Nevada
New poll shows Nevada is facing pressure to ban smoking in casinos
RENO, Nev. (KOLO) – Nevada is facing pressure to ban smoking in casinos. That’s according to a new poll showing 60% of residents support ending indoor smoking in gaming facilities. Now, advocacy groups are seeking change for patrons and employees.
At the end of 2006, the Nevada Indoor Clean Air Act went into effect, banning smoking inside to protect employees from secondhand smoke in the workplace. However, this law specifically excludes casinos, meaning 100 thousand workers in the state aren’t protected under NICAA. Nicole Chacon, with the Smoke Free Coalition explains that this loophole makes it so casino employees have to choose between their health and a paycheck.
“We have so many workers who don’t get a choice. They have to earn a living, they have to pay for their health insurance, and put food on the table. They have all the same bills that we have and while we are covered in our work places, they are not,” Chacon said.
Chacon would like to see all of Nevada’s workers protected. Workers like Paula Larson-Schusster, who has been a casino dealer for the last 30 years.
“We’re actually considered smokers on our insurance even though we don’t smoke,” Larson-Schusster said.
Larson-Schusster’s experience has made her want to become an anti-smoking advocate. She now serves as president for United Auto Workers, who represent about 3,000 casino workers at resorts like MGM, Caesars, and the Wynn.
“I’ve had smoke blown in my face, cigars blown in my face, and people need to realize a dealers table is a half circle and the dealer is in the center of that circle. So when people are smoking you have five or more people blowing smoke directly in your face day after day,” Larson-Schusster said.
The secondhand smoke has caused Larson-Schusster’s asthma to flare up consistently while she has also had to watch her coworkers suffer from heart attacks and bronchitis. Having had enough, she says, we need to get with the times.
“When I was a child, I rode a bike without a helmet. You wouldn’t let your child do that today, so why should we be exposed to the toxic chemicals that we now know is in second hand smoke,” Larson-Schusster said.
Casinos have been pushing back saying that smoke-free casinos would hurt revenue and cost jobs. However, some research shows that smoke-free casinos generate more revenue and outperform competitors that allow smoking.
“I had a couple from Canada and they commented they wouldn’t be coming back because, in their country, they aren’t allowed to smoke in casinos and they hated it,” Larson-Schusster said.
The polls says Nevada voters also favor elected officials who support making casinos smokefree indoors. A majority (55%) would have a more favorable opinion of their legislators representing them in Carson City if they voted to make all workplaces smokefree indoors.
Copyright 2024 KOLO. All rights reserved.
An early morning earthquake in Nevada on Friday was felt as far west as the Sacramento Valley.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake struck around 1:17 a.m. about 50 miles east of Carson City. Shaking was reported across the Reno, Carson City and South Lake Tahoe areas.
People also reported feeling shaking along the Sierra Nevada foothills and into the valley, including in Roseville and Sacramento.
No damage has been reported.
The quake had a preliminary magnitude of 5.2. A magnitude 4.3 foreshock appears to have struck about two minutes before the main quake. Several aftershocks have followed, none larger than magnitude 2.7.
Nevada also saw a magnitude 5.7 earthquake centered in the same general area on April 13. Like Friday’s quake, that earthquake was felt in the Sacramento area.
Dr. Miriam Adelson and Mark Davis, two leaders at the forefront of keeping Las Vegas a world-leading tourist destination, were recognized Thursday with induction into the Nevada Business Hall of Fame.
Adelson, a philanthropist and the top shareholder of her family’s companies, and Davis, owner of the Las Vegas Raiders and the Las Vegas Aces, were honored at a dinner at The Venetian Expo that also celebrated UNLV’s Lee Business School and its transformation into one of the leading cultivators of Nevada business leadership.
Adelson is the top shareholder of Las Vegas Sands Corp., the market leader of the casino industry in the Chinese enclave of Macao and the operator of the iconic Marina Bay Sands resort in Singapore. Sands also built and operated The Venetian and Palazzo and on the Strip before selling the integrated resort earlier this decade.
