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"Election of Delegate Members," South Shores Community Association, ... through the Section of "PPAA16" at http://communitylink.reviewjournal.com/lvrj/wbti. *6.

Washington Business and Technology Institute ... - Community Link

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�l�o���i People & Beautiful Scenery. WBTI Journal. Leading Chinese Literature World. South Shores Community Association. Las Vegas Business Today ...

WBTI & Chinese American Academic Association of Nevada ...

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As Director of the Board of South Shores Community Association (SSCA) since .... and lasvegas.com through http://communitylink.reviewjournal.com/lvrj/wbti.

---------------------------------
It's our pleasure to view Dr. Tony T. Lei has been a Director of South Shores Community Association since 1993:
LVRJ/wbti: A PROCLAMATION HONORING DR. TONY T. LEI from the State of Nevada!

WHEREAS, Dr. Tony Lei, a prominent resident of the Las Vegas area for more than 12 years, has dedicated himself to projects benefiting the Asian community and all Nevada citizens; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Lei has led the Washington Business and Technology Institute and its advisory board and faculty members establishing the Pan Pacific and Asian American Forum; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Lei has served in many notable roles working with prominent elected leaders and notable entities including Senior Advisor of United States Representative Shelley Berkley, the Office of Constable for Las Vegas Township, the Office of District Attorney for Clark County, and Raleigh, Hunt, McGarry & Drizin, P.C., and serving as President of Washington Business and Technology Institute, Honorary President of Great Wall College and Xiamen Straits Foreign Language College, Chairman of the Chinese American Academic Association of Nevada, and a contributing editor and columnist of Communitylink of Reviewjournal.com, Nevada Examiner; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Lei has published more than 80 books on business management, marketing, and information management, as well as more than 276 papers on business administration, information management, and computer education; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Lei has presented his findings to many well-recognized conferences such as the International Conference on Technology and Engineering, the International Information Management Congress, and the Science Engineering Technology Seminars; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Lei has long promoted cooperation on education and business development between Asian nations and Nevada; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Lei has offered his time to many cultural, benevolent, artistic, and political activities and programs, such as the Thai Performing Appreciation Day, Seniors United, the Asian-American Republican Coalition of Clark County, and the Taiwan Benevolent Association of America; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Lei received his Doctorate of Education in Institutional Management in 1990 from Pepperdine University, and served as an Associate Professor of Information Management and a Fellow of Management of the Graduate School of Business Administration of National Chunghsing University and Pepperdine University from 1985 to 1991 and 1991 to 1996, respectively; now, therefore, be it

PROCLAIMED, That the State of Nevada recognizes Dr. Tony Lei as an outstanding Nevadan whose dedication to public service benefits all citizens of this great State and our neighbors in the Pacific Rim.

DATED this 30th day of July, 2005.
STATE of NEVADA

Search Results [by the brilliance of World's Leading Search Engine Giants on Internet in the early morning at 9:37 a.m.(LV) on Monday, July 13, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A.]:

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***** The following information has been referenced for research project on the basis of community service. Not for printing, copying, or publishing please. Thank you very much!

Dear Chris, Thank you for your mails to me last week. I've read all of them. I'm ready to attend the Meetings on Tuesday, July 14, 2009. Please confirm me with e-mail or phone call before 11:00 a.m. tommorow (7/14/09). I received e-mails from Assistant Courtney about the Meetings also. Would you like forward this to her also? Thank you in advance!

Sincerely,

Dr. Tony Tung-tien Lei
Director
South Shores Community Association
(6:37 a.m. on July 13, 2009)

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Delegate for each district is going to be nominated for election in this year ...

Nov. 22, 2006
Copyright � Las Vegas Review-Journal

TIMING IS EVERYTHING: Last-Minute Thanksgiving
You still can get turkey on the table if you start now
By HEIDI KNAPP RINELLA
REVIEW-JOURNAL

With Christmas carols playing and decorations shining and glowing nearly everywhere we turn, it's just possible it has escaped your notice that Thanksgiving is Thursday. As in tomorrow. And if you have a nice family-style Thanksgiving feast in mind -- well, let's just say time is getting extremely short.

"Butterball took a survey this year," said Mary Clingman, director of the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line. "They found that people don't think much about Thanksgiving until about five days before. If you have a huge (frozen) turkey, you're already behind." The procrastinators, she said, "think they can't do anything; they can't have a turkey."

It is, as Chuck Meath, vice president of Jennie-O Turkey Stores, calls it, "the whole dilemma that consumers often face when they get to that precipitous last 48 hours (or less ...) before Thanksgiving and things aren't in line to pull off that Rockwellian holiday meal."

So it should come as no surprise that the folks at Yahoo say their top Thanksgiving recipe search is for "easy Thanksgiving recipes."

..........................

Jun. 15, 2006
Copyright � Las Vegas Review-Journal

INSIDE BUSINESS

[[[Chandra Knee
Nikki Knauss
Renee Rietgraf
Jerry Williams]]]

Real estate company names executives

Wingfield Nevada Group, a real estate investment, development and operating company, named Bryan Austin president of resort operations and Michael Hillerby executive vice president.

Preferred Public Relations & Marketing, a Las Vegas-based public relations agency, named Renee Rietgraf senior account executive.

Crisci Custom Builders, a Las Vegas-based construction company, named Jerry Williams as project manager.

Preferred Public Relations & Marketing, a Las Vegas-based public relations agency, named Chandra Knee account executive.

