Well, sometimes the strangest things will happen when you have a popularity contest and have few restrictions on how often people can vote.

Case in point: The Nevada Tourism Commission’s “Discover Your Nevada” promotion, which started as a call for nominations to find the state’s tourism gems and is making its way through a series of elimination votes.

Through an “American Idol”-style online voting process,dozens of nominated locations and events have been whittled down to a top five list in six regions. The next elimination round ends on April 30 and the top two attractions in each territory are announced. The final vote concludes May 13 with the state’s top tourism treasures scheduled to be announced two days later.

The Tourism Commission was quite clear with its voting instructions. You could click for your favorites once a day through the voting period. As a result, any tourism enterprise with a savvy social media director and a network of fans could stuff the ballot box and produce some head-scratching results.

The top five tourism treasures for Southern Nevada right now include Valley of Fire State Park and Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area — and they should be there.

But they also include Awesome Adventures Tours in Overton and Desert Adventures in Boulder City, two private companies that guide customers on outdoor excursions that include hiking, kayaking, horseback riding, mountain biking, all-terrain vehicle rides and ziplining. Incidentally, they also take customers to outdoor activities in Utah and Arizona.

Missing from the list are Hoover Dam and the O’Callaghan-Tillman Bridge, consistently one of the most visited attractions in Southern Nevada; Lake Mead National Recreation Area, which has been listed as one of the top five visited national parks in the country for years; and the Las Vegas Strip, the 4.2-mile magnet that draws millions of people to our valley.

Nothing against Awesome Adventures Tours and Desert Adventures, but they’re not the first places that come to mind when a tourist considers a trip to Nevada.

There were a few other surprises in votes involving attractions in other parts of the state. In the Nevada Silver Trails territory, people around Beatty got the word out to vote early and often. There are three Beatty-area attractions — the Goldwell Open Air Museum, the Rhyolite Historic Site and the Albert Revert Historic House — that made the top five list. Cathedral Gorge State Park near Panaca, one of the state’s original four parks and a perennial favorite, didn’t make the cut.

The Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park in Minden and the controversial National Championship Air Races in Reno won out over the extremely popular Truckee River Whitewater Kayak Park through downtown Reno.

Maybe that was the Tourism Commission’s objective — to showcase the “hidden” treasures that don’t get as much attention because they’re overshadowed by other vastly more popular destinations. But it’s certainly hard to understand how a state agency could showcase an attraction that diverts some of its customers out of state.

Besides, everybody knew the rules going in. They were clearly communicated at the beginning of the promotion.

In general, the Tourism Commission’s mission is to publicize activities and destinations in rural Nevada — places that don’t have a Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority to tell their stories.

While Discover Your Nevada was developed as a promotion to get Nevada residents better acquainted with attractions in their own state, few people in Southern Nevada got too excited about it. Hence, the ability of a few to stuff the ballot box. As in any vote, if you didn’t participate and your choice doesn’t win, you have nothing to complain about.

There probably isn’t anything that can be done at this point. There won’t be any recounts or challenges filed to get Hoover Dam, Lake Mead and the Strip back on the ballot.

Maybe the only thing left to do is to appeal to the public to stuff the ballot box for Red Rock and Valley of Fire to take victory away from outfitters that take some of their customers out of state.

source from: vegasinc

The new Sportsman’s Warehouse, 5647 Centennial Center Blvd., near Ann Road and U.S. 95, opened several weeks ago and had a grand-opening celebration March 24.

The store’s opening marks a return to the Las Vegas market, which Sportsman’s Warehouse was forced to leave in 2009 when the Midvale, Utah-based company entered bankruptcy and closed 43 stores around the country.

“We’re ecstatic to be back,” said Karen Seaman, the company’s chief marketing officer.

The company briefly operated two locations in Southern Nevada, one in Henderson and the other at the Ann Road and U.S. 95 location, before closing both during bankruptcy proceedings, she said.

Although the early signs were promising, Seaman said, the company chose to close its Southern Nevada locations because it didn’t have a well-established presence in the market.

“We could see there was definitely traction in the market and that it would be a good (location),” Seaman said. “In 2009, we didn’t have the financial ability to make it work how we wanted to.”

Now out of bankruptcy, the company has opened five new locations in the past several years, bringing its total to 31 nationwide, with another store scheduled to open next month in Virginia.

Seaman said Sportsman’s Warehouse would bring an unmatched level of customer service to the Las Vegas sporting goods market and that its 50,000-square-foot store would make for a convenient shopping experience.

“We live what we sell. … You’re going to get knowledgeable sales associates that use our products,” she said. “You walk in and you can find what you want.”

Seaman said the Las Vegas store’s grand-opening event drew a positive response from customers, but it’s too soon to say whether it would open anymore locations in the valley.

“We always are looking to grow in the market,” she said. “Since we just reopened, we’ll give this one some time with a full inventory to get to know the market and to get to know the customers.”

source from: lasvegassun

William Thompson, an emeritus professor of public administration and a longtime observer of the local casino industry, addressed the CEO-CFO Group of Las Vegas Thursday, summarizing a public presentation he made at the Macau Polytechnic Institute in October after a two-month stay there as a visiting scholar.

Thompson said Las Vegas would benefit from Macau’s success in the long run because many Chinese visitors would eventually make trips to Southern Nevada after visiting casinos operated by American companies Las Vegas Sands, Wynn Resorts and MGM Resorts International.

“It’s interesting that while Macau has also been called ‘the Las Vegas of the East,’ Las Vegas has never been called ‘the Macau of the West,’” Thompson said. “Las Vegas has always been ahead in entertainment, shopping and all forms of tourism.”

Thompson said the tourism infrastructure would enable Las Vegas to maintain its place as an appealing destination while Macau could languish if it doesn’t diversify its product.

Over the past three or four decades, several casino venues have seen their revenue decline because of “player fatigue” — a decline in high-roller traffic because players tire of the destination. Thompson said Macau also was susceptible to increased Asian competition from Singapore, South Korea, the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, India and Japan.

Macau is in a location that could suffer in an earthquake, tsunami or typhoon, and it’s also in a volatile political region at a time when trade disparities between the United States and China could become an issue.

Las Vegas has diversified its tourism product over time, and that has resulted in gambling win representing a smaller percentage of Strip revenue. Thompson said in 1989, gambling winnings represented 59 percent of the revenue resorts generated on the Strip. By 2010, that percentage had fallen to 38.7 percent.

Thompson said the percentage of revenue attributed to casino play is 90 percent in Macau.

Casino revenue in Macau, generated primarily by Chinese high-rollers at baccarat tables in the city’s 34 casinos, was important to the American companies operating there to survive the recession. Thompson said had it not been for the gaming revenue generated in Macau, he suspects Las Vegas Sands, Wynn and MGM would have had to file for bankruptcy protection.

Macau could still change course and challenge Las Vegas for tourism revenue if it pursues some infrastructure and philosophical changes.

Thompson said Macau should embrace its history as a Portuguese colony to attract tourists and improve its transportation and pedestrian access. Las Vegas succeeds as a resort city because the Strip is conducive to foot traffic and visitors often make it to five or six casinos every trip. In Macau, most gamblers plant themselves at a single casino and most don’t stay overnight.

Thompson also said if Macau would develop a beach, it could attract tourists who enjoy spending time in the sun. He said Macau should conduct research about the feasibility of developing eco-tours and walking and biking trails.

Thanks to Las Vegas Sands and the Venetian Macao, the city has begun to drum up business as a convention destination. Thompson said Macau also is ripe for medical tourism with the number of hotel rooms increasing, particularly on the Cotai Strip, and several specialty medical facilities moving to the city

source from: vegasinc

The east valley mall was a hit. Management even buried near Macy’s a 100-year time capsule, reflecting a vision of longevity.

