Daily Archives: February 15, 2022

Community parks bustling with laughing children. Brightly painted murals accentingold buildings. The rattle of hammers and drills from nearby and distant construction sites. Cracked sidewalks in front of homes that have outlived many Las Vegas Strip properties.

These are just some of the contrasting experiences Andrew Woods encountered in Las Vegas a few years back as he trained for a two-day, 200-mile bicycle race in the Pacific Northwest that he competed in with his dad, an avid bicyclist.

During his training rides, often in the scorching Vegas summer heat, Woods would ride from Downtown Las Vegas all the way to the Red Rock loop and back again. His rides toward the mountains took him through different communities, along sidewalks, through streets, and past athletic fields, parks, public art installations, and green spaces. The long rides sometimes up to eight hours gave him time to think about the city he lived in, the modes of transportation available, and what was and wasnt working. Woods began envisioning what Southern Nevada could be like if the streets were better designed for the communities they encompassed.

I would think about what would happen if it was a little easier for people to do the things they do every day, like get to work or school, and how little changes could make a big economic impact and set our community apart, said Woods, who joined UNLV in 2021 as director of the Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER).

You might think getting to work as quickly as possible is all that matters," he said. "But if traffic is better managed, more people are given choices on how to commute, and they are incentivized to drive safely, they'll be less stressed and more productive. Ive seen data on how these types of projects actually spur economic development and generally help grow and diversify a city.

His time spent riding his bike through the streets of Las Vegas sparked a lot of ideas. Now, with a passion for building a better community, a background in public policy, business, politics, and a masters degree in economics, his position as CBER director has given Woods the opportunity to explore those ideas further through research and economic development projects with local governments.

I moved to Las Vegas in 2014 from upstate New York to work for the Nevada state treasurer. Prior to that, I lived in Buffalo, Chicago, Washington D.C., and even London. Ive spent time traveling and getting to know the world through the lens of cities of all sizes. Originally from the suburbs of Seattle, Washington, I knew I wanted to return to the West to settle closer to home, which brought me to Las Vegas.

Ive always been really passionate about cities how they operate, the people who live, work, and raise a family within them, and understanding what makes certain cities stand out. Prior to coming to UNLV, I was running my own business and I really wanted to be in a position of solving problems right here in Las Vegas.

To me that meant being able to help leaders in our community from all walks of life better understand the challenges we face so we can find solutions together. This is where economics, data analysis, and the tools of public policy come into play. These things, coupled with my background as a business owner and public policy experience, made the role of director of CBER a natural fit.

Later this spring, CBER, Lee Business School, and a host of partners will launch an economic micro-credential to help high school public school teachers in Southern Nevada teach economics in the classroom. This supports a requirement the Nevada Legislature passed into law back in 2017.

Its been inspiring working with multiple departments across the university to help get this program up and running. Weve received some private funding, too, so it wont be a financial burden for teachers to take this course..

To celebrate, I dont necessarily take a victory walk until I know something is really complete. At the same time, I like to think about whats the next big thing. But in the past, Ive celebrated by jumping in my car and climbing large mountains a few hours away. My last climb before winter arrived was Mount Massive in Colorado, the second tallest peak in the state. When you are above the clouds, the views are fantastic and it just clears your head.

Im looking forward to launching the Applied Research Collaborative in partnership with the Governors Office of Economic Development and Bo Bernhard at the UNLV Office of Economic Development. The goal with this project is to foster private-public partnerships and research between the university and our private sector partners.

This opportunity was serendipitous. When I read and heard past stories of what CBER was like under Keith Schwers leadership (a former director of the center who passed away in 2009) it resonated with me. He cared deeply about education and economics, and so do I. He was known as a sharp and level-headed economic voice as we navigated the pandemic, and Im grateful for the the chance to lead CBER and serve the community.

Engineers are constantly tinkering with machinery to make it better. Economics is similar, but instead of a machine we are constantly trying to understand data to better the world and the community we live in. That constant analysis and recalibration of our models and forecasts is very exciting to me.

I think it surprises people how much work we are producing, how many programs we are working on, and how we are stretching our resources and expertise to help solve problems right here in Las Vegas.