Palm Mortuaries, Cemeteries and Crematories named Nikki Knauss marketing manager.

McCarthy Building Cos., a domestic general contractor with headquarters in St. Louis, named Daniel Vandersteen preconstruction director in its Las Vegas office.

Lucky Dog Magazine launched a new Web site, www.luckydogmag.com.

SBO Commercial has changed its name to Mendicino Commercial Realty.

Inside Business is prepared by the Las Vegas Business Press. Send information about new hires, promotions and new businesses to Las Vegas Business Press, 1385 Pama Lane, Las Vegas, NV 89119; fax to 871-3298; or e-mail to lists@lvbusinesspress.com. To subscribe to the Las Vegas Business Press, call 383-0400.

Google.cn and Google.com published this section (South Shores Community Association) at 9:12 a.m. in the morning on March 31, 2006. It covers about the 25 fliers from January 18, 2006 to March 21, 2006.

Just type your name, the title of a report or an article, your concerned, the name of an organization, an event, or a reporter;{like "Chairperson Elaine Chao", "�⏬��", "�L��䗗���", and among others) on the searching box of Google.cn and Google.com please, and what can you find the good things that Google and WBTI have for you?*2

Many people have a good perspective on Google. Google.cn and Google.com will put more effort and wisdom to contribute to English and Chinese readers being an efficient visitor on the searching of fluent and useful information. Washington Business and Technology Institute's (WBTI's) website has been continuously published by Google.com and Google.cn about every 11 days. We wish advanced performance may be extended from Google.cn to WBTI.*3

You're on Google.cn and Google.com, if you're on Washington Business and Technology Institute's website at http://communitylink.reviewjournal.com/lvrj/wbti

[[[A compliment or encouragement is verbal sunshine! We are pleased to quote the following three short but meaningful ones:
***** No matter how busy you are, you must take time to make other person feel important. ---Mary Kay Ash
***** There is no more noble occupation in the world than to assit another human being---to help someone succeed. ---Alan Loy McGinnis
***** There are two things people want more than sex and money ...recognition and praise. ---Mary Kay Ash
All art, permanent or temporary, has a life in the immediate experience, but then has a life in the imagination. ---Anish Kapoor 1954- :in "Sunday Times" 11 July 1999
"Accomplishment will prove to be a journey, not a destination." ---Dwight D. Eisenhower]]]

[[[Dear Dr. & Mrs. Lei:
I am writing this letter to invite you to my next Senior Advisory Committee meeting at 9:30 am on Thursday, February 23, 2006, at the Lieburn Senior Center, 6230 Garwood Avenue (map is enclosed). ..... Dr. Tony Tung-tien Lei has been U. S. Congresswoman Shelley Berkley's Senior Advisor since January 2000.]]]*4

[[["It's really my pleasure and honor to be named as an Associate Professor of the Graduate School of Business and Public Administration of WBTI. WBTI has a good reputation with its Advisory Board and faculty members. The Board has Governor Kenny Guinn as its Chairman; U. S. Senators Harry Reid and John Ensign as Vice Chairmen; U. S. Representatives James Gibbons and Shelley Berkley, and Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman as Executive Directors. With the excellent and informative publications of 'Google.cn', 'Google.com', 'Communitylink of Reviewjournal.com', 'Next Weekly' and among others, high-ranking officials of Nevada with the spiritual leadership of Chairperson Elaine Chao of WBTI have been inspired to help realize the creed for professional righteousness, community service, and humane spirit of WBTI," expressed Justice Michael Douglas of Nevada Supreme Court at the Event and Dinner Party in the Emperor's Garden Restaurant on February 4, 2005 in Las Vegas. It was held by the Committee to implement the ART EXHIBIT of Mr. QIN QUAN XIONG.]]]*5

[[[Some of the significant idea from the letters to Dr. Tony Lei, President of Washington Business and Technology Institute (WBTI):
"It's my great pleasure and honor to be named by you as a Senior Advisor and Honorary Chairman of CCDAPCC of WBTI. Please know that I irrevocably stand by my personal commitment to diversity issues in this state and that my sense of patriotism and faith in America stems from its embrace of that diversity." --A. William Maupin, Chief Justice of Nevada Supreme Court
"As Mayor, I will continue to devote my energies into the preservation and improvement of the standard of living enjoyed here in the City of Las Vegas." --Oscar B. Goodman
"It is only with the dedication and commitment of good people like yourself that I will achieve my goal of becoming Governor of this great state. Dema and I can't thank you enough for your assistance and your positive activivities in the community." --Kenny C. Guinn]]]*6

[[["As the Hononary Chairperson of International Cities Business Council of Washington Business and Technology Institute (WBTI), I'll have more venues to work for international tourism with Nevada Governor Kenny Guinn who is the Chairman of the Advisory Board of WBTI. We're putting all our effort and wisdom to work for our people, land, and country under the spiritual leadership of Chairperson Elaine Chao of WBTI," said Lorraine Hunt, Lt. Governor of Nevada, on November 11, 2005.
The above message was signed by Lt. Governor of Nevada Lorraine Hunt:.....]]]*7

