Ten Days Of National Finals Rodeo In Las Vegas Draws More Than 170,000 In Attendance At Thomas & Mack Center
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By Alan Snel, LVSportsBiz.com Publisher-Writer
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — The National Finals Rodeo drew 170,045 fans to Thomas & Mack Center during ten days ending Saturday night, while Las Vegas tourism officials gave the cowboys a check for more than $17.2 million.
Las Vegas is an old horse town and the Vegas market celebrated those roots by hosting thousands of rodeo fans and country lifestyle vendors who come to Sin City every early December to make money.
Besides the 121 contestants vying for prize money at Thomas & Mack Center, 310,827 was in attendance for the retail vendor displays at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The ten-day celebration of cowboy, country and western lifestyle included 110 concerts and 32 local locations around Las Vegas.
Las Vegas Events, the local promoter that cuts the deal with the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), said the prize money for contestants will be $12,501,505, while the stock contractors will receive $3,750,451.
There’s guaranteed prize money of $1.2 million for NFR qualifiers, Las Vegas Events spokesperson Michael Mack said.
The animals for the ten-rodeo hang out on fields near the UNLV campus’ athletic area. While horses were relaxing, UNLV was naming a new football coach, Dan Mullen, Friday.
The final day of NFR that drew 17,227 fans at Thomas & Mack Center Saturday also coincided with the NBA Cup semifinals at nearby T-Mobile Arena, where attendance was announced of more than 17,000 fans at each of the semifinal games.
The NFR is the richest rodeo in the country as the event attracts the top 15 contestants in each of the seven rodeo events.
NFR has sold out 369 consecutive performances at Thomas & Mack Center on the UNLV campus.
LVSportsBiz.com thanks Tom Donoghue for the photos in this story.