Time, population growth, competition and the recent recession have all but made those days of the Boulevard mall as the hot spot in town a distant memory, much like the items stuffed into that time capsule.

But today, the mall at Maryland Parkway and Twain Avenue is enjoying a resurgence, thanks to the influences of a handful of Hispanic-related community organizations — the Mexican Patriotic Committee, the Hispanic Museum of Nevada and the Mexico Vivo Dance Studio and Cultural Arts Center. Now, Boulevard mall is a hub of Las Vegas’ Hispanic community.

Management at the Boulevard mall recognized how the demographics of East Las Vegas had changed in the past four decades and how the economy has suffered over the past four years. It altered its philosophy to help bring about changes at the mall.

Instead of the grandeur of the mall and its well-known anchor stores as the main attractions, mall management has worked to move in the community organizations, to bring back the traffic and vibrancy.

“There has been a demographic shift that is very typical of a lot of Southwestern cities,” said Ric Jimenez, the mall’s general manager. “It was once a cosmopolitan, upper-middle-class area in the ’60s and ’70s when the mall was built. Because of urban sprawl, people started leaving the core of the city for bedroom communities like Green Valley and Summerlin. There was an ethnic shift, and socioeconomically, we are a lot different now.”

Jimenez added that the mall’s trade area, a five-mile radius around the property, is now 45 percent Hispanic.

In recent years the mall has become a site for popular Hispanic community events, including hosting an “American Idol”-type reality show, “La Academia,” produced last year by TV Azteca; Fiestas Patrias, the celebration of Mexico’s independence; and the Cinco de Mayo festival.

Besides the demographic changes, the retail market also has shifted underneath the mall. Retail vacancies in Las Vegas have tripled since 2006 and showed little improvement in 2011, according to a report from local advisory firm Applied Analysis.

Vacant shops still pepper the linoleum halls of the mall, and one of Boulevard’s anchors, Dillard’s, closed in 2008. It has yet to be replaced.

“With vacancies, we look at them as opportunities to become more relevant in the community,” Jimenez said. “People are coming to this mall now that haven’t come to the mall in years, and they are seeing what we have to offer.”

The first community organization, the Mexican Patriotic Committee, moved into the mall in October 2011. Then, in early 2012, both the Hispanic Museum of Nevada and the Mexico Vivo Dance Studio and Cultural Arts Center took over vacant spots in the mall.

Jimenez said working with community organizations and events was a philosophy the Boulevard mall’s parent company, Rouse Properties, has embraced. Management also is talking to more community organizations, not just Hispanic ones, about space in the mall. Jiminez said the mall could see more new tenants this year.

The Mexican Patriotic Committee is not a typical shopping mall tenant.

“Our main goal is to work with youth through various programs to give them a better future,” said committee President Marycarmen Ruiz.

The committee offers a variety of afterschool and parents programs, including dance instruction and seminars on domestic violence; alcohol, drug and gang prevention; financial management; and preparing for college. It also puts on major community events, such as the March 24 Spring Festival and Cinco de Mayo festival, both of which will be at the mall.

The Mexican Patriotic Committee began in 1980, but for much of its existence, the organization operated out of the offices of Spanish-language weekly newspaper El Mundo, which was owned by one of the committee’s founders, Eddie Escobedo Sr. Ruiz wanted to find a permanent location where the Mexican Patriotic Committee could have classes and other events, and she approached the mall management.

“The management really opened doors for us,” Ruiz said. “We are a nonprofit organization, and they recognized our vision and what we are trying to do and worked with us. The management team has been totally supportive and offered a super-discounted rate.”

The small store the committee took over was a former insurance agency that could only be accessed from the mall’s exterior. It had been vacant for five years, Ruiz said.

Chris Connell, a senior sales associate in the retail division of Colliers International, said filling vacancies, even at discounted rents, is a sound strategy as long as the mall operators do not lock themselves into long-term leases.

“Right now I think it’s a function of capturing whatever revenue you can,” Connell said. “Boulevard was hit exceptionally hard in this downturn. Their efforts to increase revenue are smart. Clearly, for the Boulevard mall, given the community they are in, this strategy absolutely makes sense for them.”

Connell added that while retail leasing increased slightly in the fourth quarter of 2011, the market has since softened and Boulevard should not expect a boost from retail shops wanting to fill its vacancies anytime soon.

The shops also have changed with the neighborhood’s demographics. Customers can now get piñatas, Mexican-style candy and quinceañera dresses at Boulevard.

Mexico Vivo Dance Studio and Cultural Arts Center is the latest organization to move in. Founder and director Ixela Gutierrez said she had a much smaller space in downtown Las Vegas, and her new 6,380-square-foot space, while a bit more expensive, has allowed her to offer more programs and provide a performance area for local groups. In July, the dance studio will put on a three-day international dance festival at the mall.

While there is a cost for many of the dance and other classes, the studio also offers a free, weekly dance class for diabetics.

“It has been wonderful,” Gutierrez said of the move. “We have gone from 80 or 90 students to 150, we can store all of our costumes, and all the new activity has added some life to the mall.”

Kenny Ngo, a salesman at the Boulevard mall’s Glamour Nails, agrees.

“It has been really slow for years, and it’s still slow,” Ngo said. “I have seen more people coming through for some of these events and new programs. I think it’s a good idea, and it creates a more positive atmosphere.”

The Hispanic Museum of Nevada contains exhibits from almost every Spanish-speaking country, and many of the works are for sale and come from local artists. The museum has also started live art exhibitions on a regular basis since its move.

Museum volunteer Iris Guzman-Morales said she lived in Las Vegas in the early ’70s when the Boulevard mall was “the mall” in town.

“I left after that and then came to Vegas in 1987. I thought I’d never go to the Boulevard mall again. I didn’t like what was at the mall, and I thought the prices weren’t right. I didn’t come here for over 20 years.”

Then, Guzman-Morales offered to cover at the museum for the director, Lynette Sawyer, who is a good friend. Guzman-Morales was “reintroduced” to the mall and saw it in a different light.

“I see it as one hand washing the other,” Guzman-Morales said. “Those who never came to the mall to shop have come for the museum and are staying to shop. Those who maybe never went to the museum are coming to the mall to shop and checking out the museum. It’s all very symbiotic, and I think that’s neat.”

source from: lasvegassun

Strip nightclubs take eight of the first 10 places in a ranking of the top 100 nightclubs and bars in the country, based on revenue, according to a recent report from trade publication Nightclub & Bar. It also hosts the convention and trade show held Monday through Wednesday at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

In all, 22 businesses in Las Vegas made the top 100 list, with 15 of them in the top 30. The ranking is based on estimates of the establishment’s total revenue in 2011.

Nightclub & Bar said the entire group of 100 venues brought in $1.4 billion last year, a 9.2 percent increase from the prior year. As a whole, the bar and nightclub industry saw a 1 percent growth in revenue in 2011, the group said.

The top spot on the list went to Marquee, the new nightclub and dayclub at The Cosmopolitan.

The $60 million venue, which opened in December 2010, generated more than $70 million in 2011, a record for the Nightclub & Bar list.

Marquee was one of 22 venues that were newcomers to the list, showing these establishments “immediately attracted crowds, realizing and then sustaining significant revenue.”

