Officially, Vice President Kamala Harris appeared in Las Vegas on Tuesday to launch a Biden campaign initiative to reach for Asian American, Pacific Islander and Native Hawaiian voters.

But the quiet underpinning of the event at a resort ballroom was the vice president's firm support of President Biden, even as some Democratic officials and some supporters in the room expressed hope that he will step down and that Harris will emerge as the new leader of the party.

Harris' visit to Las Vegas coincides with the president's defiant insistence that he will remain in the race despite some calls to step aside after his disastrous debate performance against former President Trump last month.

Biden, who appeared listless and confused during the debate, has been attempting to corral support among his fellow Democratic officeholders, even as some cracks appeared over the weekend in a once-solid base. Democratic members of Congress returned to Washington, D.C., this week after a holiday break, and a central topic of discussion was Biden's viability as a presidential candidate.

Read more: Amid confusion among Democrats, Pelosi sends a loud message: 'Time is running short'

The stakes are high in Nevada, where Biden won narrowly in 2020 but which now leans Republican, according to the Cook Political Report. But inside the Las Vegas ballroom Tuesday, the mood was cheerful, as a crowd of a few hundred people repeatedly erupted into chants of "Four more years!"

In her roughly 15-minute speech, Harris gave fleeting mention of the debate debacle and the swirling questions about Biden's suitability for reelection.

"The past few days have been a reminder that running for president of the United States is never easy," she said. "But the one thing we know about our president, Joe Biden, is that he is a fighter."

The crowd roared in response. But in conversations before and after the rally, even some supporters expressed doubt about the president's ability to continue.

"He probably should step down," said Alyse Sobosan, a college advisor for a Las Vegas charter school. Conversations about Biden's health are taking away from the effectiveness of the campaign, she said: "We cant even talk about the issues or his stances on things, because all the conversation is just about him and his health."

The 36-year-old said she would support Harris as "a strong candidate" to replace Biden should he leave the race, but that the vice president should do more to amplify her national profile.

"I feel neutral to positive about her," Sobosan said. "I just dont know a lot about her."

Abraham Camejo, 41, brought his four children to the event. They munched on rice cake and sausage skewers, a traditional Korean dish, while he explained why he was sticking with Biden, saying that it was "too late in the game" to switch candidates.

"Can we have a younger Biden? That would be very nice. But unfortunately, we tend to get old," said Camejo, joking that perhaps the 81-year-old president could get some energy with "a little Red Bull."

"We just got to understand that he's not a young man," he said. "But can he get the job done? And I honestly believe that he can."

The Las Vegas event was headlined as a kickoff for the campaign to target Asian American, Pacific Islander and Native Hawaiian voters. The campaign group Nevada for Biden-Harris announced that it was launching a blitz of paid media in the state to coincide with the rally, including ads in several Asian-language publications.

Padma Lakshmi, the cookbook author and host and executive producer of the Hulu show "Taste the Nation," helped introduce Harris as the first Asian American and woman to become U.S. vice president.

"I thought of how much it would've meant to me as a young girl to see an Asian American woman helping lead our country," Lakshmi said.

Vivienne Bailey-Reid, 61, a consultant in Las Vegas, said she left Harris' speech feeling inspired and reinvigorated to support the Democratic administration.

"We need to focus and just stop getting bent out of shape about President Biden's age," Bailey-Reid said. "I think she gave us the hope that, 'Wait a minute, we're still in charge.'"

Her friend Linn Hummel, 62, agreed, though she added that Harris had failed to deliver a succinct takeaway message Tuesday, and had instead piled on statistics and facts. Democrats need to have an easy message to carry to undecided voters, Hummel said, adding that while Harris may attract some voters, such as women, "she needs to focus that message just a little bit more."

"As Democrats ... we need to have the same sort of zeal that Republicans have," she continued. "It used to be, in our political system, good or bad, when the candidate was chosen, that's who you stood behind. And the fact that he may have had a poor showing in a debate is that moment in time. It is not who he is altogether."

Hummel said that although she understood why the media and Democratic pundits remained focused on Biden's debate performance, she wished they would move on.

"It's that vicious cycle. Once you ask that question 'Is he viable?' now that's all you can think about," she said, adding: "I don't need to know what time [Biden] is going to bed."

The most cohesive message Harris delivered, the two friends agreed, was the importance of defeating Trump.

Harris spent a portion of her speech condemning the Supreme Court's recent decision to allow presidents immunity from prosecution for official acts, saying, "Trump wants to turn our democracy into a dictatorship. And the Supreme Court basically just declared he can get away with it."

She outlined Project 2025, a plan created by close Trump allies for overhauling the federal government, should he be elected in November.

The goal of defeating Trump motivated Arlene and Joel Williams, a couple who moved to Las Vegas two years ago from San Jose, to begin writing letters in support of the Democratic Party a couple of months ago.

The two, both 74, say they will support any Democrat including Harris, whom they've known since her days as a San Francisco politician.

"We don't want Trump. It's scary," Arlene Williams said.

Her husband added: "We're in the anybody-but-Trump camp."

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Harris rallies in Las Vegas for Biden. Many Democrats agree, but some want her to face Trump - Yahoo! Voices

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) Another high-speed rail project could eventually connect Las Vegas to additional stops throughout California.

On Monday, High Desert Corridor Joint Powers Agency Board members and union labor representatives signed two agreements for the High Desert Corridor High Speed Rail Project. That includes a Community Workforce Agreement and a Memorandum of Understanding, which you can read below.

