Neighboring Cities Want Pieces of Event Pie

Lisa Plummer -- Tradeshow Week, 7/31/2008 2:48:00 PM

The resort town of Laughlin, Nev., has decided it needs a boost. In order to attract more business to the area, the Laughlin Tourism Committee proposed a new events center capable of hosting tradeshows, concerts and local events.

Across the Colorado River, Bullhead City, Ariz., happens to have a similar plan in mind.

LTC President Sean Hammond said he believes a new multi-purpose venue is an essential step out of a declining residential, commercial and tourism market.

“What we’re looking for is that next venue up,” Hammond said, “to be able to attain that mid-level entertainer or tradeshow that we can’t currently house in our own facilities.”

Economic Research Associates is conducting a feasibility study to determine if a 125,000 square foot, 10,000- to 12,000-seat venue would be viable for the area. The study, funded by local hotel room tax and supported by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (of which the Laughlin Visitors Bureau is a division), could be completed in the next week or two.

The neighboring community of Bullhead City also has an events center feasibility study in the works. According to Steve Johnson, public information officer for Bullhead City, the proposed 5,000-seat events center would differ from Laughlin’s in that it will be a community-based venue supporting a sports franchise.

With approximately 125,000 sq. ft. of existing meeting and convention space divided among the nine hotel-casino resorts in Laughlin, the addition of an events center might open doors for larger events and conventions.

Hammond, also vice president of player development at Aquarius Casino Resort, said, “We’ll be able to have tradeshows, concerts (and) events, while not being so heavily reliant on the equestrian foundation as before. When you look at Laughlin’s economic strategic plan … it speaks specifically to the fact that diversity is exactly what the town needs.”

Pending completion of the feasibility study and LTC members reaching agreement, the next step would be design. If a hotel room tax increase was needed to fund the project, approval of the Nevada State Legislature would be required, Hammond said.

Laughlin’s interest in an event venue is nothing new, according to Hammond. A previous study was completed in 2001 but plans were scratched when one of the hotel-casino property owners voted against the proposal.

Johnson said he thought there could be room for two neighboring event centers, as long as the communities work to attract different markets.

“If they’re not trying to draw from the same pool of customers at the same time, then it could work,” Johnson said.