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Friday, March 29, 2024

Arts District businesses face uncertain future

Credit: KTNV Channel 13 Las Vegas
Duration: 02:40s 0 shares 8 views

Arts District businesses face uncertain future
Arts District businesses face uncertain future

The City of Las Vegas is offering incentives for business owners to board up and make it beautiful.

ARE BOARDED UP TO DETERCRIME...BUT WITH AN ARTISTIC FLARE!.13 ACTION NEWS REPORTER KELSEYMCFARLAND TALKED TO BUSINESSOWNERS WHO ARE UNCERTAIN ABOUTTHE NEIGHBORHOOD'S FUTURE.SHE JOINS US LIVE NEAR MAINSTREETTHEY DON'T CALL IT THE ARTSDISTRICT FOR NOTHING.BUSINESSS OWNERS HAD TO BOARDUP TO KEEP THEIR PROPERTYSAFE...BUT ADDED ART TO REMIND FOLKSTHAT THEY'LL BE BACK AND THEYHOPE YOU WILL BE TOO.DEREK: "WE TOOK ALL THE ALCOHOLOUT, WE TOOK ALL THEVALUABLES, WE JOKED THAT WETOOK ALL THE TOILET PAPERTOO BUT WE DID THAT JUST TOPROTECT OUR BUSINESS SO WE CANCOME BACK WHEN THE TIME ISRIGHT" DEREK STONEBARGER ISPRESIDENT OF THE LAS VEGASARTS DISTRICT BOARD AND OWNEROF REBAR AND DAVEYS.HIS STAFF RELIES ON TIPS..BUTSTONEBARGER IS PAYING THEIRSALARIES DESPITE BEING CLOSED.HE'S NOT SURE HOW LONG THAT CANLAST.DEREK: "THERE'S NOT MUCH MOREWE CAN DO THAN ASK FOR SOMEFORGIVENESS AND HOPE OUR BANKACCOUNT DOESN'T GO INTO THE REDBECAUSE THEN IT'SULTIMATELY...YOU'RE HEADED DOWNA PATH OF NEVER OPENING AGAIN.AND THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS-THERE'S GOING TO BEA LOT OF BUSINESSES THAT NEVEROPEN THEIR DOORS AGAIN." NEXTDOOR...JEFF ANTHONY OWNS "VINTAGEVEGAS." "DEAD PEOPLE'S JUNK ANDCOOL CRAP!" HE SAYS THE ARTSDISTRICT WAS FINALLY THRIVINGAFTER GETTING THROUGH TOUGHTIMES IN 2018.ROAD CONSTRUCTION RE-ROUTEDCUSTOMERS...RESULTING IN EMPTY STOREFRONTS.JEFF ANTHONY: "WE TOOK A HITFOR A YEAR WITH NO CUSTOMERSAND EVERYTHING FOR CONSTRUCTIONAND THEN WE'RE GOOD FOR ANOTHER9-10 MONTHS AND THEN BAM IGUESS YOU'D SAY WE'RE KIND USEDTO IT BUT AT THE SAME TIME THISIS OUR BUSY SEASON AND WE JUSTGOT HIT WITH A BRICK WALL"DEREK: "WE WERE BUILDING A REALCOMMUNITY DOWN HERE.IT'S SAD TO THINK THE COMMUNITYIS ON HOLD BUT I THINK WE CANCOME BACK STRONGER THAN WE EVERWERE BEFORE." STONEBARGER ANDANTHONY DON'T KNOW WHENTHEY'LL RE-OPEN...BUT BARREN ROADS AND PLAINPLYWOOD DON'T FIT THE ARTSDISTRICT MODEL...SO THEY ADDED A SPLASH OFCOLOR.DEREK: "WE REACHED OUT TO ACOUPLE ARTISTS AND SAID HEY DOYOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING?

ITJUST KINDA GREW FROM THERE" THEMURALS ARE MEANT TO INSPIREHOPE..IN A SAD TIME.SOON...THESE ENTREPRENEURS HOPE TOPULL THE PLYWOOD DOWN..AND USE IT FOR A GREATER GOOD.STONEBARGER SAYS PARTICIPATINGARTISTS CAN CHARGE THOUSANDS OFDOLLARS FOR PIECES LIKE THIS...BUT AGREED TO WORK FOR ASLITTLE AS A PACK OF BEER.REPORTING LIVE, KM, 13 AN.THE CITY OF LAS VEGAS IS NOWREWARDING BUSINESS OWNERS WHOBEAUTIFY THEIR BOARDED UPWINDOWS...BUSINESSES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR UPTHEIR BOARDED UP WINDOWS...

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