Corporate Challenge: A Special Olympics for Your Whole Community

The city of Las Vegas Department of Parks Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department puts on a fun, inclusive community engagement program every spring called "Corporate Challenge."

Organized by a few special people in our department as one of those "other duties as assigned" type tasks, "Corporate Challenge" is actually a pretty BIG undertaking.

Since 1986, Corporate Challenge has been a healthy way for local companies and their employees to stay fit and engaged with others in the community. Now with 38 different competitive events, Corporate Challenge provides more opportunities for people with different skills and interests to get involved from the end of February to the middle of May. The games are split into three divisions to make it more fair for small and medium sized organizations with fewer employees.

Each company pays to play, then selects someone to serve as the liaison between the company and the Corporate Challenge Office. They also select Team Captains for the various sporting events. Some teams practice all year long! Not to be discouraged though; there is something for everyone's skills and abilities. Corporate Challenge is the largest amateur sporting event in Nevada. The city brings the games to about 20,000 employees and spectators from more than 75 companies around Las Vegas. 

Corporate Challenge organizers are dedicated to bringing fun competition that builds morale, camaraderie and community for employees of some of the major employers and small businesses in the Las Vegas valley. When I joined the city's Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs team, I remember my supervisor telling me about Corporate Challenge. She pointed to plaques on the wall and told me about some of the fun events that she participated in or cheered for. However, when I joined, it was amid the pandemic and Corporate Challenge went on a hiatus.

As the years passed, and Corporate Challenge came back, I realized just how important RECREATION was not only for the kids we serve in our community centers, and on our playing fields, and at our parks... but for the grown ups, too! For the men and women who make the economy in our community so strong. It makes us resilient. It helps us communicate better. It helps us find humor and humanity in one another. It is just good for our overall physical, mental and social well-being.

The games have been back for a couple years, and I can proudly say that I got the opportunity to help Team Las Vegas kick start Corporate Challenge during the Torch Relay at Fremont Street on February 28, 2025. I haven't fully thrown myself into the many opportunities to participate just yet... but I'm a long way from retirement, so I have a lot to look forward to.

I am grateful that our Department of Parks & Recreation provides this opportunity for the hardworking adults in our town, because it does make the city feel a lot less like a flashy tourist trap and a lot more like... home ... like a community with neighbors we can all enjoy life with.

2025 Corporate Challenge Torch Relay prior to the Opening Ceremonies beginning at the Fremont Street Experience. Photo Credit: Jennifer Winder, Senior Adaptive Recreation Leader and one of the Corporate Challenge Coordinators