The What We Need 100

1) Bowling: More! 2) A standing farmer's market: We've got our nice once-a-week and once-a-month markets, but if you've ever been to Pike's Market in Seattle or the Farmer's Market on Fairfax in LA, you know what great energy a real farmer's market/bazaar can bring to an urban environment. These places are more than fruit & veggie markets—there is everything from funky trinkets to eclectic food stands to live entertainment; in LA, there's weekly karaoke among the fruit-sellers. This could be a key citizen's element to enliven what so far is shaping up to be a somewhat wonkish and corporate 61 acres at Union Park—a medical center, an Alzheimer's research center, more high-rise condos, and a new city hall. All those folks in scrubs and suits have got to be pining for a pomegranate! 3) Open space: As development in the Valley moves into an infill phase (a good thing), we should embrace the seeming paradox that higher density can mean more, not less, open space in the urban core. In theory, both high-rise and "New Urbanist" town-home projects may eliminate or reduce traditional backyard space but would clear the way for larger public open spaces—this means public squares, public parks, and hybrids of the two, in which the shopping and park experiences are combined. 4) Mountains without big bites taken out of them: Once you dig up the side of a desert mountain, it's scarred forever. The damage can't even be concealed by resurgent vegetation, as it can in greener climes. The time-sculpted mountains around the Valley are the only thing of permanence we have here, and—look around at sunset—it's a beautiful thing indeed. Let's end hillside development once and for all. 5) Water: Almost as important as bowling. 6) An ocean: California, we've been told, may oblige. 7) From CAROL HARTER, president, UNLV: "From the seat I am in, I'd say one of the things Las Vegas needs is this great world- class university. That's what we're working on. The next UCLA is sitting right here, and it's UNLV. It's going to be a major, highly regarded international university that has ranked academic programs, great athletic programs, wonderful culture, the arts, and is regarded as a central resource to our city and our community." 8) Our very own USC: Isn't this city big enough for its very own large-but-borderline-elitist institution that can give the public U a bit of a push? While we're at it, at some point in the next hundred years Las Vegas could use a small liberal arts college. As Las Vegas grows into a major metropolitan area, a more diverse higher education landscape will provide opportunities for our kids, keep the brightest among them in town, bring in talent from around the world, diversify our economy, and energize our culture. This isn't just fuzzy-headed academic theory: The benefits—as college-rich areas from San Diego to the San Francisco Bay have shown—are clear. 9) A zoo: Oh. We're sorry. Has this been brought up before? 10) A Nobel Prize-winning invention that prevents gravel from the #$&! truck in front of you from flying into your windshield. (Um, a tarp with snaps?) 11) Schools that function well regardless of whether they are in a rich neighborhood or a poor one. 12) A local version of 60 Minutes, Nathan Tannenbaum reporting. 13) From GWEN CASTALDI, host, KNPR's State of Nevada: "We need to keep emphasizing that everything should be historically documented as the Valley grows and changes. Each year in history is a valuable comparison to where we're going—lessons to be learned about water, growth, gambling, quality of life, traffic. The steps we took or didn't take will affect what happens." 14) Homeland security: In the January/February issue of The Atlantic, former White House Counterterrorism Chief Richard A. Clarke offered up a cautionary history of the future, in which an attack on Las Vegas (on June 29, 2005—hold your breath, Las Vegans!) initiates a new wave of al-Qaeda bombings in the U.S. We are, perhaps, the most open city in our blessedly open society, and as a result, we're a particularly juicy target for would-be terrorists. While remaining true to our freewheeling heritage, we must also keep working diligently to protect our public and semipublic spaces. 15) From LON KRUGER, men's basketball coach, UNLV: "A plentiful supply of water to support our continued growth and an abundant supply of 7-footers—hopefully one about every four years." 16) More museums: We have a very nice little art museum at the Sahara West Library. We also have a few high-end art collections on the Strip. Our historical and natural history museums are admirable but a bit small for a city of Las Vegas' size and ambition. What we now need are more first-rate stand-alone museums—perhaps a science and technology museum, preferably with stunning architecture and a plaza or steps where people could meet and hang out. Great cities have great museums. There are no exceptions to this rule. 17-18) From AL BERNSTEIN, boxing commentator for Showtime and host of The Al Bernstein Sports Party on ESPN Sports Radio 920: • "A theater that attracts top quality performers and a variety of plays (not touring companies) would help give people here a sense of community, and provide something that is sorely lacking." • "In the next 100 years we will likely have some kind of major- league sports franchise here in Las Vegas. With our luck, it will be the Cubs who move here, and then we'll be saddled with the curse. For those of us who are already Cubs fans, this would be a double whammy." 19) A continued commitment to xeriscaping: As we cut back on lawn, we should replace it with more than palms and pebbles. There are plenty of water-smart, aesthetically pleasing possibilities on display at demonstration gardens around the Valley.

