Visitor count slumps 1.6 percent

Robert Macy

Thursday, Oct. 22, 1998 | 2:45 a.m.

The city's visitor count slumped 1.6 percent in August, but tourism officials expressed hope the high-profile opening of the $1.6 billion Bellagio resort would turn the numbers around the remainder of the year.

New figures released Thursday show the visitor count down 1.2 percent for the first eight months of the year, compared to the same period in 1997.

Rossi Ralenkotter, vice president of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, blamed the decrease on a 26.3 percent drop in convention attendance, compared to August 1997. He said the giant MAGIC clothing apparel show, which was held in August 1997, was held in September this year. The show draws about 90,000 delegates.

Tourism officials are concerned about the stagnant visitor numbers at a time the city is adding 17,000 new hotel rooms to an inventory of 109,000 rooms.

Officials are hopeful the opening of Bellagio last week and three new megaresorts next year will help spur an increase in the visitor count, as happened with openings of megaresorts in 1989 and 1993.

The opening of Bellagio drew upwards of 200,000 people in its first weekend, according to Alan Feldman, vice president of public affairs for parent Mirage Resorts Inc.

Ralenkotter said the opening also drew the media spotlight to Las Vegas.

"We had national and international media exposure," he said. "It heightens the awareness of Las Vegas, both among visitors and meeting planners. The spotlight has certainly been on Las Vegas the past two weeks."

The visitor count for August was 2.69 million people, down from 2.74 in 1997. For the year, the count is 20.32 million, down from 20.58 million for the same period a year ago.

Hotel occupancy was down 0.9 percent for the month, 0.7 percent so far this year.

Passenger traffic at McCarran International Airport was down 0.9 percent for the month of August, and is down 1.5 percent for the year.

Automobile traffic from Southern California was down 0.4 percent for the month, and is down 0.9 percent for the year.