High Desert Workforce Agreement by jarah.wright on Scribd

High Desert MOU by jarah.wright on Scribd

This project would connect Palmdale, California to Apple Valley, California.

According to a press release, the labor agreements would create thousands of jobs to construct, operate, and maintain the project. Officials also estimate the project will generate $12 billion in the region.

High Desert Corridor Powers Agency

California officials have been working on constructing a statewide rail system for years.

According to California High-Speed Rail officials, they have completed 45 structures, 34 structures are currently under construction, and 57 miles of guideway have been completed.

California High-Speed Rail

What does that mean for Southern Nevada?

The line through the High Desert corridor could eventually connect with Brightline West, which would connect Las Vegas to Southern California.

The 218-mile system will be constructed in the middle of Interstate 15, with stops in Victor Valley, Hesperia, and Rancho Cucamonga, California.

UNLV College of Engineering professor Hualiang Teng was a commissioner on the Nevada High-Speed Rail Authority and a key advisor to Brightline West. He says the project will face several engineering challenges.

"Two trains are set to share a single track through the middle of a desert, leaving it susceptible to high heat and wind throughout much of the year," Teng wrote. "High-speed rails in the Middle East have been constructed under similar extreme conditions, so it is possible, even if all the worst conditions seem to be coming together to make construction. more difficult. To lay rails on the railroad track, you need to know the highest and lowest temperatures the track will be subject to throughout the year and the track geometrics such as horizontal and vertical curves. From there, we plug those numbers into a formula that will determine what air temperature it must be when the tracks are laid."

The Brightline West project officially broke ground back in April.

WATCH: Brightline West holds Las Vegas groundbreaking

Brightline West holds Las Vegas groundbreaking

Federal officials have authorized $3 billion in taxpayer money to help fund the $12 billion project. The company will also have access to $3.5 billion in tax-exempt bonds. Brightline West also previously received $25 million from a separate federal grant to build stations in California. The rest of the funding is expected to be covered by private capital and private activity bonds.

The Las Vegas station would be located near Silverado Ranch Boulevard and Blue Diamond road while the Rancho Cucamonga station would be located about 40 miles away from downtown Los Angeles. Both stations would still require riders to take additional modes of transportation, like taxis or ride-booking services, to reach their final destinations across both cities.

Documents filed by the company previously revealed Brightline is planning on operating 50 trains per day, 25 in each direction, between Las Vegas and Rancho Cucamonga, and they will depart at 45-minute intervals between 5:30 a.m. and 1 a.m.

In March, Brightline founder and chairman Wes Edens told the Los Angeles Times round-trip tickets to take their high-speed rail between the two locations could cost over $400. Edens said the company is experimenting with pricing but that right now, prices are similar to airline tickets, meaning the cost changes depending on when you book.

A new report from New York University's Marron Institute of Urban Management is also examining the Brightline West and California High-Speed Rail projects as a study in "how to improve domestic high-speed rail project delivery."

The report includes several recommendations including:

You can read the full report below. HSR Final Report by jarah.wright on Scribd

Brightline West officials said they're hoping the line will be in operation in time for the 2028 Olympics, which are scheduled to take place in Los Angeles.

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Another high-speed rail project would connect Las Vegas to additional California stops - KTNV 13 Action News Las Vegas

This year, the best hotels in Vegas read like a whos-who of the Strip all 10 properties are lined up on an electric three-mile stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard. No matter how you do Vegas, theres something for you here: The winning hotels range in size from less than 300 rooms to more than 7,000, some with casinos that are among the largest in town and others, as they advertise prominently, with no casino at all. And seven Vegas hotels make the top 10 list for at least the fifth year in a row.

Every year for our World's Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Over 186,000 T+L readers completed the 2024 survey. A total of more than 700,000 votes were cast across over 8,700 properties (hotels, cities, cruise lines, etc.).

Hotels were classified as either resort hotel, city hotel, inn, or safari lodge based on their location and amenities, and they were specifically rated on the criteria below:

For each characteristic, respondents could choose a rating of excellent, above average, average, below average, or poor. The final scores are averages of these responses.

Courtesy of Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas

Las Vegas was a pioneer of the hotel within a hotel trend, and in-the-know readers are big fans of a few of them. Coming in at No. 6, the just-renovated Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas is a sophisticated escape that occupies five floors of the Mandalay Bay tower, though youd hardly know it. And the Jacques Garcia-designed NoMad Las Vegas (No. 3) can be found in the top floors of the Park MGM a great location, one reader wrote, that feels removed from the Vegas craziness.

But of course, many of the top picks for 2024 are right in the thick of it, with the biggest names in Vegas making appearances. The iconic Venetian Resort Las Vegas, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, makes No. 7 for its luxurious, Italian-inspired guest rooms and wealth of restaurants, shows, and casino games.

In second place is Wynn Las Vegas, whose sister property, Encore Las Vegas, also made the list. I have always loved the level of service we receive at this hotel, said one reader of the 2,700-room stunner. After a $200 million gut renovation completed in 2022, Wynn has a stylish new look and venues like an outpost of Los Angeles supper club Delilah. But nothing has changed when it comes to the experience: Its the Wynn, wrote another reader. What else can you say?

Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas

Courtesy of Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas

Is the No. 1 hotel in Las Vegas the best of both worlds? T+L readers seem to think so. In the heart of the Strip, Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas (previously the Mandarin Oriental) is just a few minutes walk from countless casinos and clubs. But after a night on the town, the no-smoking, no-gaming hotel offers some rare peace and quiet. The 27,000-square-foot best hotel spa in Las Vegas, as a survey respondent described it, opens out onto a calm, cabana-lined eighth-floor pool. And with soaking tubs and floor-to-ceiling windows, the Waldorf Astorias 392 guest rooms thats practically boutique, in Vegas terms are pure understated elegance. Made me forget I was in Las Vegas as it is tucked away from the chaos, one reader quipped. What a treat.

Made me forget I was in Las Vegas as it is tucked away from the chaos. What a treat.

T+L Reader

1. Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas

Reader Score: 94.36

2. Wynn Las Vegas

Reader Score: 91.07

3. NoMad Las Vegas

Reader Score: 89.65

4. Encore Las Vegas

Reader Score: 89.56

5. The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas

Reader Score: 88.49

6. Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas

Reader Score: 88.37

7. The Venetian Resort Las Vegas

Reader Score: 87.88

8. The Signature at MGM Grand

Reader Score: 86.38

9. Bellagio Resort & Casino

Reader Score: 84.73

10. Aria Las Vegas

Reader Score: 84.58

Link:

The No. 1 Hotel in Las Vegas Has No Gaming, No Smoking, and a 27,000-square-foot Spa - Travel + Leisure

The Mirage Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas is set to close its doors on Sunday for hotel guests and on July 17 for its casino. Before then, it is giving away $1.6 million in cash prizes.

The Mirage is owned by Hard Rock International, which is owned by Floridas Seminole Tribe. The property will be shut down until 2027 as it undergoes major renovations and a rebrand into Hard Rock Las Vegas, including a new guitar-shaped hotel tower replacing the old volcano at the Mirage.

The Mirage must give away its progressive jackpots before ceasing gaming operations, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

These progressive prize pools for slots and table games are increased every time a game is played without a jackpot winner, akin to lotteries like Powerball and Mega Millions.

Most of the prize money, $1.2 million, is being disbursed on set days through drawings every 30 minutes from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. local time, per the hotels website. Any player at the casino with their Unity membership card inserted into a slot machine is eligible to win.

Through Thursday, $200,000 will be given away daily. On Friday and Saturday, $250,000 will be given away daily, and next Tuesday $100,000 will be given away.

Another $400,000 is being offered to table game players. On Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time, players sitting at various poker, blackjack and baccarat tables who have a Unity card will be signed up for a drawing held at 8:30 p.m. each night.

There will be two total winners for the table game drawings. Fridays winner will receive $217,424.45, while Saturdays winner will get $230,075.28.

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Mirage Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas giving away $1.6 million in prizes before it shuts down - Washington Times

LAS VEGAS Nearly a week of extreme heat is sweeping the Southwest, causing all-time high temperatures in cities from Washington to Arizona.

In Las Vegas, where summer temperatures routinely break into triple digits, a pair of longstanding records are being shattered: On Sunday, the temperature reached 120 degrees Fahrenheit, the hottest the city has ever been. And on Wednesday, temperatures are expected to once again surpass 115 for a fifth straight day, the hottest five-day stretch in the citys history.

This is the most extreme heat wave in the history of record-keeping in Las Vegas since 1937, meteorologist John Adair told The Associated Press.

The heat wave is expected to continue through the rest of the week in many parts of the West.

Across the country, some 160 million Americans were under excessive heat warning Tuesday, the highest-level alert. Much of them were in the West: The Pacific Northwest is seeing temperatures 10 to 30 degrees above average for this time of year, USA Today reported.

Phoenix broke its daily temperature record when it hit 118 on Monday. In California and Oregon, officials have confirmed eight suspected heat-related deaths since last week.

In Las Vegas, the heat has turned the Strip, usually a bustling tourist destination during the summer months, into a pedestrian ghost town. Its so hot, said Phylicia Allen, who works at a frozen drinks stand near the Strip. Its super slow for a Tuesday.

Allen, who moved to Nevada from San Diego a decade ago, says she doesnt look at the thermometer. I measure it by hot, to hotter, to hottest. she said. Right now, were in hottest.

The record temperatures may be dissuading tourists, said Andrea Montibeller, a visitor from Guanajuato, Mexico. I feel like I opened the oven door, and I feel the hot air rushing onto my face, Montibeller said. I think my eyelashes will burn off.

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Record heatwave slams Las Vegas, the West. What a summer - Deseret News

"As time went on, the woman hoodwinked Brunner into thinking they were exclusive," accepting a house and several trips overseas.

WASHINGTON COUNTY, ARKANSAS, Ark. A Washington County man is filing a lawsuit against a Las Vegas dancer after he says an "extensive, fraudulent scheme" lasting ten years cost him over $35,000,000, according to court documents.

The lawsuit claims in 2014 the plaintiff, Fred Brunner, was going through a divorce and "decided to go to a Las Vegas gentleman's club to smoke a cigar and have a few cocktails."

That's where he met a woman.

The woman, who was reportedly a dancer, "made a significant amount of money from Brunner that night ... and learned Brunner was far wealthier than her normal patrons wealthy enough to change her life," the lawsuit alleges.

The lawsuit claims the woman communicated with him daily while scheming to "form a make-believe relationship" with the ultimate goal of getting as much money out of him as possible.

Over ten years, Brunner claims the "woman hoodwinked him into thinking they were in an exclusive, romantic relationship." During this time, the lawsuit says she accepted a house and several trips funded by Brunner. Brunner also claims he would send financial support to the woman at "her specific request."