Every day we are producing an economic index, a forecast, responding to questions from the media, working with our graduate students, and fielding requests from the public. I am really impressed with our team, their expertise, reliability, and the quality of the work they produce.

Cross-disciplinary projects that bring together a team from across the university to tackle big questions. For example, the challenge of transportation and complete streets isnt just an economics dilemma. It poses challenges for public health, engineering, business, and public policy, to name a few. A perfect project for CBER is one where we can bring many experts at UNLV to the table and be the go-to resource for our leaders in Southern Nevada.

CBERs population forecast. We have been doing it since 1997. Keith Schwer forecasted in 2001 that there would be 2.4 million people in the valley by 2020, our current population is over 2.3 million. His models which we still use today, with some adjustments are delivering results.

The Southern Nevada Water Authority has been able to accurately plan for further population growth over the past 25 years in part because of CBERs work. Southern Nevada uses less water today than we did 20 years ago and yet we have almost a million more people. The research we produce annually doesnt just stop at water; it also impacts transportation, planning, jobs, and so much more.

I started alpine climbing during the pandemic. I have climbed a lot of peaks in Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, and Washington. There are certainly people that are more hardcore than me and able to commit more time to the sport, but I enjoy getting my head above the clouds.

In December I went to France and proposed to my now fianc, Lisa, in front of the Luxembourg Palace. My favorite memory was eating French cuisine in the middle of a rainstorm with her, drinking a bottle of wine, making jokes with the staff, and not worrying about my email inbox.

I remember giving my sisters best friend in high school a Valentine when I was in elementary school I think I was six or seven years old.

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The Interview: Andrew Woods | University of Nevada, Las Vegas - UNLV NewsCenter

The Las Vegas Raiders have long shot odds at +5000 to win Super Bowl 57 next season in their home stadium.

The Raiders (10-7) dealt with numerous off the field incidents this season that included their former head coach Jon Gruden resigning in October. Special teams coach Rich Bisaccia was named the interim head coach and went 7-5 in the last 12 games to get Vegas into the playoffs. The Raiders then lost to the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Wild Card Weekend.

The Raiders did not bring back Bisaccia as the teams head coach and decided to hire New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. McDaniels will look to take what he learned at New England and his previous head coaching opportunities and bring it to Las Vegas.

McDaniels and new general manager Dave Ziegler will look to add another wide receiver to the Raiders offense and continue to add to their defense, which has standout players at all three levels. The good news is they dont have to worry about the quarterback position as Derek Carr showed this season he can get this team to the playoffs.

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Raiders Super Bowl odds: What Las Vegas needs to do in offseason to win Super Bowl 57 - DraftKings Nation

At 1 a.m. on a Sunday, as my new boyfriend and I sat exhausted on a curb, I looked up to see the Eiffel Tower. Not the real one, of course, but the glitzy replica in Las Vegas. There it stood next to the equally flashy Paris balloon, modeled after the historic version launched by the Montgolfier brothers in 1783.

"We'll always have Paris," I said, taking a swig of vodka from our shared flask. Or, at least, a kind of copy of Paris that's a lot closer and less expensive.

We had wanted a romantic getaway, but I didn't have a lot of cash to splurge on Europe. Las Vegas seemed more affordable, but could we visit the city of sin at a discount price? I had a hunch it was possible if I played my cards right.

Luckily, my guy had insider knowledge, having lived in the city previously. He knew the right gravel pits just outside the main drag for the best views of the lights, knew how to glean the beauty in all that artifice, and how to get the maximum free entertainment possible.

We went into our faux-glam adventure with some plans that were a bit of a gamble some that worked, and a few that we figured out along the way. I thought I could observe Las Vegas with an air of detachment, especially if I wasn't fully investing in its many sinful delights. What I found is that its seductive rhythms have a way of moving through you, even for just a little while. Here are some tips for Vegas on a budget.

Save on airfare and lodging

I stepped out of my comfort zone and booked a flight on Spirit Airlines for $103 each, including seat fees of $31 each so we could sit together. We didn't, however, pay to bring a carry-on bag whatever we brought had to fit under the seat in front of us.

