Preview Las Vegas: 2022 economic outlook is bright
LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — Hopes were high on Tuesday during Preview Las Vegas at Allegiant Stadium that 2022 is shaping up to be a great year for the local economy.
Preview Las Vegas is the Vegas Chamber’s signature event each year to give local economic experts, industry leaders, and business owners a chance to gather in one place and forecast the direction of the economy and business climate.
“This is the first and only one-of-a-kind business event to be held on the field at Allegiant Stadium,” said Vegas Chamber President and CEO, Mary Beth Sewald. “We're on a roll. 2022 looks to be a phenomenal year for economic development and diversification,” Sewald added. “Conventions are going to be coming back stronger, and international tourism is going to be coming back as well. For the smallest of our businesses here in Southern Nevada, all of those things bode well for a great economy and a great outlook for 2022.”
Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak believes events like Preview Las Vegas provide valuable information to the business community, as well as leaders in Carson City.
“It’s a barometer of how businesses feel, how they are going forward,” Sisolak said. “It's nice to see so many people here today because our future is bright.”
Sisolak said while there is reason for optimism in 2022, he knows businesses also face challenges in the current economy.
“The biggest issue that small businesses are facing right now is an employment issue. They just can't hire enough people. I hear this on a daily basis.”
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From the tourism perspective, Lori Nelson-Kraft, the senior vice president of communications for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, says Preview Las Vegas is an opportunity to inform local business owners what the LVCVA is doing to boost tourism, which is the primary engine of our economy.
“It gives the entire business community some skin in the game, to see what we all can do collectively to move our economy and our community forward,” Nelson-Kraft said. “So, it gives me great hope when I see all of us gathered here at Preview.”
For business owners, having an opportunity to hear presentations on the local economic outlook and meet colleagues in the business community is valuable.
“This specific event is our customer,” said Mark Prows, chief operating officer of ChargerGoGo, a startup with makes fully charged batteries available for rent to mobile device users, similar to Redbox. “It's the business customer that allows us to speak 'b-to-b,' business to business, and then they can speak 'b-to-c,' business to the customer,” Prows said. “This is like a must event for us to be involved in.”
Local business owner Matthew Delaney, the CEO of Delaney Universal, which owns Old School Tees, said Preview Las Vegas surpassed his expectations.
“This is a mind-blowing event,” Delaney said. “I came from Portland, Boise, San Francisco. We never had anything like this.”
Delaney added, “I've been watching these educational programs and they're beyond what I expected. It's really providing a micro and macro picture that's making me feel pretty comfortable.”
When asked how Preview Las Vegas made him feel about the coming year as a businessman, Delaney emphatically responded, “I’m very reassured.”