During the woman's alleged scheme, the lawsuit says she collected over $3 million from Brunner.

"Contrary to her countless representations to Brunner, the woman was in fact in a romantic relationship with another man in Las Vegas," the lawsuit says.

Additionally, the lawsuit claims the woman gave some of Brunner's money to the other man.

"All along, she had no intention of following through on her representations, doing only what was necessary to keep Brunner from being suspicious," the lawsuit alleges.

Brunner is seeking compensation and punitive fees from the woman amounting to $38,500,000, according to the lawsuit.

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Arkansas man sues Las Vegas dancer for over $38M | Says he was misled to believe they were exclusive - KFSM 5Newsonline

LAS VEGAS Twenty years ago, the shape of the NBA offseason changed forever.

Once players were drafted, teams would send their prospects to various small summer leagues scattered across the country. But in 2004, a new idea spawned in Las Vegas, seeking to bring the entire league together in one place.

Co-founded by player and coach agent Warren LeGarie alongside Albert Hall, they wanted everyone in the NBA universe traveling to Vegas each July. Now, the league is much more than just a scouting event for the next generation of NBA players. It has become the epicenter of the NBA offseason.

Jerry West, the late Hall of Fame player and executive: It first started when we did (a league) in LA. Teams wanted to showcase their players. Along the way, young kids like Kobe Bryant came in and with all the hype they had, the place would sell out every night. Teams started coming out there because they wanted to give their younger players a chance to play. When they moved to Long Beach, my gosh, it was really popping. But then they moved it back to LA and it sort of died out.

Warren LeGarie, Las Vegas Summer League co-founder: When I first started, I walked into a gym at Loyola Marymount (in Los Angeles), I didnt know what to expect.I had a successful business selling fresh fruits and vegetables on the streets of LA from midnight until eight in the morning. All of the sudden, I walked into (the gym) and my life had meaning.

Monty McCutchen, NBA Senior Vice President of Development and Training for Referee Operations: After 30 years, Ive seen a lot of iterations of summer league. I started as a young referee trying to get into the CBA when it was at Loyola Marymount. It was much more I dont use this term pejoratively but lazy. It was this thing that was there and teams used it, but it didnt have the energy to it the way this does now.

Rod Thorn, former NBA Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations: When Warren was pitching (over the years), he was like everybody wants to go to Vegas. I was like, Wait a minute, are you serious? But you had the Rocky Mountain League in Salt Lake City that didnt have that many teams. Then you had the Orlando League with more teams, but no fans were there.

LeGarie: The hottest summer league going at the time, with 16 teams, there was Boston. You stayed in the hotels downtown, played at this small university where it was just one gym. They did it the old school way where guys are scrapping trying to find their calling in basketball. But then they had the Democratic National Convention and forgot to book hotel rooms and everythings sold out.

Danny Ainge, former Boston Celtics GM and current Utah Jazz CEO: There was a national convention and we didnt have a place (to play) and the city was packed. Once (the convention) went away, it was hard to restart again. So (Vegas) became the place.

By 2004, LeGarie was making progress with Thorns successor, Stu Jackson, to get a league together in Las Vegas. Once the Boston league shut down, the opportunity finally arrived.

LeGarie: After having met with (then-NBA Commissioner) David Stern at the (2004) All-Star game in LA, Stu calls me and goes, You want to do a summer league? Well give you the authority to do it.

Thorn: The commissioner talked about it with (former deputy commissioner) Russ Granik and myself and some of the marketing people about what they thought about it. It got a favorable response from that crew and he just decided to do it. Lets take a whack at it and see if it works.

LeGarie: The good news was I got it. The bad news was, what the f do I do now? The first call I made was to Albert (Hall), who I had connected with many years earlier in Seattle when I brought George Karl in from Europe to take over for KC Jones coaching the Seattle SuperSonics. I called Albert and said, Summer league, what do you think?

Albert Hall, Las Vegas Summer League co-founder: Warren got six teams, I went to work on the marketing, (then-agent and future Warriors GM) Bob (Myers) went to work on sponsorship and team stuff, and we just went for it.

West: Warren, who had been involved (with the Long Beach league), saw the potential to move it up to Vegas.

Hall: The first year was just like who fing knows? We got a credit card, lets see if we can do this.

The first thing they needed to secure couldnt be paid for with a credit card. They needed a venue to host the tournament. To book the Thomas and Mack Center at UNLV, LeGarie reached out to the late Chip Hooper, an event booker for major musical acts at the time, such as Dave Matthews Band, Black Eyed Peas and Phish.

LeGarie: Chip goes to the guy who runs Thomas and Mack arena and we didnt pay rent our first year because (Hooper) promised he would get Phish, who was going to play there for New Years anyway. So that saved us right there.

Hall: Then we were 45 days out and we didnt even have a hotel. So I send a size 20 shoe to the guy at the New York-New York (hotel and casino) with a proposal (written on it) that says, Hey, were just trying to get our foot in the door. Hes like, What the f is this? We ended up getting a hotel for the teams at New York-New York.

I found a timeshare place at the Fairfield Inn and we put our staff up there. The key though is we had to sit in on all the timeshare meetings. After we sat in on the first one, we were trying to hide from the management at the hotel because they wanted us to go every day.

Dennis Rodgers, initial summer league intern and current Los Angeles Clippers Director of Basketball Communications: It was right on the corner where Tupac got shot, but we had a washer and dryer and everyone was in an adjoining room together. When wed get back after working a 15-hour day, wed quickly pass the front desk so we didnt get roped into a timeshare presentation. I was very young, so they probably thought I was someones kid or something.

