NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Cecil Campbell says business at his North Las Vegas barbeque restaurant is smoking.
"We're moving right along. We're well over 50,000 racks now, and we're less than 40 weeks old," he said.
Hog's Heaven opened near 215 and Decatur Boulevard last May. Campbell is already considering opening restaurants at other locations.
"North Las Vegas is growing very quickly, and we wanted to be a part of that economic growth," he said. "We wanted to be right here, get our foot in the door before everybody else got out here, and we thought it was a good time."
According to the U.S. Census, North Las Vegas grew nearly 88% over the last ten years. That's the largest growth in southern Nevada.
Read the 2010 Census Report
City leaders say they aren't surprised. They're using those statistics to entice new businesses.
"We have a lot of available land that's not yet developed, and we have a lot of room to grow," said North Las Vegas Spokesperson Juliet Casey. "We have a lot of room for all kinds of industry."
The city's new "Open for Business" campaign aims to push economic development and lure prospective businesses. The project is a spin-off from last year's "Go Local" campaign, which encouraged residents to support local businesses.
Learn More About the "Open for Business" Campaign
"Now that we've laid that foundation, we want to show businesses from elsewhere to say, ‘You know, if you come here, you will have the support of your local government,'" Casey said.
Business owners like Campbell say that foundation is paying off. "I used to play out in this desert out here when I was a kid," Campbell said. "Now, it's built up and built in, and now we're a part of it. So, we're excited."
The "Open for Business" campaign includes videos and fliers. The city also plans to hold business resource expos and networking events.