The rest of the top 10 venues in the nation with their estimated revenue were:

2. XS, inside Encore, with revenues of $60 million to $70 million.

3. TAO, inside the Venetian, $60 million to $70 million.

4. Pure, in Caesar’s Palace, $45 million to $60 million.

5. LIV in Miami Beach, Fla., $35 million to $45 million.

6. LAX, in the Luxor, $60 million to $70 million.

7. Haze, in Aria, $35 million to $45 million.

8. Surrender, at Encore, $35 million to $45 million.

9. The Bank, in the Bellagio, $25 million to $35 million.

10. LAVO, in New York City, $25 million to $35 million.

The other Las Vegas venues on the top 100 list were:

12. LAVO, in the Palazzo, $25 million to $35 million.

13. Tryst, inside Wynn, $25 million to $35 million.

19. Vanity, at the Hard Rock Hotel, $15 million to $25 million.

20. Ghostbar, at the Palms, $15 million to $25 million.

21. Drai’s Afterhours, in Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall, $15 million to $25 million.

23. Moon, in Palms, $10 million to $15 million.

30. The Gold Lounge, In Aria, $10 million to $15 million.

35. Playboy Club, at the Palms, $10 million to $15 million.

42. Rain, at the Palms, $10 million to $15 million.

46. the Chandelier Bar, at the Cosmopolitan, $10 million to $15 million.

59. Studio 54, formerly at the MGM Grand, $5 million to $10 million.

60. Krave, at Planet Hollywood, $5 million to $10 million.

67. Stoney’s Rockin’ Country, $5 million to $10 million.

81. Lagasse’s Stadium, at the Palazzo, $5 million to $10 million.

source from: lasvegassun

But finding new ways to cater to specific communities and bring in guests isn’t a novel idea for Las Vegas casinos. In fact, it’s a necessity.

With casinos offering the same basic products — beds, food, entertainment and a place to gamble — finding ways to differentiate a property is crucial, said Anthony Curtis, president ofLasVegasAdvisor.com.

Casinos “are looking for ways to appeal to a group that maybe the guy down the street isn’t doing,” Curtis said. “Essentially, they have to differentiate, they have to pick areas to specialize in.”

Whether it’s adding menu items, arranging special events or providing diversity training for staff, casinos are always looking for new ways to reach out to niche audiences.

Here’s a look at some of the different groups casinos are trying to court:

It’s no secret Asian visitors to Las Vegas are a coveted audience for most casinos. But while many properties hire floor staff versed in several foreign languages or roll out the decorations for Chinese New Year, others like Palace Station make catering to Asian guests a year-round focus.

Unique offerings like the option to order tableside dim sum while gambling or the large number of tables offering less-mainstream games like no commission baccarat help distinguish Palace Station, said Vik Mahajan, the casino’s vice president and general manager.

“We understand and respect the culture, and I think that gives us a very strong edge against the competition,” Mahajan said.

Palace Station and other nearby casinos like Gold Coast and the Rio benefit from their proximity to China Town, Curtis said, and have responded in part by adding restaurants to appeal to Asian guests.

LGBT

Tucked toward the bottom of the Luxor’s website is a link marked “LGBT.” One click and visitors are taken to a page designed specifically for lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender guests.

The Luxor has been marketing to the gay community for more than a decade through advertisements, special events and travel packages, said Brad Goldberg, vice president of marketing for the Luxor and theExcalibur.

“It’s been an underserved segment in Las Vegas for many years, and we felt it was a market we could provide a positive experience for,” Goldberg said.

In addition to its weekly Temptation Sundays pool party, the Luxor also schedules events throughout the year aimed at appealing to the LGBT crowd.

Around town, other casinos are finding ways to cater to gay tourists — Paris has a special LGBT section of its website, Wynn and Encore feature a Pride Concierge dedicated to helping gay guests, and boutiques like Rumor have introduced pool parties and other amenities.

Before it was dubbed Las Vegas’ “cowboy casino” by the new Travel Channel television series “Vegas Stripped,” the South Point Casino had a long history of attracting tourists who are more likely to be wearing a pair of boots and a 10-gallon hat.

In addition to 1,200 stalls available for horses, South Point features a 4,600-seat, indoor equestrian center that hosts events throughout the year.

The casino is always a hot-spot each December when the National Finals Rodeo comes to town, but its event center is booked year-round with different horse shows, rodeos and breeder events.

Generation Y

With Las Vegas quickly becoming a top destination for 20-somethings looking to party a weekend away at the pool or at a nightclub, several casinos have long positioned themselves for the “hip, cool, pool crowd,” Curtis said.

The Palms made a name for itself as the host of MTV’s “Real World,” and has capitalized on that notoriety with the addition of several popular nightclubs and some of the city’s wildest parties at its day clubs. Both the Palms and the Hard Rock, another popular stop for the younger crowd, feature mid-sized concert venues that draw popular acts from a range of genres.

source from: lasvegassun

The league made the announcement Saturday at all-star weekend festivities in Ottawa, Ontario.

This year’s awards show will be June 20 at Wynn Las Vegas’ Encore Theater. It will be a venue change for the event, which has been staged at the Palms’ Pearl Theater for the past three years.

The NHL also announced it would expand its list of local events for fans and visitors throughout the city this year in conjunction with the awards show. League officials said details would be announced in the months ahead.

“Las Vegas knows energy, entertainment and star power — elements that our players display every night,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a release announcing the contract extension. “The city, the Wynn and the Encore Theater will provide a spectacular setting for our end-of-season festivities over the next three years.”

Ticket information, travel packages and a list of award nominees and celebrity guests, presenters and entertainers also will be announced in the coming months on the league’s website.

The awards show, televised live in the United States on Versus and in Canada on CBC, includes a convergence of the league’s best players and entertainers from Hollywood and Las Vegas.

The league hands out several awards at the show, including most valuable player (Hart Trophy), outstanding goaltender (Verzina Trophy), the outstanding defenseman (Norris Trophy), the outstanding rookie (Calder Trophy) and the most outstanding player (Ted Lindsay Award).

Las Vegas first hosted the NHL awards in 2009 after the event was staged for several years in Toronto. Las Vegas also has capitalized on being the home of NASCAR’s end-of-the-season award events.

NASCAR and the NHL have found that a Las Vegas event generates strong media attention and fan participation for their sports.

The hosting of the NHL’s awards show has occasionally fueled speculation that Las Vegas could be in line for getting an NHL franchise, but the league currently has no expansion plans and last year, one U.S. franchise, the Atlanta Thrashers, moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba.

source form: vegasinc

Some people might go overboard with drinks on the Strip. Others will dance the night away in clubs.Foodies will almost certainly ring in 2012 with good eats.

Strip restaurants are rolling out the red carpet to accommodate them with holiday buffets and prix fixe meals.

Here’s a look at some of Las Vegas’ most expensive New Year’s Eve dining options and what $300, $400, $500 or more will buy you:

source form: lasvegassun

Those are just a handful of the celeb hosts in town for what has become one of the biggest nights in the world of Las Vegas nightlife.

Start planning now as many venues do sell out early. Remember to call your venue of choice ahead of time to confirm ticket prices as they vary by day and are typically higher than usual on New Year’s Eve. Wherever you end up, party safely and salute the new year in style!

DEC. 30:

Alistair Overeem’s after fight party: UFC fighter Alistair Overeem hosts his after fight party at Surrender following his showdown with Brock Lesnar at UFC 141. Lil Jon and Sidney Samson will provide the sounds.

Nate Diaz and Ronald Ortiz-Magro: Nate Diaz hosts his after fight party at Gallery following his showdown with Donald Cerrone at UFC 141.Jersey Shore star Ronnie Ortiz-Magro will help the fighter get the party started.

Iron Maidens: The world’s only female tribute to Iron Maiden, Iron Maidens, kicks off New Year’s weekend festivities at Green Valley Ranch.

Dirty South Australian DJ/remixer/record producer Dirty South has headlined at both Coachella and the Electronic Daisy Carnival and now he’ll entertain the masses at Tao the night before NYE.

