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Independent economists uniformly rejected F1's $1.5 billion economic impact claim as fraudulent. Hotel occupancy fell. Gaming revenue declined. The race displaced tourism. Meanwhile, $800+ million flowed from Las Vegas to Berkshire Hathaway.
Las Vegas gave F1 $58 million in cash, 3.8 miles of free roads worth $25-100 million, and operated at a $463,000 loss. Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway captured $6.56 billion in shareholder value. This is how corporate extraction works.
$23 million in documented small business losses. $270-540 million in stolen worker commute time. The economic devastation Liberty Media's F1 race inflicted on Las Vegas residents—while shareholders captured hundreds of millions.
When the A's stadium bill died in regular session, Governor Lombardo called two special sessions in two days. 11 lobbyists descended on Carson City. The $380 million deal passed in just 9 days.
Nevada ranks 48th in per-pupil education funding. It has the largest class sizes and highest teacher vacancy rates in America. Lawmakers found $380 million for John Fisher's stadium in 9 days.
The A's stadium is marketed as $380 million in public funding with "no new taxes." The real cost? $500-600 million diverted from schools, healthcare, and public services over 30 years—paid by Nevada residents, not tourists.
From deleted texts to construction management scandals, Clark County's culture of ethical problems persists. The G-Sting convictions were supposed to change things. They didn't.
In 2006, four of seven Clark County Commissioners were convicted of conspiracy, wire fraud, and extortion. It was the largest local government corruption case in Nevada history. Has anything changed?
Clark County Commissioner Justin Jones wiped his phone during a lawsuit investigation. A federal judge called it a cover-up of an apparent quid pro quo scheme. Now the state bar wants to disbar him.
The F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix generated $934 million in economic impact. But who actually got that money? Luxury hotels thrived while regular businesses drowned.
Pawn Stars boss Rick Harrison says Las Vegas pricing "ticks people off." He's right. Between resort fees, parking charges, and inflated prices, Vegas has become a city of surprise bills.
Las Vegas visitation has been down for 10 straight months. Room tax revenues are falling behind budget. The tourism model that built this city may be breaking.
In 2022, the casino industry launched a PAC to "recruit, assess, endorse, and elect" candidates. By 2024, they had poured $192,000 into legislative races. They're not just buying politicians—they're making them.
Democrats get more total dollars. Republicans are more dependent on gaming money. Either way, the casino industry wins every election.
The gaming industry donated more than $2 million to Nevada state legislators in the 2024 election cycle—the most since 2018. Both parties take the money. The industry always wins.
Nevada's Legislature is exempt from open meeting and public records laws. It polices its own ethics. And when reform bills are introduced, they die without a hearing.
Assemblywoman Michelle Gorelow voted for a last-minute amendment directing $250,000 to a small nonprofit. Shortly after, she became the nonprofit's executive director.
In the final hours of the 2023 legislative session, Nevada lawmakers passed bills directing $110 million to nonprofits and groups—some with direct connections to the legislators who voted for them.
Nevada raised the felony shoplifting threshold to $1,200. North Las Vegas saw a 172% spike in theft. Stores are closing. And organized crime is cashing in.
Tom Alexandrovich, a senior Israeli cyber official, was caught in a Las Vegas child sex sting. He posted $10,000 bail, wasn't required to surrender his passport, and flew home. He never came back for trial.
Two teenagers filmed themselves intentionally running over a retired police chief on his bicycle. They smirked in court. More than two years later, there's still no trial.
More than 100 Las Vegas Metro Police officers have been implicated in misconduct since the 1970s. Million-dollar settlements. Criminal convictions. And a system that enables abuse.
Brandon Durham called 911 to report a break-in at his home. When police arrived, they shot and killed him. His family is suing, and a grand jury may indict the officer who pulled the trigger.
Sergeant Kevin Menon orchestrated fake arrests targeting men of color. When they searched his home, they found child sexual abuse material and hidden cameras in his bathroom. His own team reported him.
While Lake Mead dries up and residents face restrictions, Las Vegas golf courses consume 725 acre-feet of water each per year. Water that cannot be recycled. Who comes first?
The Colorado River has lost more than 150 feet of water at Lake Mead since 2000. Seven states are now negotiating who gets what's left—and Nevada is in a weak position.
Lake Mead is 31% full and falling. The Colorado River system that supplies 90% of Las Vegas's water is "nearer to collapse than ever." What happens when it runs out?
When the Nevada Legislature passed a bill to track and limit corporate investor home purchases, Governor Joe Lombardo vetoed it. His reason? It would hurt commerce.
In just three months, corporate investors spent over $1 billion buying Las Vegas homes. It was the largest increase in investor purchases of any major U.S. city.
Corporate investors now own 14% of all single-family homes in the Las Vegas Valley—and a staggering 25% in North Las Vegas. They're targeting minority communities and pricing out families.
While the Raiders took $750 million from taxpayers, the Vegas Golden Knights built T-Mobile Arena with zero public subsidy. It's proof that billionaire welfare isn't required for professional sports.
Clark County still owes $1.18 billion on Allegiant Stadium. The final payment isn't due until 2048. And if tourism keeps declining, taxpayers may be forced to make up the difference.
When the Raiders moved to Las Vegas, taxpayers handed over $750 million—the largest public stadium subsidy in American history at the time. The team's billionaire owner contributed less than half.
Liberty Media didn't just pay off the businesses it destroyed—it bought their silence. Confidential settlements mean the public may never know the full cost of F1's Las Vegas experiment.
After losing their livelihoods to the Las Vegas Grand Prix, local business owners aren't staying quiet. They're suing, petitioning, and demanding accountability from the billionaires who destroyed their businesses.
When Formula 1 came to Las Vegas, it promised economic prosperity. For the small businesses in its path, it delivered devastation—more than $30 million in losses and shattered livelihoods.
Nevada was once a leader in rooftop solar. Then NV Energy changed the rules, destroyed the industry, and secured their monopoly on the sun.
In 2018, Nevadans had a chance to break NV Energy's monopoly and choose their own electricity provider. Warren Buffett spent $63 million to stop them—and won.
For over two decades, NV Energy systematically overcharged more than 80,000 Nevada customers. The utility capped refunds using rules that didn't apply, and the CEO quietly departed amid the scandal.