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By Alan Snel, LVSportsBiz.com Publisher-Writer
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — The LVCVA is revamping its sports development and events staff in hopes of driving more visitors to Las Vegas to attend sports events.
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) has hired a new vice president of sports development — Jennifer Hawkins, who has sports tourism experience in Pittsburgh. She was executive director of SportsPITTSBURGH from 2016-2024.
The LVCVA’s hiring of Hawkins comes after the publicly-funded tourism agency hired Will Hunter as vice president of events in October. Hunter was vice president of event operations for the Super Bowl Bay Area Host Committee from Aug. 2024 to Aug. 2025 after working as vice president of operations for the Pac-12 Conference from July 2012 to Aug. 2024. He also worked for the NFL Dallas Cowboys for three years and the NFL for five years.
And as LVSportsBiz.com has reported this week, the LVCVA is looking to hire a new chief sports officer for a robust salary of up to $347,400 a year.
In September, LVSportsBiz,com reported that Brian Yost was leaving the LVCVA as its chief operating officer/chief sports officer. Yost left the tourism organization in the fall.
Yost’s departure followed the news in June that former LVCVA Vice President of Sports and Special Events Lisa Motley was no longer at the government tourism agency.
The LVCVA spends hundreds of millions of public dollars on “sponsorships” for sports promoters and leagues to stage their major events in the Las Vegas market. For example, the LVCVA board approved $6 million in November to pay WWE for holding its WrestleMania event at Allegiant Stadium in 2026. The LVCVA had a $55 million budget to hold the Super Bowl here in Feb. 2024. The LVCVA board in August gave $20 million to F1 for its road race in Las Vegas — plus another $1.25 million for F1 race tickets.
The LVCVA board also approved $40 million to host the college football national championship game at Allegiant Stadium in Jan. 2027. The $40 million is $25 million plus a $15 million contingency.
Why do leagues and promoters hold their marquee sports events in Las Vegas? The LVCVA pays up and local government, namely Clark County, accommodates major sports events like the F1 race without push back.
And the LVCVA is hiring people to keep those sports events coming to Las Vegas.
PSA