Brian Greenspun on visit from Brookings

Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2007 | 7:27 a.m.

Las Vegas welcomes the Brookings Institution.

It may be a bit presumptuous, speaking for an entire city and all, but it seems an appropriate subject for this column because starting today, Las Vegas has made it to the big time of national and international thinking. And any time that happens, someone has to acknowledge the fact.

The Brookings Institution is this country's oldest, largest and most independent think tank. Located in Washington, D.C., it has had as its mission the pursuit of independent thinking and policy advancement for almost 100 years. Whenever you turn on your television set to congressional hearings or when substantive discussion is being considered about matters of national or international importance, it is the Brookings scholars who are most quoted and sought after by media and policymakers.

Here's the disclosure part. I am biased toward Brookings because I have had the honor and most illuminating pleasure of being a member of the board of trustees of this fine institution for the past seven years. As far as I know, I am the only representative of Nevada on the Brookings board, a position and responsibility I do not take lightly.

For those of you who have followed my recent travels to Israel and the Middle East, China and other regions, it has been through the auspices of Brookings or its sister institution, the Saban Center for Middle East Policy. Traveling with world-renowned experts on the various regions has provided a unique opportunity to learn at the highest levels - well above the noise of the television talk shows, administration rhetoric and other, lesser known political agendas. It is that purity of thought and research that has served our country and its leaders so well for nearly a century.

I remember one of our board meetings that took place in New York at the United Nations, but, other than that, the best I can tell is that this is one of the first trustees meetings to be held outside of Washington in a very long time.

So, why Las Vegas? Why has this venerable East Coast-centric think tank decided to hold its trustees meeting in the land of glitz and glitter?

Because Las Vegas is where it is all happening. Although I am certain my charm and adorable personality had a lot to do with the decision of these very serious people to meet in the Entertainment Capital of the World, it is really the fact that Las Vegas is coming into its own as an important player in 21st century America that made them come out West.

The impetus, of course, has been Nevada's new role as an early caucus state for the 2008 presidential election and the Democratic debate that will be held Thursday night and hosted by CNN's Wolf Blitzer. Because we pride ourselves on our independence, the next board meeting will be held in January in South Carolina to coincide with the Republican debate before that state's early primary.

Brookings will showcase two major projects as part of this week's gathering. One is a blueprint for the nation's growth challenges - which I hope will include the incredible opportunities and pitfalls that will define the entire southwestern United States over the next few decades. Such studies are part of the Metropolitan Policy Center at Brookings. For those of you who pay attention to such things, the center has provided in-depth research into the problems and challenges of East Coast cities as well as the central states regions and the issues unique to those areas.

A similar study about the Southwest - which would be unbiased, apolitical and valuable in its forthrightness - would go a long way in helping frame our area's growth challenges and allowing for discussion free from the politics which, to date, continue to drive us backward rather than toward the head of the pack.

The other matter that will be discussed is "Opportunity 08." Because next year's presidential election will be the first in a long time in which an incumbent president or vice president is not running, Brookings has engaged scholars of all stripes to help formulate the major issues that must be addressed so that knowledge-based rather than poll- and consultant-based information will, we hope, provide the framework for real, substantive discussion along the campaign trail.

This week's subject will be national security and, given that a number of local and regional experts will be included in the discussion, it should prove helpful for Las Vegans who want to vote based on facts and not fiction.

Many of the trustees will be coming to Las Vegas for the first time. So if you see some really smart and serious-looking people looking a bit lost or doing some not so smart things this week, please introduce yourself, give them a hand and thank them for coming here.

As our city continues to grow and mature, we will encourage other quality institutions to visit. We will show those folks what all the fuss is about and, I hope, we will also encourage the really smart and capable ones to move here and help us reach our destiny.

We have been called the 21st century's all-American city for a lot of good reasons. If we can avoid the siren call of those who would pull us backward - like our current political leadership in Carson City and its monied backers - we can realize that dream.

Facts, figures, intelligent analysis and unbiased scholarship - the kind of work the Brookings Institution is known for - will help us get there faster. That is why they are most welcome to Las Vegas.

We bid you welcome, Brookings, and we wish you a speedy return to our most incredible city.