By Alan Snel, LVSportsBiz.com Publisher-Writer
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — Not only has the Strip been gentrified, but Las Vegas has chased and hooked high-end shiny sports events like Super Bowls and Final Fours.
But amid the bounty of F1 races and college football championship games and A’s stadiums is one of Las Vegas’ longest-running sports event — the 35-year-old Las Vegas Bowl.
And the folks who put on this bowl game, set for New Year’s Eve at Allegiant Stadium, gathered once again for a luncheon during the dog days of late August at the Virgin hotel off the Strip to celebrate a bowl game owned by Las Vegas Events. It’s a band led by Las Vegas Bowl boss John Saccenti with appearances by the likes of Aviators chief Don “Donnie Baseball” Logan, R&R advertising sports dude Rob Dondero, LVCVA head honcho Steve “Man of Many Hats” Hill and even a cameo appearance by former college football coach Urban Meyer, who just happens to be pals with UNLV football coach Dan Mullen.
The Las Vegas Bowl has a one-year deal in Las Vegas and a $1.5 million sponsorship from the LVCVA public tourism agency because Las Vegas Events — like all college football bowl game promoters — are in wait-and-see mode to see how whether the College Football Playoff (CFP) will expand its 12-game championship tournament and perhaps need any potential host venues.
The Las Vegas Bowl and its host venue– Allegiant Stadium — could make for a nice host for a quarterfinal game, perhaps.
The football title tourney games at other bowl games certainly draw the intense spotlight, (Allegiant Stadium is hosting the college football national title game in January). But Saccenti stressed bowl games like the Las Vegas Bowl game still matter. The bowl game gives school supplies to teachers, while college players get a chance to see Las Vegas,
During the luncheon, Saccenti also had a chat with Meyer, who has won two national championships with Florida and one with Ohio State. He talked about his journey from Bowling Green to Utah to Florida to the Buckeyes.
Meyer is also a big supporter of Mullen and joked that he came to Las Vegas for a meeting with Mullen and UNLV and was speeding down I-15 to meet Mullen when a cop pulled him over. Meyer had his ID ready for the police officer, who told Meyer, “Go Rebs,” after the cop realized who he pulled over.
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