20) Alternatives to Yucca Mountain: How about more funding to study transmutation? How about devoting more resources to alternative and renewable energy resources? How about more serious thought put into fortifying the 139 sites where radioactive materials are currently stored? 21) Festivals: We've got 'em, we love 'em, and we need more of 'em. In a melting-pot entertainment capital like ours, there's no reason for every single weekend not to have some fest of the music, art, food, or ethnic variety. 22) From ANTHONY ZUIKER, creator of CSI: "What Las Vegas needs is to erect a statue for Mayor Oscar Goodman. He is the personification of class, guts, and heart. What the town was built on." 23) An air-quality plan that will pass EPA muster: Cough twice if you can breathe around here. It was only four years ago that federal officials threatened to strip the county of nearly $200 million in annual funding and the county remains under federal mandate to control fine airborne dust. 24) Las Vegas innovation for Las Vegans: What if the creative brains behind the one-(billion-dollar)-upmanship on the Strip could train their energies on creating energetic neighborhood designs? 25) A Crossfire-type TV show for ubiquitous UNLV history professor Hal Rothman and the Review-Journal's Libertarian flamethrower Vin Suprynowicz. 26) From LOUIS OVERSTREET, executive director of the Urban Chamber of Commerce: "Better race relations. The Urban Chamber was of the hope that city leaders would help to address the issues contained in the report published by the chamber's Blue Ribbon Committee on Race in 2002. The study made specific recommendations in the areas of education, employment/contracting, social services and the criminal justice system. It's unfortunate that race remains on America's agenda in the 21st century. The hoped-for improvements in the percentages of persons of color and women employed in supervisory-level positions in government and providing goods and services on publicly-funded projects have not materialized over the past decade." 27) More Luv-it Frozen Custard outlets: This venerable institution draws a ripped-from-the-census mix of people from every demographic to a part of town—Oakey and Las Vegas Boulevard—that people have either forgotten or avoid like the plague. 28) A retractable roof for Cashman Field: We'll quadruple attendance, and in no time at all the 51s could revert to—and embody—their former, more dignified name: the Stars. 29) Better driving habits: For Pete's sake, pay attention! (Who's Pete? It doesn't matter who Pete is. He's worth it.) And while you're at it, slow down! 30) Common courtesy: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Unless you're a masochist, in which case don't do unto others as you would have them do unto you. 31) No more dumping on vacant land. 32) No chewing gum left on the bottom of anything anywhere ever again. 33) Blow your smoke in the other direction. 34) Keep your butts off my lawn. 35) From MAX JACOBSON, food critic, Las Vegas Weekly and Las Vegas Life: "We could use a neighborhood Jamaican restaurant and also a great, cheap Mexican restaurant, such as you find all over Southern California. It would also be good to have a cheese shop with ripe, raw milk and boutique producer cheeses, a full-service wine bar, and better produce in the supermarkets." 36) A Signature dish: Sourdough bread. Po'Boys. Clam Chowder. The cheesesteak. Rocky Mountain Oysters. Deep-dish pizza. All of the above call to mind a different city, each one unique. There's not much indigenous agriculture here, so we have our work cut out for us in developing a food that we can claim to do better than anywhere else. But we are masters of promotion and invention. Shouldn't be too hard. 37) Better signage on the way to the airport: At one point you can look to your left and see a sign directing you for Terminal 2. Great. Except you can also look to your right and see a sign directing you Terminal 2. 38-41) From KENNY GUINN, governor, Nevada: • "I believe the key to long-term prosperity in Las Vegas lies in continuing to make the necessary investments in vital transportation infrastructure." • "It is important that Southern Nevada places a high priority on our educational system, and ensures that it is equipped to handle the growing needs of our children." • "It is my hope that Las Vegas continues to be blessed with a population of caring, dedicated citizens who will carry on the rich tradition of community service and brotherhood that the city has enjoyed throughout its 100-year history." • "There is no doubt in my mind that Las Vegas is ready, willing and quite able to ... become a host city for one of America's major-league sports franchises." 