Branch Planning: Mapping A Course For Profits: Display analytics tool guides Nevada State Bank's growth.

Rolling out banking services in Las Vegas can seem more like a canned hunt than a crapshoot.

As opposed to other major cities with distinct pockets of geographic and demographic affluence, nearly all of Sin City is bubbling with activity: new housing, new businesses, wealthy retirees, and bustling shopping centers. "They're all good locations," says Jeff Bargerhuff, an svp with locally based Nevada State Bank.

And that's the problem. With no obvious bad options to weed out, making a great choice is all the more challenging. "There are 5,000 net individuals moving in a month," Bargerhuff says. "If you have five [de novo] locations, which one do you build first? Where are you going to get your greater return for your investment?"

With a preponderance of …