Nevada joined Alaska, Hawaii and New Mexico all states getting an "F" in manufacturing - no surprise given these states lack educated workers, access to ports, or in Hawaii's case, cheap land.
Nevada is losing its core Casino business. Due largely to competition from American Indians setting up shop just over the border in California. Today, the Obama administration announced it has rescinded a rule that blocked Indian tribes from building casinos far from their reservations.
Wynn and MGM are two of the largest, now placing themselves in Macao, as China and Asian markets become the "new west", at least west of Nevada.
Nevada has several major problems that will keep it from growing into a manufacturing and technology mecca; infrastructure, weather, lack of ports, lack of water, in short, nothing to attract or retain companies or labor pools. None of these involves trying to educate residence to work in non existent industries.
Nevada governor Sandoval is not from a business background, he was a lawyer, and federal judge. He believes schools are the issue, and is willing to extend and possibly raise taxes in a vain attempt to keep expensive schools greased.
Nevada is a rural, ranching state yet has a medical school in its University system. Many students come from outside of the state, graduate, then leave for the "big city" where the real money is made.
Yucca Mountain would provide billions in possible revenues, and with the addition of reprocessing facilities built there, could dominate and flower a nuclear industry that will be needed regardless of those who are short sighted on the subject. Nevada could also build a Palo Verde type nuclear plant at Yucca Mountain, using grey water from Las Vegas, or bypass water needs entirely using the newest technology, Pebble Bed Reactor.
In short, Nevada is losing property values, its core economic base, and is saddled as a purple state with the legislature dominated by Democrats. Casino workers vote for the Democrats, many now forced to leave the state due to the dwindling business climate. The jobless rate in Nevada as a result is the highest in the Obama depression.
Astoundingly, the Democrats in Nevada are pushing for tax hikes, and to keep their union brethren parasiting on the dwindling tax base in the state - a disaster in the making. Sandoval caved on his "no tax" campaign pledge by allowing "temporary" taxes to be extended.
Unless Nevada wakes up, the misery it feels now will seem like the peak of prosperity.