Hall: Warren and Danny (Ainge) had known each other forever, so Danny built his first summer league teams with Rajon Rondo, Al Jefferson, Kendrick Perkins, Tony Allen and Gerald Green.

Ainge: Every team brings multiple people from scouting and coaching staffs here and theyre assigned to every game at the summer league. I used to always joke with Kendrick Perkins when hed say, Where have you been for the last couple weeks? Id say, Im out looking for players better than you.

Hall: Boston was loaded and then we needed a sixth team, so Orlando came on late with Dwight Howard as the No. 1 pick. So we had this gym with big-time guys and nobody knew they were playing there. They thought it was some circus act cruising through Vegas, but this was real NBA players.

Rodgers: On the strip, you see people passing out flyers with girls on it. Well, that was us passing out game schedules and ticket info for summer league.

Hall: That first year, it was like we had no one there. I always joke that we had inflatable people in the stands.

Rodgers: We had this blow-up NBA logo that we put on the street corner outside UNLV. But Vegas in July is monsoon season, so a lot of times the logo would go down and Id sprint outside to hold this gigantic NBA logo up. It was anything to help grow the league because nobody knew that first year. We didnt have social media, so you had to hit the ground running.

Those first two years, we really struggled for attendance. But then in our third or fourth year, we went from six to 10 teams and the word was getting out that it was a great opportunity to not only come to a fun city, but the people in charge knew what they were doing and your young guys would get to play on a national stage.

Ainge: Everybody was going to be there. It was going to be an opportunity not to just play, but see every team in the NBA, so you get a chance to scout. It was a simplification of everybodys job in the summertime.

Keith Grant, former Dallas Mavericks Assistant GM: (LeGarie) picked my brain on a lot of things. I had been the Mavericks guy for summer leagues and we just talked about having practice facilities and things to make it one-stop shopping.

As the summer league became the focal point for offseason scouting as teams sought to find training camp invites, eventually all 30 franchises joined in. That eventually led to the NBA revising its annual calendar to conduct all sorts of business during the summer league. The league shifted its officiating training program and tech expo to Vegas. The summer league began hosting the Sports Business Classroom to provide training programs for people looking to break into the NBA business. Just about every facet of the leagues growth and innovation made July in Vegas a key date.

Grant: In the old days, the NBA had league meetings in the fall at Palm Springs or Boca Raton, but there was no basketball involved. When you add the basketball to it, its a win-win.

Thorn: League meetings were (now) being held in Las Vegas concurrent with the (summer) league. It made sense. I think it goes back to most people enjoying going to Vegas because theres a lot to do there.

LeGarie: Our idea was to make it so that people not only want to be here, but they feel its necessary to be here because if youre not in Vegas, youre missing out.

Ainge: Its a place where we have conventions of all sorts, from general manager conventions to ownership board meetings to personal assistant meetings and players union meetings. Every imaginable role that you can play in the NBA, youre gonna have a meeting here in Vegas. Those conventions were in different places, different times of the year. Now its all one-stop shopping.

LeGarie: We always believed this would become like South by Southwest. In addition to basketball, wed bring in music, people doing documentaries about athletes, a cross-section of everything else.

Thorn: Theres always speculation that if and when the NBA does expand, Las Vegas probably will be one of the cities. Its a place that does a good job of promoting itself and people like to go there.

Hall: With Sports Business Classroom, we have a place where these kids can learn from the best and brightest. Teams are now recruiting out of our SBC program.

LeGarie: We had the winners of the research paper (competition) from the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference to present here. Every year, wed hear analytics is important. So we brought in analytics speakers. The cap became a big issue because very few people understood it, so it became a weapon and you could cripple another team if you knew that cap.

The underlying Machiavellian reasoning behind these programs was the guys who grew from them into positions of power would say, Were going to Vegas, those fing guys were there for me when nobody else really was. So it was a little bit selfish from that standpoint.

West: Warrens a character and were losing characters. Ive always been attracted to people like that. They do things differently, but at the end of the day, theyre great guys and get it accomplished. The league has supported him and given him a boost in a sense. Its his vision and they wanted to be a part of it. Theyre smart enough to know how important this is.

It provides an unbelievable opportunity for young people who love the game and have something they want to become in their lives. You see all these young people trying to get experience and there are going to be head coaches that come from this experience in the summer league. It encompasses almost everything an organization does.

McCutchen: When I was younger, (referee training) morning sessions were 15 or 20 minutes and we met in a room the size of a bedroom. (Now) we meet in a conference room that has 100 people in the room and two gigantic screens. We train every morning in a classroom and then were in the gym all day to evaluate and educate the next generation of referees. The neat thing about that is that you start building relationships now. Referees are going to be able to build relationships with young assistant coaches who aspire to be head coaches and young draft picks. I always remembered the people I came in with, so those things are invaluable.

Rodgers: Its an incredible opportunity for young people to break into the industry. I mean, at the Clippers, we have five people who started NBA summer league employed. You have 100-to-130 interns every year now. When I started, it was just me.

Hall: We didnt want it to become this corporate-type thing. We were like this has to keep its street cred and grittiness to it because thats what its all about. You get to see eight games a day and youre rubbing elbows with everybody.

West: One of the things thats really interesting is you see all the men who have watched the teams and players they love and they bring their sons. Its almost a legacy bringing these people back.

