Las Vegas office market may gain speed after COVID emptied buildings

When the coronavirus pandemic turned life upside down in Las Vegas, the office market was not spared the turmoil.

Buildings emptied as white-collar staffers were sent home over fears of the outbreak, sparking discussions over how much office space companies really need as people worked from their couch or kitchen table. Several office deals in the works also got delayed or derailed amid the initial turmoil, brokers say.

The market still faces plenty of questions, though with vaccines rolling out, industry professionals figure activity will pick up in 2021, perhaps in the second half of the year. Above all, they think companies that are still working remotely will bring staffers back to the office, where people can work without the distractions and isolation of being stuck at home, and where they can be around others again, not just see them through computer screens.