SCOTT HARRISON/RETNA/HARRISONPHOTOS.COM

Arianny Celeste at the 2011 Fighters Only World Mixed Martial Arts Awards red carpet at the Palms on Nov. 30, 2011.

Arianny Celeste: UFC ring girl and Maxim andPlayboy cover model Arianny Celeste hosts at Rok Vegas after the big UFC 141 fight at MGM Grand.

The Ryan Whyte Maloney Band: The Ryan Whyte Maloney Band performs at Lynyrd Skynyrd BBQ & Beer at the Excalibur to begin ushering in the new year.

Sebastian Ingrosso: Swedish-raised DJ and producer Sebastian Ingrosso released his first official remix back in 1999. Now he is also one third of DJ super-group the Swedish House Mafia, along with friends Axwell and Steve Angello. He’ll get NYE weekend started at XS.

RYU after-fight party: RYU (Respect Yourself Universe) hosts an after-fight party at Tryst featuring a DJ set by DJ Pizzo.

Good Charlotte and The Situation: Good Charlotte will kick off the biggest weekend of the year at Chateau Nightclub & Gardens with a concert. Following the pop punk tunes, catch Jersey Shorereality star Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino as he hosts the evening at Chateau and accepts a gift of a specialty motocross dirt bike from extreme sports retailer, HeadRush, next door at Sugar Factory.

Pauly D: Jersey Shore’s favorite DJ, Pauly D, gets the party started at the Hard Rock’s Absolution Weekend with a DJ set at Vanity.

DEC. 31:

NYE at the Venetian and Palazzo bars: At the Venetian and Palazzo, Fusion Mixology Bar, Laguna Champagne Bar, Salute Lounge, Oculus and La Scena will host Midnight Mix, an open bar from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., with select premium liquor, sparkling wine, Red Bull and domestic beer for $100.

 

Vanessa Williams

Vanessa Williams: Enjoy An Evening with Vanessa Williams to start your year off on a musical note. The R&B artist performs her hits like “The Right Stuff”, “Dreamin’”, “Save the Best for Last” and “Colors of the Wind.”

Prestige NYE: Prestige, located on the 23rd floor of The Palazzo, offers a great view of the Strip fireworks. Enjoy an open bar from 10 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., light bites and a champagne toast at midnight, plus a live band. Ticket prices are $146.10 for general admission, excluding window tables, which start at $800 and seat up to four guests. For reservations, call The Palazzo at 702-607-2130.

Révellion: Celebrate Révellion at Sushisamba. The Brazilian-inspired New Year’s Eve party features DJs, samba dancers and drummers. A la carte menus will feature a selection of signature items in addition to New Year’s Eve specials. Menu items include seared American wagyu beef, wagyu and foie gyoza, Japanese-style salt and pepper mongo ika, taquitos, Maine lobster, filet mignon, Chilean seabass, a variety of signature rolls, yellowtail ceviche and an assortment of sashimi ceviches and tiraditos. Call 702-607-0700 for reservations.

NYE at V Bar: V Bar counts down with entertainment from a special guest video DJ spinning mash ups, hip-hop, top 40, dance and house music. Tables are available in the main room or VIP room and include one bottle of champagne. For table reservations, call 702-414-3200.

DJ Swerve: Sushi Roku offers its regular menu from 4-8 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. From 10 p.m. until 2 a.m., enjoy an open bar New Year’s Eve party. The $50 open bar tickets are available for purchase for dinner guests, and $100 tickets are available for those just interested in the party. Tables are $1,000 and include two bottles and open bar tickets for up to four people. Enjoy music from DJ Swerve.

NYE dinner and drinks: Sugar Factory American Brasserie at Paris Las Vegas will feature dining and drink packages. Executive Chef Michael Sellmann has created a four-course prix-fixe menu with prices beginning at $150. An additional cocktail package is also available, priced at $100. Reservations may be made by email, with manager Roland Paz, at roland.paz@sugarfactory.com.

Skip The Strip: Silverton invites guests to “Skip The Strip” this New Year’s Eve Special and enjoy $10 all-you-can-drink domestic draft, well cocktails, wine and sparkling white wine at all casino bars along with food specials at Mermaid Restaurant & Lounge and Shady Grove Lounge for one night only.

Nadia Ali and Derrick Berry: Nadia Ali performs at Krave for NYE along with a special performance by Derrick Barry and Adama & Aboulaye of the Ivory Coast Dancers. Enjoy music from DJ Lightknife, DJ Michael Graves, DJ J. Diesel and DJ Morningstar. Other entertainers include aerial performers, twin brother porn stars Liam Luca Rosso, RuPaul’s Drag Race star Yara Sofia, plus DJ Chi Chi La Rue who will do the midnight countdown. Enjoy a free champagne toast, free hats, horns and tiaras plus a free breakfast buffet after 4 a.m.

Rob Kardashian: Not one to let his famous sisters steal the spotlight, reality TV star Rob Kardashian hosts the party at Tryst, featuring a DJ set from Dave Fogg.

TributePalooza: Fremont Street Experience’s New Year’s Eve celebration, the 4th Annual TributePalooza, goes from 6 p.m. until 2 a.m. and will feature two original bands Steel Panther and Rock Sugar, the world’s first metal-pop mashup band. There will also be music from 10 tribute bands, a 2011 year-in-review retrospective on the Viva Vision screen, a midnight countdown led by Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman and a fireworks show on the Viva Vision canopy. To celebrate the new year, FSE presents the premiere of Bon Jovi’s Viva Vision show at 10:45 p.m. Bon Jovi’s Cosmic Concert features three songs hand selected by Jon Bon Jovi: “It’s My Life,” “Who Says You Can’t Go Home” and “Livin’ On A Prayer.”

Steve Angello: The house DJ and producer (one-third of DJ trio Swedish House Mafia), Steve Angello, spins at XS Nightclub at Encore.

AL POWERS/POWERS IMAGERY

Laura Croft at Lavo in the Palazzo on Oct. 7, 2011.

Laura Croft: Ring in 2012 with Holly’s World co-star Laura Croft as she hosts at Crazy Horse III and Posh Boutique Nightclub. Revelers can enjoy an open bar from 9 p.m. until midnight, including a champagne toast at midnight. Locals can enjoy $99 bottles of champagne all night long. The celebration continues with the launch of Crazy Horse III’s industry appreciation breakfast from 4 until 8 a.m. featuring endless bloody marys, mimosas and breakfast food selections.

Buck 2011 party: PBR Rock Bar will count down to the New Year with a Buck 2011 offering partygoers a couple of options for ringing in the new year with either an indoor-only or a full-venue access party. Both options include an open bar of domestic drafts and well drinks from 9 p.m. to midnight. Guests will have the option of enjoying a buffet-style spread from 8 to 11 p.m. for an additional $25.

Holly Madison: Ring in the new year with one of Vegas’ favorite showgirls, Holly Madison. The Peepshow and Holly’s World star hosts at Gallery Nightclub.

Taryn Manning: Tabú Ultra Lounge welcomes actress Taryn Manning as she rings in 2012 with a special DJ set. Known for her roles in 8 Mile, Hustle & Flow, Crossroads, Crazy/Beautiful, Sons of Anarchy and Hawaii Five-O, the starlet has also been busy on the DJ scene with gigs at high-profile events including House of Hype’s Sundance and Coachella parties. Guests can enjoy an open bar from 9 to 11 p.m. while DJ Kid Jay mans the DJ booth.

NYE at Rumor: Rumor Boutique Hotel offers $6 glasses of champagne and $6 tapatizers from Addiction restaurant from 6 p.m. – midnight along with DJ music from 7 p.m. – 11 p.m.

