Downtown ambassadors

There has been a palpable energy around the revival of downtown Las Vegas, from Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh’s $350 million, privately financed campaign to Derek Stevens’ efforts in turning two aging hotels — the Golden Gate and the D Las Vegas — into attractions that have bolstered the area’s character.

Now, downtown just needs some marketing, which is where United Way of Southern Nevada has stepped up in a partnership with the city of Las Vegas, as reported Monday by the Review-Journal’s Annalise Porter. In October, United Way and the city will unveil the Downtown Las Vegas Dynamos, a group of volunteer ambassadors basically acting as well-trained tour guides, providing recommendations and answering questions for both visitors and residents. The ambassadors, up to two dozen in roving groups of two, will man three areas, initially on Friday and Saturday afternoons: Fremont Street, the outlet mall and the area near Gold & Silver Pawn, of “Pawn Stars” television fame.

Plenty of locals are aware of downtown’s revival, but getting more traction with tourists is a necessity to make the turnaround complete. It’s a sensible step to have this kind of truly direct marketing with people who come downtown, as they will then be more likely to tell other people to check it out.

There are plenty of good things to say about this project and the impact it could have, particularly if the group gets funding that will allow volunteers to carry iPads with them, bringing high technology to this already interactive process. But before October rolls around, how about revisiting the official name bestowed on these good volunteers?