Benefit concert for Las Vegas shooting victims raises over $700K
Organizers of the Vegas Strong Benefit Concert announced Wednesday that the show raised more than $700,000 for victims of the Route 91 Harvest festival shooting.
The Dec. 1 event at T-Mobile Arena attracted a capacity crowd of 12,000 and raised money for the Las Vegas Victims’ Fund.
Among those performing were The Killers, Imagine Dragons, Jay Leno, Boyz II Men and cast members from Cirque du Soleil and Blue Man Group. Also featured were live and recorded appearances by homegrown baseball star Bryce Harper, Celine Dion, Elton John and the Vegas Golden Knights NHL team.
Clark County Commissioner Steve Sisolak said that while the amount the show raised is both impressive and welcome, the concert also was a way to “bring people together and continue the healing process, which I think is a very beneficial thing for a lot of folks, especially those who are suffering (from) some level of” post-traumatic stress disorder.
It was, Sisolak said, “a way of bonding, a way to express how you feel and let somebody know you’re not alone, which is a great thing.”
Organizers said all ticket revenue from the concert is going to the victims fund which, as of Wednesday, had more than $22 million in cash and commitments from the crowdfunding site GoFundMe and other sources. Scott Nielson, a member of the Las Vegas Victims’ Fund Committee, said money raised by the show is not yet reflected in that total.
Las Vegas Victims’ Fund organizers encourage people to contribute by Jan. 31 at lasvegasvictimsfund.org.
Contact John Przybys at jprzybys@reviewjournal.com. Follow @JJPrzybys on Twitter.
