Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce cuts staff by about 20 percent

The Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce laid off about 20 percent of its work force on Tuesday, chamber officials said. The organization, which had 58 employees prior to the cuts, cited declines in membership, event participation and sponsorship due to the economy for the need the trim the staff.

“Certainly our membership numbers are soft and our levels of membership are less, and there is a softening of attendance at events,” chamber spokeswoman Cara Roberts said. “It is also a projection of what our board thinks is likely to happen in the next few years with the economy.”

The layoffs were spread across the organization, Roberts said. The chamber offered its terminated employees severance packages that include two weeks of pay, plus an additional week’s pay for every year of employment. Those cut will also receive optional job placement services.

The now-6,550-member Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce is down about 250 members from a year ago, Roberts said in an earlier interview.