Editorial: LVCVA is doing its job well

Tuesday, Sept. 14, 1999 | 9:33 a.m.

Because Las Vegas is the entertainment capital of the world there are many other cities that would like to knock us off that perch and recruit our tourists. We would be foolish to allow that to happen.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority ably meets our needs by giving Southern Nevada the international exposure our community deserves. When it comes to marketing, the convention authority has no rival in the tourism industry.

That is why we strongly disagree with executives of the Venetian resort who have called for the convention authority's elimination. The salvo fired last week by Venetian President William Weidner is entirely consistent with the position his boss, resort owner Sheldon Adelson, has taken against the authority for more than 10 years. Adelson, who also owns the Sands Expo Center, is now embroiled in a lawsuit over the authority's planned $150 million Las Vegas Convention Center expansion.

With 128,038 hotel rooms projected to be open in Las Vegas by the end of 2000, the city needs enough convention space not only to help fill those rooms but to compete with other cities such as Chicago, Atlanta and Los Angeles. Those cities have made aggressive efforts in recent years to expand their convention space, a trend we cannot afford to ignore.

Handing over our room taxes to the convention authority is not a poor investment, as Weidner suggested. To the contrary, the authority is the best vehicle we have to recruit and coordinate convention business.

To suggest that the authority be disbanded is going overboard. Weidner argued in part that the authority's efforts are already duplicated by the megaresorts. We respectfully disagree.

Many megaresorts pursue marketing strategies that target specific customers. Mirage Resorts is an example of a company that has successfully attracted high rollers. Station Casinos has made a big push for local gamblers. What sets the authority apart is that it represents the entire community, not just the deep-pocketed resorts that can afford their own international ad campaigns. Let us not forget that we have numerous nongaming enterprises, such as restaurants, retail stores and Grand Canyon flight companies, which also benefit from our tourism.

Other industries understand the importance of a coordinated marketing strategy that benefits everyone concerned. Florida orange growers come to mind. National sports leagues engage in group marketing as well as individual team advertising.

Las Vegas has earned its status as a mecca for tourists largely because of the efforts of the convention authority. Let us not ruin a good thing.