LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Nevada Lieutenant Governor Stavros Anthony is seeking a second term, pointing to his record on tourism, transportation and economic development after a 29-year career with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and three terms on the Las Vegas City Council.
Anthony came to Las Vegas in 1980 to join the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, where he served 29 years as a police officer, sergeant, lieutenant and captain. In his last 10 years with the department, he commanded the Vice Narcotics unit, an area command and the Transportation Safety Bureau.
In 2009, Anthony was elected to the Las Vegas City Council, where he served three terms representing Ward 4 and was mayor pro tem under two mayors named Goodman. He was elected lieutenant governor four years ago.
Tourism Commission addresses downturn
As lieutenant governor, Anthony serves as president of the Nevada Senate and as chairman of the Nevada Commission on Tourism. Asked about a downturn in tourism, including a decline in Canadian visitors, Anthony said tourism numbers fluctuate.
“I’ve been in Las Vegas 45 years, and tourism goes up, tourism goes down,” Anthony said. He said the casinos on the Strip when he arrived have been replaced by major resorts, and Las Vegas has shifted from a family destination to what he described as the sports capital of the world.
Anthony said Reno is seeing strong tourism numbers. He said his role as tourism commission chairman is to market Las Vegas, Reno and the rest of the state through the commission and Travel Nevada, the state’s marketing arm.
“Tourism is our top economic base here in Nevada,” Anthony said. “It’s always going to be that.”
Asked whether federal policies, tariffs or statements about Canada are behind the downturn, Anthony said he does not see those as the cause. He pointed to competition from new Indian casinos and other U.S. travel destinations. He said Las Vegas remains a leader in sports, entertainment, restaurants, gaming, resorts and conventions.
“We have downturns. We have big numbers. We go sideways,” Anthony said. “It just depends on what’s going on at that particular time.”
Anthony said the state has seen job growth and declining unemployment over the last four years, which he attributed in part to tourism.
Affordability concerns on the Strip
Asked about affordability, including gas and grocery prices, Anthony said some visitors have said it has become more expensive to visit Nevada, particularly the Strip. He said pricing for rooms, food and other items is determined by casinos.
“I think the casinos understand that,” Anthony said. “They’re trying to bring the prices down to make it more affordable for more people to come to Las Vegas.”
Anthony said he does not believe affordability on the Strip can be addressed through legislation and said it is a private sector issue. He said his role is to promote Nevada and Las Vegas as a tourist destination.
Working across party lines
Asked whether he could work with Democratic candidate Aaron Ford if Ford is elected governor, Anthony said his job as lieutenant governor is to focus on tourism, transportation and economic development regardless of who holds the governor’s office.
“If he’s doing things that I disagree with, I’ll make sure he knows that and I’ll be vocal about it,” Anthony said. “But I’m not going to throw bombs and flamethrowers. I’m really focused on the residents of Nevada.”
Data centers
Anthony said data centers have operated in Nevada for more than 20 years, citing Switch as a major economic driver with data centers in northern Nevada. He said data centers have become a political issue in the last 30 days.
Anthony said data centers need to be located in properly zoned areas and said they are not using significant amounts of water because they use recycled water. He said energy use is a larger concern because NV Energy does not have sufficient capacity.
“We’re really telling data centers, if you’re going to come to Nevada, you need to really think about creating your own energy source, whether it’s small nuclear modules, whether it’s geothermal, whether it’s hydrogen,” Anthony said.
Anthony said the goal is for data centers to create construction and operational jobs without driving up housing energy prices.
Voter ID
Anthony said he supports voter identification requirements, which are expected to appear before Nevada voters again. He said the measure received more than 70% of the vote in the last election.
“People, whether you’re Republican, Democrat, or Independent, see voter ID as the best way to secure elections,” Anthony said.
Anthony said voter ID would allow the state to eliminate all-mail-in ballots, which he said creates issues with chain of custody. He said under a voter ID system, residents could still request a mail-in ballot, while others would vote in person and show identification.
“I support it 100%,” Anthony said.
Women’s sports
Anthony said two bills to restrict participation in men’s and women’s sports in Nevada were introduced in the last two legislative sessions but were not given a hearing or public comment by the Democratic Party.
In response, Anthony said he created the Lieutenant Governor’s Task Force to Protect Female Athletes, made up of about 30 women. Anthony said the task force advocated before the Nevada Collegiate Athletic Association, which banned boys from competing in women’s sports in Nevada at the collegiate level.
“We do not have a problem with boys’ and women’s sports here in Nevada like other states do,” Anthony said.
Anthony said if reelected, he expects similar bills to be introduced in the next legislative session and said he wants the policy codified in state statute.
Other responsibilities and economic diversification
Anthony said he also chairs the Nevada Outdoor Recreation Advisory Board, which oversees a part of the economy he said is valued at $25 billion. He said the board works to keep public lands accessible and safe.
Anthony said he serves as vice chair of the Nevada Board of Transportation, which oversees the Nevada Department of Transportation, and sits on the Governor’s Office of Economic Development Board.
Anthony said he expects an economic transformation in Nevada over the next decade in technology, logistics and light manufacturing.
Anthony said the state has worked to remain business-friendly by keeping taxes and licensing requirements low, and has eliminated 900 regulations and unnecessary boards and commissions at the state level. He said this has drawn companies, particularly from California, to Nevada, citing growth in technology companies in northern Nevada and logistics and warehousing in southern Nevada.
“I think Nevada is going to look completely different and much better economically, and we don’t have to worry about major downturns in tourism,” Anthony said.
Reelection bid
Anthony said he has spent the last four years traveling the state, including southern, northern and rural Nevada, discussing economic diversity, tourism, infrastructure, outdoor recreation, housing and health care.
“I want to continue doing that another four years and then I’ll be termed out,” Anthony said.
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