Report: Las Vegas area lost 14,400 construction jobs

National construction jobless rate stands at 18.7 percent, report says

Justin M. Bowen

The Fontainebleau Resort on the north end of the Las Vegas Strip is shown under construction in April.

Friday, June 5, 2009 | 12:56 p.m.

The boom-and-bust economy in Las Vegas has been particularly hard on the construction industry -- with little hope for a quick turnaround.

The Associated General Contractors issued a report this week showing construction employment fell in Las Vegas and 275 other metro areas from April 2008 to April 2009.

The Las Vegas statistics, not including thousands of jobs lost the past few months at the stalled Fontainebleau Resort, show construction employment here fell by 15.2 percent.

The area lost 14,400 construction jobs, leaving 80,100 people employed locally in the industry through April, the AGC said.

The AGC issued the numbers as it called on the federal government to speed up the deployment of stimulus dollars needed to help revive the economy.

"Job loss figures like these are exactly what prompted Congress and the administration to craft a stimulus package designed to get Americans back to work as quickly as possible," AGC Chief Economist Ken Simonson said in a statement. "Putting these funds to good use as quickly as possible is the best way to get Americans back to work and the economy back on track."

Simonson noted that the construction sector has seen the largest decline in employment relative to the rest of the U.S. economy. For example, overall construction unemployment was at 18.7 percent in April while the overall unemployment rate was 8.6 percent, not seasonally adjusted. The overall rate in Las Vegas was 10.4 percent.

Construction workers account for 20 percent of all jobs lost in the past year, he said.

The AGC numbers are in line with statewide statistics compiled by the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation.

That agency last month said Nevada’s construction industry continued to struggle through commercial and residential market adjustments. Statewide construction employment in April declined by 1,200 jobs from March, and was down 22,600 over-the-year.

"Nevada’s construction woes are not unique to the state, though the build up and fall of the industry has been more severe than most," Bill Anderson, chief economist at the agency, said in a statement. "During the peak of the ‘housing boom,’ year-over-year employment growth neared 18 percent in Nevada. Compare that to the 5.2 percent employment growth in the nation as a whole over the same time period. At its height, the construction industry accounted for 11.2 percent of all jobs in the state, and only 5.7 percent for the nation. Through 2009, the ratio of construction jobs has fallen to 8.1 percent of all jobs in Nevada, a level similar to the early 1990s."

Anderson predicted that as CityCenter and other projects are completed, construction workers on those jobs for the most part won't be able to find new work here.

"Once released, workers will find it difficult to locate new employment opportunities," he concluded.

Discussion: 13 comments so far…

By stevem

6/5/09 at 1:12 p.m.

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if / when city center gets done, the roar of u-hauls leaving las vegs will be deafening.
By Bertsos

6/5/09 at 2:01 p.m.

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Construction has always been one of the "on the move" types of jobs........go where he work is..........but I don't think there's much construction going on anywhere for the workers to go to.
By laniac

6/5/09 at 2:36 p.m.

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"While construction accounts for one fifth of the U.S. workforce, construction workers account for 20 percent of all jobs lost in the past year, he said."

Huh? What does the above statment mean? last time I check 1/5 = 20%, so what's the point?
By davidwayneosedach

6/5/09 at 4:14 p.m.

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What types of jobs can laid off construction workers get?
By gotjobs

6/5/09 at 4:19 p.m.

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Nevada, your champion Harry Reid is pushing for an amnesty bill now!!! The reason for the big push is hope that all will forget comrade Reid was behind the insanity come re-election time.
By afveteran

6/5/09 at 4:35 p.m.

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Huh?
By nednougat

6/5/09 at 4:59 p.m.

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Best you save your pennies, Union loafers. Because you're going to be on the move. Soon. Your business agents will be "unavailable", even at the local PT's. Nevada pays crappy UI benefits, but pretty soon Momma and the kids will be demanding more than Hamburger Helper for dinner. Remember those "Beer Thirty" Fridays at the gin joint? "Ovah", as Cossell used to say. You all deserve it. Now you'll learn first hand about child support, and maybe even alimony, which is like paying for a dead racehorse. An ugly one, too....
By Bertsos

6/5/09 at 5:43 p.m.

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""What types of jobs can laid off construction workers get""

They will be fighting it out for the grunt jobs in casinos or in non-union construction......wherever there is a job thats doesn't require much schooling or training.
By geenab65

6/5/09 at 6:13 p.m.

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"Nevada, your champion Harry Reid is pushing for an amnesty bill now!!! The reason for the big push is hope that all will forget comrade Reid was behind the insanity come re-election time".

I'm with afveteran....Hunh??
By qq49h

6/5/09 at 6:45 p.m.

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everyone, please give thanks to Randy for the new terminal
By fremmasmind

6/6/09 at 3:31 a.m.

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The new amnesty bill is called the Dream Act 09. Get ready to have 3 to 4 million more illegals allowed in as citizens. When they become citizens they can bring in family members and relitives with a greencard thru family member. Now lets multiply 3 to 4 times 10, 20 and you have 40 to 80 million illegals with a path to citizenship.
Instead of Dirty Harry calling in ICE to rid the construction industry and hotels and casinos of illegal workers, he wants to allow tens of millions more a path to citizenship which will keep our citizens without work.
To the citizens of Nevada who voted in this blundering idiot who could care less about us, now is the time to make a change. Tell your friends how Harry Reid wants to destroy what little work force we have left.
Why isn't he ridding our state of illegals to open jobs up for our citizens? He's had the casino's and contractors in his pocket for quite some time now pouring campaign money into his pockets as they reap rewards by hiring illegal workers.
It's too bad the citizens of Nevada can't prosecute Harry in court for bypassing his duties he has as a State Senator. Think of all the American citizens going without work while the illegal workers are bringing home paychecks. This has gone on too long and we don't have to take it anymore. " Rid the State of Illegal Harry 2010"!
By perry161492

6/7/09 at 10:09 a.m.

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i sure hope out of stater construction worker go home were they came from these union hall need to take care of long time union resident. i do believe alot of people leaving town i am glad. occupancy rate in apartment are town yippee only mean one thing bargain galore
By rumrunner

6/7/09 at 11:45 a.m.

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Well it seems all so easy,just go back to your union halls and demand they find you work! After all,isnt that what its all about? And infact isnt that why you pay your dues? There is an alternetive,you can find your own job,and keep those dues in your pocket! So you have to peel the "live better work union" sticker off the back of your truck,and drop the union atitude!