Carlos Rodriguez Serrano and Leah Elmquist pose at Cashman Field Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2022. The pair are among 700 Las Vegas residents becoming citizens in a U.S. naturalization ceremony at halftime of the Las Vegas Lights game on Saturday, Aug. 20.
Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022 | 2 a.m.
We’ve come to love the promotions of the Las Vegas Lights through the years. They are wacky and entertaining — just like minor league sports are supposed to be.
The Lights’ over-the-top party features promotions such as the “Helicopter Drop,” in which $5,000 in small bills (and $5,000 in prizes) are dropped onto the soccer field at halftime for select fans to collect.
There’s also a 3D fireworks show where fans get 3D glasses to watch. And, you can’t forget about the pregame festivities with Dollie, the official llama of the club, or the confetti cannon launching streamers, etc., onto the field when the Lights score.
A new promotion at halftime today at Cashman Field against Sacramento will be the best yet.
About 700 candidates will take to the pitch for an official naturalization ceremony to become United States citizens. The ceremony conducted by federal District Judge Andrew Gordon is one of the largest naturalization ceremonies in Clark County history, Lights officials said.
The candidates will come from 84 countries in a strong reminder of the diversity that is one of the hallmarks of our great country. America has long been a place where people from all backgrounds and upbringings come together to pursue their dreams, working together in harmony for the greater good.
Our strength will be on display during the naturalization event as candidates from Burma, Ivory Coast, Serbia, Zambia and other corners of the globe come together with a unified hope of freedom and happiness.
“We embrace our community’s diversity,” said Brett Lashbrook, the Lights’ owner and mastermind behind their promotions. “Not to sound too cliché, but we are proud of our team being a community club, by Las Vegas and for Las Vegas. We represent the most diverse fan base in our community and we are proud of that.”
Lashbrook was turned onto the idea from a friend in Illinois who saw a similar event at a game there. Lashbrook immediately thought, “How do you do that,” and assumed it would be a coordination nightmare.
A few days later he was put in contact with Gordon, a sports fan who was “eager to take the show on the road,” Lashbrook said.
Because of COVID-19 closures, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services had a backlog of Southern Nevada candidates waiting to be naturalized. Officials with the agency started reaching out to hopefuls. The list of candidates committed for the soccer ceremony quickly grew from a handful to hundreds.
The event will be attended by U.S. Rep. Susie Lee, D-Nev., and other elected officials.
“At first they told me it would be 100 (candidates),” said Carlos Rodriguez Serrano, 46, who came to the United States at age 12 from Mexico. “But then they called to confirm and said it would be 700. That’s pretty cool. This is such a big day for my family, and being with 700 others makes it more special.”
Each of the candidates has a different story of finding the United States.
Leah Elmquist was adopted from South Korea as a child and was raised in the Midwest, where “I always felt like I was an American.” She was part of the U.S. Naval Reserve and came to Las Vegas in 2016 to work for MGM Resorts International. She now does construction management for the Clark County School District.
With the midterm elections in November, Elmquist is eager to participate in voting for the first time. New citizens will have the opportunity to register to voteafter the ceremony.
“As I have gotten older I have realized it is a right that citizens have to be involved in the government and choose the leaders that represent you,” said Elmquist, who on Sunday will celebrate her 40th birthday.
Rodriguez Serrano said the thought of thousands of soccer fans cheering for him was exciting and he’s thankful for the opportunity to become a citizen, regardless of where the ceremony is.
Elmquist will have about eight people in the crowd to support him. Rodriguez Serrano is bringing his son.
The candidates will wave small American flags in joy after the ceremony, there will be patriotic music playing, and Lashbrook has visions of a “USA, USA” chant ringing through the stadium. There will also be a postgame fireworks display.
That’s the beauty of the ceremony, as the patriotic feeling won’t only be experienced by the naturalization candidates. The moment will surely spread to soccer fans and be a much-needed reminder of unity that’s at the core of our society.
“That kid who came here (at age 12) not able to speak English and too afraid to ask for a glass of water is becoming an American,” Rodriguez Serrano.
