Las Vegas business shares frustrations after Deadmau5 block party

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - A free block party last Thursday, headlined by Deadmau5 and organized by Clark County, was marketed as an opportunity for businesses in the Commercial Center near Sahara and Maryland to cash in on more customers.

However, some business owners said it had the opposite effect.

Shwa Laytart, owner of the Avantpop Bookstore, said they were initially told that the event would be a family-friendly parade and car show to help support local businesses, but instead, it turned out to be a block party concert.

The Avantpop Bookstore in Las Vegas(FOX5)

Laytart said the businesses in the area weren’t told about the changes until a few days before the event after many of them had already stocked up on extra products and food for the anticipated wave of extra customers, who never showed up.

To make matters worse, he said event organizers put up fencing and port-a-potties near the entrances to some businesses, making them harder to access for potential customers.

“Don’t throw a party for adults that don’t care about shopping at 10, 11 o’clock at night,” said Laytart. “They may go to the bar next door after the party, but they’re not coming here to buy books or any of the other shops to buy gifts. They’re raging, you know, they’re looking to have fun.”

Days later, the Commercial Center was still dealing with the aftermath of the event. Laytart said there were still some pieces of fencing and trash left behind, causing even more frustration for some of those businesses.

On Friday, the day after the concert, Commissioner Tick Segerblom apologized to some impacted businesses, but some didn’t like the explanation.