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Photo courtesy of Wanda Norman |
Clark County is a dynamic and innovative organization dedicated to providing top-quality service with integrity, respect and accountability. With jurisdiction over the world-famous Las Vegas Strip and covering an area the size of New Jersey, Clark is the nation’s 11th-largest county and provides extensive regional services to more than 2.3 million citizens and an average of more than 45 million visitors a year. Included are the nation’s 7th-busiest airport, air quality compliance, social services and the state’s largest public hospital, University Medical Center. The County also provides municipal services that are traditionally provided by cities to 1 million residents in the unincorporated area. Those include fire protection, roads and other public works, parks and recreation, and planning and development.
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Photo courtesy of Rudy Yanos |
The famed Las Vegas Strip sits at the heart of Clark County featuring unparalleled attractions like dancing fountains, a replica of the renowned Eiffel Tower, an erupting volcano and some of the world's largest and most beautiful resorts. Millions of people visit annually to enjoy our fine restaurants, shop a dazzling array of stores and relax at our luxurious spas. Las Vegas boasts more than 147,000 hotel rooms and is among the world's top convention destinations.
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Photo courtesy of Rudy Yanos |
Nevada has no shortage of compelling landscapes, and Clark County is no different. Mt. Charleston and skiing are just 45 minutes away, and Red Rock National Conservation area beckons on the western fringe of the Las Vegas Valley. Lake Mead National Recreation Area, located 30 miles southeast of Las Vegas, caters to boaters, swimmers, fishermen, hikers, wildlife photographers and roadside sightseers. Meanwhile, gambling is offered in the destinations of Mesquite, Primm and Laughlin, located on the sun-drenched Colorado River.
Mission
To provide responsible, progressive, and results-oriented government that is responsive, accessible, and accountable to our citizens, ensuring their right to cost-effective and open government.
Education
The Clark County School District is the 5th-largest school system in the nation, serving 315,646 students. Clark County is also home to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada State College, Desert Research Institute and the College of Southern Nevada, among other educational institutions, all tracked and listed courtesy of the Nevada System of Higher Education. Various private colleges, Vegas PBS and the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District also serve as educational resources for residents and visitors.
Tourism Impact
In 2022, tourism generated $60.6 billion with $12.8 billion spent in Clark County according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. The resort destination had a total 150,857 hotel rooms available at the end of 2022 and visitors spent an average $170.98 per night on hotel accommodations. In all, 38.8 million people visited Las Vegas, with 128,005 arriving by car and 52.6 million passing through Harry Reid International Airport. Visitors to the city spent an average of $1,156 per person, were comprised of parties with 2.5 people, approximately aged 40, and stayed at least two nights. Vegas also saw more repeat visitors with 24 percent being first-time travelers compared with 76 percent being repeat visitors.
Business & Industry
The Office of Community and Economic Development is a valuable resource for developers, new businesses or companies interested in expanding to the area. If you are considering a location within unincorporated Clark County and need an advocate, we are here to help you find solutions and opportunities. Learn more about economic development in Clark County.
Government Structure
Clark County is governed by a seven-member County Commission, elected from geographic districts on a partisan basis for staggered four-year terms. Commissioners biennially elect a chairperson who serves as the Commission's presiding officer. The Commission in turn hires a county manager, who is responsible for administrative operations. The chairman is Jim Gibson (seated in July 2017, elected chairman January 2022). The vice-chairman is Tick Segerblom (seated January 2019, elected vice-chairman July 20230). Other commissioners include Michael N. Naft (January 2019), Marilyn Kirkpatrick (August 2015), William McCurdy II (January 2021), Ross Miller (January 2021), and Justin Jones (January 2019). Kevin Schiller has been county manager since November 2022.
Financial Structure
Clark County employs more than 10,000 in 38 departments. It has a fiscal year general fund budget of $1.65 billion and a total budget for FY2022 of $9.4 billion. The County is known for its strong ending-fund balance, overall financial strength and an investment-quality credit rating. It retains the best bond ratings of any local government in the state with an “Aaa” from Moody’s Investors Service and an “AA+” from Standard & Poor’s. The County has committed to policies supporting these high standards in the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights.
Healthcare
Clark County government operations include management of University Medical Center, the only hospital in the Las Vegas Valley offering a top-rated trauma care unit, state-of-the-art Burn Care Center and a one-of-kind Children's Hospital. With nine QuickCare facilities around the valley, UMC makes accessing quality health care convenient for Southern Nevada families. The hospital was honored for its cardiac care.
Parks & Recreation
Nevada is a great state to explore and Clark County has some of its richest offerings. Popular local regional parks include Sunset and Desert Breeze, while the Clark County Shooting Complex, Horseman's Park and the 2,900-acre Clark County Wetlands Park are also popular. Southern Nevada is also blessed with the splendor of Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument and Valley of Fire State Park. Meanwhile, Lake Mead National Recreation Area and Mount Charleston are additional treasures, about which one can find information on the National Park Service pages.
History
Clark County, formed in 1909, is named for Sen. William Andrews Clark (1839-1925), who established the railroad that linked Los Angeles with Salt Lake City. Las Vegas was founded in 1905 after Clark’s railroad, which made stops here, purchased land for a town site and sold lots by auction, creating downtown Las Vegas. Clark County is the most populous of Nevada’s 17 counties with 2.3 million residents and 70 percent of the state’s population.
Incorporated & Unincorporated Areas
As a “city” government, Clark County responds to the needs of 1 million residents in the urban unincorporated areas. Sahara Avenue, which crosses the Strip on the north side of the Sahara Hotel & Casino, is the municipal boundary for the City of Las Vegas. Those residing south of this line receive their traditional urban services from Clark County rather than from any of the County’s five cities: Las Vegas (pop. 670,700), Henderson (pop. 330,300), North Las Vegas (264,800), Boulder City (pop. 16,500) and Mesquite (pop. 25,500). The services provided there include all those functions normally associated with a city, such as public works, building inspections, fire protection, parks and recreation, etc. View a jurisdictional map of significant destinations such as Downtown Summerlin, the Las Vegas Convention Center and Sam Boyd Stadium within the Clark County-Las Vegas Valley area. (Population numbers are rounded)