Yeah, yeah, yeah, anniversary of Beatles’ concerts marked

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority routinely encourages conventioneers to mix business with pleasure when they conduct meetings in Southern Nevada.

Tuesday, the board of directors took its own advice.

Following a business meeting at which board members agreed to spend $9.3 million for property south of the Las Vegas Convention Center, $2.3 million per year through 2024 for the National Finals Rodeo sponsorship and nearly $500,000 to market the city at three trade show events, they let down their hair — literally, for board chairman Tom Collins.

Sporting a mop-top wig beneath his trademark cowboy hat, Collins kicked off a commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Beatles’ two Aug. 20, 1964, performances in Las Vegas.

Collins presented a proclamation declaring next Wednesday Beatles Day in Southern Nevada and introduced cast members from Cirque du Soleil’s “Love” show at the Mirage who launched a celebration viewed as a transformational entertainment event for Las Vegas.

After the meeting ended, the party moved to a lobby area between convention halls believed to be the exact location of the stage where Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr performed two concerts before a total of 16,816 people, an attendance record that stood until 1990 when the Convention Center rotunda was torn down.

About two dozen people who attended one of the concerts, including Convention and Visitors Authority President and CEO Rossi Ralenkotter, were guests of honor at the event that also included an appearance by author Chuck Gunderson, who wrote two books about the Beatles’ tours in 1964 and 1966.

A plaque dedicating the concert appearance was unveiled and pictures from the Las Vegas News Bureau of the concerts were displayed. The pictures will continue to be shown at the Convention Center through Oct. 27 and the exhibit is free and open to the public.

While the Beatles event captured most of Tuesday’s attention, there was some business conducted.

The board affirmed a sponsorship investment for the National Finals Rodeo of $2.5 million a year from 2015 through 2024, first authorized in January.

During the negotiations of an agreement between Las Vegas Events and Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association late last year, it was determined that the sponsorship responsibilities would be more clearly defined.

The authority’s investment is divided into three sections that include exclusive rights for the travel and gaming destination category of PRCA and National Finals Rodeo sponsorship rights and duties, circuit finals rodeos and the National Finals Steer Roping event when held in Las Vegas.

The board also unanimously approved the purchase of three land parcels totaling 8.5 acres for additional parking and better access to the south convention hall. The new acreage would provide 1,040 new parking spaces.

Board members also approved spending $160,000 to exhibit at the World Travel Market conference in London Nov. 3-6, $157,000 to exhibit at the Global Meetings and Events Expo in Barcelona Nov. 18-20, and $131,150 for the International Association of Exhibition and Events exhibition in Los Angeles Dec. 9-11.

Contact reporter Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow him on Twitter @RickVelotta.