Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon moves start line after Las Vegas shooting
By Betsy Helfand Las Vegas Review-Journal
A group of runners cross the start line in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas Marathon and half marathon on the Strip on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2014. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis perform for runners before the start of the Las Vegas Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon and half marathon on the Strip on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2014. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Runners pose in front of the Welcome to Las Vegas sign during the Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas Marathon and half marathon on the Strip on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2014. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Runners gather in their starting corrals before the start of the Rock ‘N’ Roll Las Vegas Marathon and Half-Marathon on the Strip Sunday, Nov. 17, 2013. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Runners gather in their starting corrals before the start of the Rock ծՠRoll Las Vegas Marathon and Half-Marathon on the Strip Sunday, Nov. 17, 2013. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Runners cross the starting line at the start of the Rock ծՠRoll Las Vegas Marathon and Half-Marathon on the Strip Sunday, Nov. 17, 2013. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Runners cross the starting line at the start of the Rock ծՠRoll Las Vegas Marathon and Half-Marathon on the Strip Sunday, Nov. 17, 2013. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Runners head north and south at the Welcome to Las Vegas sign during the Rock ծՠRoll Las Vegas Marathon and Half-Marathon on the Strip Sunday, Nov. 17, 2013. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Runners cross the starting line at the start of the Rock ծՠRoll Las Vegas Marathon and Half-Marathon on the Strip Sunday, Nov. 17, 2013. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Martha Williams completes the 10K run in the annual Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon at the Strip near The Mirage hotel-casino on Sunday, Nov. 13, 2016, in Las Vegas. Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @Erik_Verduzco
Runners compete during the Rock ‘n’ Roll marathon on the Strip near Monte Carlo casino-hotel in Las Vegas Sunday, Nov. 16, 2014. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Participants wait for their signal to start during the Geico Las Vegas Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon on Sunday, Nov. 13, 2016, on the Las Vegas Strip. (Sam Morris/Las Vegas News Bureau)
Third-place finisher Chip O’Hara, winner Mike Wardian and second-place finisher Eric Fitzpatrick celebrate during the Geico Las Vegas Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon on Sunday, Nov. 13, 2016, on the Las Vegas Strip. (Sam Morris/Las Vegas News Bureau)
The Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon will move its start line away from Mandalay Bay to 1 mile north, beginning adjacent to New York-New York.
The marathon, which will take place Nov. 12, will keep the same finish line in front of The Mirage.
Details for the new pre-race concert, which was supposed to take place at Las Vegas Village, the site of the Oct. 1 mass shooting that left 58 dead and more than 500 injured, will be released in the coming weeks.
“We’ve kept everything, for lack of a better word, within the same envelope just so we didn’t have to disrupt any more than we did from the road closures and the openings and shutdowns, so by moving it a mile north, we were able to remove some of the section on the north end of the course,” Josh Furlow, president of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series, said.
For the first 2½ miles of the race, there will be no music along the course as runners run south past the site of the shooting and around the “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign and back as an on-course tribute.
“We want it to be a memorable experience but at the same time paying respects to everyone who was involved in that situation,” Furlow said.
A donation page will be set up with proceeds going toward Clark County Commission Chair Steve Sisolak’s Las Vegas Victims’ Fund, and participants will have a chance to purchase #VegasStrong T-shirts with all proceeds also going toward that same fund.
The marathon will be the biggest event on the Strip since the shooting as it shuts down the area at night and draws tens of thousands of people to the area.
“We know security, we know the safety of the participants, we know the safety of the community is always going to be the No. 1 priority,” Furlow said.
He also said they have received “overwhelmingly positive” feedback from participants.
“The entire organization is excited to work hand in hand with all of our partners in Vegas as we bring a great global showcase event and helping everybody move forward in one of the best cities in the world,” Furlow said.
