Las Vegas picks up the tab on some serious parties
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority spends taxpayer dollars on a wide variety of activities. Here’s a sampling.
Special events
■ More than $150,000 for Las Vegas entertainer Frankie Moreno to play events in the United States and internationally, from 2013 to 2016.
■ $70,000 for Rick Springfield to play a 40-minute show at the June 2016 Meeting Professionals International Conference in Atlantic City.
■ $225,000 approved for a client development event in Washington, D.C. in December 2016, including an estimated $75,000 for food and drinks.
Food and drinks
■ $79,300 for a banquet at the Bellagio in March 2014.
■ $25,100 for banquets in Los Angeles in January 2015.
■ $10,000 bar tab at the Aria in September 2015.
■ $60,200 cocktail reception and dinner at the Hamilton in Washington D.C. in December 2015.
Concerts
■ $17,000 for tickets and tables at a Latin Recording Academy dinner and performance at Mandalay Bay in November 2013.
■ $5,000 for Cher concert in Chicago in October 2014.
■ $7,250 for Fleetwood Mac concert in October 2014 in Chicago.
■ $7,025 for a penthouse suite to watch U2 in June 2015 in Chicago.
■ $1,536 for eight Van Halen tickets in July 2015.
Sporting events
■ $6,930 for tickets to Major League Baseball’s all-star game in Minneapolis in July 2014.
■ $36,300 for three days of breakfast and lunch at the Shriner’s PGA tournament in October 2014.
■ $5,750 for Chicago Blackhawks suite in November 2014.
■ $2,490 for tickets to a Seattle Seahawks playoff game in January 2015.
■ $4,085 for a White Sox suite in April 2015.
■ $11,000 for four Chicago Bears season tickets.
■ $6,840 for tickets to Chicago Cubs playoff games in October 2015.
■ $5,800 for a private “wow factor” tour for clients at Fenway Park in April 2016.
■ $10,220 for Chicago Cubs games in July 2016.
Cruises
■ $4,900 for a cruise in Milwaukee in November 2013.
■ $5,500 for dinner cruise in Boston in April 2014.
■ $7,316 for a boat cruise for 50 people in New York in July 2015.
