Past Issue
» City Limits cozy little burg
July/August 2008
Boulder City is 23 miles southeast of Las Vegas, but it has about as much in common with its hyperkinetic neighbor as do penny slots and high-stakes baccarat. It is the only Nevada town where gambling has always been outlawed, taverns are rare, and growth is strictly controlled by an ordinance that requires voter approval for the sale of city land exceeding an acre. The city was created during the Great Depression to house Hoover Dam workers and their families.
» Wide Open happy (water) trails
July/August 2008
It’s as if you are floating in space. You glide slowly through the calm, crystal clear water with each paddle stroke. To the starboard, emerald green water rests above a sandy bottom; on the port, a deep dark blue that appears to go on into infinity. It’s 8 a.m., the quiet is surreal, and you have the lake to yourself. This is kayaking Lake Tahoe. “It gives me goose bumps to talk about the clarity of the lake,” says Don Sullivan, author of Kayaking Tahoe: The Unofficial Guide.
» Cravings tasty trifecta
July/August 2008
Although celebrity chefs on the Strip continue to be the big news on the Las Vegas food scene, an interesting trend is developing off the Strip. We all know that Emeril and Wolfgang don’t sauté onions in their namesake kitchens. We offer the following restaurants in Henderson run by chefs who may be a little less known but have the gusto to create their own dining traditions.
» Best of Nevada best of nevada 2008
July/August 2008
If Wayne Newton were belting out “Danke Schoen” on the Nevada Northern Railway’s Ghost Train, Nevada lovers would be singing along. That’s the conclusion you might come to, anyway, after learning the results of Nevada Magazine’s 11th annual Best of Nevada readers’ poll. The 2008 Best of Nevada survey was conducted online for the first time, and this year we added a My Nevada Favorites category.
» Living southwestern charm
July/August 2008
When Tim Hafen and Janet McJunkin brainstormed the design for their new Pahrump house, they each had definite ideas. Influenced by 1920s-era Scotty’s Castle in Death Valley, he said no flat roof. She, who loves the southwest, said no straight lines. The result: a burgundy-hued home with a tower, a hint of Tuscany, and curves everywhere.
» Events Spotlight your midsummer night’s dream
July/August 2008
Imagine using your hands to scoop a fanny-sized dent in the warm sandy beach at Sand Harbor State Park, settling back with a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken and a few beers, and cuddling with your family while watching a Shakespeare play. The set design is mostly by Mother Nature—a beautiful sunset, tall pines, a gazillion stars, and the faint sound of waves lapping the beach at Lake Tahoe.
» Shows Spotlight oh, what a night
July/August 2008
The rollercoaster story of the personal and professional lives of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons makes for great drama. The Four Seasons’ ‘60s-era music in the Tony Award-winning “Jersey Boys” at The Palazzo wraps effectively around their struggles to overcome tragedy, disappointment, brushes with the law, and more than a few bad decisions. Through it all, the doo-wop group sold more than 100 million records.
» People
Q&A with Rossi Ralenkotter
If you were to name Las Vegas’ most influential movers and shakers, Rossi Ralenkotter, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), has to be on the short list. The 61-year-old Ralenkotter recently marked 35 years as an executive with the tourism agency, four years as CEO. The quasi-governmental agency hopes to attract 39.8 million visitors during 2008—and keep them happy.
Ralenkotter’s story is not all about crunching numbers. He and his agency invented the catch phrase, “What happens here, stays here,” which has become a worldwide phenomenon. The humorous award-winning “stories” that advertise Las Vegas have become the most successful tourism campaign in history.
A Kentucky native, Ralenkotter moved to Las Vegas in 1951, attended local schools, and served in the U.S. Air Force. He holds a bachelor of science degree in marketing from Arizona State University and a master’s degree in business administration from UNLV. Ralenkotter and his wife, Mary Jo, have three children and seven grandchildren.
He spoke with Nevada Magazine’s Events and Shows Editor, Ann Henderson, in April.