42) Affordable housing: The miracle of Las Vegas is how its growth has brought all classes to town. Rich empty-nesters. Urban professionals. Foreigners and immigrants. The real-estate boom is exciting if you own property, but most of the people who come to Vegas and help transform the city do so because it's affordable. Let's keep it that way. 43) From ROBERT FIELDEN, president, Las Vegas Chapter of the American Institute of Architects: "The city certainly needs a significant amount of public space. Places where people can congregate to do community-based things. Democracy—we all recognize, I think—is a muddy thing, but we need to recognize that this is a democratic society, and we need to have public spaces and public places rather than private places. When we take public space and give it away to the private sector so that we can extricate people from that space, then it ceases to be a democracy. And we have become a private community rather than a public community." 44) Real neighborhoods: We have "communities"—planned or otherwise. We have "parts" or "sides" of town, certainly. And we have developments and subdivisions by the hundreds. But we still don't have much in the way of classic neighborhoods—coherent, walkable communities where one can live and work and shop and play. 45) A legal red light district: Well, that's one kind of neighborhood. We've got the strippers and the exotic dancers, let's just complete the trifecta. We can't let cities like Amsterdam and Bangkok carry the flag of international sin. That's our territory. 46) An observatory: For years our local basketball team has had to put up with cheesy "Rebels with a Cause" headlines in the national press. The least we can ask for is our own hilltop, stargazing spot where would-be James Deans and Natalie Woods can hide away and wait picturesquely for hell to break loose. 47) A conservatory: Technically, we've got one at Bellagio, but we need something bigger and more oriented toward locals—a place to experience the kind of lush greenery we miss out on here in the desert. 48) A biosphere: A massive, costly structure under which people try to sustain normal life in an inhospitable environment. Oh, wait. That's the Fremont Street Experience. 49) From ANTHONY CURTIS, publisher, Las Vegas Advisor, Huntington Press: "The only thing that comes to mind is $4.95 steak dinners and 99-cent shrimp cocktails. In a town obsessed with obsessive change it is almost radical to ask that one thing not change. I guess what I'm saying is that I'd like Las Vegas to remain a bargain destination, at least for those who seek it out. We're going high-end, and that's important, but this town has always hung its hat on value and I'd like to see that maintained." 50) A decent independent video store: Yes, folks are using Netflix these days, but they use Amazon.com, too, and that doesn't mean we don't want bookstores. What we need is a video store with a selection of underground, foreign and cult movies, including ones that aren't available on DVD or aren't out in the U.S. Give us clerks who are bigger movie buffs than the customers, who can steer us to that great Czech family drama that we've never heard of. Make renting movies a cultural experience, not a sanitized transaction. 51) A good, comprehensive local blog: There are a number of interesting bloggers in town who write expressively covering their particular niches, but the professional city blog is one of the fastest-growing new media outlets, with gossip sites like New York's Gawker and LA's Defamer, as well as general city sites like the -ist group of sites (Gothamist, LAist, Seattlest, etc.). We could use a site that combines the sharp writing and distinctive voices of local bloggers with the dedication and investigative powers of local journalists. 52) From STEVE GERBER, creator of Howard the Duck: "We need an art-film theater. In a town that can put Vin Diesel on a slot machine, there ought to be room for one venue that showcases foreign films, indie productions, restored classics and documentaries. To counterbalance the sudden and unexpected infusion of substance this might cause, perhaps we could feature a topless refreshment counter." 53) Our very own M. Night Shyamalan: Shyamalan has done more for film in his hometown of Philadelphia than anyone else, setting all his movies in and around the city and insisting on filming locally and using local crews. Not only would having a genuine Las Vegas auteur boost the local film industry, but it might also expand the on-screen representations of Vegas beyond casinos, showrooms and strippers. Of course, maybe we already have our M. Night somewhere around here, but we just don't know yet because the elitist national press never gives Vegas its due. (Neither, apparently, do we.) 54) A hands-free cell-phone law: Yes, we realize accidents can also be caused by drivers who have their hand in a bag of chips or a finger in a nostril ... 