You could tell Toby Keith loved this Las Vegas convention

Toby Keith stepped in front of the waiting crowd of about 100, alongside Jon Taffer, president of Nightclub & Bar Media Group.

Cameras clicked, Keith and Taffer smiled, and for about five minutes all eyes were on the two men. The publicity stunt marked the official opening of the 2012 Nightclub & Bar Convention and Trade Show, and for Taffer, Keith was worth his weight in gold.

This year's show was expected to attract more than last year's 31,000 exhibitors and attendees to the Las Vegas Convention Center, but event organizers still were tabulating attendance Wednesday night. The estimated nongaming economic impact from the 2012 Nightclub & Bar is $32.8 million.

Taffer introduced the ribbon-cutting ceremony to Nightclub & Bar three years ago, featuring comedian Dan Aykroyd, and hasn't looked back since. He says the media event does more for his brand than any marketing campaign he could mount. Last year's shots with Mike Sorrentino from "The Jersey Shore" generated more than 200 million media impressions.

"That one photograph shot all over the world," Taffer said.

This year, if you turned your head at Nightclub & Bar, chances were good you'd see a celebrity. Pauly Shore gave the keynote, rapper 50 Cent promoted Street King Energy shots and singer Ne-Yo was there to endorse Malibu Red.

Even the world-famous Green M&M was staffing the Mars candy booth.

Taffer wouldn't disclose how much he pays in appearance fees, but said "a lot of money" with a laugh.

Then again, virtually unlimited offerings of free booze doesn't exactly hurt attendance, either.

Inside the Wild Shot Mezcal booth, Keith was plugging his own product, mezcal available at his restaurants in Las Vegas and elsewhere around the country. His I love this Bar & Grill chain gives the singer a ready-made distribution channel.

"I didn't really have a house drink to offer and people would come in and say, 'What does he drink?' " Keith said. "If you're going to draw people in who are fans for whatever reason, it made a lot of sense to me to have my own (brand).''

The drink launched in April , and in December it was the No. 1 mezcal in the United States.

"I don't know if that's the tallest pony in the circus or what, but it's its own category," Keith said. "I can only introduce it to people. They have to like it."

Competing alcohol companies at the show included relative newcomer SXLiquors, which is launching in Las Vegas this week via Southern Wine & Spirits, and Le Grand Saint, a company manufacturing sparkling vodka.

In conjunction with the show, SX was serving six new vodkas in its 2,400-square-foot booth.

"It's a total mob scene in here," spokesman Evan Nierman said. "We brought our own DJ from Miami and bartenders who serve this 24/7 in Miami."

Indeed, the SX booth was packed with interested attendees, as was Le Grand's 1,500-square-foot space that featured women decked out in gold sequins and white angel wings. The brand is targeting Southern California, then plans to expand into Nevada, brand manager Kal Williams said.

Although the show wasn't all about alcohol -- exhibitors included makers of bar fixtures, furniture and other club infrastructure -- the common factor for all was the never-ending effort to pack in paying customers.

After his keynote, Shore talked about his experience helping run his family's club, The Comedy Store in Los Angeles, and offered advice to other operators. He suggested owners connect with the audience that they're trying to attract and get to know their wants and needs intimately.

"Be your audience," Shore advised.

He also said the popularity of sites like Facebook and Twitter have changed the way clubs reach their target audiences.

"It's like the Wild West. Everyone's trying to figure it out, how to get butts in seats that way as opposed to more traditional ways," Shore said. "It's tough. You just keep throwing stuff against the wall and you keep pushing and pushing."

Contact reporter Laura Carroll at lcarroll@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4588.