless shuttle operating on a 0.6-mile loop in mixed traffic within the Fremont East Entertainment District. There are also six traffic signals downtown that are outfitted with Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) radios that broadcast the signal timing and phasing. The installation of the DSRC on the traffic signals were the main infrastructure modification made for the project, which aids the driverless shuttle in recognizing traffic signal phases.

Downtown Las Vegas is also home and host to the Downtown Project, a private catalyst for new and inventive businesses, which includes the Downtown Container Park among its investments. Apart from the Downtown Project, the Fremont East Entertainment District, the Fremont Street Experience along with projects under construction by Derek Stevens, Main Street, 18b The Las Vegas Arts District, multiple restaurants, and small businesses are all breathing a fresh, hip vibe into the area.

Today, the city’s core is in the midst of a renaissance, inspiring key projects such as The Smith Center for the Performing Arts and the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, both located at Symphony Park, a 61-acre development in the heart of the city. Other key downtown projects like the Mob Museum, Neon Museum, DISCOVERY Children’s Museum, the Las Vegas Premium Outlets and the Zappos.com headquarters have brought an economic influx to the place where Las Vegas started.

In addition, the Las Vegas City Council has prioritized the Las Vegas Medical District, which is emerging as one of the most important economic development projects in southern Nevada. With the health and well-being of the community in mind, the medical district is a collaborative effort between the city and the downtown Las Vegas medical & university community aimed at becoming the clinical care, research, wellness and education and training center of southern Nevada and the premier academic medical district in the southwestern United States.

Companies that call City of Las Vegas Home

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