Some people call it a rodeo, but Las Vegas calls it an economy
Less than a year after the National Finals Rodeo nearly left Las Vegas for new pastures, the Super Bowl of rodeos and Las Vegas have patched things up and look to celebrate the NFR’s 30th year in Southern Nevada next month.
The rodeo’s promoter, Las Vegas Events, and the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, which sanctions the rodeo, expect attendance to hit nearly 180,000 for the 10 days of bucking horses, steer wrestling and team roping at a sold-out Thomas & Mack Center starting Dec. 4.
“We’re anxious this year to celebrate the 30th year in Las Vegas after all the blood, sweat and tears of last year’s negotiations,” said Karl Stressman, PRCA commissioner and top executive of the Colorado Springs, Colo.-based organization.
“I know people got their feelings hurt (during the negotiations), but in the end it will be much more relaxed this year, and I plan to have a cold Coors with LVE (Las Vegas Events) to talk about the rodeo and how we can work together without thinking about what the next chess move will be,” Stressman said.
Tensions hit a fever pitch right after the 2013 NFR ended, as the PRCA contract expired with Las Vegas Events amid talk that the PRCA would leave Las Vegas in favor of Kissimmee, Fla., or possibly Dallas. But negotiations, marked by sharp words and high-stakes bluffing ended with a new deal between Las Vegas Events and the PRCA.
“That period is behind us,” Las Vegas Events President Pat Christenson said. “We’re working much closer. We all know that we are together for 10 years.”
Negotiations carried high stakes for Las Vegas because the NFR is a major economic generator at a time of the year when tourism is slow.
In 2013, 86 percent of the 176,550 attendees at Thomas & Mack were out-of-towners, while 42 percent of NFR visitors came from Western states and another 30 percent came from Southern states.
The No. 1 state feeding in visitors was Texas at 12 percent, followed by California with 10 percent.
The average stay was 3.6 days, with the mean household income of all visitors a few dollars shy of $90,000.
In all, the NFR had a nongaming economic impact of $87.9 million in the region in 2013, with thousands of visitors taking in the rodeo at watch parties and other social events at Las Vegas hotels besides the tourists attending Thomas & Mack’s dirt-flying competitions.
To celebrate the NFR’s 30-year history in Southern Nevada, Las Vegas Events is creating a 68-page book and a one-hour documentary, “Buckin’ the Odds,” about the rodeo’s legacy in Las Vegas.
In 1985, the NFR’s purse in Las Vegas was slightly more than $1.8 million. This year, the prize money will be $6.375 million, with the amount spiking to $10 million in 2015.
The increased prize money was a factor in the negotiations last year.
With sellouts expected at Thomas & Mack every night, Las Vegas Events is increasing NFR by expanding its presence with watch parties and Western/cowboy lifestyle displays at 21 sponsor hotels and more exhibitors at Cowboys Christmas and fanfest at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
MGM Resorts International will have seven of its resorts serve as sponsors, while new hotel sponsors this year are The D, Flamingo and Palms, Christenson said.
Derek Stevens, owner of The D, said he’s looking forward to being a sponsor this year because the hotel plans to host viewing parties and participate in a country and western music concert to draw NFR fans.
The Palms will also play host to an old-time rodeo cowboy reunion called the “Gold Card Roundup,” which will feature a luncheon attended by famed rodeo stars ages 50 and up on Dec. 12.
The Las Vegas Events president said sponsor hotels are advised to activate their NFR sponsorships and not just write checks.
“With the NFR branding, you have to be ready to activate it,” Christenson said.
On the media front, CBS Sports Network will for the first time broadcast NFR under a new agreement. CBS Sports Network will also show the “Buckin’ the Odds” documentary at 7 p.m. Dec. 1.
And Las Vegas Events will launch a “Pick 7” social media contest where participants can predict a winner for each of the seven rodeo competition categories and winners can snag a $250 prize.
In other rodeo events, the World Series of Team Roping is expected to attract 2,000 contestants competing for $7 million in prize money at South Point and The Orleans during the 10-day NFR, Las Vegas Events spokesman Michael Mack said.
Contact reporter Alan Snel at asnel@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5273. Follow @BicycleManSnel on Twitter.
