State funds being cut courtesy of Jim Gibbons

By Jon Ralston

Thursday, April 10, 2008 | 2 a.m.

With state funds being lopped off courtesy of the Jim Gibbonsmeat cleaver, those looking for a piece of the state pie need look elsewhere. Chancellor Jim Rogers and the regents are looking to the most successful local fundraiser. That man, who happens to be the celebrated client of the chancellor’s son, is former tennis star and philanthropist Andre Agassi. Next month Agassi will be awarded an honorary degree from UNLV but the real purpose is to draw people to an event to benefit the health sciences system so near and dear to the chancellor. Seats are not cheap $500 and gold ($25,000), silver ($10,000) and bronze ($5,000) sponsorships are pricey. But Agassi, who has raised tens of millions for kids, should prove quite the draw, I’d guess.