Journalism convention switches to Las Vegas

First, the Las Vegas Sun was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for public service for its series on construction deaths on the Strip. Next, the Review-Journal won first place for explanatory reporting in the Best of the West contest for its probe of a local endoscopy clinic linked to an outbreak of hepatitis C.

And finally, the Society of Professional Journalists decided to move its annual convention to Las Vegas for 2010. The convention had originally been scheduled for New York.

The organization’s board of directors made the move because of the current national economic conditions. It was thought costs would be too high in New York, while Las Vegas hotel rates could be below $150 a night.

The switch should be good news to local tourism and convention officials, who have been marketing Las Vegas as an affordable meeting destination.

Las Vegas hosted the annual SPJ convention in 2005.