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Office of Economic Development News

The Office of Economic Development seeks to promote private- and public-sector partnerships in order to support economic and workforce development, to attract industry-sponsored research, and to protect and develop intellectual property.

Current Economic Development News

student displays vegan product on table during market
Business and Community |

Leya Dagher knew she wanted to start a business and with the help of UNLV resources, she established Swalty Mediterranean.

woman and man talking inside wig shop
Business and Community |

The Nevada Small Business Development Center brings resources for microbusiness owners to the heart of a community.

woman lying on couch next to piece of luggage
People |

The hospitality researcher uncovers human interaction in the context of tourist attractions.

group of students holding a frame that says President's Innovation Challenge
Campus News |

Team Protégé wins Shark Tank-style competition for AI-powered speech feedback app.

Marcos Kano holding a laptop while standing inside an illustration of a room with a work desk
Business and Community |

With funding from governor's office, StepUp & StartUp program has matched 50 UNLV students with local tech companies. 

The Las Vegas strip as seen on Super Bowl weekend (Josh Hawkins/UNLV).
Campus News |

A collection of news stories and highlights featuring UNLV students and faculty.

Economic Development In The News

Associated Press

SEICon LLC, a first-of-its-kind conference featuring 120 thought leaders and subject matter experts from the sports, entertainment, and innovation sectors, is pleased to announce USA TODAY Sports as its presenting sponsor in collaboration with UNLV Sports Innovation Institute and Syracuse University’s Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics.

PR Newswire

SEICon LLC, a first-of-its-kind conference featuring 120 thought leaders and subject matter experts from the sports, entertainment, and innovation sectors, is pleased to announce USA TODAY Sports as its presenting sponsor in collaboration with UNLV Sports Innovation Institute and Syracuse University's Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics.

This Is Reno

The two, six-week courses are designed to assist future and current contractors with the Nevada State Contractors Board licensing application, other construction topics. The Nevada Small Business Development Center at UNLV (Nevada SBDC) in conjunction with the Nevada State Contractors Board, UNLV Office of Economic Development, and the Small Business Administration, will offer free, in-person “Construction 1.0” and “Construction 2.0” workshops for future and current contractors.

Nevada Business

The Nevada Small Business Development Center at UNLV (Nevada SBDC) in conjunction with the Nevada State Contractors Board, UNLV Office of Economic Development, and the Small Business Administration, will offer free, in-person “Construction 1.0” and “Construction 2.0” workshops for future and current contractors.

Nevada Business

“GOED is actively building an electric, innovative and connected Nevada future,” said Tom Burns, executive director at the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED). “We certainly recognize the contributions mining and hospitality have made to the state. But we take advantage of building and expanding other sectors by bringing companies into Nevada. As new industries emerge this will provide career opportunities for our kids as well as diversifying our tax base.”

PBS

Jump in the Mud on Vegas All In at "Dig This," where owner Ed Mum lets us play with bulldozers and excavators. The whole family can have fun competing in games and crushing cars. Next, we tour the Black Fire Institute at UNLV with Bob Bernhard, exploring its revolutionary vision for hotels, gaming, and restaurants. At the Atomic Museum, Joe Kent shows us a popular exhibit.

Economic Development Experts

An accomplished economist, professor, and administrator in the fields of business and economic research.
An expert on small businesses, startups, and entrepreneurship.
An expert on gaming and society, Bernhard has been featured on CNN, The Discovery Channel, the BBC, and The History Channel.
An economist studying microeconometrics, economics of food security, health economics, and urban economics        

Recent Economic Development Accomplishments

The Department of Brain Health and the Office of Economic Development hosted the inaugural UNLV Innovation Day, an annual event that brought together UNLV researchers and industry professionals to discuss the growth and understanding of brain health, mental health, and the innovation brought together through science and experimentation. The…
Marta Soligo (Hospitality and Office of Economic Development) participated as a guest speaker at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area Partnership Summit on March 6, 2024. During the event, Soligo shared insights from the research on sports tourism and outdoor recreation she is conducting with the team of the UNLV Tourism Development,…
Marta Soligo (Hospitality; Office of Economic Development) was interviewed by the online magazine iGamingBusiness on sports tourism in Las Vegas and the Super Bowl. She shared some thoughts on tourism diversification in Southern Nevada, the post-pandemic recovery, and the connection between business and leisure tourism.
Marta Soligo (Hospitality; Office of Economic Development) was interviewed by the Las Vegas Weekly. She shared with journalist Jason R. Latham some insights on current tourism trends in Las Vegas and aspects such as the experience economy, the term "bleisure" (business + leisure travel), and economic diversification.  
Marta Soligo (Office of Economic Development; Hospitality) was interviewed by Il Sole 24 Ore, Italy's leading newspaper in business and financial information, on the topic of tourism diversification in Las Vegas and Formula 1. Soligo described the ongoing research on spectator sports in Southern Nevada she is conducting with the UNLV Office…
On Nov. 10, Marta Soligo (Office of Economic Development and Hospitality) was invited as a guest speaker by the University of Insubria in Italy. She shared her research on film induced tourism, sustainability, and social justice with the students of the course of Destination Management and Marketing. During her lecture, Soligo explained the…