[[["It's my great pleasure to extend my warm greetings of 'Happy Lunar New Year!' to every American and Chinese here in Las Vegas and North America through the Communitylink (at http://communitylink.reviewjournal.com/lvrj/wbti) of the largest newspaper in Nevada, Las Vegas Review-Journal," said James Gibbons, U. S. Congressman and Senior Director of Washington Business and Technology Institute, in the Event and Dinner Party held by Nevada Republican Party and ARCC on January 29, 2006 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event and dinner party were sponsored by Asian Republicans of Clark County for a reunion of the lunar new year to the Chinese, Asian, and American people in Las Vegas:.....]]]*8

---------------------------------------------
References

*1. Michael Douglas is a distinguished Justice of the Nevada Supreme Court. Valerie Weber is a famous and achieved Assemblywoman of Nevada and the Minority
Whip of the Assembly. Cheryl Moss is an outstanding District Court Judge of Nevada serving in Las Vegas, Clark County.
*2. PAI of WBTI. 'U. S. Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao's on Google!' "A search of 'U. S. Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao' on the Google.com," Mountain View, California: Google.com.
*3. Ibid.
*4. Berkley, Shelley. 'I am writing this letter to invite you to,' "A letter from U. S. Congresswoman Shelley Berkley to Dr. and Mrs. Tony Tung-tien Lei," (February 8, 2006), Las Vegas, Nevada: Congresswoman Shelley Berkley's Office.
*5. Denton, Mark; Vega, Valorie; and Chang, Tiffany. 'Michael Douglas has been appointed Associate Professor of GSBPA by WBTI,' "A search of 'Justice Michael Douglas wbti' on the Google.com," (March 25, 2006), Mountain View, California: Google.com.
*6. Guinn, Kenny C. 'Nevada Proud of Our Troops in the Middle East,' "Section of 'Business & Administration' of the WBTI website," (March 23, 2006), Las Vegas, Nevada: WBTI.
*7. Hunt, Lorraine. 'As the Hononary Chairperson of International Cities Business Council,' "A search of 'Chairperson Lorraine Hunt' on the Google.com," (March 26, 2006), Mountain View, California: Google.com.
*8. Gibbons, James. 'It's my great pleasure to extend my warm greetings of,' "A search of 'James Gibbons, U. S. Congressman' on the Google.com," (March 27, 2006), Mountain View, California: Google.com.

Mar. 30, 2006
Copyright � Las Vegas Review-Journal

TOURISM: Hey, big spenders ...

Visitors' outlay shows yearly 15 percent rise
By CHRIS JONES
GAMING WIRE

[[[The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority's 2005 visitor profile shows 46 percent of travelers polled said they visited the Fremont Street region, above, last year, down from 57 percent a year earlier.
Photo by Craig L. Moran.]]]

If the love of money is truly the root of all evil, go ahead and slide Las Vegas a few steps closer to hell.

Thanks to some lavish spending by last year's out-of-town guests, there's a helluva lot more money for locals to love.

The statistics on dollars spent are contained in the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority's 2005 visitor profile, a nearly 90-page document chronicling everything from guests' average trip length to whether they visited a local nightclub.

The report, released Wednesday, suggests that last year's visitors didn't hold back when patronizing area hotels, casinos, restaurants, shows and shopping centers.

Eighty-six percent of the city's 38.6 million visitors said they gambled while in town. Their average casino budget was $626.50 per trip, up 15 percent.

Alan Feldman, an MGM Mirage senior vice president, was not surprised by the findings given the state's recently released record gaming win of $11.6 billion, up 10.3 percent.

Feldman added the convention authority's findings are particularly important because they indicate across-the-board spending increases.

"The community has focused on nongaming attractions for the better part of the last decade, and rightfully so," Feldman said. "This just shows that that effort has brought (Las Vegas) a better gaming customer as well."

Food and drink expenditures averaged $248.40 per trip, up 4 percent from the prior year and 19 percent from 2003.

Tom Bachner, general manager of The Capital Grille at Fashion Show, said restaurant and bar tabs were up in part because restaurants must pass on suppliers' approximately 20 percent price increases for meat, dairy and produce.

In addition, Bachner said he thinks Las Vegas has attracted an older, more sophisticated traveler. That claim was supported by his restaurant's wine sales increase of up to 18 percent.

"Las Vegas is really on people's radar these days," Bachner said. "I've seen a big number of upper-middle class people in their 40s, 50s and 60s who are coming here for the first time."

Authority data show 21 percent of visitors were between 40 and 49, while 20 percent were between 50 and 59. Twenty-seven percent were at least 60 years old.

Overall, visitors' average age decreased from 49 to 47.7 years thanks to a 4 percentage point gain among 30- to 39-year-olds. That group last year accounted for 20 percent of the citywide total.

Twenty-four percent of visitors reported household incomes between $60,000 to $79,999. Twenty-two percent earned more than $100,000 per year, well above that category's prior 13 percent count.

Though too few cared what all the fuzz was about surrounding Wynn Las Vegas' new Broadway transplant "Avenue Q", last year's visitors still spent $2 more on entertainment, averaging $49.43 per trip.

Shopping reported a nearly 10 percent boost to an average of $136.60 per trip.

Other notable findings included:

* Downtown Las Vegas took a huge hit last year. Only 46 percent of travelers said they visited the Fremont Street region, well below the prior year's 57 percent.

Transferring those percentages into actual visitors indicates nearly 3.6 million fewer people went downtown from 2004 to 2005.

* Vacations were the top draw for 61 percent of all guests, while 12 percent cited meetings or conventions.

* Forty-seven percent of travelers arrived by plane, the same percentage as 2004.

