Centennial will help preserve history

Dan Kulin

Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2005 | 8:20 a.m.

The money that fueled Las Vegas' centennial celebration this year will continue to flow into the city, but instead of paying for events to mark the city's first 100 years, the funding will be used to save history for future generations.

That could mean millions of dollars for historic preservation in the coming years -- money that would continue to roll in so long as the black and white centennial license plates continue to be popular with motorists.

With projects such as the preservation of the historic downtown post office and the La Concha motel lobby, which would be moved to the Neon Museum on Las Vegas Boulevard North just south of Washington Avenue, historic preservation will need an infusion of funds in the future.

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, who headed the Centennial Committee, said the money will probably be used to help fund smaller projects, such as historical markers and signs, in addition to assisting with larger projects that will also need help from other funding sources.

Bob Stoldal, a member of the Centennial Committee and chairman of the city's Historic Preservation Commission, said that finally "historic preservation will have some money to work with."

The city's centennial celebration, which celebrated the 100th anniversary of the land auction that laid the groundwork for Las Vegas, will not disappear quietly. The booms and colorful explosions of fireworks and another stab at a world record on New Year's Eve -- at least 11,999 people are expected to make the world's largest toast at the Fremont Street Experience -- will formally end the city's centennial year.

Not far behind will be the end of the committee that oversaw the centennial celebration and the return of the city staff lent to work on the centennial events, which included 100 weddings, a Red Hot Chili Peppers concert, the dedication of more than 200 murals and the assembling of the world's largest birthday cake. (Official confirmation from the Guinness Book of World Records is expected soon.)

Planning for the centennial celebration began more than two years ago. The city supplied several staffers to help with numerous events that started in July 2003, and at one time the centennial office had four full-time employees. But with the centennial winding to a close, the staffers will return to their pre-centennial jobs with the city.

The Centennial Committee has spent $3.4 million on centennial-related events and projects -- with almost all of the money coming from the sale of the centennial license plates and from a sponsorship and merchandising agreement with Clear Channel.

The committee has about $1.4 million remaining in the bank now and is expected to receive another $1 million from centennial license plate sales through the end of June, according to figures from the centennial office. All but about $290,000 of that money is already earmarked for projects, including $1 million for the post office renovation.

Deputy City Manager Betsy Fretwell, the lead city administrator on the centennial committee, said that while estimates for future revenue from the license plate sales hinge on the plates' popularity, she anticipates the sales will bring in about $1 million next year.

Since October 2003, sales of the special plates have generated about $2.3 million for the centennial group. The city receives $25 for each centennial license plate issued, and $20 per plate for renewals.

The state legislation that created the special plates called for the money to go toward the centennial celebration costs and, later, historic preservation. The money goes to the city, which to date has handed the money over to the Centennial Committee.

The committee will officially disband next month, but its executive board will live on as the Commission for the Las Vegas Centennial.

That commission, a separate nonprofit corporation, is expected to oversee the final months of the centennial committee's contract with Clear Channel and some other centennial-related business.

The City Council will decide later, probably next summer, whether to continue funneling the license plate money to the commission or some other group, or whether to take control of the funds itself.

Dan Kulin can be reached at 259-8826 or at dan@lasvegassun.com.