55) A hands-free nose-picking law: Are you satisfied? 56) A theme park: But that's so 1995! Whatever. Some of you would like to be sophisticatedupscalesexymetametroretro. The rest of us would just like to have some fun. 57-59) From WOLFGANG VON WEISER, executive chef, Bellagio: • "An L.A.-style farmer's market would allow me to find great produce and have more interesting specials in my venues at the hotel." (see # 2) • "A great retail fish market would be a boon to everybody." • "We could use a centrally-located bakery that offers top-quality retail artisanal breads." 60) Ikea: Because journalists need furniture, too. 61) Wet-N-Wild: Once upon a time there was a place on the Strip where local kids could have a blast all summer long and later on get their first jobs and everyone was happy and they closed it down to build something for rich out-of-towners. The end. 62-64) From FRANK MARINO, Vegas icon and lead performer, An Evening at La Cage: •"I think Las Vegas already has everything. We have the best restaurants now, and I hope that continues. We have the best nightlife anywhere in the world and I have been all over the world. We have the best clothing stores—all the Europe and American fashion designers are here. I hope the trends continue." • "I would like to see the new streets that we build designed wider to begin with rather than start them off narrow and then have to immediately begin renovations to accommodate all of the new people that have since moved into this town." • "I honestly feel Vegas is the best place to live. One day in the future I would love to see Frank Marino as mayor of Las Vegas, because if I ever get too old to perform like I do, I love the city so much, it is the only other job I could have. And if I can't have the job, maybe I could just marry Oscar." 65) More ethnic cultural centers: Chinatown is a start, but there are plenty of other groups that could use a place to showcase their heritage. 66) Melrose: A street similar to LA's legendary avenue of cool, with boutiques, theaters, restaurants and, best of all, street vendors who are not run by big corporations, where average people can put out their own clothing lines, art, food and so on. 67) A state quarter. 68-69) From DANIEL L. WALTERS, executive director, Las Vegas-Clark County Library District: • "We need to see our cultural and educational institutions mature with the city. In terms of public libraries, the Las Vegas/Clark County Library System is known for its innovation in the integration of programming and community events. We certainly hope and expect those to continue." • "We need a broader dialogue on civic issues, characterized by tolerance for divergent points of views." 70) A good, charismatic civic villain: Not a common criminal or even a mobster; no, someone who represents the system turned against itself. New York had Boss Tweed, Chicago had Mayor Daley, Springfield has Montgomery Burns. We have Lance Malone. You will want to nominate Oscar Goodman, but his sins are of judgment, not venality (too much, anyway). 71) Working air pumps: We've concluded after thorough probing that one in four gas-station air pumps operate properly. You can't run a great city on underinflated tires. 72) Street theater: We need more people playing saxophones on the corner, more unlicensed metaphysicians goosing the squares with sidewalk philosophy, more mad poets—well, scratch that. But definitely more saxophones. 73) The return of Enigma Cafe: This is nonnegotiable. 74) A bard: A great city needs a great, lyrical writer. No one currently manning a keyboard quite fits the bill. You will want to nominate John L. Smith. But while he has the Vegas shit down cold, he lacks that fifth gear of flat-out lyrical gorgeousness that makes you love or hate or at least see the town in a new way. 75) An off-Strip independent bookstore: This is nonnegotiable. 76) From JANET BERLINER, novelist: "Let's help at-risk kids find better outlets for their time and energy than drugs and gangs. We are blessed with resident entertainment icons like Keeley Smith, Steve and Eydie, and Ruth Brown, to name but a few. With their help, we could bring the spirit of Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland to Fremont Street. We could give the kids 'grandparents' who can teach them joy in music and performing and give the celebrities who live here, visit here, retire here, a way to pass on their love and their heritage. Imagine the image that would bring to Las Vegas." 