Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce speaks to the media during Super Bowl LVIII Opening Night at Allegiant Stadium Monday, Feb. 5, 2024.
Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024 | 2 a.m.
Daniel Occelli is walking through Allegiant Stadium sporting a red Chiefs pullover, vintage hat, mustache and a thick head set with a cord attached at his jeans.
He is slightly husky in build and carries a laminated menu from Denny’s. Occelli, a television reporter from Mexico City, is trying to mimic the appearance of Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid.
He was one of the many characters packed into the Raiders' home stadium Monday for Super Bowl Opening Night, the NFL’s pregame event bringing together the Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers ahead of Super Bowl 58 on Sunday.
Opening Night had a little bit of everything, with a performance from Blue Man Group, ring announcer Michael Buffer handling the player introductions, loud music keeping the more than 23,823 fans engaged and players playfully answering questions.
Make no doubt about it: This was a wild scene.
Reid appeared to only be slightly amused by Occelli’s look and jokingly said he wanted to order a cheeseburger from his fake menu.
Reid also remained professional when a reporter asked how many Taylor Swift songs he could list, saying maybe one or two and proclaiming his wife was the expert.
Swift, of course, was a hot topic because she’s dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, who easily had the largest crowd of media lined up to ask questions. He stormed onto the field at Allegiant Stadium to a mix of cheers and boos while waving a towel.
“This is awesome. Vegas is an awesome host,” said Nick Bolton, the Chiefs’ standout linebacker. “This is such a great entertainment city. I’m glad (the NFL) picked here.”
We are too.
Las Vegas has long arrived as a premiere destination for events, bringing the NFL Draft, Stanley Cup Final, Las Vegas Grand Prix, NCAA Tournament and plenty of notable fights.
Yet, this week is different. This week is the most important.
It’s time to again show our stuff.
The Super Bowl will bring eyes from all over the world, giving our region an opportunity to display what us locals have long known: This is a great place to throw a party, and an even better place to call home.
That’s because of the people who live and work here. Hosting a one-off event, no matter the magnitude, is what we do best.
Las Vegas is a first-class city, with first-class people. And those people deserve a hearty bravo for their efforts.
Everyone from the tourism officials who beautifully coordinated the week on about two years notice — you usually get five years of lead time — to the service industry workers on the Strip who are rolling out the red carpet for hundreds of thousands of visitors, are a great representation of Las Vegas.
We treat everyone with class and dignity, knowing that impression is paramount is getting people to come back to Las Vegas.
That, after all, is the goal with the Super Bowl.
We want to put on such a great event that the NFL pencils Las Vegas into the regular rotation to host its biggest game.
That hospitality was felt by Chiefs fans Jon and Stephanie Novacek, who traveled here from Kansas to attend their first Super Bowl. Stephanie Novacek said it best: “Las Vegas is a great place.”
The week is just getting started.
Opening Night was a blast, paving the way for more memories and entertainment. That is especially true for us locals.
Entry into Monday’s event was just $30 and many residents were at Allegiant Stadium for the madness. Others will go to the Super Bowl Experience at Mandalay Bay, where tickets start at $25.
When I was a kid in the 1980s, we could only dream about being part of Super Bowl week. Same for the city.
If Monday was any indication, this is only the beginning. The 23,823 fans in attendance set a record for the league’s Opening Night.
[email protected] / 702-990-2662 / @raybrewer21
