Will Las Vegas have enough workers for major construction projects?

 If you plan to build it in Las Vegas — whether it’s a new casino, a freeway, or a stadium for the Raiders and UNLV — construction workers will come, officials believe. And many of them will be needed to finish projects already planned.

Southern Nevada has seen many boom periods in its history. Another boom is now unfolding across Southern Nevada, with planned, proposed and construction projects underway totaling as much as $15 billion, according to Jeremy Aguero, a principal at Las Vegas-based Applied Analysis.

Laborers Union Local 872 workers regularly rally at Las Vegas Stadium Authority meetings, offering a can-do spirit. They say they will absolutely be able to complete the stadium project by the beginning of the 2020 football season.

But data suggests Nevada does not have enough construction workers to accommodate the timing needs of the stadium along with several existing and future major construction projects, including a Strip megaresort, two highway projects and a manufacturing plant.

10,000 construction workers short 

“We’re about 25 percent above the national average for construction workers,” said Bob Potts, research director for the Governor’s Office of Economic Development. “But, our growth is exceeding that 25 percent. That means we don’t have enough of those workers for the current demand that exists.”

How short is Southern Nevada?

Aguero estimates Southern Nevada will be about 10,000 construction workers short of planned projects in the pipeline.

Construction industry professionals have said the most acute shortage may occur among professionals and specialists, such as architects and engineers.

On the rebound 

Construction is currently the second-fastest growing industry as it rebounds from the major hit the industry took during the recession.

“Construction is dependent on growth that comes from a primary industry,” Potts said, referring to hospitality or manufacturing.

Likewise, its decline also depends on a primary industry.

While the hospitality industry lost 30,100 jobs between 2007 and 2010, the construction industry shed 75,400 jobs, according to the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation.

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