NYE at Gold Spike: The Gold Spike Hotel and Casino hosts an open party on New Year’s Eve throughout the entire casino floor and lounge. From 11 p.m. – 4 a.m., dance to DJ music and win prizes. With the purchase of a drink, guests will receive a raffle ticket for a chance to win prizes varying from free future stays to food vouchers and Gold Spike logo apparel.

NYE at the Gold Coast: The Gold Coast celebrates with two parties. Check out a dance party with music from the group 360 in the Gold Coast Showroom. Admission is free with a two drink minimum. Guests can also choose the Noches Caliente Latin Dance Party in the Arizona Ballroom which is $15.

NYE at Sam’s Town: Party all day and all night for free at Sam’s Town where you can catch The Fab Beatles tribute band from 4-9 p.m. and Too Sharp from 10 p.m.-3:30 a.m., both in Roxy’s Lounge.

NYE at the Suncoast: Ring in the new year with a dauber in your hand at NYE bingo at the Suncoast. Doors open at 8 and the game starts at 9:30. Other Suncoast options include an earlier bingo session at 1 p.m., including free champagne and daubers for players, Voices 3 in the showroom at noon and Vegas Super Band in the showroom at 9 p.m., including a champagne toast and balloon drop. The Bowling Center also offers a special NYE edition of cosmic bowling with a DJ.

NYE celebration at The Orleans: Celebrate the new year at The Orleans with a New Year’s Eve Dance Party in the Mardi Gras Ballroom, including hors d’ oeuvres, open bar and party favors, priced at $75. If you’re in Brendan’s Irish Pub, catch a free show from Killian’s Angels at 9 p.m. The Bourbon Street Cabaret Lounge will offer a free show from HNLV at 9 p.m.

Bike bar hop: Drive This! Entertainment owners Craig Gilbert and Michael Frey will kick-off the end of the year celebration with an East Coast coutdown featuring a complimentary tequila shot at their Mexican restaurant, Tacos & Tequila, before heading to their newest venture, Lynyrd Skynyrd BBQ & Beer where the party features a live band, and the event will finish with a view of the fireworks and music from DJ A+ at their stylish cocktail lounge, Rhumbar, inside The Mirage. Guests can enjoy wine, beer and well cocktails at all three locations for only $175 per person.

NYE at Presidio: Ring in the new year at Presidio featuring a party with an open bar, the music of Jeremy Jones, unlimited appetizers, party favors and a champagne toast at midnight.

NYE at GVR: Green Valley Ranch offers up several options for NYE. Guests at the Lobby Bar can enjoy music from DJ Seany Mac from 8 p.m. until 2 a.m. Enjoy $99 bottles of Veuve Cliquot and $150 bottles of Belvedere plus an open bar option as well. At Ovation, enjoy music from Hyphy Crunk plus an open bar from 9 p.m. until midnight, for $75, $100 day of. At Quinn’s Irish Pub, the Rustyn Vaughan Lee Band will perform from 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. then Darby O’Gill & The Little People continues the party from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Get free entry with the $30 all-you-can-drink special from 9 p.m. to midnight.

ERIK KABIK/RETNA/WWW.ERIKKABIKPHOTO.COM

John Legend at the 2010 Retailer Awards, during CES 2010, in the Paris Ballroom at the Paris on Jan. 8, 2010.

John Legend: Crooner and pianist John Legend, famous for his tune “Ordinary People,” will take the stage at The Pearl at the Palms on New Year’s Eve. The soul singer recently put out an album calledWake Up! with The Roots. The official after party takes place at Moon Nightclub.

The Spectacular Spectacular: The Palms rings in the new year in a big way with parties at all their venues. After a three-year residency with his Perfecto Vegas show, Paul Oakenfold delivers one final Perfecto show at Rain. Over at Moon, catch the John Legend after party while downstairs at Playboy Club, enjoy a Playmate Takeover featuring the tunes of DJ Alie Layus plus Playmates Heather Smith, Tiffany Toth, Michelle McLaughlin, Quiana Chase and Iryna Ivanova. Miss Nevada USA, Sarah Chapman, hosts the party at Ghostbar. Choose one venue or get the VIP all access package to enjoy all four plus a hosted bar featuring Ketel One, Don Julio, 10 Cane Rum, Red Bull and Fiji water from 10 p.m. until 1 a.m.

Fergie: Black Eyed Peas star Fergie hosts the grand opening of 1 OAK Nightclub at Mirage. Enjoy music by Jesse Marco.

NYE at Beso: Party under the fireworks at CityCenter while enjoying an open bar from 9 p.m. until 2 a.m. at Beso. Please call 702-254-2376 for reservations.

Drink ’til You Drop party: Cathouse hosts Las Vegas’ official “Drink ’til You Drop” party from 8 p.m. until 6 a.m. featuring a guest DJ and open bar from 8 p.m. until 1 a.m.

F#@! 2011 party: Rockhouse wants partiers to forget all of what went down in 2011 with its “F#@! 2011” New Year’s Eve bash. All partygoers can enjoy an open bar from 9 p.m. until midnight leading up to a complimentary champagne toast to ring in 2012.

Club Curry: Body English opens its doors once again for a special NYE event: Club Curry. Enjoy an open bar from 9 p.m. until 2 a.m. plus music from Robin S., known for her hit “Show Me Love,” DJ Erez Bi, Nathan Scot and Brett Rubin. A portion of the proceeds benefit Child Focus.

Celebrate with Cirque: Spend New Year’s Eve at Gold Lounge with a night of visual experiences with Cirque du Soleil featuring an open bar from 9-11 p.m., a countdown and a champagne toast at midnight.

Collective Zoo’s Downtown Block Party: Ring in the new year Downtown at Party at Bar + Bistro at The Arts Factory and Artifice with Collective Zoo, featuring the sounds of three different DJs including DJ Zo from VegasStrEATS, MikeysWorld and Kid Conrad from the Griffin. Guests can also enjoy live reggae performed by Oneness Vibe and fire dancers at Bar + Bistro and the sounds of an acclaimed French DJ at The Artifice. The premium open bar package includes sponsored drinks from Bacardi and Martini & Rossi from 9-11 p.m. and a champagne toast for every U.S. time zone until the West Coast countdown at midnight.

Bottomless New Year’s Eve: No, that doesn’t mean you can party with your pants off. It means you can enjoy an open bar all night and unlimited VIP bottle service at Koi. Please call 702-287-0915 for pricing details and availability.

TOM DONOGHUE/DONOGHUEPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

Mary J. Blige at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 22, 2011.

Mary J. Blige: RPM Nightclub opens its doors with a nine-time Grammy winner and multi-platinum recording artist Mary J. Blige. The “Queen of Hip-Hop Soul” will celebrate the New Year as well as the success of her latest release, My Life II…The Journey Continues (Act 1). Her appearance also commemorates the launch of Saturdays: Unleashed with DJ sourMILK from LA’s Power 106. VIP general admission tickets including an open bar from 8-10 p.m. are $75 for women and $125 for men.

Bruno Mars: The pop artist scored seven Grammy nominations with his debut album, Doo-Wops & Hooligans, winning for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for the track “Just the Way You Are.” Catch him live at The Bank as he counts down to 2012.

NYE at Aliante: Aliante offers two ways to party. At ETA Lounge, DJ Silence spins from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m., with go-go dancers. Tickets are $25 at the door and military members receive a $5 discount with valid military ID. Access Showroom features the classic Journey sounds with DSB. Tickets are $15 in advance or $25 at the door, with the same military discount.

