Las Vegas has a wave of new entertainment jobs. But do they diversify the economy? By Eli SegallLas Vegas Review-Journal September 24, 2025 - 5:00 am With concerts at the Sphere, Raiders games at Allegiant Stadium and Formula One racers flooring it, Las Vegas has upped its offerings outside casinos in recent years. The surge of new entertainment provides more reasons to visit Vegas, or at least more places to spend money, and boosts a segment of the local workforce. But a big question remains. Does it diversify Las Vegas’ tourism-heavy economy? From a data standpoint, it doesn’t, as entertainment jobs are part of Las Vegas’ already-dominant leisure and hospitality sector. Experts who track the local economy say that more shows, sporting events and the like diversify and enhance the region’s main industry. But they had differing views on whether this makes Southern Nevada, with its track record of economic booms and busts, more resilient to a broader slowdown — a pressing issue yet again this year as tourism slumps. David Schmidt, chief economist with the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation, said the question of whether increased entertainment helps insulate [...]

Regional US casinos cash in as gamblers shun pricey Vegas trips Stephanie Stacey in London and Taylor Nicole Rogers in New York Published Sep 22 2025 Casinos around the country enjoy an unexpected revival as the Nevada hotspot falls victim to the spending slowdown Regional US casinos are benefiting at the expense of Las Vegas as gamblers cut back on expensive vacations to the city, in another symptom of the growing consumer caution sweeping the US. Gross gaming revenue — the difference between sums wagered and the winnings paid out — was up 5 per cent in July and 6 per cent in August at casinos outside Nevada, compared with the same months in 2024, according to published state gaming reports collated by Barclays Research. Brandt Montour, an analyst at Barclays, said the outperformance of regional casinos has come “at the expense” of those in Las Vegas, where the number of domestic and international visitors, particularly from Canada and Mexico, is declining. Almost 8 per cent fewer people visited Las Vegas in the year to July compared with the same period in 2024, according to figures from the Las [...]