The National Finals Rodeo returns to Las Vegas

The Wrangler National Finals Rodeo has returned to Las Vegas. The 10-day sporting event, which kicks off Thursday at the Thomas & Mack Center, is expected to bring more than 170,000 people to the city, generating a frenzy among hotels to lasso in the lucrative crowd. Casinos are aiming to corral guests by offering rodeo packages that include meals and tickets, hosting top country singers and sporting events. Many of the visitors for rodeo week come from California, Texas, Montana, Oklahoma, Wyoming and Colorado. More than two dozen country singers will perform over the next two weeks, including George Strait at T-Mobile Arena, Cody Johnson at the South Point and Dwight Yoakam at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.