Yellow Brick Road: At The Railhead, Las Vegas-based classic rock tribute band Yellow Brick Road performs. Tickets are $24.95 in advance and $34.95 at the door and include a champagne toast at midnight. At KIXX Lounge, DJ Ania spins Top 40 and classic rock hits from 9 p.m. until 2 a.m.

NYE at Red Rock: At Rocks Lounge, guests can enjoy the alternative rock sounds of Franky Perez. DJ BKNY will ring in the New Year at Lucky Bar, beginning at 9:30 p.m. At Onyx Bar, Toto Zara performs Latin dance and soul music from 8 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.

NYE at Texas Station: Jerry Tiffe kicks off the celebrations early at South Padre, by bringing back the days of swing. Doors open at 1:30 p.m. and the cover is $10 at the door. True-2-Crue will continue the party at South Padre starting at 8 p.m. and tickets are $15. Entry includes a champagne toast at midnight. Over at A-Bar, Darrin Michaels performs jazz from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Guests can enjoy the sounds of Betsy Holm from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Garage Bar and Sideshow performs classics and the latest hits inside Martini Lounge from 9 p.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Titanic-theme NYE: Rí Rá Las Vegas celebrates New Year’s Eve with two toasts to the New Year. In addition to the traditional midnight toast, the pub will ring in the Irish New Year at 4 p.m. The pub will celebrate this special occasion by hosting a Titanic-themed party. Attendees are encouraged to dress in their best ship passenger attire, as first-class, second-class or steerage passengers, with the best costumes winning prizes. The Shamrock Rovers perform from 9:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m., blending traditional Irish ballads and tunes with contemporary songs. During the party, Rí Rá will feature Titanic-themed menu items, including brie en croute, filet mignon Lili, baked Haddock and shepherd’s pie. Drink specials include $5 Black Velvets (champagne and Guinness) during the party.

ANGELA WEISS | WIREIMAGE

Scott Disick and Kourtney Kardashian at Chateau at Paris on 4th of July weekend.

Kourtney Kardashian & The Madden twins: After Good Charlotte performs Friday night at Chateau, Good Charlotte’s twin brothers, Benji and Joel Madden, will perform a special DJ set on the rooftop of Chateau Gardens to ring in 2012 along with reality TV stars Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick from Keeping Up With The Kardashians.

Tyga and Bobby Valentino: Ring in the new year with performances by Tyga and Bobby Valentino. Tyga, a Compton native, got his start with help from his cousin Travis McCoy of Gym Class Heroes. He recently released the album Careless World. R&B artist Bobby Valentino, known for the hit single “Slow Down,” also performs.

LMFAO: LMFAO brings the Party Rock scene to Haze to ring in the new year. If you’re sexy and you know it, get to the Aria Nightclub to show everyone that you’re in Las Vegas for NYE, b!*@&.

Chris Brown: Hang with the “Beautiful People” at Pure as Chris Brown performs his hits and counts down to midnight. Guests can enjoy a view of the Strip’s fireworks show from the outdoor patio.

Stevie Wonder: The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas starts the new year with a classic with the legendary Stevie Wonder performing at The Chelsea.

Old School New Year’s Eve Party: The Las Vegas Hilton presents the Second Annual Old School New Year’s Eve Party in the hotel’s ballroom featuring timeless music, dancing and a champagne toast.

B.o.B: Producer and rapper B.o.B, known for tracks like “Nothin’ on You”, “Airplanes” and “Magic,” performs at LAX.

NYE dinner and party: VooDoo Steak and VooDoo Rooftop Nightclub offers a view the Las Vegas skyline from the 50th floor of the Rio. Voodoo Steak will offer a New Year’s Eve menu created by Chef Mecinas and seatings are available at 8:45 p.m., 9:15 p.m. and 9:45 p.m., priced at $200 per person for non-window seating and $250 per person for window seating. The package includes the table for the night, dinner, taxes and gratuities, three premium cocktails or glasses of wine per person, non-alcoholic beverages and souvenir menus. Guests will also receive access to the 50th floor patio to view firework displays across the Las Vegas valley along with a champagne toast at midnight and access to the Voodoo Rooftop Nightclub after midnight. Please call 702-777-7816 for reservations. DJ Coco, DJ Jay Brea and DJ Hollywood will spin all night upstairs at the nightclub. Admission is $100 pre-sale and $150 at the door. Open bar packages are available for $150 per person.

ANGELA WEISS/WIREIMAGE

Pamela Anderson celebrates her birthday at Chateau Nightclub & Gardens at Paris Las Vegas on July 30, 2011.

Pamela Anderson: Blonde bombshell Pamela Anderson will host at Studio 54 while DJ Greg Lopez spins. After 14 years in Las Vegas, the club will be closing its doors early next year so don’t miss your chance to spend one last New Year’s Eve there.

M Resort’s NYE celebration: The M Resort Spa Casino will once again host its annual New Year’s Eve celebration. Guests can enjoy complimentary party favors and cake and champagne stations throughout the property. Evening entertainers include dancers and DJs starting at 9 p.m. followed by ’80s tribute band Loveshack at 10 p.m. in Ravello. Lowkey Junction performs in the Lobby Bar starting at 9 p.m., DJ Simon spins in M Bar starting at 9 p.m. and veteran DJ Arty spins at the Hostile Grape starting at 9 p.m.

Guns N’ Roses: Legendary rockers Guns N’ Roses are doing their first US tour in 5 years and the final shows will round out the year at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. The band will perform a two and a half hour show with all of their hits.

Kaskade: For its one-year anniversary, Marquee invites Kaskade back to light up the dance floor with his signature anthemic house music. Recently voted “America’s Best DJ” in DJ Times, Kaskade will bring all his energy to the Cosmopolitan’s nightclub for a year-ending bash.

NYE at Blue Martini: Blue Martini closes out the year with a party featuring live entertainment all night plus a champagne toast at midnight. The full menu will be available all night. Please call 702-949-2583 for table reservations.

New Year’s Eve Gala: Panevino offers a gala celebration beginning with a five-course dinner at 9:30 followed by live entertainment featuring The Essence Trio. At midnight, guests can enjoy a panoramic view of the Las Vegas skyline and the fireworks show. Elegant attire is recommended. Please call 702-222-2400 for reservations.

DENISE TRUSCELLO/WIREIMAGE/DENISETRUSCELLO.NET

The Kardashian Khaos grand opening red carpet celebration at the Mirage with Kim Kardashian on Dec. 15, 2011.

Kim Kardashian: After a year in the headlines, reality star Kim Kardashian of Keeping Up With The Kardashians seeks to make some more as she hosts the night at Tao Nightclub at the Venetian.

Iyaz: Iyaz performs live at Revolution Lounge. Enjoy songs like “So Big”, “Solo” and “Replay.” Guests can enjoy a hosted bar from 9-11 p.m.

Will.i.am: Black Eyed Peas singer Will.i.am spins at Surrender along with DJ Ammo. Enjoy an open bar fro 9-11 p.m.

NYE at Cabo Wabo: Celebrate New Year’s Eve with a great view of the Strip at Cabo Wabo Cantina in Miracle Mile Shops. For guests seeking the complete dining experience, Cabo Wabo will offer a three-course dinner menu and midnight champagne toast on the patio, available for $100 per person. Partygoers looking to send off 2011 with a bang can purchase Cabo Wabo’s upstairs open bar package, available from 9 p.m. to midnight for $100 person. An indoor all-you-can-eat buffet will also be offered for $75 per person. An ultimate New Year’s Eve package that includes the upstairs open bar and buffet is available for $150. For reservations, please call 702-385-2226.

