LV hosts lawmakers from across the nation

Nevada is completing a political trifecta this week by hosting the National Conference of State Legislatures' convention in Las Vegas.

Having hosted the nation's governors at the Mirage hotel-casino last year and the U.S. Conference of Mayors last month in Reno, Nevada is solidifying its role as a gathering place for politicians with the legislators' powwow at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

In opening remarks Monday, Gov. Bob Miller put on his public relations hat, playing up the fact that more people visit Las Vegas for its shopping and dining than its gaming. Miller, having told the nation's mayors that casinos wouldn't accept municipal checks, joked that he was rescinding his executive order for the legislators.

"Casinos will accept any check you wish to present to them," Miller said.

About 5,000 legislators, their spouses and exhibitors are expected to attend the convention through Thursday. Even if Nevada's own lawmakers don't learn much at the convention, the visiting delegates are expected to contribute more than $20 million to the local economy.

But state Sen. Jack Regan, D-Las Vegas, expects his Nevada colleagues to pick up tips that will help Nevada diversify its economy.

"You have to find that fine line where you can invest in a company without giving the state away," he said.

Regan, who serves on the executive committee of the National Conference of State Legislatures, believes Nevadans can share their expertise with tourism.

As with other conventions involving government leaders, this conference will be more about sharing ideas than setting policy. There will be the standard fare of panels on issues such as education, criminal justice, health care, information technology and the transfer of federal programs to the states.

Hundreds of influential lobby groups have set up exhibits in an attempt to sway lawmakers. Of particular interest to Nevadans are such controversial exhibitors as the National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling and the Nuclear Energy Institute. The latter organization wants the nation's high-level nuclear waste to be buried at Yucca Mountain if government scientists determine that the site 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas is suitable for that purpose.

The delegates also will hear from several high-profile speakers, including U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga. (via satellite), President Clinton's former press secretary Dee Dee Myers, Wendy's restaurant founder Dave Thomas, U.S. Commerce Secretary William Daley, CNN political analyst William Schneider and Miss America Kate Shindle.

Monday's keynote speech was delivered by Warren Bennis, chairman of the Leadership Institute at the University of Southern California and an adviser to presidents and corporate executives. Bennis said all great leaders have a sense of purpose, generate and sustain trust, carry optimism and hope, and get results.

"The most significant thing is conveying some sense of authenticity," Bennis said. "People are starved for leaders who are straightforward.

"You wouldn't be doing what you're doing if you didn't have a great deal of optimism and hope. There's no one in this room who in some way, maybe a big way, doesn't want to make a dent in the universe."

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