* Travel agents continued to play a lesser role in people's plan-making. Only 17 percent said they used such a service, down from 20 percent the prior year and 22 percent in 2003.

Many people have migrated to the Internet when planning a Las Vegas getaway: data showed 40 percent of guests went online before making a trip last year, up from 32 percent two years before.

Demographic data show last year's local visitors were largely married (74 percent), white (83 percent) and employed (67 percent).

Forty-four percent were college graduates, 24 percent retirees. Southern California remained the city's top guest supplier at 29 percent, up from 27 percent a year ago. Arizona held steady at 6 percent.

The percentage of foreign visitors slipped slightly to 12 percent, down 1 point from the prior year.

The U.S. Commerce Department won't release year-end data on specific cities' foreign visitation until this summer. But that data will likely show Las Vegas hosted more foreign travelers in 2005 than 2004 because the city's foreign and domestic visitor counts each expanded last year.

The annual study was prepared by GLS Research, a San Francisco-based polling firm regularly hired by the authority. Its workers conducted approximately 300 in-person interviews each month last year, primarily inside or near Las Vegas hotel-casinos and motels.

Responses were confined to non-Clark County residents ages 21 and up. To ensure people experienced the city before reviewing it, only visitors who planned to leave the city within 24 hours could complete the questionnaire.

The margin of error for the 3,600 respondent sample is plus or minus 1.6 percent at the 95 percent level, which means if the survey were repeated exactly as it was originally conducted, responses would be within 1.6 percent of the original results 95 percent of the time.

During the past eleven years, Summerlin has been the fastest growing Master Planned Community in the country. Located along the western rim of the Las Vegas valley, this community offers a unique lifestyle to its residents. Surrounded by the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Summerlin consists of several villages of residential properties, schools cultural centers, shopping, parks, trails, professional and medical facilities and golf courses. More than one-third of Summerlin's acreage is designated as open space, which includes parks, trails, golf courses and nature trails. Ours in Summerlin is something good for many people!

"The enormous Summerlin community is the most celebrated development in the northwest region of Las Vegas. In 1999, Summerlin let the country in new home sales among mater-planned communities with 2,281 homes sold, a 17 percent increase over the previous year. Within this community, there are 170 models to choose from, priced between $100,000 and $1 million. Other communities in the region include Queensridge, a 1,100-acre, master-planned community with a residential complement of 850 acres; the Lakes, which offers residents lakeside homes with boating and fishing; and Los Prados, an active adult community. The near northwest is home to one of Las Vegas' oldest neighborhoods; know locally as the Scotch 80s," described in the post.

"Bordered by Rancho Road, I-15, Oakey Boulevard, and Charleston Ave, this community of large, ranch-style residences was once home to BB King, Shecky Greene, and Diana Ross. The Valley��s largest assemblage of golf courses in the northwest, including the Badlands, Painted Desert, Los Prados, and Angel Park. Shopping at Meadows Mall and the Sahara Pavilion oasis nearby, and several neighborhood casinos, such as Santa Fe Station, Fiesta, and the Texas Station, offer fine dining and gaming, making it more convenient for residents who would prefer not to drive to the Strip. Apartments are plentiful, especially in the area of Sahara Road near Arville Street."

............................................

Feb. 16, 2006
Copyright � Las Vegas Review-Journal

Southern Nevada economic indicators point to continued growth
By HUBBLE SMITH
REVIEW-JOURNAL

Boosted by strong construction and employment numbers, Southern Nevada's leading economic indicators suggest continued expansion and prosperity into early 2007, a local economist said.

The Southern Nevada Index of Leading Economic Indicators moved up to 133.02 in January, compared with 132.16 in December and a revised 130.3 in January 2005.

All 10 categories in the index showed growth from a year ago. Six of the series grew by double digits, including a 75.1 percent increase in commercial building permit valuation to $161 million, a 71.6 percent in residential building permits to 3,236 and a 67.3 percent increase in residential permit valuation to $363.3 million.

"The broad sweep of expansion shows clearly in the percentage change for the same month a year ago," said Keith Schwer, director of the Center for Business and Economic Research at University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

The economic index is a six-month forecast from the month of the data (November), based on a net-weighted average of 10 series after adjustments for seasonal variations.

The accompanying Review-Journal chart includes several of the index's categories, along with data such as new residents and employment and housing numbers, updated for the most recent month for which figures are available.

John Restrepo, principal of Restrepo Consulting Group in Las Vegas, said he doesn't see any softness in the Las Vegas economy, except that it is running at about the twice the national average in construction jobs as a percentage of total employment.

"Construction employment is not as stable as other employment, so that's cause for some concern," he said. "Other than that, the economic fundamentals appear to be pretty strong."

A separate construction index compiled by the center increased 0.23 percent in November from the previous month, but grew at a more pronounced 28.9 percent on an annual basis, Schwer said. Most notably, construction employment is up by more than 12,000 jobs from a year ago.

All of the series in the center's tourism index for November fell below October levels, a usual seasonal pattern, Schwer said. After adjusting for seasonality, the index posted a one-month increase of 2.9 percent and annual increase of 9.3 percent.

Total employment grew 6 percent statewide last year and is expected to slow minimally to about 5 percent this year, said Jim Shabi, economist for the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation.

Las Vegas produced 60,000 new jobs in 2005, so 5 percent growth would still equate to some 45,000 new jobs this year, Shabi said.

