Las Vegas Centennial Commission Special Meeting – February 26, 2026

This special meeting of the Las Vegas Centennial Commission was called to discuss the 2025 Heldorado Days Rodeo final report and a request for additional funding from the Plaza Hotel and Casino. The commission emphasized its mission to fund historic preservation, not events, and ultimately voted to continue the funding request to the next meeting.

Public Comments & Testimony

• One citizen suggested the commission consider funding a scholarship for historic preservation at UNLV, noting a shortage of local historians. No action was taken.

Discussion Items

• Final Report on 2025 Heldorado Days Rodeo (Item 5): Michele Evans (Director of Sales, Catering, and Core Arena, Plaza Hotel) and Natasha White (Director of Marketing) presented a recap of the November 7–8, 2025 rodeo. Key stats: 377 contestants, 2,321 general admission tickets, 1,124 VIP tickets (up 553% from previous year), 61% first-time attendees, and 34,000 website sessions. The rodeo is one of five PRCA-sanctioned events in Nevada. Historical elements included a “Then and Now” tent with artifacts from LVCVA, coloring contests (82 participants), and a whiskerino contest (11 submissions). The report was informational; no vote was taken. Commissioner Bob Mowbray questioned the lack of a detailed expenditure report required by the grant agreement, and several commissioners noted that the rodeo’s historical preservation value was limited given the commission’s budget of $1.8 million. The mayor noted that the presenters would provide the missing financial breakdown.

• Request for Additional Funding (Item 6): The Plaza Hotel requested a first amendment to the grant agreement: $100,000 for 2026, $200,000 for 2027, and $200,000 for 2028, with an extension of the grant deadline to November 30, 2028. The Plaza also offered to take ownership of the Heldorado Days Rodeo trademark if the commission declined to fund further. The city attorney clarified that the trademark is owned by the City of Las Vegas, not the commission, and that the commission could not transfer it. Commissioners expressed strong reservations: Louise Helton noted the Plaza had previously said they would be self-sustaining after three years; Bob Mowbray and John Stodle argued the rodeo does not meet the commission’s historic preservation mission; others cited the high cost per attendee (approximately $67 per person). The mayor (Chair) and Commissioner C. Bryan argued the rodeo is a historic tradition that should continue but with more explicit historical elements. A motion to continue the item to the next meeting on March 23, 2026, passed (with one opposing vote, Commissioner Sinek).

Key Outcomes

• Vote on Item 6: The commission voted to continue the discussion on the Plaza Hotel’s funding request to the March 23, 2026 meeting. The motion carried with one nay (Commissioner Sinek). The Plaza Hotel was asked to return with a stronger emphasis on how the rodeo will commemorate the history of Las Vegas, including specific historical elements and a detailed budget breakout.
• No other decisions were made. The meeting adjourned at approximately 4:30 PM.