Where I Stand -- Somer Hollingsworth: These are the 'good ol' days' for Southern Nevada

IN AUGUST, Where I Stand is written by guest columnists. The "good ol' days" are with us today according to guest columnist Somer Hollingsworth, president and chief executive officer of the Nevada Development Authority. Read his column and see if you agree.

IF YOU'VE BEEN around Southern Nevada for any length of time you probably have heard a lot of talk about the "good ol' days." Supposedly, those were the days when Southern Nevada was in its prime: traffic congestion was minimal, schools weren't overcrowded, the crime rate was low, and the air was clear. Sounds a lot like Mayberry, doesn't it?

However, if you ask a few pointed questions about the "good ol' days," you'll soon discover they weren't so good after all. In fact, you'll probably come to the conclusion, as I have, that these are the "good ol' days."

Growth has been good for Southern Nevada. The problems we face as a community because of our growing population are minimal compared to areas that are stagnant or actually going backward. Most community leaders from other metropolitan areas would trade places with us in a heartbeat. They would welcome our dynamic economy and embrace the challenges that go along with growth.

Thanks to diversification, our economy is more stable now than it has ever been. As we become more and more independent of our tourism industry, we are no longer entirely at the mercy of slowdowns in visitor volume. Our area has become a business destination for companies throughout the world seeking to locate in a pro-business environment. These companies bring jobs for our residents and make a tremendous positive impact on our economy.

Aside from the economic progress our community has experienced during the last several years, the strides we've made in improving our lifestyle are phenomenal. The availability and variety of recreational and cultural opportunities in Southern Nevada continues to grow and has become a source of pride for many residents. We have more than three dozen golf courses, more than 150 parks, eight major malls and countless cultural organizations. Southern Nevadans have never had such a variety of cultural attractions and recreational opportunities from which to choose.

But the maturation of our community has created challenges. The problems Southern Nevada faces are the same problems we dealt with 20 years ago ... just on a larger scale. The difference is we now have the resources to effectively deal with the problems and create long-term solutions.

Community, government and business leaders are actively seeking solutions to concerns such as roadways, water, education and air quality. Strong community support, coupled with cooperative business and government leaders, has created pro-active alliances designed to create long-range solutions to our problems.

The Nevada Development Authority is doing its part to guard the future of Southern Nevada. It is not interested in attracting industries that use excessive water, pay low wages, or in any way damage our environment. In fact, it discourages those types of companies from locating here.

The authority's energies are focused on bringing in companies that will provide high-paying jobs for local residents, will be compatible with the environment, and will make a long-term investment in our community. Last year, 36 of these companies located here.

As our economy and lifestyle continue to improve and solutions are found to our growing pains, the authority is creating an even better tomorrow for Southern Nevada. However, as future generations look back on the late '90s, I'm sure they will refer to them as the "good ol' days."

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