Business
Billionaire Plans to Transform Texas into the Next Las Vegas
Billionaires are eyeing Texas as the potential site of the next Las Vegas, a move that is facing resistance from the state. According to Mark Jones, a professor at Rice University’s Baker Institute of Public Policy, these billionaires want to bring the allure of casinos and entertainment to Texas, but they are facing pushback from the conservative mindset of the state’s residents.
In other news, a recent report from the Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice revealed that nearly all K-12 school districts in Harris County are underfunded. This alarming finding puts the future GDP and workforce of the county at risk.
Meanwhile, Wyoming is making headlines as its ‘Cowboy Catholic’ could potentially reshape the government if President Trump wins. According to experts, Mexican cartel violence is expected to increase in 2024.
On the business front, the Ion, a Houston-based tech hub owned by Rice Management Co. and the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship, is set to bring new restaurants following the closure of Common Bond. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has also announced tougher soot standards, with several Texas counties already exceeding them.
Switching to entertainment, Jaewon Wee, a graduate student at Rice’s Shepherd School of Music, recently won first prize and the audience choice award at the 2023 Dallas International Violin Competition. Rice Cinema is also featuring the film ‘Make People Better’ on February 9.
As for sports, Rice’s women’s basketball team emerged victorious with a 69-59 win against the University of South Florida, while the men’s basketball team lost to Southern Methodist University 95-69. Notably, Taji Atkins, a talented high school football player, has committed to playing for Rice University.
Education is a key focus, with a study from Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research revealing that nearly all school districts in Harris County are underfunded. This information raises concerns about the county’s future GDP and its workforce potential.
Lastly, tech enthusiasts should take note of Rice University’s recent research into 2D nanomaterials. Scientists at Rice are studying these nanomaterials to understand their key dynamics and potentially produce them on a larger scale.