That means packing light. All I packed was my laptop, a bathing suit and two outfits. I layered up with the cutest clothes I own and hoped I'd be able to stay stylish for the whole vacation. In the end it made bouncing from one hotel to another a lot less burdensome.

Vegas hotels were a lot more expensive on the weekend. We attempted to solve this problem by booking a downtown motel on the weekend and then a foray at the Luxor on Sunday and Monday, for only $78 a night. We loved the faux-Egyptian Luxor. It came with not only an outdoor pool, but access to the wave pool at the Mandalay Bay one casino over, where we buoyed gently in the late afternoon light.

For the weekend, we had originally booked the Desert Hills Motel for $112 a night. Alas, our reservation was canceled via e-mail on Friday, right before our departure. After a moment of panic, we settled on the art deco stylings of the historic El Cortez for $347 on Friday night, in downtown Las Vegas near Fremont Street. Our room's walls were green, and the bed was lined with white vinyl padding. It was glorious. (To make up for that expense, on Saturday we stayed with my boyfriend's brother, who lives in Las Vegas.)

Walk or ride

We only took one Lyft ride, declining to go in on the cryptocurrency investment scheme pitched by our driver. Otherwise we were on foot, using bike-share or riding the top level of the Deuce, the double-decker bus on Las Vegas Boulevard. On one ride we nabbed the coveted front row and had a view of all of the lights and tourists and billboards as we rode down the Strip.

Don't gamble

Avoiding gambling might seem strange since that's a major Vegas draw, but I was happy to pass on it. It got a little depressing watching people turn into zombies getting sucked into the slot machines.

Find free activities

It took a bit of planning to catch free attractions like the erupting volcano outside the Mirage, the trapeze act at Circus Circus, the mermaid show at the Silverton and the madrigal singers at the Venetian.

I especially enjoyed the intricately choreographed Bellagio fountains, timed to music and lights. We missed the madrigals, but I loved the sweet opera singing by a gondola plyer floating through the Venetian's "canal." My other favorite spot was standing under Chihuly's art blossoms in the Bellagio lobby.

Take a day trip

We took one day trip to the desert. The Valley of Fire is a landscape of luminous amber, with red rocks that have been swept by wind into swirling formations of sandstone. It cost $10 to get into the park, and we managed to catch a ride there by car. A closer option is Red Rock Canyon, which has a similar sandstone look, Triassic fossils and petroglyphs.

Get off the Strip

Some of our best times were venturing off of Las Vegas Boulevard. In the late 20th century, "The Strip" overtook Fremont Street as the main place for casinos. Fremont Street still has casinos, of course, plus the very fun and free Fremont Experience, with trippy videos displayed overhead on the world's largest video screen.

Off Fremont, downtown has a more relaxed feel. The Downtown Container Park, an outdoor food court made from shipping containers, felt fresh and neighborhood-y. We split a pickle-filled Cuban sandwich with lots of mustard from Bin 702 for $13, as "Beetlejuice" played on an outdoor screen.

The Downtowner, a 1950s diner, is the kind of place where you might strike up a conversation with a stranger in the wee hours, which we did.

We explored the Las Vegas Arts District on bikes rented for $2 through RTC Bike Share. The area is teeming with a more creative energy. I had a pleasant avocado toast for $15 on the patio at 7th & Carson, and enjoyed the Garden, a queer cocktail spot covered in foliage.

Splurge on one thing

Truth be told, vacationing on a budget got a little tiring. As we shared a turkey sandwich, Doritos and Gatorade from a gas station, sitting in the shade across from a giant billboard of David Copperfield as tourist helicopters passed by, I decided we needed a little vacation from our cheap vacation.

On our last night, we splurged on a six-course meal ($50 each, plus wine) at Marrakech, a Moroccan restaurant on Paradise Road. I loved the tent ceiling and cushioned seats, and I appreciated the extravagance of watching a belly dancer as we dined on our lush meal.

Walking back to the Luxor on Paradise Road, we watched the glimmer of the Strip in the distance.

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Can you have fun in Las Vegas on the cheap? Bet on it - Minneapolis Star Tribune

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Why nurses say they are leaving Las Vegas - FOX5 Las Vegas