Dinner at Mood and Artisan Afterhours: Celebrate the New Year with a four-course dinner and party at the Artisan Hotel Boutique. Admission includes a four-course dinner at Mood, glass of champagne and entrance to the Ultra Lounge New Year’s Eve Party. Enjoy music from DJ M!keattack and Stellar. Seatings for dinner are at 8:30 p.m., 9 p.m., and 9:30 p.m. Early Bird seating for just the dinner at Mood is $50 per person at either 5:30 p.m., 6 p.m. or 6:30 p.m. If guest just wish to attend the party in the lounge and enjoy a champagne toast, entry is $30 for men and $20 for ladies from 8 p.m. – 2 a.m. and then after 2 a.m. there is no cover for Artisan Afterhours.

Robbie Rivera: The Puerto Rican house DJ spins at Vanity Nightclub at the Hard Rock as part of their Absolution Weekend.

JAN. 1:

Lingerie and Smoking Jacket Brunch: On December 31st and January 1st, Rumor Boutique Hotel will host a Lingerie and Smoking Jacket Brunch. Stay in your comfy pajamas or nightgown for brunch at Rumor and receive a Rumor Logo t-Shirt.

Brandon Kent: Brandon Kent spins at the first Ghostbar Sunday of the year. Start 2012 off with a little local house music.

source form: lasvegassun

But don’t get the wrong idea. This isn’t another tale of naughtiness in Las Vegas.

The little something is exercise gear. Erikson’s only dates will be with her husband. And the way the couple get their heartbeats racing is to run the Rock ’n’ Roll Las Vegas Marathon, where Erikson makes sure to hit a chapel along the route to observe the anniversary of her wedding and renew her vows.

“I’m usually in a white running skirt, and my husband has a tuxedo jacket,” said Erikson, who lives in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. “I tell people that I had 20,000 people at my wedding.”

This year, even more people will join Erikson and her husband, Tom, on their anniversary. The marathon is expected to attract 40,000 runners – part of a new and growing breed of tourists who come to Las Vegas not for the all-you-can-eat buffets and around-the-clock cocktail service, but to run 26.2 miles, scramble up the side of a cliff or take part in other healthy and competitive activities.

Bouldering is challenging blackjack. Fatness is giving way to fitness. And the city’s tourism marketers are taking note.

Consider:

• The Las Vegas Marathon and Half Marathon, held in December and sponsored by Zappos.com, will attract more than 40,000 runners who will get the opportunity to run the Las Vegas Strip under the lights of the resorts’ marquees in the world’s largest nighttime running event. The first race on the Strip drew 15,000 runners.

• More than 42,000 softball players on more than 450 teams will be in the city for tournaments that run throughout the year.

• At the end of this week, the Nevada Silverman Triathlon will bring 5,000 athletes who will swim a 4-kilometer course in Lake Las Vegas, bicycle 120 kilometers along Lake Mead and run 30 kilometers to the Henderson Multigenerational Center in Green Valley. There’s a half-triathlon for the wimps.

• The Mayor’s Cup International Soccer Tournament will bring in some of the city’s favorite guests — the ones who travel overseas to get here and usually spend extra time and money on their trips.

• The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority turned Cashman Center into a 60-lane bowling center for 154 days so that the city could host 85,000 bowlers on 17,200 teams for the U.S. Bowling Congress Open Championships in 2009. It was the second-best attended tournament in the organization’s history. The LVCVA hopes to bring the championships back to the city, but the event is committed to Baton Rouge, La., next year, El Paso, Texas, in 2015, and Reno in 2013, 2014 and 2016.

• Red Rock Canyon, Mount Charleston and Mount Potosi are acknowledged as world-class rock-climbing areas, and local enthusiasts are promoting competitive climbing events.

• More than 45,000 high-school basketball players came to Las Vegas last year for several elite-level tournaments. It doesn’t matter that high school students can’t gamble or take part in the city’s adult attractions. Their parents can.

• And you think dancers aren’t athletes? Think again. Not only are participants in the World Hip Hop Dance Championship skilled gymnasts, but the rapidly growing event has outgrown one host hotel and now has its finals at the Orleans Arena. This year’s event was in July. Just as Dallas is trying to steal the National Finals Rodeo from Las Vegas, other cities are trying to lure the hip hop competition away.

“People have a passion for their sports, and they will travel to participate in them if given the opportunity,” said Julian Dugas, director of sports marketing for the LVCVA. “They love their events and they enjoy Las Vegas. It’s like a vacation, and they’re doing what they love.”

The beauty of Las Vegas is that it has 150,000 hotel rooms and can accommodate just about any event, recreation-oriented or otherwise. Dugas said because a competition, game, stage or activity usually takes a few hours at most, that leaves plenty of time for participants to enjoy the city’s other diversions.

On average, the LVCVA says fitness tourists spend about $645 per trip in the city.

•••

The marathon’s change to a night race will play right into the bottom line of the city’s resorts.

In the early days of the marathon, first run in 1967, the race started in the predawn hours and was run from Jean into Las Vegas along Las Vegas Boulevard South.

When San Diego-based Competitor Group Inc. took over as owner and operator of the marathon in 2008, it put the rebranded Las Vegas event in its Rock ’n’ Roll Marathon Series of 24 races in North America the following year.

Scott Dickey, president of Competitor Group, saw an opportunity to interest runners with a course along the iconic Strip.

“It was a lengthy process trying to convince partners on the Strip that it was a risk worth taking,” Dickey said. “But when we brought the Rock ’n’ Roll brand to town, I think we all knew we were on to something.”

In the first time the race was staged on a Sunday morning on the Strip, participation doubled to about 20,000 runners. But organizers had a bold idea — to run the race at night just as Strip lights were coming on.

Although some property owners were nervous about the idea of shutting down the resort corridor’s primary thoroughfare, they decided to take the gamble, convinced that the inconvenience of the street closure would be made up for with additional room nights and amenity spending by participants and their fans.

They were right.

More than a month before the Dec. 4 race, more than 38,000 people have registered to run. Dickey expects the final count will be around 43,000. It’s the third-largest race on the Rock ’n’ Roll circuit behind the New York City 10K and close behind the Chicago Half Marathon. Dickey thinks that by 2012, the Las Vegas event could pass New York and become the circuit’s largest race in North America. (If you were wondering, the New York City Marathon and Boston Marathon are not part of the Rock ’n’ Roll circuit.)

Entries to the full marathon will be capped at 5,000 runners, who must have run the distance in 4.5 hours to qualify. The remainder of the participants will run the half-marathon. Both the marathon, which will start at 4 p.m., and the half-marathon, at 5:30, will start at Mandalay Bay and will include a run to downtown Las Vegas and back. The late start and the after-race parties virtually assure that participants will stay an extra night.

Organizers anticipate that supporters of the runners will crowd the Strip. Street closures and crowd control will be like a dress rehearsal for New Year’s Eve when revelers pack the street.

Oh, and one added complication: The National Finals Rodeo will be town at the same time as the race.

Pat Christenson, president and CEO of Las Vegas Events which develops major events for the city, said NFR has stepped up to make the two events work.

“On that Sunday, the rodeo will move to the afternoon,” Christenson said. “Rodeo fans should be back in their rooms before the Strip closes.”

Buses, which will be allowed to operate on the Strip as the closures begin, will run rodeo fans from the Thomas & Mack Center to their hotels.

“It’ll be the fastest, cleanest way back to the hotel and they’ll get there before the marathon runners arrive,” he said.

In 2012, there won’t be any conflict because the rodeo will begin later in the month after the marathon weekend.

Even though marathon participants will be paying more for their rooms — supply and demand should kick rates higher with both the National Finals Rodeo and the race in town — most can’t wait to experience a race on the Strip at night.

