Vegas film festival merges with industry group

David Strow

Friday, March 16, 2001 | 11:01 a.m.

The CineVegas International Film Festival has been merged into the Economic Development Corp., a group trying to attract television and film business to the Las Vegas area.

The top officials with the two organizations say the move gives the EDC a prominent, internationally known event to help in its marketing mission, much like the Academy Awards serve to promote the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. And as the EDC makes connections with Hollywood studios and film makers, it presents an opportunity to further expand the film offerings of the CineVegas festival.

"This is a terrific opportunity for us to use those contacts in the entertainment world she (EDC Chief Executive Mimosa Jones) has penetrated to get great films and premieres," said CineVegas Executive Producer Paul Bodner. "That's a major challenge for us every year."

Jones will serve as the merged corporation's chief executive, responsible for continuing the organization's marketing efforts in Hollywood. Bodner will oversee daily operations as president and chief operating officer.

Though Jones said efforts to attract filmmakers to shoot in Las Vegas have been quite successful, a challenge has been creating a permanent filmmaking infrastructure in Las Vegas. She believes the CineVegas merger could help that mission, as CineVegas has begun making connections with potential national sponsors.

"We (the EDC) begin talking to national corporate sponsors ... and they get a chance to understand it's not about a one-time event," Jones said. "They can attach their name and corporation to bricks and mortar (facilities in Las Vegas). Once a year, (the festival) is a chance to bring out the best in the business to see Las Vegas and really expose our city to more television and film executives."

The CineVegas festival, founded in early 1999, has had a rocky history of clashes among board members and executives. But it has also been successful in building a base of customers -- 24,800 attendees in 2000, up from less than 5,000 in its first year.

Bodner said the challenges CineVegas has had in the past have been largely put behind the organization, and weren't the reason for merging with EDC.

"If anything, we were in a better position (now) to be a merger partner with EDC," Bodner said.

The CineVegas film festival was last held in late November and early December. Jones said it's likely the next festival won't be staged until June 2002.

"We're planning a pretty splashy event for December, for when the festival would have been held," Jones said. "It takes time to make this a world-class event. It takes time to get the sponsors, the support from studios you need to do it right."

And it's likely to make an appearance away from its traditional home at Bally's and Paris Las Vegas. The Park Place Entertainment Corp. hotel-casino complex was CineVegas' major gaming sponsor, but EDC has backing from other gaming entities as well, including the MGM Grand, New York-New York and the Venetian.

"We should be able to spread some of the galas and programs around the Strip," Bodner said. "It's an opportunity we'll look into."

Members of the Greenspun family, owner of the Las Vegas Sun, have been prominent backers of both CineVegas and the EDC.