McCutchen: Families can come here at less cost than going to a playoff game, for example. And so theres a whole new way in which were generating new generations of fan bases through this sense of the electric meeting place that the summer league has become.

Ainge: Every summer league is a fun time. Theres something new and fresh. Whether you just have one second-round pick or you have a couple young free agents you want to take a look at, theres always something new and I love that part of it.

NBA roots run deep in Las Vegas with Kareems historic achievement, summer-league games

(Photo illustration: Sean Reilly / The Athletic. Photos: Chris Gardner, Ethan Miller, Cassy Athena, Allen Berezovsky, Bart Young / Getty Images)

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Wait a minute, are you serious?: How Las Vegas became the center of the NBA offseason - The Athletic - The New York Times

LAS VEGAS -- Hundreds of new temperature records could be broken into next week as sweltering heat drags on across the country, impacting millions of Americans in the Western and Eastern US.

Nearly 70 million people are under heat alerts Sunday, after over three dozen high-temperature records were either set or tied on Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.

Highs in the upper 90s to 110s are expected up and down the West Coast and parts of the Great Basin.

"In the West, intense widespread dangerous heat will continue through early next week," the weather service said. "All-time heat records may be possible in a few locations."

By Wednesday, over 250 warm high and low temperature records could be set. And nearly 40 million people in the contiguous US are forecast to see temperatures over 100 degrees over the next seven days.

A slew of daily temperature records were broken this Fourth of July weekend. On Saturday, Death Valley reached 128 degrees, breaking the daily record of 127 set on July 6, 2007. Las Vegas reached 115 degrees, tying with records in 2007 and 1989. Kingman, Arizona, reached 109 degrees, breaking the previous record of 108.

RELATED: Motorcyclist dies from heat exposure in Death Valley amid record-breaking temps

On Sunday, temperatures in Las Vegas hit 120 degrees for the first time in recorded history, according to preliminary data from the weather service. In more than 32,000 days of records, the temperature had never climbed above 117 degrees prior to Sunday.

The city's heat is not just a record for its peak temperature, but also for its longevity.

Las Vegas temperatures have exceeded 110 degrees each day since July 3 and are forecast to do so every day until at least next Sunday. That will mark a stretch of prolonged extreme heat longer than any ever experienced in the city, with 11 days or more above 110 degrees.

In California, Daggett broke its daily temperature record, reaching 117 degrees. Bishop reached 108 degrees, setting another record for the state. Several record highs were also set in the Sacramento area, including in Redding, where it reached 119 degrees and beat the all-time high temperature record of 118, according to the weather service in Sacramento.

Extremely dangerous heat is expected to persist in the West, with excessive heat watches, warnings and heat advisories in effect for much of the region. Heat warnings are active in California and Nevada due to the increased risk of heat-related illnesses there.

"Intense, widespread, and long duration heat building in the West will be extremely dangerous and potentially deadly if not taken seriously," the weather service said.

An excessive heat warning is in effect until late Wednesday evening for Death Valley, California, where temperatures are expected to be between 122 to 129 degrees. Elsewhere in the state, Owens Valley could reach 111 degrees, and Barstow could reach 118. In Nevada, Las Vegas and Pahrump could also reach 118 degrees.

"Hot temperatures overnight will mean little relief from the daytime heat, especially in Las Vegas and Death Valley, where low temperatures may not fall below 90 degrees for several days," the National Weather Service said.

Death Valley - the driest national park in the US - could hit a sizzling 130 degrees by Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service in Las Vegas.

For people without adequate cooling and hydration, the multi-day nature of the heat and record warm overnight temperatures could cause heat stress to build.

Extreme heat is one of the leading weather-related killers in the United States, leaving hundreds of people dead each year, according to the weather service.

Oregon and Washington have both also seen record heat and temperatures are expected to remain in the triple digits through early next week.

"Look for more records to fall in the coming days as temperatures in the inland valleys are likely to climb near or above 100 degrees each day through Tuesday, July 9," the weather service in Portland said.

Meanwhile, heat and humidity in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast is forecast to gradually subside into next week, lingering longest along the Gulf Coast and into the Carolinas, the weather service said. Heat index values approaching 110 degrees on Saturday in the mid-Atlantic region will be lowered to near 100 degrees on Sunday. Heat advisories currently stretch from upstate New York down the East Coast to Alabama.

In the West, the heat wave is expected to expand into the Great Basin and eventually the northern High Plains into next week. It's likely to remain into mid-July, according to the weather service.

Wildfire threat is fueled by unrelenting heat

Intense heat, paired with dry windy conditions, is bringing a critical risk of wildfires to parts of the upper Great Basin toward the Four Corners for the rest of the weekend. Portions of southern Idaho and southern Utah are particularly at risk.

Sweltering heat on the West Coast could continue to fuel large wildfires in California. More than 3,000 wildfires across the state have burned over 150,000 acres so far in 2024, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Cal Fire spokesperson Nick Schuler says triple-digit temperatures and critical fire weather conditions have proven to be a challenge for the more than 3,500 firefighters battling fires across the state.

"Challenges are immense. We're dealing with the increased temperatures, very steep and remote terrain," Schuler told CNN's Fredricka Whitfield, adding "the ability for rapid growth from the amount of vegetation that's across the state is a challenge."

The Basin Fire, which is the largest active wildfire in the state, burned over 14,000 acres in Fresno County and was 60% contained Saturday evening, according to the Cal Fire.