“I’m super excited,” said Denise Lemelin, a 44-year-old X-ray tech from Manchester, Conn., who will run the Las Vegas race for the first time. “Vegas is great on its own, but to close down the Strip — wow!”

Lemelin, who is making the 3,200-mile trip and has been running for about 18 months, will be part of a team of friends participating in support of the event’s charity, the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America.

Kimee Armour, who took up running for her health — she’s lost 175 pounds in the three years she has been a runner — can’t wait to see if the fans along Las Vegas Boulevard will be as enthusiastic as the ones she saw at the Chicago Half Marathon.

“I love it when people get involved,” she said. “One of the reasons I went back to the Chicago (Half) Marathon was because there were 1.7 million people out there, and I think I got high-fives from most of them.”

She can’t wait to see the lights of the Strip and hear the noise of the casinos.

“I want to find and play the loudest slot machine in the city,” she said.

•••

For Bellinda Erikson, the Californian who renews her vows every year at the marathon, December’s race will be her seventh. It will be the 49th for her husband, Tom. Two years ago, while pregnant, she started the race on foot but had to switch to a wheelchair at the chapel. This year, the couple is bringing a babysitter to watch their 17-month-old son while they run.

While the marathon may be the signature event representative of fitness tourism, other competitions and activities are growing in prominence — and the future promises even more.

Stephanie Forte, a public relations professional in Las Vegas, moved here from Aspen, Colo., in 1998, in part because of rock climbing and other outdoor recreational opportunities.

“I looked at a lot of places — like Bend, Ore., Bishop, Calif., Salt Lake City, Boulder (Colo.) — and I kept coming back to Las Vegas,” she said.

While marketers have touted the city’s geographic proximity to national parks and recreation areas, Forte believes Las Vegas hasn’t exploited the full potential of selling the city as a center for outdoor adventure. It’s a concept the state’s Tourism Commission has touched with its minimal budget, but the flash of gambling and entertainment in Las Vegas often overpowers the outdoor recreation image.

But outdoor fanatics know about it.

“It’s really amazing,” Forte said. “You can go up to Mount Charleston or Mount Potosi on any given weekend and meet up with elite climbers from Japan, Spain and Germany.”

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is acknowledged as one of the top sandstone climbing areas in the country. Forte thinks the limestone faces of Charleston and Potosi are just as impressive.

Dozens of climbers have moved to the area and established climbing equipment businesses and gyms to train people to climb.

Climbing and bouldering competitions are conducted in gyms to preserve the rock faces. The nation’s largest climbing festival, Red Rock Rendezvous, is conducted in the park areas just west of Las Vegas. Sponsored by outfitters Mountain Gear and North Face, the next Red Rock Rendezvous, a climbing clinic, is scheduled March 30 to April 1.

“It’s never going to rival the number of people who come here for gambling and clubbing, but it’s a huge draw for that specific group,” Forte said. “Lots of people aren’t dreaming about the Strip when they come here. They’re dreaming about climbing the sandstone.”

Travis Graves, one of the co-owners of Desert Rock Sports and Red Rock Climbing Center, a gym that features an assortment of climbing walls, said most of the customers of his outfitting store aren’t Southern Nevada residents.

“It’s a multicultural affair — people coming in, flying in, from all around the world,” Graves said.

He estimates two-thirds to three-quarters of his customers are using Las Vegas as their base camp, either for day trips to Red Rock Canyon and the Spring Mountains or for longer trips to Zion, Yosemite and Joshua Tree national parks.

“We may not be as big as Salt Lake City or Denver, and there may not be as much of an outdoor vibe here, but our access to a lot of cool places is unmatched,” he said.

Graves said many of his friends have done exactly what he has — moved here to be closer to so many top outdoor destinations. Graves moved to Las Vegas from Vermont 10 years ago with plans to seek admission to a law school. He got a job at Desert Rock Sports and began climbing recreationally. In 2005, he and his partners bought out the retiring owners of the store.

Most of his out-of-state customers visit the store for books and supplies. Some buy equipment from him to avoid having to transport gear on flights.

“I really think outdoor recreation, especially climbing, could be marketed and Las Vegas could be a top destination for it, just like the convention industry,” Graves said.

•••

Another growing competitive event is hip hop dancing. Like the Mayor’s Cup soccer tournament, the World Hip Hop Dance Championship has grown into a major international event.

Howard Schwartz, co-founder of Hip Hop International, moved the competition to Las Vegas four years ago after inaugurating it in Miami and having a stop in Los Angeles.

The event quickly outgrew Loews Lake Las Vegas, the initial host. Now, the event is headquartered at Red Rock Resort where the event will take over the property’s entire meetings and convention area next summer.

The event is staged like beauty pageants, with localized contests across the country and worldwide with the U.S. championship determined in the first week of the event and the world championship in a second week. The finals have such a huge draw that they’re staged at the Orleans Arena. The international event, Schwartz said, is a big flag-waving event not unlike the Olympic Games.

In last summer’s competition, 33 countries were represented in the final event. Teams of five to seven dancers compete with more than 2,000 dancers and more than 8,500 supporters and fans in town.

The event gets great exposure because Schwartz also is one of the executive producers of “America’s Best Dance Crew,” a televised hip hop competition shown on MTV.

As in most of the televised dance competitions, the participants on “America’s Best Dance Crew” get incredible exposure and one of the first winners – Jabbawockeez – was offered a short-term performance gig at the MGM Grand that turned into a long-term contract at the Monte Carlo where the group continues to perform six nights a week.

Schwartz said last summer’s event was responsible for 6,000 room nights in 31 hotels. One of the raps on the event is that most of its competitors are under 21, but like the soccer tournaments that draw children to the city, the parents travel with the teams and they spend on food and lodging.

“We’re growing and, to be honest with you, we’re being courted by other cities,” Schwartz said. “But I think even Pat (Christenson, of Las Vegas Events) was surprised at how big it was.”

Another powerful outdoor sport that appears destined to be a tourism draw is skiing and snowboarding.

Kevin Stickelman, president and general manager of the Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort, admitted that his challenge of explaining to a disbelieving world that it snows enough to ski less than an hour from the Strip is daunting. But he added that the novelty of coming to Las Vegas to ski — and participate in competitions – could be huge.

“We have an opportunity that few other resorts in the country have,” Stickelman said.

Stickelman estimated that 35 percent of the resort’s guests are from out of state, most of them intrigued with the novelty of there being winter sports opportunities near the Strip. With growth on the horizon for extreme winter sports and the resort, Stickelman figures there to be plenty of potential for more visitors in the years ahead.

The resort got a boost when federal authorities approved a plan that will enable an expansion. One of the first improvements in a $35 million expansion was to build a reservoir from which snow-making equipment can draw water. Thanks to the new equipment and a cold snap, the Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort was the first ski area to open in the continental United States a few weeks ago.

Stickelman said the resort will have a light schedule of competitive snowboard and ski events this year as the resort develops terrain parks, half-pipes, jumps and jibs.

Last year, 500 spectators were on the mountain for a competition. This year, Stickelman hopes to have 50 competitors and 1,000 spectators for a winter sport “rail jam.”

“We’re trying to look over the horizon to see what’s next in winter action sports,” he said. “We get 240 inches of snow a year, but even with that, we have to supplement it with snow-making capabilities like most major ski resorts. What we’ll have won’t be the Winter Olympics, but it will be really good.”

Building or expanding facilities will likely be the theme for growing fitness tourism events in the city.

“That’s one of the reasons why we’re so interested in watching what happens with the development of a new stadium in Southern Nevada,” the LVCVA’s Dugas said. “With a venue like that, who knows what types of things we’d be able to bring here?”

source from: vegasinc