LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Pro sports teams always come with rabid sports fans and now they all come together in Las Vegas. A city that is embracing its sports destiny, especially this weekend.
Dave Courvoisier reports on the expectations running high for this ultimate sports weekend.
NO OTHER CITY
"No other destination has held the NHL All-Star game and the Pro Bowl weekend in the same weekend," said Fletch Brunelle, VP of Marketing for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.
And no other city is so well prepared to host a crowd like the one coming this weekend, without hardly blinking.
"Because we are hospitality experts in Las Vegas, the properties in Las Vegas know how to pull these things together. So whether or not it is T-Mobile Arena, whether or not it's Allegiant Stadium, when you take a look at Las Vegas Ballpark, but also the 150,000 hotel rooms that we have in town, we know how to put on big events. And we have for years," said Brunelle.
IT'S AMAZING
"All of it's just super exciting, what's going on in this community. It's amazing to me, especially I've been here, like I said, 31 years and it's incredible," said Mike Smith.
Smith personifies the sort of local enthusiasm you see everywhere in Las Vegas nowadays. Once a Los Angeles resident and LA sports fan, he’s defected over to the VGK and the Raiders, a season ticket-holder for both teams.
"And I was like, oh my God, I just saw that!" said Smith pointing to a picture of him at a VGK game.
In fact, he is such a fan of the Golden Knights that he’s turned his office into a shrine of VGK memorabilia and a story behind each trophy.
"This is all the game pucks for season one from start to finish, including the bronze one, which is the first game," said Smith.
WEEKEND FOR FANS
Listening to his enthusiasm, I realized, this weekend was made for people like him and the town was made for events like this.
"There's a lot of activity that's happening around these events and the destination. So the art of the possible is 125,000. This is the first year for them all. So we'll determine that in terms of economic impact, once we get the final numbers," said Brunelle.
Brunelle says the LVCVA is already in talks with other sports leagues, and the NCAA for other big upcoming events.
Can't make it to the games this weekend in person? Watch on 13 Action News! The NHL All-Star Game starts at 12 p.m. on Saturday and airs on ABC Ch. 13. Then on Sunday at noon, the NFL Pro Bowl airs on ABC Ch. 13. Both games are followed by special editions of 13 Action News.
