The Daily Rundown - May 15, 2026
🎆 Fireworks and Olympic parades are in store for Las Vegas this summer. The Plaza Hotel and Casino are bringing back the Summer Fireworks Show for the third year. The show is scheduled to take place every Friday night beginning at 9:10 from June 5 until September 4. And a date has been revealed for the parade honoring the U-S Women’s Olympians and Paralympians: It’s July 16.
Clark County Commissioners are expected to consider the special-event request from county staff when they meet next week. Rapper Flavor Flav is hosting a “She Got Game” Weekend in partnership with MGM Resort July 16 through the 19 to celebrate the female athletes. The parade route would be along parts of The Strip and kick off the weekend.
⚖️ Regulators in eleven states have issued cease and desist orders against companies running prediction market apps. Officials argue they are unlicensed betting platforms that rob states of revenue. Prediction market apps allow betting on everything from specific phrases the President might utter to who will win the next golf championship.
These apps are regulated by the federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). But the Nevada Gaming Control Board, which regulates and enforces gambling laws in Nevada, says states should be involved.
Board Chairman Mike Dreiser appreciates the evolving technology but believes prediction market apps should adhere to Nevada’s gambling laws. “We always want our licensees to be able to offer a cutting edge, compelling, fun gaming experience,” said Dreiser. “We have absolutely no problem with any technology, including any form of prediction product, that aligns with the laws of the state of Nevada.”
In February, the board filed a “civil enforcement action” against Kalshi, saying its “unlicensed wagering” was in violation of state law. The action stated that the board is seeking to “uphold the integrity of a thriving gaming industry.” Nevada is one of 11 states to take legal action against the apps, including Arizona and Montana, in the Mountain West. Hear the full story by the Mountain West News Bureau's Yvette Fernandez here.
🏫 The Washoe County School Board voted unanimously this week to name Tiffany McMaster as the district’s top administrator. McMaster has worked for the state’s second-largest district for nearly 30 years and currently serves as the deputy superintendent. She will take over the top job on July 8, pending contract negotiations.
During public comment, students and district staff praised McMaster for her personal and professional qualities. She’ll serve as the Washoe district’s 15th superintendent following three superintendents who each served two years or less.
🏒 If a gambler at Las Vegas' high-stakes tables got on a winning run as long and as impressive as the Golden Knights' first nine seasons in the NHL, the casino would probably encourage them to leave. The rest of the NHL can't get rid of the Knights that easily, and their ridiculous roll has extended all the way into yet another Western Conference finals. The Knights won their 14th playoff series when they finished off the upstart Anaheim Ducks with a 5-1 victory in Game 6 of the second round Thursday night.
No team has won more postseason series since Vegas entered the league in 2017, and the Knights are in the third round of the playoffs for a jaw-dropping fifth time in nine seasons. This charmed club is halfway to its second Stanley Cup title, but it isn't just luck driving Sin City's team deep into seemingly every postseason while the rest of the West looks on in frustration and envy. Vegas' win-at-all-costs philosophy has required years of expensive signings and high-profile talent acquisitions.
It led to a shocking coaching change this spring. It has also depended on that talent's ability to coalesce when games mean the most — a feat that even great teams sometimes can't pull off. So far, the Knights' pot hasn't gone empty — and their luck is holding strong. Read the full story here.
🔮 Sphere Entertainment Company recently reported its first positive operating income, largely due to a surge in revenue from its Sphere Las Vegas venue in the first quarter of 2026. In its latest earnings report, the company reported more than 386 million in the first quarter of this year. That’s a 38% increase year-over-year.
The company credited the venue’s growing slate of concert residencies and its Wizard of Oz screenings, which have generated 370 million dollars since its premiere last August. The 2.3-billion-dollar Sphere Las Vegas opened in September 2023 after exceeding its construction budget by a billion dollars. It then suffered a 500-million-dollar operating loss in its first year.
Part of these stories are taken from KNPR's daily newscast segment. To hear more daily updates like these, tune in to 88.9 KNPR FM.
