The Lincy Institute
Transforming Healthcare and Economic Growth in Southern Nevada
The Challenge
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) is advancing plans to establish a fully integrated academic health center within the Las Vegas Medical District (LVMD). This comprehensive hub will unite UNLV’s five health science schools and mental and behavioral health programs, alongside University Medical Center (UMC)—a key teaching hospital and cornerstone of healthcare delivery in the region. Together, these entities will anchor the state’s efforts to expand access to care, drive innovation, and elevate healthcare education in Southern Nevada.
How We Helped
To evaluate the future economic and social benefits of this initiative, The Lincy Institute at UNLV commissioned Tripp Umbach in 2022 to conduct a comprehensive economic and social impact study of the proposed academic health center. The study modeled the current and projected impacts of UNLV’s medical and health science programs, UMC operations, and LVMD partners. Projections for 2030 and 2040 included total economic output, employment growth, and tax revenue impacts for Southern Nevada, supported by benchmarking against comparable public medical schools and teaching hospitals nationwide.
Tripp Umbach’s findings confirm that the creation of an integrated academic health center will be transformative for Southern Nevada’s healthcare economy. By 2040, the combined economic impact of the UNLV/UMC Academic Health Center and LVMD partners is projected to reach $3.6 billion annually, driven by operations, research, and commercialization activity. Between 2022 and 2030, the initiative is expected to generate a net annual economic increase of $724 million, create 4,570 new jobs, and produce $34.8 million in additional tax revenue—rising to $92.7 million by 2040.
Beyond measurable financial benefits, the academic health center will enhance healthcare access, improve workforce readiness, and reduce disparities across Southern Nevada. By training locally connected providers and strengthening regional research infrastructure, this project will not only improve community health outcomes but also secure Nevada’s position as a leader in academic medicine and healthcare innovation.