"Things for the most part still look good," he said. "If the national economy continues to run at a good clip, if interest rates stay low, if oil and transportation and building material costs don't get out of hand, nothing's going to bring the Las Vegas economy to a screeching halt, outside of a terrorist attack."

Restrepo said everyone's year-end commercial reports reflected strong growth for 2005 and the residential market shows no signs of slowing down.

Feb. 11, 2006
Copyright � Las Vegas Review-Journal

NEVADA ECONOMY: Gaming win hits $11.6 billion
Strip properties account for most of record '05
By ROD SMITH
GAMING WIRE

Gaming win in Nevada, ignited by the opening of Wynn Las Vegas and thriving locals casinos, set a record in 2005 by raking in $11.6 billion -- up 10.3 percent from $10.6 billion the previous year, officials said Friday.

"Las Vegas has never been hotter, which shows in the gaming numbers through the end of the year," said Brian Gordon, a partner in Las Vegas-based financial consultants Applied Analysis. "The casinos had record revenues of nearly $1 billion a month in gaming win, which is the best the state has ever seen."

In addition to the opening of Wynn Las Vegas, the state's first new megaresort since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, casinos rode a crest of healthy national economic climate and sizable real-estate growth, Gordon said.

Frank Streshley, senior research analyst for the Nevada Gaming Control Board, said the year's increase marked the fastest growth rate since 1999, following the opening of Mandalay Bay, The Venetian, Paris Las Vegas and Bellagio.

"Looking at the (2005) numbers, the statewide win increased 8.4 percent in the first six months and 12.2 percent in the second six months following the opening of Wynn (Las Vegas)," he said. "The Strip already was enjoying great growth, but Wynn (Las Vegas) added fuel and a must-see destination."

Strip casinos in 2005 took in $6 billion, up 13.1 percent from $5.3 billion a year earlier.

Streshley said the win for Strip casinos in 2005 was 51.8 percent of the state total. It passed 50 percent for the first time in 2004 when it hit 50.5 percent, he said.

The Las Vegas numbers were even more impressive, coming on top of an increase of 9.7 percent in 2004, he said.

Furthermore, each month in 2005 marked a record for that respective month, Streshley said.

The statewide win also marked only the second time the total win broke the $10 billion barrier. The first time was 2004.

Gaming win is what was left from the $162.2 billion bet during 2005. That means casinos held onto 7.2 percent of all money wagered. "Win" is a gross figure, with no operating costs or other expenses deducted. And it's casino revenue only -- separate from hotel, restaurant or bar revenue.

Over the 10-year period from 1995 through 2005, total gaming win increased an average of 4.8 percent, with slot win increasing 5.6 percent on average and table win increasing 3.4 percent on average, Streshley said.

The slot win increased 9.4 percent in 2005 after increasing 9.6 percent in 2004, and the game and table win increased 12.1 percent in 2005 on average and 10 percent in 2004 on average, he said.

Only downtown Las Vegas had a decrease in gaming win in 2005, with its casinos bringing in $654.2 million, down 1.3 percent from $663.3 million in 2004.

Streshley said North Las Vegas enjoyed the fastest growth in the state, with casinos taking in $302.2 million, up 17.2 percent from $257.7 million a year earlier. It was trailed by Mesquite, where casinos took in $142.8 million, up 16.6 percent from $122.1 million in 2004.

The gaming win in 2005 in Washoe County increased to $1.05 billion, up 2.3 percent from $1.02 billion in 2004; in South Lake Tahoe, it fell to $335.4 million, down 0.8 percent from $338.1 million; in the Carson Valley, it increased to $124.6 million, up 10.7 percent from $112.6 million in 2004; and in Elko County, it increased to $258.4 million, up 11.2 percent from $232.4 million in 2004.

Growth was even stronger in the locals gaming market, Streshley said.

Steve Ruggerio, gaming analyst with CRT Capital Group, said population growth, job growth and economic growth are driving the locals market.

"The results underscore the strength of the Nevada economy and show growth in the gaming industry is spread pretty well throughout the state, with a lot of strength on the Strip and among locals casinos," Ruggerio said.

For the year, baccarat win increased 33.9 percent to $665,548, while the slot machine win increased 9.4 percent to $7.8 million.

For December, Nevada's casinos reported a win of $907.4 million, up 6.5 percent from $852.1 million a year earlier.

Marc Falcone said baccarat volume was particularly important, increasing statewide 211 percent in December to $847 million, yielding a win of $91 million, up 67 percent from the year before.

For the month, the slot machine win increased 3.25 percent to $553.4 million.

The state collected $43.4 million in gaming taxes in January based on the taxable revenues generated in December, up 5.9 percent from $41 million a year earlier.

Gov. Kenny Guinn said the revenues show Nevada is continuing to enjoy the fruits of the gaming industry's success.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Jan. 06, 2006
Copyright � Las Vegas Review-Journal

HOUSING MARKET: Investor homes raise concern
Appreciation rates catch attention of economists
By HUBBLE SMITH
REVIEW-JOURNAL

Chief economists from the housing and financial industries expressed concern Thursday about the number of investor-owned homes in Las Vegas.

Investors nationwide accounted for about 23 percent of new home loan originations last year and Las Vegas is probably closer to 35 percent to 40 percent, Frank Nothaft, chief economist for Freddie Mac, said Thursday during a conference call held by Washington, D.C.-based Homeownership Alliance.

