Las Vegas County? Clark County commissioner says, ‘It’s time’

Clark County Commissioner Tick Segerblom would rather represent Las Vegas County.

They are the same place. Segerblom just wants to rename the county. He made it known on July 1, which was Clark County’s 115th birthday.

Segerblom commented on an X post from the Clark County account with, “It’s time to change our name to Las Vegas County.”

The current Clark County chairman reiterated his hopes for a title swap on July 4, before the event honoring the first anniversary of the Sphere. Jim Dolan the Sphere’s Executive Chairman and CEO, made sure to mention Clark County specifically in his prepared remarks, and not just Las Vegas. “Las Vegas” might blanket the whole region in these events.

He has hopes

I asked Segerblom if switching to Las Vegas County would become a civic movement.

“It could. It’s not going to happen right away, but when I announced it I got a lot of response,” Segerblom said. “It makes sense. Los Angeles County-Los Angeles, San Diego County-San Diego. Clark County … Plus it would (tick) the mayor off.”

Segerblom chuckled, but would it? Mayor Carolyn Goodman said in a statement in text, “Las Vegas is world-famous and I would love to have Tick and the county be part of our city.” The message was forwarded by city spokesman Jace Radke.

Segerblom, a Boulder City native and third-generation Nevadan, said he got the idea during a recent chat with fellow Clark County Commissioner Marilyn Kirkpatrick. “I’d been thinking about it for a while, but she’s the first one who mentioned it to me.”

Clark County spokesman Erik Pappa said he is not aware of any formal movement to take up a name change.

Clark on the rails

This is not to brush off the relevance of the “Clark” in Clark County. The county is named for William Andrews Clark (1839-1925), a Democratic U.S. Senator and copper magnate originally from Montana. Clark helped develop the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad, which connected Los Angeles and Salt Lake City, stopping in Las Vegas.

The railroad’s construction in the area contributed to the region’s early development, and land auction in 1905 that created the city of Las Vegas.

As we’ve noted from time to time, the Clark County-Las Vegas moniker an ongoing issue between county and city officials, dating to the days when then-Mayor Oscar Goodman hosted Key to Las Vegas events outside the city limits, on unincorporated Clark County territory.

Flanked by showgirls and reliably lubricated by Bombay Sapphire, Goodman often shrugged of his location with, “I’m the mayor of everywhere.” He said that as he repped the city during a taping of “Hardball” on the roof of then-Pure Nightclub at Caesars Palace in 2007.

That changed in 2013, in with Carolyn Goodman in office, when then-Clark County Commissioner Steve Sisolak led an effort to award the Key to the Las Vegas Strip. That meant city reps — including the mayor — would not be invited to the county-led key ceremonies. The issue percolated in an event on the Strip in November 2014 honoring Britney Spears, which Sisolak hosted and excluded the mayor.

Criscrossing honors

So, we have the Key to the Las Vegas Strip doled out across Clark County, often by Segerblom on the Strip. And, we have the Key to the City of Las Vegas, distributed by the mayor, usually at events downtown.

Beyond the keys and proclamations, titling the county and city “Las Vegas” could give uniformity to the region’s tourism message. I’m with the coalition that uses “Las Vegas” as the accepted brand for our international tourist destination. “Clark County” is fine for official documents and designations, or stenciled on jail jumpsuits.

But not everyone agrees on a single title, especially Oscar Goodman. He wants the city to keep the official Las Vegas name to itself.

“I like the fact that there’s a bit of a competition out there, between the two,” Goodman said in a phone chat last week. “As long as you have an honest and trustworthy mayor and county commission, I like leaving it the way it is. The whole world knows Las Vegas. Nobody knows Clark County.”

Cool Hang Alert

On the topic of native Las Vegan activity, rocker Franky Perez returns to Rocks Lounge at Red Rock Resort at 8 p.m. (doors) and 9 p.m. (show) Friday night. This is in Perez’s “Hot Vegas Nights” residency, continuing July 20, Aug. 9, Sept. 13 and Oct. 18. It’s Perez out front, horns, showgirls and all kind-a energy. No cover.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.