By a few barometers, Las Vegas isn't healthy.

The city's unemployment rate—14.2% in August—is among the nation's highest. The suicide rate—34.5 people per 100,000 annually—is the nation's highest. For those who aren't part of the 14,000 homeless, the housing market is a disaster.

And all over the Las Vegas Strip, hotels and casinos either stand empty or half-finished, with revenue streams running dry for many of the area's biggest entertainment companies.