"Las Vegas generally runs above the national average in investor and second-home purchase activity," Nothaft said. "It's beginning to raise flags."

He worries about housing markets that have shown 20 percent appreciation rates over the last two years, attracting investors and second-home owners, and Las Vegas falls into that category.

"What will happen in Las Vegas? It's hard to say. The entertainment industry has been very strong and you've got large immigration and employment growth, well above the national average," Nothaft said. "So you have an increase in house prices, but it's related to the influx of new residents and job growth. But certainly that's a market that you should use some caution in the coming years."

Paul Merski, chief economist for the Independent Community Bankers of America, said Las Vegas hasn't had the sharpest price appreciation in the nation. Compared with markets such as Naples, Fla., and parts of California, Las Vegas prices are still relatively cheap, he said.

"I know Fortune published a calculation of the most overpriced markets and Las Vegas was still down on the list. Las Vegas is 38 percent overpriced compared with Naples that's 84 percent overpriced," Merski said.

"Especially compared with the Southern California coast, Las Vegas still looks very affordable," Nothaft added, "but for people that are living there, I think they are really beginning to feel the pinch."

The housing market, both in terms of prices and sales, has begun to slow modestly as mortgage interest rates have climbed steadily, the economists said.

"The slowdown amounts to a tapping of the brakes on a hot market," National Association of Realtors Chief Economist David Lereah said. "Home sales are coming down from the mountain peak, but they will level out a high plateau -- a plateau that is higher than previous peaks in the housing cycle."

Single-family housing starts will probably be down about 7 percent in 2006, said David Seiders, chief economist for the National Association of Home Builders.

He forecasts one more quarter-percent interest rate increase from the Feds at the board's Jan. 31 meeting, taking the prime rate to 4.5 percent, with 30-year fixed-rate mortgages going from 6.2 percent to 6.7 percent by year's end.

The housing industry is most sensitive to interest rate increases and a higher rate will take some of the investors and speculators out of the market, Seiders said.

"Housing turns from being a powerful economic driver to a drag on gross domestic product in 2006," he said.

Separately, energy prices, catastrophic events, consumer spending and business downturns are a few factors that could significantly affect the U.S. economy and housing market in the new year, potentially resulting in increased foreclosures, the Foreclosure Economic Advisory Council reported.

The new bankruptcy law that took effect in October is also poised to become a major factor for mortgage financing and homestead protection.

"The direction of the economy, and housing, in particular, will most likely be sensitive to what happens in the foreclosure industry," Boca Raton, Fla.-based FEAC said.

The foreclosure industry in the West has remained stable and quite low, with only 19,363 active foreclosures from September 2004 to September 2005.

Rapid real estate appreciation and healthy job markets, combined with high demand for a limited supply of homes, have worked to the benefit of homeowners in Western states.

"Homeowners in the West, who are in default, are keeping the region's foreclosure inventory from growing by meeting their financial obligations prior to final foreclosure action," the report said.

Dec. 31, 2005
Copyright � Las Vegas Review-Journal

High demand, rising costs for land
Average LV land value hits $708,014 an acre, data show
By HUBBLE SMITH
REVIEW-JOURNAL

A sign on the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Warm Springs Road advertises acreage for sale. Las Vegas land prices are rising, data show.
Photo by John Gurzinski.

With companies such as Centex Destination Properties plunking down $145.5 million for the 15.2-acre Westward Ho, or $9.6 million an acre, it's little surprise that average land values in Las Vegas climbed to $708,014 an acre in the third quarter.

That's an 18 percent increase from the previous quarter and a 76 percent increase from a year ago, when the average price was $403,534 an acre, local research firm Applied Analysis reported.

Demand for Las Vegas as a residential, commercial and tourism destination continues to grow, which helps support record housing and land prices in the valley, said Brian Gordon, principal of Applied Analysis, a local economic research firm.

"There's a lot of speculation and a lot of investment activity going on in the vacant land market here and that drives prices north," Gordon said. "There's concern over the lack of developable land so they're willing to pay premiums. Residential developers are looking to acquire as much land as they can to feed their pipeline for future development."

Darryl Briley, vice president of high-density development for Las Vegas-based Signature Homes, said rising prices have made land acquisition a bigger piece of the development formula that ultimately shows up in the bottom line -- the price consumers pay for a house.

"If I can't get some mixed use out of it, it makes it hard to (make it work financially) for our revenues and profit margins," Briley said. "It's hard to keep it up there at $700,000 an acre. That's the driver."

The key to making high land prices work is density, he said. Anything less than $700,000 an acre may work for strictly residential use, depending on lot sizes. When you get to $800,000 and up, which some bidders were paying at the Bureau of Land Management auction in November, it gets tricky, Briley said.

"There are so many pieces that play into that. Like density. Is it seven (units) an acre or 14 an acre? It is a component that needs to be embraced and the sooner the better," he said.

Gordon said developers have found ways to alter the traditional return on investment by increasing density, entering joint ventures and subdividing parcels. Creative financing and midrise and high-rise construction also contribute to the land price equation when considering the financial feasibility of a given project, he said.

"Again, there's a limited number of available sites. Obviously, retail developers are seeking sites that are in close proximity to future residential activity. Office developers like to be near a major thoroughfare like the (Interstate) 215," Gordon said. .....