Adelson’s family also owns the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, the Las Vegas Review-Journal and the Hebrew-language Israel Hayom newspaper in Israel. She leads the Adelson Family Foundation, the Adelson Clinic for Drug Abuse Treatment and Research and is a medical doctor who once served as the chief internist in an emergency room at Tel Aviv.
Joining Adelson in Thursday’s induction ceremonies was Davis, who moved the Raiders to Las Vegas from Oakland, California, enabling the construction of Allegiant Stadium. He also purchased the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces, who’ve won the league championship three times in the past four years.
Bringing the NFL
to Las Vegas
Davis began his efforts to relocate the Raiders from Oakland to Las Vegas in 2016 and worked with Adelson’s husband, the late Sheldon Adelson, to secure hotel room-tax funding for Allegiant Stadium. Although the Adelsons and Davis ultimately ended their stadium partnership, the team completed the project and began playing in Las Vegas in 2020.
In introductory remarks, former Las Vegas Mayor Jan Jones Blackhurst, interim vice president of philanthropy and alumni engagement and interim president of the UNLV Foundation, noted that while many didn’t see building a stadium as a wise investment for the state, Allegiant Stadium has become the leading large venue for sports and concerts.
Olympic gold medalist Jennifer Azzi, president of the IXs Foundation, applauded Davis as one of the leading advocates for women’s sports. She said Davis was insistent on paying women higher salaries.
“I’m honored, yet humbled to be inducted into the Hall of Fame,” Davis said.
In his presentation, Davis thanked Nevadans who helped the Raiders relocate to Las Vegas: the Adelsons, former Wynn Resorts executive Steve Wynn; MGM Resorts International CEO Bill Hornbuckle and his predecessor, Jim Murren; former Las Vegas Mayors Oscar and Carolyn Goodman; former Govs. Steve Sisolak and Brian Sandoval and current Gov. Joe Lombardo.
Rethinking business travel
Adelson recalled how she and her late husband saw Las Vegas as more than just a city for gambling, but as an ideal destination for conventions and trade shows.
She paid tribute to Sheldon Adelson, who founded Las Vegas Sands, and his vision of building integrated resorts that catered to business travelers as well as tourists. And she credited her background in medicine for helping her find her voice.
Adelson shared that as a host for conventioneers, they made sure there were plenty of outlets for electronic devices in every hotel suite, which set The Venetian apart from other resorts.
She urged UNLV students in attendance to follow the advice of her late husband — who learned business “on the streets” and not in college — and learn all they could about marketing and finance.
The Adelsons and Davis were instrumental in jump-starting sports tourism in Southern Nevada, widely recognized as a key means for bringing millions of visitors to the city to attend games and mega-events, resulting in billions of dollars in economic impact.
Additional honorees
Sponsored by UNLV’s Lee Business School, the Nevada Business Hall of Fame celebrates outstanding individuals who have shaped Nevada’s economic landscape and enriched its communities. Organizers say each inductee embodies the essence of Nevada’s entrepreneurial spirit, demonstrating innovation, resilience, unwavering dedication and an impact that resonates beyond their industries.
Two others were recognized for their business achievements at the event, attended by more than 400 people.
The Lieder Award, which recognizes exceptional leadership, entrepreneurship and contributions to real estate development, was presented to Alan Molasky, chairman of Ovation Development Corp.
In addition, Rick Crawford, the founder and president of the 50-store Green Valley Grocery chain of convenience stores, was honored with Entrepreneur of the Year.
More than 5,000 students attend the Lee Business School, which is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.
Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on X.
RENO, Nev. (KOLO) – The non-profit, Communities of Schools in Western Nevada is hosting its second annual Concert with a Cause featuring Yachtley Crew.
The seven-piece SoCal sensation who’ve sparked a nationwide Yacht Rock craze since bursting onto the scene in 2017. They’ve earned a reputation for selling out venues, delivering unforgettable live performances, and bringing soft rock hits from the late ’70s and early ’80s to life.
They are performing at the Grand Sierra Resort on May 15th, 2026. For tickets, visit www.grandsierraresort.com/entertainment/concerts-and-shows/yachtley-crew
CIS of Western Nevada is also looking for sponsors for the event. To learn more go to www.cisnevada.org/locations/western/
Copyright 2026 KOLO. All rights reserved.
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