LVCVA boss Cortez gets raise

Thursday, Jan. 13, 2000 | 10:47 a.m.

Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority President Manny Cortez has received a 4 percent raise and will be paid $195,000 a year in 2000.

LVCVA board members Tuesday unanimously approved the salary increase and a 6 percent cash incentive bonus of $11,700 for Cortez, who has been president of the agency since July 1991 and served as its board chairman as a Clark County commissioner prior to that.

The salary increase and an evaluation of Cortez's performance were among the topics of a 1 1/2-hour compensation committee meeting Monday. The evaluation of Cortez occurred in a closed meeting, but board member William McBeath summarized the session prior to Tuesday's vote.

McBeath said the committee, comprised of board members Steve Greathouse, Henderson Mayor Jim Gibson and Las Vegas Councilman Michael McDonald, concurred that Cortez had performed well in the face of adversity, a reference to delays in the LVCVA's efforts to build a convention center expansion.

The agency's effort to build the $150 million addition has been slowed by a series of lawsuits filed by the Venetian hotel-casino.

Cortez's raise is retroactive to Jan. 1 and places him at the midpoint of his salary range. Not counting top medical doctors who work for the state through the university system, Cortez's salary is the highest government pay rate in the state.

But LVCVA officials are quick to point out that Cortez's salary isn't in the top 20 percent among leaders of convention and visitors boards nationwide, even though the LVCVA is the largest convention and visitors' bureau in the nation.

Other management level employees at the LVCVA received 3 percent raises this year and rank-and-file employees are eligible for 3.5 percent cost-of-living increases and up to 4 percent merit pay increases if they haven't reached the ceiling of their pay ranges.

McBeath said the committee outlined five goals for Cortez to pursue in 2000: