U.S. music stores will feature LV Centennial CDs

Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2005 | 9:07 a.m.

Ten CDs featuring vintage Las Vegas headliners performing live at local resorts will be featured on specialty racks at 42 percent of the nation's music outlets, according to a report presented to the Las Vegas Centennial Celebration Committee on Monday.

Andrew Boughton, EMI Music vice president of development and financing, told the 35-member committee comprised of city officials and other community leaders that 300,000 to 400,000 of the CDs are expected to be sold nationwide via record store and radio station promotions.

Boughton said after the meeting that the remaining 58 percent of the nation's music stores would not provide special racks for the the live recordings featuring Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Wayne Newton and others, but would carry the CDs in their alphabetical bins.

Boughton told the committee that among the stores that have committed to giving the centennial CDs preferential placement is Best Buy, which controls about 20 percent of the music retail market through its 650 stores. Others that will give the CDs special space are Musicland, Borders, Tower and Virgin record stores, he said.

EMI has paid centennial officials $20,000 for the rights to market the CDs under a special Las Vegas Centennial Records label. That money is earmarked toward offsetting costs for putting on the Helldorado Days parade and Western-themed celebration in May in conjunction with the city's 100th birthday Mary 15.

In other action:

The committee says it plans to honor more "centennarians" as they become known to the committee. For more information call the centennial office at (702) 229-2005.