Clark County Commissioner visits, apologizes after some businesses left out of block party

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - Clark County held a huge free concert Thursday night at the Commercial Center. The goal was to celebrate the revitalization of the area and to promote local businesses, but this was not the case for some.

Friday, Clark County Commissioner Tick Segerblom visited a barbershop called “Get a Haircut” to apologize.

“The businesses down in this whole New Orleans square were just left out in the dark,” said Jerry Jones, the owner of Get a Haircut.

“Honestly just made a mistake so I apologize profusely,” said Segerblom.

Left in the dark and blocked in, a tall fence separated concertgoers and the business from the New Orleans square.

“That basically prevented anyone from seeing what businesses are over here to begin with, and they couldn’t get here,” said Jones.

“That is the irony,” said Segerblom. “Here we are, trying to do something to promote the Commercial Center and are excluding people from seeing the businesses that are here because New Orleans Square is actually thriving and lots of great little stores like you and entrepreneurs.”

Segerblom admitted to getting caught up in putting the fence up to make sure those who didn’t have a ticket couldn’t get in.

“I don’t think anyone thought about the businesses here truthfully, so just one of those things where people were worried about the fence and the stage,” said Segerblom. “Worrying about their part. We weren’t worried about ‘is it going to have a ton of consequences’ as far as local businesses and so we just dropped the ball.”

“Accepting your apology, it is kind of disappointing to hear, we just didn’t think about the businesses, we just put up the fence when the whole point of the entire event was to help promote the commercial center and the businesses and even invite the surrounding communities which were left out as well,” said Jones.

Segerblom said going forward, they won’t make the same mistake.

“We will be able to work together to improve your business,” said Segerblom.

Segerblom said there will be opportunities for a do-over as the county plans to hold more events here and some of those will be similar to First Friday.

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