Another large wildfire, the Lake Fire, ignited Friday afternoon in Santa Barbara County and has already scorched over 13,200 acres. The Santa Barbara Sheriff's Office issued evacuation warnings in nearby areas and several roads were closed.

The Thompson Fire, for which California Gov. Gavin Newsom had issued an emergency declaration, was 79% contained as of Saturday night. After starting Tuesday, it has burned through nearly 4,000 acres in Butte County. Two firefighters were injured, 26 structures were destroyed and eight were damaged by the fire, according to Cal Fire.

"Dangerously hot and dry conditions were observed across the incident," according to Cal Fire.

The French Fire in Mariposa County was 35% contained and had burned through over 900 acres after it started on the fourth of July. Due to the fire, evacuation orders and warnings were issued, four firefighters were injured and four structures were destroyed, according to Cal Fire. Meanwhile, the Mccain Fire in San Diego County had burned about 1,500 acres and was 95% contained.

"We are happy to report that we are seeing an increase in the percentage of containment," Schuler said. "We're starting to lift some of the evacuation orders and warnings allowing people to start to cautiously make way back to their homes."

But crews still have to contend with several days ahead of continued heat, Schuler said.

(The-CNN-Wire & 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.)

Original post:

Las Vegas shatters hottest day record with 120 degrees Sunday - KABC-TV

Fresh off his work with USA Basketballs Select Team in scrimmages against the Team USA in advance of the Olympics, Jaime Jaquez Jr. has been added to the Miami Heats roster for the Las Vegas Summer League.

Jaquez, who drew praise for his work in helping prepare the Olympic roster for the Paris Games, extended his stay in Las Vegas for what are expected to be a pair of appearances with the Heat summer roster, starting Saturday against the Boston Celtics summer roster.

Jaquez had an impressive NBA debut in summer league last year after being selected No. 18 out of UCLA in the 2023 draft. He went on to be named first-team All-Rookie, emerging as a key Heat rotation component.

Several members of the Heats season-ending roster are expected to meet up with the Heats summer roster in Las Vegas.

Jaquez will join a Heat summer roster coming off Wednesday nights 80-76 victory over a similar roster of rookies, young players and free agents from the Los Angeles Lakers.

Were extremely excited to get him on the team, said Heat assistant Dan Bisaccio, who is coaching the Heat summer roster. Were going to look to him to kind of be a leader out there.

With summer league, especially with our guys that are playing for the second year, were looking to see if they can improve on a few things. We have certain goals were looking for Jaime to do, and were excited for him to take the challenge.

With Wednesday nights game concluding the Heats three-game schedule at the California Classic, several of the leading players on the Heat summer roster were given the night off ahead of Saturdays open of play in the larger Las Vegas league, which features rosters from all 30 NBA teams.

That had draft picks Kelel Ware and Pelle Larsson idle after starting the previous two games. Also held out was returning forward Cole Swider, who shot 4 of 6 and 5 of 10 on 3-pointers in the Heats first two games in San Francisco.

In summer league were always looking to try to give different people opportunities. Bisaccio said. We want to help evaluate other players, as well.

Starting Wednesday night for the Heat were returning guard Alondes Williams, Heat G League prospect Josh Christopher, undrafted Texas Tech center Warren Washington, and current two-way contract holders Zyon Pullin, the undrafted guard out of Florida, and Keshad Johnson, the undrafted forward out of Arizona.

The Lakers, by contrast, went with several primary players from their summer roster, including second-round pick Bronny James, son of Lakers and former Heat forward LeBron James, first-round pick Dalton Knecht and former Florida center Colin Castleton.

Knecht, the guard out of Tennessee, was among those the Heat bypassed to select Ware out of Indiana at No. 15. The Heat also bypassed James, who went No. 55, when they selected Larsson out of Arizona at No. 44.

Johnson made the most of his featured role, closing with 21 points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots.

Im a Heat culture guy, Johnson said afterward.

Said Bisaccio, KJ from the beginning has been a consummate professional.

Williams added 21 points and nine rebounds for the Heat.

James again showed solid defensive chops for the Lakers, but was limited to three points on 1-of-3 shooting. Knecht had 20 points and nine rebounds, Castleton 18 points and 11 rebounds.

Among those who also saw action Wednesday night for the Heat was James Caron Butler Jr., son of former Heat forward and current Heat assistant coach Caron Butler.

Unlike regulation NBA games, summer-league games are played with 10-minute quarters instead of 12-minute periods. Wednesday nights game was played in the absence of spectators at Chase Center, which has become typical for the final games of the California Classic.

The score was tied 21-21 at the end of Wednesday nights first period, with the Lakers up 40-36 at halftime and the Heat up 59-58 going into the fourth quarter.

(All times Eastern)

NBA Summer League

(Las Vegas, UNLV)

Saturday, 6:30 p.m. vs. Celtics NBA TV

Monday, 6 p.m. vs. Thunder, ESPNU

July 17, 3 p.m. vs. Mavericks, ESPN2

July 19, 9 p.m. vs. Raptors, ESPN+

(Plus at least one additional game, based on results from above four.)

See the original post:

Jaquez to join Heat for summer league in Las Vegas after win over Bronny James, Lakers - South Florida Sun Sentinel

LAS VEGAS (AP) Used to shrugging off heat, Las Vegas residents nonetheless eyed the thermometer Wednesday as the desert city was on track to set a record for the most consecutive days over 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46.1 Celsius) amid a lengthening hot spell that is expected to broil much of the U.S. into the weekend.

