Nevada also has a sizable number of Mormon voters, Smith said, something that could help turn out the vote for Romney. Most of Las Vegas' major players in the casino industry are supporting other candidates, he said, including McCain and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Smith said Nevada would be a higher-profile win for Romney than Wyoming because there are so many reporters there to cover Nevada's Democratic caucus. "I think Nevada is an important state because our profile has been promoted by the other party, basically," Smith said.

Steve Wark, a spokesman for Nevada's GOP caucus, said he's already been interviewed by major television networks and newspapers about the race. And Romney's increased presence there can only mean more stories, Wark said. Candidates need to "grab whatever glory from wherever they can grab it," he said, noting there's increased interest because no clear front-runner has emerged yet.

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