Partnership between hotels, rodeo grows

Back in 1985, when the Wrangler National Finals first arrived in Las Vegas, there was no guarantee it would last here. The NFR was going to need big-time support from this city’s plethora of hotel-casinos and the patience to let that support evolve.

But it didn’t really take long. Since 1987, all 10 nights of the NFR have sold out with regularity. That means the sellout stretch for the NFR has now reached 340, heading into tonight’s first go-round at the 2022 NFR. Ten days from now, it’ll be 350.

The hotel-casinos got on board early, and more partner properties are added every year. The ability for those hotels to host viewing parties with a live feed straight from the rodeo chutes has only enhanced the buy-in. And not just from the hotel partners, but the tens of thousands of fans who come to Las Vegas and attend those parties and all of the ancillary events at those properties.

Thirty-seven years later, there are more than two dozen properties partnering with the NFR, and the event is an absolute staple of Vegas’ December calendar. So it’s no surprise new properties want in on the 10-day Super Bowl of Rodeo.

One example: Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, which opened in March 2021, taking over the former Hard Rock Hotel.

“We’re the closest property to the rodeo,” Chief Marketing Officer Chad Brown said, noting Virgin’s proximity to the Thomas &Mack Center. “Last year was actually our first year being involved, and it was very apparent to me that we needed to be. I’ve been in this industry in Las Vegas for 33 years, and I’ve been involved with the NFR since 2004.

“So when I got to Virgin, the NFR was part of our plans for activating this property. We jumped right in, called Las Vegas Events and figured out what we could do to get involved. And it was really a great fit.”

Brown said what Virgin aims to give rodeo fans is a more sophisticated experience, while catering to a wide-ranging Western lifestyle audience. Each night, there is a bevy of entertainment, from complimentary to full-blown concert acts. There are familiar sponsors with a very visible presence, including the Rocky Mount Elk Foundation and Rock and Roll Denim

The room product and dining at Virgin are key, as well. It’s all come together quickly for one of the NFR’s newest partner properties, and Virgin isn’t done yet.

“This year, we expect it to be even better,” Brown said. “We’ve got food and beverage specials, hotel offers with food and beverage credits. Our property partners really lean into this. There’s complimentary parking and a free shuttle each night to and from the NFR. We’ve got an official NFR after-party that’s complimentary.

“We’re hoping people park here, go to the rodeo, then come back here afterward and hang out.”

One place that definitely happens is the South Point. During the NFR, you can’t move an inch without encountering the throngs of rodeo fans attracted to this property. South Point general manager Ryan Growney said that’s because his property knows the rodeo/Western consumer best.

“We are Vegas Cowboy Central. Not just during the NFR. We’re Vegas Cowboy Central all year long,” Growney said. “And we do so many events tied to the NFR: the Miss Rodeo America Pageant, the PRCA annual awards, the convention and trade show, the bucking bulls sale, and now the National Finals Breakaway Roping.”

Indeed, the National Finals Breakaway Roping — which debuted as part of the NFR last year but was held at Orleans Arena — took place Tuesday and Wednesday at the South Point Arena. That same arena will also again host the World Series of Team Roping starting Saturday. And of course, there’s more, as there always is at South Point.

“We’ve got viewing parties in every square inch of this building. We’ve got the nightly go-round buckle presentations and concerts in the Showroom,” Growney said. “It’s 14 days of breakneck pace of everything you want to do, from a cowboy/cowgirl standpoint. Every year, I tell the boss (Michael Gaughan) that we can’t fit anything else in here. Then I book one more thing.”

The NFR has a strong Fremont Street footprint, too, largely because of Derek Stevens. His D Las Vegas hotel-casino has been a partner of the event for several years. Stevens also oversees the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, which has one of the most unique nightly viewing parties for the NFR.

“We start planning for the next NFR the moment the cowboys and cowgirls head out of town from the last one,” Stevens said. “The NFR is something that impacts so many people. It’s a great sporting event and a great event in general for Las Vegas. How it impacts bartenders, cocktail servers and people who work in the hotels is just huge.

“We look forward to it every year. And this year, we’re really excited about the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center watch parties every night.”

Boyd Gaming has had its fingerprints on the NFR since it first moved here in the mid-1980s.

“Sam and Bill Boyd recognized the importance of the NFR to Las Vegas,” said David Strow, vice president of corporate communications for Boyd Gaming.

The Orleans, Sam’s Town and Gold Coast have long been staple partners of the NFR, with The Orleans’ nightly pre-/post-NFR parties and viewing parties a must-attend. The NFR has greatly bolstered Boyd’s bottom line — and the bottom line of properties all around town.

“Prior to the NFR, once you got past Thanksgiving, tourism dropped off a cliff and would stay off until New Year’s Eve,” Strow said. “This is now one of the biggest weeks of the year. It’s a great event for all of our customers from across the country. We’re huge supporters of the NFR, and we want to see it stay here as long as it can.”