On a Sunday afternoon in early March 2025, I attended Major League Baseball’s Athletics-Diamondbacks game at Las Vegas Ballpark as part of the annual Big League Weekend. The game was exciting, the fans were engaged, the stadium staff were hospitable, and the overall experience was exceptional. As I listened to nearby fans—clearly visiting from out of town—cheering for their team from Arizona, I had a brief moment of reflection. I realized how fortunate we are as a community. There are cities across the country that would give almost anything to experience events like this or to enjoy the countless opportunities that Las Vegas offers.
Every day, massive investments are being made in Southern Nevada to strengthen its dominance in the global tourism industry and expand the economy in support of this mission. These investments come from state government agencies, local jurisdictions, private developers, event production teams, promoters, hotel-casino operators, and numerous supporting businesses. While the primary goal is to attract visitors from around the world, these efforts also generate tremendous benefits for local residents.
According to analyses by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, the tourism industry drives more than $50 billion in visitor spending annually. This includes expenditures on hotel accommodations, dining, shopping, entertainment, and gaming. Statewide, visitor spending reaches nearly $60 billion annually, according to the Nevada Resort Association’s publication, The Facts. But what does this mean for Las Vegas locals, and why should they care?
Jobs and Paychecks: The math is simple: Nevada’s tourism industry is on track to generate $100 billion in overall economic impact annually. Within this impressive figure, approximately $25 billion goes toward wages and salaries for over 400,000 Nevada workers whose livelihoods depend on tourism-related activities. Without this core industry, nearly a third of the state’s economy would vanish. Providing jobs and paychecks for locals is critical to the economic sustainability of the Silver State. The financial benefits are substantial.
Reduced Tax Burden: According to The Facts, the resort industry pays more than $2.4 billion in industry-specific taxes—above and beyond the standard taxes all businesses pay. When combined with other tax contributions, the resort industry is responsible for one out of every three dollars (34%) in the state’s general fund. What does this mean for residents? The relative tax burden on every household is reduced by more than $3,000 annually. These tax savings significantly impact local families and businesses.
Access to World-Class Amenities: Gaming licensees in Nevada collectively manage capital assets with a historical cost basis of approximately $50 billion. Beyond the entities tracked by the Nevada Gaming Control Board, numerous other venues attract tourists and enrich the community, including Allegiant Stadium, Sphere, T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Grand Prix Plaza, Area15, and World Market Center, among others. Locals have the opportunity to attend concerts, games, races, and countless other special events that are designed to appeal to visitors but remain accessible to residents.
One of the community’s most vital assets is Harry Reid International Airport (LAS), a world-class facility built to accommodate the tens of millions of visitors who drive our economy, but one that delivers extraordinary benefits to those of us who call Las Vegas home. Few regions our size can claim nonstop access to cities around the world, and even fewer enjoy the frequency, convenience and efficiency that our airport provides. Whether for business or leisure, this level of global connectivity enhances daily life in ways most communities can only imagine. In Las Vegas, the same infrastructure that welcomes the world also opens it up for each of us.
Hearing the crack of the bat at a ballgame or singing along at a concert should remind Las Vegas locals just how fortunate we are. The benefits of living, working, and playing in a place like this are immeasurable.