Chicago baseball a marketing target for LVCVA

By Richard N. Velotta (contact)

Fri, Dec 11, 2009 (3 a.m.)

Big League Weekend, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority-sponsored special event that brings Major League Baseball teams to the city during spring training, will have a distinct Chicago flavor next year.

The authority’s board agreed to spend $300,000 to attract the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox to Cashman Field on March 12 and 13. The Chicago teams have a loyal fan base, and the Cubs routinely sell out spring training games wherever they play in Arizona.

Authority officials view Big League Weekend as an investment in marketing the Las Vegas destination while giving residents an opportunity to see major league players.

Chicago is a top five media market and is considered a major tourism feeder to Las Vegas.

Both games will be aired on Chicago radio and television stations. Tourism officials estimated the media value of the broadcast and print exposure in 2009 at $3.5 million.

The two games, on a Friday night and a Saturday afternoon, are co-sponsored by the Las Vegas 51s, a minor league team that is the farm club of the Toronto Blue Jays. The authority’s board authorized spending $300,000 to market the games, but anticipates $200,000 revenue from ticket sales and concessions.

In other business, the board voted unanimously to award a contract to Las Vegas-based Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center to provide on-site medical services at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

The three-year contract, which begins Jan. 1, is for $403,673, a 16 percent decrease from the previous medical contract with University Medical Center.

Sunrise’s proposal anticipated a decrease in the annual hours estimated for services as well as a decline in the hourly rate to provide state-certified registered nurses.

The authority sought proposals to provide various medical staff certifications, including basic and intermediate emergency medical technicians, paramedics and registered nurses. Services were evaluated for each company’s provision of key staff, the cost, financial stability and for enhanced and incentive services.

Three other Southern Nevada companies bid — Centennial Hills Hospital and Specialized Medical Services, both of Las Vegas, and MedicWest Ambulance of North Las Vegas. Also bidding were Addison, Texas-based Concentra Health Services and Amedistaf, which operates as the Right Solutions of Tontitown, Ark.