Dec. 21, 2005
Copyright � Las Vegas Review-Journal

HOUSING MARKET: Bubble not on LV horizon

Home prices continue on record pace

By JENNIFER ROBISON
REVIEW-JOURNAL

Despite numerous predictions of bubbles and woe, the Las Vegas housing market is poised to pull off yet another record year.

New numbers from real estate research firm SalesTraq show 85,074 closings on new and existing homes in the Las Vegas Valley from January to November -- a tally that already surpasses the 84,595 units sold in all of 2004.

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Local builders closed on 34,631 units through November, a 17.7 percent improvement on the 29,187 homes they sold in 2004. The median price those homes are commanding rose to $303,903, up 5.4 percent from $288,447 in November 2004.

The valley's homeowners sold 50,443 existing houses through November, down 2.3 percent from 2004's total, though the median price among resales is up 12.9 percent year over year, from $247,945 in November 2004 to $280,000 last month. The average number of days a resale home spends on the market is also up slightly, from 41 days in November 2004 to 45 days last month. The number of sellers getting their full asking price is the same year over year, at 98 percent.

Larry Murphy, president of SalesTraq, said the local market has stabilized following its burst of appreciation in 2004, when housing prices rose more than 50 percent.

"Demand (for homes) has been relatively constant, though we do have a lot more inventory than we had on average last year," Murphy said. "With that inventory, prices have reached a plateau."

Though median prices are up year over year, condominium conversions have helped moderate cost increases in recent months, Murphy said.

Developers sold 849 condo conversions in November, nearly a quarter of the 3,824 new units sold marketwide. Those condo conversions carry a median price of $171,940, and that has helped keep new homes at a median of about $300,000 for the past three months. Murphy also credits condo conversions with reining in resale prices: The first conversions that came on the market in 2004 are starting to hit the existing-home market, where their lower prices may have helped pare the resale median from $284,000 to $280,000 since September, he said.

Murphy said he doesn't expect the valley to remain on its present plateau for long. He noted that a similar leveling-off of price increases occurred in 2004, when the resale median parked at about $250,000 from July to December.

"It took a while to digest the lump in the snake, after we gorged ourselves in the first half of 2004," Murphy said. "It took almost six months to absorb that in the second half of the year, but once we did, sales came back strong this year."

Murphy said he sees the same stabilizing phenomenon occurring now. The result: more price jumps in 2006.

"Barring any catastrophic events, I would say the resale median will be over $300,000 a year from now," Murphy said.

Local Realtors agreed with Murphy's assessment of the market's high plateau.

Bill Berning, broker of the Bill Berning Team at Prudential Americana Group, Realtors, said his sales agents are fielding a steady stream of phone calls from out-of-state buyers looking to move to Las Vegas, as well as local homeowners seeking to trade up equity to a bigger home or downsize to a more manageable property.

"All of my sales associates are busy showing (properties), and all of the listings we have are getting activity," Berning said. "We are getting offers on our listings. It's been a very good, consistent year."

Berning said the only factor that could slow the market in 2006 would be noticeable increases in interest rates by the Federal Reserve -- increases he said he didn't see on the horizon.

"I do believe we'll see continued demand and appreciation that's not going to be as aggressive as we had in 2004," Berning said. "We're still going to see good interest in our market."

Bette Leal, broker-owner of Century 21 Consolidated, said ongoing in-migration should continue to bolster the valley's real estate market.

"As long as 5,000 people move here every month, we're going to have a healthy market," Leal said. "It's all about supply and demand."

New home median price
2004 2005 Percentage
difference
$207,465 $290.551 40.0
212,897 283.695 33.3
228,634 286,000 25.1
235,450 286,490 21.7
239,145 293,570 22.8
244,263 292,482 19.7
241,990 292,250 20.8
262,447 292,573 11.5
281,082 301,050 7.1
279,488 297,289 6.4
288,447 393,903 5.4

Existing home median price
2004 2005 Percentage
difference
$180,000 $250,750 39.3
190,000 260,000 36.8
203,000 263,750 29.9
216,000 268,050 24.1
230,000 270,000 17.4
242,000 273,000 12.8
249,900 280,000 12.0
249,950 280,000 12.0
249,000 284,900 14.4
249,900 282,000 12.8
247,945 280,000 12.9

During the past eleven years, Summerlin has been the fastest growing Master Planned Community in the country. Located along the western rim of the Las Vegas valley, this community offers a unique lifestyle to its residents. Surrounded by the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Summerlin consists of several villages of residential properties, schools cultural centers, shopping, parks, trails, professional and medical facilities and golf courses. More than one-third of Summerlin's acreage is designated as open space, which includes parks, trails, golf courses and nature trails. Ours in Summerlin is something good for many people!

"The enormous Summerlin community is the most celebrated development in the northwest region of Las Vegas. In 1999, Summerlin let the country in new home sales among mater-planned communities with 2,281 homes sold, a 17 percent increase over the previous year. Within this community, there are 170 models to choose from, priced between $100,000 and $1 million. Other communities in the region include Queensridge, a 1,100-acre, master-planned community with a residential complement of 850 acres; the Lakes, which offers residents lakeside homes with boating and fishing; and Los Prados, an active adult community. The near northwest is home to one of Las Vegas' oldest neighborhoods; know locally as the Scotch 80s," described in the post.*2

