Henderson Prepares For Nevada’s Declining Tourism And Business

When the cost of living goes up, it usually causes tourism to go down. When people spend more on housing, groceries, and other expenses, it leaves less income available for weekend trips to gamble and see shows. Las Vegas is a city that is heavily dependent on tourism, which means surrounding cities like Henderson are as well. Lack of tourism ends up affecting other industries, fewer construction projects are put underway, eventually leading to a slump in employment. Job loss and unemployment is one of the top factors that can lead to bankruptcy in the United States. Just like previous recessions and financial crises, bankruptcy is available as a form of debt relief to most households in Henderson. If current headlines have you considering your own bankruptcy filing, you can learn more about the process with no risk or obligation. Set up your free consultation with a Henderson Bankruptcy Attorney today by calling 702-899-3328.

Nevada’s Business Conditions For 2025

Headlines of the Las Vegas strip looking like a ghost town hint at bleak business conditions in Nevada, but unfortunately, it is also confirmed by data. Some of the factors used to analyze business conditions in Nevada are employment, unemployment, taxable sales, gaming revenue, air passengers, and gasoline sales.

Employment

Employment shows weak year-over-year growth in Nevada as a whole, but is down specifically in Clark County. This year, employment is down 0.3%, while last year Clark County’s employment decreased by 0.2%.

Unemployment

For both Clark County and the state of Nevada, unemployment claims have been flat month-over-month. The unemployment rate is currently 6% for 2025, but was about 5.5% last year. In all, about 7.1 million workers in Nevada are currently unemployed.

Taxable Sales

Taxable sales have shown a significant decline as compared to the same time last year. This figure decreased by 4.4% in Clark County in 2024, and shows a decrease of 7.3% so far for 2025. The difference is even more pronounced for Nevada as a whole. Taxable sales were down by 4.4% last year, but show a decrease of 8.8% this year.

Gaming Revenue

Gaming revenue is a particularly important data point when observing the economy in Nevada and Clark County. For Clark County, gaming revenue is down 9.7%, and for Nevada as a whole, gaming revenue is down by 9.3%. In total, gaming revenue is down by $1.06 billion, which obviously represents quite a bit of tax revenue that will now not be going to the state. Gambling is expensive and clearly a discretionary expense that can be removed from someone’s budget when times are tight. But Las Vegas has a growing competitor thanks to sports betting apps. Many people who previously had to travel to a different state, such as Nevada, to get their gambling fix can now place bets in a matter of seconds from their phones.

Air Passengers

Air passengers is yet another figure that is down as compared to the same time last year. In Clark County, air passengers have decreased by 8.0%, while air passengers have decreased by 7.6% for all of Nevada. Many blame decreased air travel not just on the cost of living, but political tensions. For example, Trump’s tariffs have many of our neighbors up North in Canada to cancel their summer travel plans to the states. Tourists from other countries also feel unsafe due to increased deportations, gun violence, etc.

Gasoline Sales

This is the only figure that shows an increase compared to the same time last year. Gasoline sales have increased by 1.7% in both Nevada and Clark County.

Las Vegas-Henderson Employment Data

Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, and Henderson are grouped together for Nevada employment data purposes due to their close proximity. And while residents know that this area has more to offer than the Strip (and Fremont Street), such a major tourist attraction has created a pronounced effect on our local economy and employment landscape. The industry that employs the most people in this area is Food Preparation and Serving, with 14.6% of our workers employed in such jobs, compared with 8.8% across the rest of the country. The second largest job category, office and administrative support, at 11.7% in Las Vegas-Henderson, is in line with the rest of the country at 11.8%. However, Las Vegas-Henderson shows significantly higher employment rates in fields such as Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance, Personal Care and Service, and Protective Service. For most of these categories, Las Vegas-Henderson employees also receive a lower hourly rate compared to the nationwide average.

Halted Construction Plans On Prime Strip Lot

Las Vegas has long had a reputation for being a playground for rich men, so why wouldn’t a billionaire want to own a piece of the action? Tilman Fertitta is a Texas billionaire who owns the Houston Rockets and Landry’s, and was recently confirmed as the United States ambassador to Italy and San Marino. Fertitta purchased a 6.2-acre lot at the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Harmon Avenue in 2022 for $270 million. The existing Travelodge and businesses were torn down to make way for a 43-story hotel and casino with 2,400 rooms, a wedding chapel, and an auto showroom. But as of August 2025, that lot remains nothing but a lot- that charges $14.99 per 3 hours of parking.

Fertitta has convenient reasons for why construction has stalled on this project for so long. A spokesperson for Fertitta Entertainment stated that the holdup stems from Fertitta’s 12% ownership stake in the Wynn Resorts. He has reportedly decided that continuing with the project would be a conflict of interest and create unnecessary competition with the Wynn hotels. However, this seems like a conclusion Fertitta surely could have arrived at before spending $270 million on the lot. That purchase was likely made with advice and guidance from legal and financial professionals who would have identified the potential conflict of interest before the sale. Wynn is also on the higher range of resorts on the Strip, and the lot Fertitta purchased used to be a Travelodge, two price points with little overlap between customers. Fertitta may have stalled construction due to poor economic conditions in Las Vegas and Nevada, but blamed it on the conflict of interest to avoid diminishing his property’s value.

Henderson Resident Affected By The Slump In Las Vegas Tourism? Start Learning More About Bankruptcy Today

Las Vegas-Henderson is a unique area due to how many of our residents work in fine dining, entertainment, and similar industries. Unfortunately, this means we are also hit the hardest when economic conditions cause people to stay home and avoid booking vacations. This can quickly lead to debt for families who need to rely on credit cards to get by and may not have the savings for emergencies such as an unexpected illness or injury. Don’t wait until creditors have backed you into a corner to address debt that is growing beyond your control. Our Henderson bankruptcy team can assist you in preparing and filing for bankruptcy in Nevada. Eligible clients can file with our Zero Down payment plan option. Learn more today by scheduling your free consultation at 702-899-3328.