Las Vegas job picture attracts new residents

      Las Vegas' economy continued to turn in a strong performance in February.
      The metropolitan area, which includes Nye County, Laughlin and parts of northern Arizona, gained 50,700 new jobs during the 12 months ended in February -- a 9 percent gain in employment over the year, according to the Nevada Employment Security Division.
      The division reported that the metro area had 619,900 jobs as of February compared with 569,200 jobs a year earlier, the division said.
      The employment boom continues to attract thousands of new residents to the area. Nearly 6,160 newcomers turned in their out-of-state drivers licenses in February to the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles and Public Safety, UNLV's Center for Business and Economic Research reported. That's an 18.2 percent increase compared with the 5,211 new residents who sought a Nevada drivers license in February 1996, according to the center at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
      The population growth is fueling home sales. Home Builders Research, a local market research company, reported that Las Vegas builders sold 1,453 new homes in February, a 2.5 percent decline from the 1,491 sales a year earlier.
      Despite the slight decline, February's sales represent strong activity, said Dennis Smith, president of Home Builders Research.
      The company also reported that Las Vegas property owners sold 1,293 existing homes in February, a 4 percent increase compared with the 1,244 resales the previous year.
      Strong sales are expected to continue. In February, builders secured 1,596 permits for future residential construction, Home Builders Research said.
      That represents a 25.1 percent increase compared with the 1,276 permits secured in February 1996. However, Smith said that February 1996's permit count was low. Builders secured a large number of permits in January 1996, so they needed fewer permits the following month.
      Clark County casinos reported gaming revenue of $516.6 million in February, a 5.9 percent increase compared with $487.7 million in revenue the previous year, according to the Nevada Gaming Control Board.
      Russell Guindon, Gaming Control Board fiscal analyst, said the gain may be attributed in part to revenue from major casinos that were not open a year earlier. The Monte Carlo and New York-New York on the Strip opened in the past year.
      Clark County businesses reported taxable sales of $1.24 billion, a 6 percent gain compared with the $1.17 billion in sales a year earlier, the Nevada Department of Taxation reported.