With enough determination, UNLV will soon find its place among the nation’s higher education elites, President Len Jessup told an auditorium packed with hundreds of professors and students Thursday afternoon.

"Change." That was the big buzzword coming out of UNLV President Len Jessup's second State of the University speech today.

Southwest Airlines opposes building a domed football stadium on a 42-acre site at Tropicana Avenue and Koval Lane, all but ending debate about whether to build the $1.45 billion structure at that location.

Southwest Airlines transports over 12 million air passengers in and out of Las Vegas’ McCarran International Airport each year, creating a $30 billion economic impact. That’s why the airline’s opposition to a proposed $1.4 billion NFL domed stadium next to the city’s main air landing strips has the potential to bring the project to a screeching halt.

Instant recognition, credibility in the commercial real estate field is vital in today’s fast paced world of instant everything. The old adage, “you only get one chance to make a first impression” is more accurate than ever.

The state panel that’s developing a financing plan for a domed stadium in Las Vegas won’t finalize the proposal at its Thursday meeting, but it could come close.

Clark County School District Superintendent Pat Skorkowsky joined LVCVA head Rossi Ralenkotter and UNLV President Len Jessup to announce the partnership.

Bookended by a marching band performance of “Viva Las Vegas” and a shower of red, white and blue confetti, a UNLV ceremony today unveiling the strategy for marketing its first presidential debate concluded on this hopeful note: the event could be a game-changer for Las Vegas.

UNLV has unveiled a plan to promote the school's role as host of this year's final presidential debate, an event that will catapult Las Vegas into the national spotlight weeks ahead of November's general election.

Based on how the late Marjorie Barrick's wishes to keep the Barrick Lecture Series going strong after her death and how the lectures have been allowed to languish, I'm not sure I'd give the UNLV Foundation millions. Presuming I had millions.

UNLV President Len Jessup and NSHE Chairman Rick Trachok will join us tonight on the program.

The Kats Report Bureau at this writing is KUNV 91.5-FM at UNLV. KUNV has been the focus of an effort by Nevada Public Radio to take over operations of the campus station and add it as a third outlet on FM airwaves, joining KNPR 88.9-FM (where “State of Nevada” is the anchor show each weekday) and classical music station KCEV 89.7-FM.