LVCVA OKs ad spending, raise for Cortez

Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2001 | 11:11 a.m.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority agreed to spend an additional $8 million this summer on an advertising campaign geared to steer visitors to the city.

The LVCVA's "High Roller Fantasy" campaign, devised by R&R Partners, Las Vegas, will include $7 million in media buys airing during "Good Morning America" and "The Today Show."

The campaign comes on the heels of the agency's $40 million "Freedom" campaign that debuted in September.

The agency's board of directors on Tuesday reviewed the slick ad campaign, which features one TV commercial with silvery feminine images that come to life off mud flaps and make their way to Las Vegas.

One of the new Las Vegas ads will debut in 12 markets during the Super Bowl broadcast Jan. 28. Las Vegans won't see them on local broadcasts, since they are localized media buys and will only appear in those 12 markets.

In other action, the board approved a 10 percent raise and a 6 percent bonus for Manny Cortez, LVCVA president and chief executive officer, for meeting goals and objectives outlined by the board for 2000.

Cortez will now receive $215,000 a year and will get a $12,000 bonus.

Cortez's major accomplishments for the year included getting the $150 million Las Vegas Convention Center expansion under way in the face of legal challenges.