Strip lights to be dimmed in honor of Tarkanian

When Jerry Tarkanian died Wednesday at age 84, the question arose about how best to honor the former UNLV basketball coach who guided the Rebels to four Final Fours and the 1990 national championship.

For alumni Tony Cordasco and Scott Gulbransen, the answer was easy — dim the lights on the Strip. That would be the ultimate tribute to the man who brought so much attention to the city.

Largely because of their efforts, such a tribute will occur. Hotels on the Strip and beyond plan to dim their lights for three minutes Wednesday starting at 10:30 p.m. after the UNLV-Boise State game at the Thomas & Mack Center.

“We thought it was the best way to pay our respects to Coach Tark,” said Cordasco, a 1982 graduate of UNLV who had worked on radio broadcasts of Rebels games while Tarkanian was coaching. “But we didn’t know if it was a no-brainer because there’s so much involved and so many different people have to make a decision on it.”

Upon hearing of Tarkanian’s death Wednesday morning, Cordasco contacted Gulbransen, director of digital media content for Haymon Boxing in Las Vegas, and they began a social media campaign. A Facebook page was created (Dimthelights4Tark) and a Twitter account was opened (@Dimlights4Tark), both quickly attracting hundreds of visitors.

“The response has been amazing, but I’m not surprised,” said Gulbransen, a 1995 UNLV graduate. “It’s absolutely the right thing to do.”

It’s an honor that doesn’t happen often — eight times, to be exact — or easily. It takes plenty of coordination and cooperation between the hotels and casinos.

The last time it happened was in 2009, when Las Vegas participated in a worldwide celebration of environmental causes on “Earth Hour.” The last individual to be honored with the dimming of the lights was former President Ronald Reagan after he died in 2004.

Tarkanian’s funeral is Monday. But Gulbransen and Cordasco targeted Wednesday to honor Tarkanian because Monday is Presidents Day, a busy holiday for the casinos and hotels. They also thought it would coincide nicely with the Boise State game, after which fans can travel to the Strip to witness the event.

“We know it’s an important time for the casinos,” Gulbransen said. “We thought a different day would improve our chances.”

Cordasco said their proposal gained the support of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and the Nevada Resort Association.

Several hotels quickly agreed to the plan. The Sands properties — The Venetian and the Palazzo — will participate. At Caesars International, the lights will be dimmed at its Strip properties, including its flagship Caesars Palace.

“Jerry Tarkanian was a legend in this town,” Caesars spokesman Gary Thompson said Friday. “He won a national championship and gave UNLV and Las Vegas such a boost.

“Tark was a special person, and we feel it’s important to appropriately honor him, so we will be dimming our lights in his honor Wednesday.”

MGM Resorts International, which has numerous Strip properties, said it also will participate. A company statement called Tarkanian “a true Las Vegas legend,” and said, “We join the community in honoring a man who did so much to bring Las Vegas together as one.”

Other casinos already have posted tributes to Tarkanian. Station Casinos Inc. began displaying Tarkanian’s photo on the electric marquee of all its properties Thursday to honor the coach, who had a 509-105 record in 19 seasons at UNLV. The tributes will remain up into Monday, according to spokeswoman Lori Nelson. All Station properties will dim their lights Wednesday night.

Gulbransen said he thought the gesture, which was endorsed by the Tarkanian family, would be well received by the hotel and gaming industry.

“They know how important it is to remember Coach Tark,” he said.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.