FINFROCK’S HAT RACK

Saturday, Oct. 27, 2007 | 7:12 a.m.

Dennis Fin f rock wore several hats en route to becoming one of the most influential people on the Las Vegas sports scene:

CAN YOU DIG IT?

It was the mother of all excavation projects.

Two weeks after workers began pouring concrete at the Thomas & Mack Center, Dennis Finfrock was basically told that the arena would have to be self -sustaining if he, as its director, wanted to be paid. There would be no additional handouts from the state Legislature.

Well, there was one more handout from the Legislature. Sensing that the only way for the arena to make money was for it to become an all-purpose facility, Finfrock went to Carson City to ask for $200,000 to rip out the first nine rows of seats so they could be replaced with a retractable grandstand.

Finfrock got the money - somehow - and the Thomas & Mack Center was retrofitted for rodeo and hockey and major concerts and all the other events that make it the second-largest -grossing arena in the country behind Madison Square Garden.

"If that didn't happen, there's no (National Finals) rodeo," said Pat Christenson, who worked under Finfrock for 11 years as both a wrestling coach and the Thomas & Mack director before leaving UNLV to become president of Las Vegas Events.

MAN OF INFLUENCE

Dennis Finfrock has been called the Bill Walsh of the local sports and entertainment industry because of the many people who have worked under him or been influenced by his management philosophies. These include:

Pat Christenson, Las Vegas Events president

Daren Libonati, Thomas & Mack Center, Sam Boyd Stadium and Cox Pavilion director

Mark Prows, MGM Grand Garden Arena vice president

Chris Baldizan, Mandalay Bay Arena and Entertainment entertainment director

Steve Stallworth, Orleans Arena vice president and general manager

Patty Waybill, Aladdin Resort and Casino (Planet Hollywood Theater)

Mike Enoch, Live Nation Theater Group

Ron Drake, venue consultant

Donna Morrissey, Celine Dion Productions

Joe Santiago, Station Casino properties

IF YOU GO

What: Professional Bull Riders Founders Celebration (to honor Dennis Finfrock , with all proceeds to benefit injured bull rider Lee Akin)

When: 9 p.m. Thursday

Where: South Seas Ballroom at Mandalay Bay Convention Center

Tickets: $55; (877) 632-7400

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