"Bordered by Rancho Road, I-15, Oakey Boulevard, and Charleston Ave, this community of large, ranch-style residences was once home to BB King, Shecky Greene, and Diana Ross. The Valley��s largest assemblage of golf courses in the northwest, including the Badlands, Painted Desert, Los Prados, and Angel Park. Shopping at Meadows Mall and the Sahara Pavilion oasis nearby, and several neighborhood casinos, such as Santa Fe Station, Fiesta, and the Texas Station, offer fine dining and gaming, making it more convenient for residents who would prefer not to drive to the Strip. Apartments are plentiful, especially in the area of Sahara Road near Arville Street." *3

South Shores is one of the most important community in Summerlin. Dr. Tony Lei has been elected to the Board of the South Shores Community Association since 1993. The follwoing is a sample of his literature for the election in 2003:*4

"I wish to serve as a delegate because": I (Dr. Tony Lei) will offer my endeavor, knowledge, and ability to carry out the duties for the rights and benefits of the homeowners and residents here in our community. I'll work to motivate both the good production and human relations on the work performance of our Association and the Management Company which we, the homeowners, are paying service fees to support.

"Qualifications I feel will benefit the community": Delegates who are good in managemt knowledge and experience will do better with the Home Association Company to promote the work performance for the rights and benefits of our homeowners. Many years as an Associate Professor and Fellow of Management of the Graduate School of Business Administration of National Chung Hsing University and Pepperdine University, I may use my knowledge to serve our community. Many institutions such as Nevadan U. S. Representative of the Congress, District Attorney Office of Clark County, Constable's Office of Las Vegas Township, among others invited me as the Senior Advisor. I may use my experience to work for our homeowners and residents. I received my M.B.A. and Ed.D. in Institutional Management from Pepperdine University, Malibu, California, but my knowledge and experience will be also important for me to service our community together with my sincere and humble personal traits.

"Other information I wish to share": "Dr. Tony Lei has worked for our community in Southern Nevada more than ten years based on his belief that 'By the act of love itself, we are enriched. Love in action is service above self. Make service a part of our character and experience the abundant reward that comes from serving others. Let our heroes be the great servants who have given all for the betterment of others' lives. Let our candle fuel a fire that will fan out an ever-increasing circles. With these circles together we can close our eyes and evision a community that is safe, peaceful, and healthy.' We need such a people like him to work for our community," said a District Judge of our Family Court. I love the atmosphere here, I love the environment here, and especially I love the people here in our community. We should expect both of our Association and Management Company put effort to help our community be of our homeowners, by our homeowners , and for our homeowners. It's a good thing by working for you at the same time working for our families also because both of us are homeowners.*5

Without any opponent, Dr. Tony Lei won the election!*6

Dr. Tony Lei has served as a delegate and Director for South Shores Community Association since 1993.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
References

*1. PAI of WBTI isthe initials of Public Administration Institution of Washington Business and Technology Institute (WBTI).
*2. Google. 'Summerlin, Nevada,' "WWW.Google.com," (March 23, 2004), Mountain View, California: Google.com.
*3. Ibid.
*4. Terra West Property Management. "Election of Delegate Members," South Shores Community Association, (December, 2003), p.1.
*5. Terra West Property Management. "Delegate Candidate Statement, South Shores Homeowners Association," (December, 2003), pp. 2-3. This information has brought to you also by Las Vegas Review-Journal and lasvegas.com through the Section of "PPAA16" at http://communitylink.reviewjournal.com/lvrj/wbti.
*6. Terra West Property Management. 'Announcement of the Winners of Delegate Election,' "Minutes of the Board of Directors Meeting, South Shores Community Association," (February, 2003), Las Vegas, Nevada: South Shores Homeowners Association.

Las Vegas Geology Highlights

The glittering city of Las Vegas has done all it can to blot out the desert. But the region is a wonderland of natural attractions, too.

The American desert is a world-class destination all by itself, of course. It's such an iconic setting, familiar from Western movies, music videos, and car ads, that it feels like home even the first time you go there. Any place in the desert is special, but there are really noteworthy sites near Las Vegas. As you arrive, look around and drink in the sight of endless stone.

Las Vegas Valley is a downdropped basin typical of hundreds in the Basin and Range, the geologic province that extends over the whole of Nevada and a little beyond it on all sides. Over the last 25 million years or so, the Earth's crust here has been stretched in an east-west direction to around 150 percent of its former width, and the surface rocks have broken into north-south strips of mountains. As a result the hot material beneath has bulged upward, turning Nevada into a high plateau rich in metal ores. The Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology has a thorough introduction to the state's geology (PDF).

The city is named for the grasslands (las vegas, the meadows) that once grew in the valley. They were a sign of the natural faults that force the water table near the ground surface there. Numerous earthquakes have been recorded there during this century.

There are some beautiful places to see while you're in town. Just west of the city is Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area, a prime destination for rock climbers. But you can just take a slow drive through the colorful formations if you like. One of the geologic highlights is an excellent exposure of the Keystone Thrust, where ancient crustal motions 65 million years ago shoved an older gray limestone on top of a younger red sandstone.

An hour or so northeast of Las Vegas is Valley of Fire, Nevada's first state park. The geologic setting is similar to Red Rock, but in addition this park features many ancient petroglyphs, rock art left by the local tribes including the mysterious Anasazi.

Maybe a desert hot spring is more to your liking. Nevada has hundreds, some of them not far from Las Vegas. This page, part of Vegas.com, has directions and advice. Elsewhere on that site is a tempting list of other outdoor options, too. After a good look at these sites, I'm about ready to go live there full time myself.