I found this Financial Times article:

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/56d4b27c-c9b3-11e0-b88b-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1Wf1Jfzvc

Nevada leads the US in unemployment – 12.4 per cent of its working population have no job – and in mortgage foreclosures, which has sparked a poverty crisis. The state has the highest rate of children whose parents are unemployed, according to a report by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. It also has a larger proportion of children affected by foreclosures than anywhere else in the US: about 13 per cent of all children in Nevada have been evicted from their homes with their families.

...

Unemployment in some parts of Las Vegas is running at more than 20 per cent, he adds. “One in five children is now affected by hunger. That’s a very disturbing and agonising thought ... Las Vegas is really ground zero for the economy we are in right now.”

Low government regulations, low taxes and a minimal social safety net.  Yet, Nevada has the highest unemployment rate in America.  What can the state and Las Vegas itself do?  I speak to the community itself, not necessarily more government programs.

Las Vegas is such a prime source of tourism and fiction, I just assumed that things were booming in the state of Nevada. I had no idea. That figure (1 out of every 5) in reference to the children is especially heartbreaking. Bringing in businesses that feel that Nevada is a good place to establish commerce is first and foremost. That's something that each individual county is going to have to pursue on a case by case basis. Their local leaders are going to have to aggressively pursue outside business to come into their area. This is just shocking news, to me.

Nevada, and Las Vegas in particular, run against the normal conventions you hear floating about, how just simply tweaking the tax code, or dropping regulations will suddenly make it easy to create jobs.  People incorporate in Nevada due to the favorable legal structure to do so.  And the government there has been very active to drive business to their area, and actively advertise and promote.  But, despite all this, they are suffering far more than other areas.  Have to wonder what they can do though.  It is likely now, going to Vegas is the LEAST favorable thing one sees themselves doing when they have to tighten their budgets, and not spend.

They need to adapt to changes in market conditions.

Do you (or heck anyone) know exactly what changes are needed to adapt to market conditions? 

Eliminate all social services and cut the tax rate to zero. Let the market supply police and fire and unemployment, and you'll see the first American Utopia

I'm in a sarcastic mood today...

the problem is its a tourist area. it depends on tourists. when people have less money they tend to travel less. less people means less money for nevada. its not about regulations or social programs.

This. You beat me by 11 minutes.

Legalize drugs within the state? 

Seriously though, the reason why there is low employment in Las Vegas is because... it's Las Vegas.

It's a city based around tourism, and tourism is way down.

So to not Nobody wants to move their families there due to all the gambling and reputation it's a place you want to visit, not live.

As a result the school system sucks so even if you live in Vegas and have kids you wouldn't think of raising them in Las Vegas unless you are tied to your job AND have the money for Private school.

It's not really school spending based though since a bunch of schools spend less yet get better then Nevada's amazing graduation rate of 44%.  It's just more an issue of no one caring or focusing on it.

So as a result, almost anyone in the city remotely "coming up" would go out of there way to leave.

Honestly, the only people who i've met that live in Las Vegas are College students, gambling/drug addicts and people who want to leave but can't leave either due to family or finanical obligations.

Which is saying something... because i currently live in Las Vegas.  Thankfully I only have to stay here about 3 more years. 

So when I was joking and saying "Legalize Drugs".  I was actually serious.  As it's probably the only way to increase employment, by adding to Nevada's appeal as a tourist state.

A lot of the child hunger cases I wouldn't be surprised were due to parent mismanaegment.

I don't know about the minium social saftey net thing though... have all kinds of people come in who have more on their foodstamp cards then I spend on food in a month for two people... and then put a couple hundred in on the machines every couple weeks.

Oh and it won't help employment, but this is one of the few states I would raise taxes. I'd raise the mining tax some.