77) A great daily newspaper: At least until print finally dies—wait, reading the R-J, you're tempted to think that's already happened. Truth is, the newspaper form has a few more productive years left in it, and it'd be nice if we had a paper determined to go out with a big, lively bang. But the R-J is mired in its tired libertarian orientation and is captained by editors determined to strangle the life out of writing at all costs. (The Sun, meanwhile, is stuck in an unproductive afternoon time slot.) A big, spunky daily, filled with good, unorthodox writing and determined to get its op-ed in the game would be a damn civic miracle. 78) Boroughs: So much better than "suburbs." 79) Arts unity: This town still needs an organization like the old Allied Arts Council that worked on behalf of all the arts, that tried to coordinate activities and publicize everyone. We had it once, we can have it again. 80) Free air-conditioned summer suits for everyone: Either that, or pack the entire Valley population off to San Diego each May. 81) Hot dog vendors downtown: Nothing says "real city" like some blue-collar immigrant fishing a tube of mystery meat from the lukewarm disease-water, burying it in onions and mustard and charging you $5. 82) The Metallica showroom at the Hard Rock. 83) A year in which no public official in the city of Las Vegas, the county commission, or the Nevada legislature gets indicted: We might need two more centuries and a bit of luck for this. 84) Decriminalization of marijuana: There are worse things going on here. (See #83.) 85) A comprehensive ban on publicity-hungry, accomplishment-free pseudo-celebrities who come to town to make asses of themselves. 86) Legalization of gay marriage: There are worse things going on here. (See #85.) 87) From JEFF HIGGENBOTHAM, yourlocalscene.com: "All-ages venues with longevity. We watch all the cities around us grow with culture and a lot of it is based around a strong music community. Culture is important; it teaches our kids that there are other things out there besides Playstation and television. If there were a couple places that could stay open, offer up music by local artists and not get hounded by city and county officials, Vegas would be a place to bring your kids." 88) Wynn's next casino— called God: It will open with a show, designed by Dragone, called The Creation, which will last seven days. 89) Virtual Vegas: The Vegas vacation that you can take from the convenience of your homeland. 90) From JOHN STAGLIANO, creator of Fashionistas at the Aladdin: "I want to see Las Vegas become the cultural center of America, and I already believe it is on its way to doing that, because it is a growing market where people come here with the time to spend on recreation and consuming the arts. So, I think we are going to see a greater variety of arts in Las Vegas and you are going to have a market here for a lot of artistic ventures that you don't have in other cities." 91) Our own Sunset Strip music scene: Local music venues open and close like doors in a French farce, and the ones that exist are scattered all over town. LA's famed Sunset Strip has a concentration of great live music venues on one stretch of road, creating a charged atmosphere of rock 'n' roll exploration. A real live music district could be just the thing to reinvigorate the local scene. 92) More community radio: KUNV is a fine little jazz station with some decent diverse programming on the weekends. And Power 88 is strong in urban music. But we've been missing an all-encompassing, student- or community-run station for years. 93) More land: Because it's just unacceptable to wind up smaller than Henderson. 94) A new slogan: "If it's anywhere, it ought to be here." 95) Corollary to the new slogan: "If it happens anywhere, it ought to happen here." 96) Our own Hugh Hefner: Actually, we've already got two, and for some reason they own the Sacramento Kings. 97) The nation's best health care, accessible for everyone: And a cherry on top. 98) Better education, more educated people, and more jobs for educated people. 99) From THE DISEMBODIED VOICE OF OSCAR GOODMAN, who was unable to get back to us by deadline (our bad—we asked too late) but telepathized the following via psychic broadband: "More of me." 100) From STEVEN GRANT, comic-book writer: "The obsessive conviction that we are the absolute center of the universe."

Staff contributions from Richard Abowitz, Josh Bell, Steve Bornfeld, Scott Dickensheets, Wes Gantbonton, Damon Hodge, Greg Blake Miller and T.R. Witcher.