On Tuesday, Las Vegas flirted again with the all-time temperature record of 120 F (48.8 C) reached Sunday, but settled for a new daily mark of 119 F (48.3 C) that smashed the old one of 116 F (46.6 C) set for the date in 2021. Forecasters say the city will likely hit a record fifth straight day above 115 F (46.1 C) on Wednesday.

Even by desert standards, the prolonged baking that Nevadas largest city is experiencing is nearly unprecedented.

This is the most extreme heat wave in the history of record-keeping in Las Vegas since 1937, said meteorologist John Adair, a veteran of three decades at the National Weather Service office in southern Nevada.

Tuesdays high temperature tied the mark of four straight days above 115 F (46.1 C) set in July 2005. And Adair said the record could be extended through Friday.

Keith Bailey and Lee Doss met early Wednesday morning at Las Vegas park to beat the heat and exercise their dogs Breakie, Ollie and Stanley.

If I dont get out by 8:30 in the morning, then its not going to happen that day, Bailey said, wearing a sunhat while the dogs played in the grass.

Alyse Sobosan said this July has been the hottest in the 15 years she has lived in Las Vegas. A counselor at a school thats on summer break, Sobosan said she doesnt step outside during the day if she can help it, and waits until 9 p.m. or later to walk her dogs.

Its oppressively hot, she said. Its like you cant really live your life.

Its also dangerously hot, health officials have emphasized. There have been at least nine heat-related deaths this year in Clark County, which encompasses Las Vegas, according to the county coroners office. But officials say the toll is likely higher.

Even people of average age who are seemingly healthy can suffer heat illness when its so hot its hard for your body to cool down, said Alexis Brignola, an epidemiologist at the Southern Nevada Health District.

The searing heat wave gripping large parts of the U.S. also led to record daily high temperatures in Oregon, where it is suspected to have caused eight deaths, the state medical examiners office said. More than 142 million people around the U.S. were under heat alerts Wednesday, especially in Western states.

On the other side of the nation, the National Weather Service warned of major-to-extreme heat risk over portions of the East Coast.

An excessive heat warning remained in place Wednesday for the Philadelphia area, northern Delaware and nearly all of New Jersey. Temperatures were around 90 F (32.2 C) for most of the region, and forecasters warned the heat index could soar as high as 108 F (42.2 C). The warning was due to expire at 8 p.m. Wednesday, though forecasters said there may be a need to extend it.

Dozens of locations across the West tied or broke previous heat records over the weekend and are expected to keep doing so all week, although the end of the siege was in sight in some areas.

The heat was blamed for a motorcyclists death over the weekend in Death Valley National Park. At Death Valley on Tuesday, tourists queued for photos in front of a giant thermometer that was reading 120 F (48.9 C).

Simon Pell and Lisa Gregory from London left their air-conditioned RV to experience a midday blast of heat that would be unthinkable back home.

I dont need a thermometer to tell me that its hot, Pell said. You hear about it in stories and and wildlife documentaries. But just for me, I wanted to experience what it would feel like. Its an incredible experience.

Record highs for the date were also hit Tuesday in parts of Oregon and Washington, with Portland reaching 103 F (39.4 C) and Salem and Eugene hitting 105 F (40.5 C).

The Oregon State Medical Examiners Office on Wednesday confirmed two new suspected heat-related deaths, bringing to eight the total number of deaths during the heat-wave. One was an 83-year-old man in Washington County and the other was a 72-year-old man in Multnomah County. Seven of the deaths were men and one was a woman. The youngest was 33 but all of the others were age 64 and older.

The National Park Service was investigating the third hiker death in recent weeks at the Grand Canyon, where temperatures on parts of some trails can reach 120 F (49 C) in the shade. Bystanders and medical staff on Sunday unsuccessfully attempted CPR on the 50-year-old man, the park service said.

Phoenix, which has averaged the hottest temperature ever for the first eight days of July in records dating to 1885, tied the daily record Tuesday of 116 F (46.6) set in 1958.

The U.S. heat wave came as the global temperature in June was a record warm for the 13th straight month and marked the 12th straight month that the world was 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than pre-industrial times, the European climate service Copernicus said. Most of this heat, trapped by human-caused climate change, is from long-term warming from greenhouse gases emitted by the burning of coal, oil and natural gas, scientists say.

In Las Vegas, hotels and casinos keep their visitors cool with massive AC units. But for homeless residents and others without access to safe environments, officials have set up emergency cooling centers at community centers across southern Nevada.

Firefighters in Henderson, Nevada, last week became the first in the region to deploy what city spokesperson Madeleine Skains called polar pods used to cool a person exhibiting symptoms of heat stroke or a related medical emergency.

Skains said four vehicles in the city of more than 330,000 residents have the devices that are similar to units first put into use a month ago in Phoenix. They can be filled with water and ice to immerse a patient in cold water on the way to a hospital.

Extreme heat in the West has also dried out vegetation that fuels wildfires.

A new blaze in Oregon, dubbed the Larch Creek Fire, quickly grew to more than 5 square miles (12 square kilometers) Tuesday evening as flames tore through grassland in Wasco County. Evacuations were ordered for remote homes.

In California, firefighters were battling least 19 wildfires Wednesday, including a 45-square-mile (117-square-kilometer) blaze that prompted evacuation orders for about 200 homes in the mountains of Santa Barbara County.

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Las Vegas eyes record of 5th consecutive day over 115 degrees as heat wave continues to scorch US - East Idaho News