Gentlemen, start your cash registers: NASCAR spells big bucks

By Pashtana Usufzy

Friday, March 6, 2015 | 1:05 p.m.

It’s the biggest sporting event in the state by attendance.

When fans pack the Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend for the Kobalt 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race and the Boyd Gaming 300 Xfinity Series race, they’ll create a veritable city in the far northeast valley.

About 150,000 fans are expected for the races, generating $165.6 million in nongaming economic impact, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority spokeswoman Heidi Hayes said.

And the impact isn’t felt just at the speedway. Hotels, bars, shops, shows and rental car companies also stand to cash in on the action.

“This weekend kicks off our really strong season, which is from this weekend in March until Thanksgiving,” said David Kring, general manager of the PBR Rock Bar & Grill at the Miracle Mile Shops on the Strip.

The bar is adding extra staff for the anticipated crowds and expects sales to be up 25 to 35 percent, Kring said.

“It’s just a good vibe,” he said. “Everybody’s excited about the race being in Vegas.”

Since the Sprint Cup arrived in Las Vegas in 1998, it has generated billions of dollars in revenue for Las Vegas, according to speedway officials.

Rachel Hunt, a spokeswoman for the Stratosphere, said the hotel-casino makes it a point to reach out to NASCAR fans. The hotel is as busy for the races as it is for big events like New Year’s Eve and the Super Bowl, she said.

Fans arrive early and stay to have an experience, making it easier to get them in on the action through slot tournaments, NASCAR pop-up stores and giveaways, Hunt said.

The property sponsors the Stratosphere Pole Day for today’s time trials. The partnership with the Speedway and the boost from NASCAR weekend impacts everything from room revenue to restaurant sales and spending on the casino floor, Hunt said.

“It’s really a whole week of events,” she said.