Las Vegas to host general election presidential debate next year

By J.D. Morris

Published Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2015 | 8:53 a.m.

Updated Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2015 | 11:55 a.m.

Las Vegas will host the general election’s third and final presidential debate on Oct. 19 next year.

The Commission on Presidential Debates this morning announced the cities that will host debates, just after the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority approved spending $4 million to host a debate at UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Center. Las Vegas joins Dayton, Ohio, and St. Louis as host cities for the presidential debates; the vice presidential debate will be held in Farmville, Va.

The expenditure approved by the Las Vegas visitors authority includes a $1.95 million host fee and $2.05 million for the event program and production.

The debate is expected to have a significant impact on the valley. The authority estimates the media exposure generated by a presidential debate will be worth about $50 million, and the Las Vegas area will see a direct economic impact of $6 million.

Las Vegas officials hope the debate will boost the region’s reputation as a serious place for business. Cathy Tull, the authority’s senior vice president of marketing, told the board of directors that Las Vegas was “deemed to be somewhat frivolous” after the economy tumbled during the recession. The authority thinks it can use a debate to market the idea that Las Vegas is about more than partying, gambling and entertainment.

“This is a very strong statement about doing business in Las Vegas,” said Rossi Ralenkotter, the authority’s chief executive. He said it should put to rest any concerns that government entities may have about hosting meetings in Las Vegas.

UNLV President Len Jessup told the board that a debate at Thomas & Mack will also have a positive impact on his campus’ image.

“This would be very significant for us if we can make this happen,” he said.

In addition to highlighting Las Vegas and UNLV, the debate could also aid the efforts of the casino industry’s Washington, D.C.-based lobbying organization.

The American Gaming Association launched an initiative earlier this year called “Gaming Votes,” aimed at making sure presidential candidates understand casinos’ positive contributions to the economy.

The organization highlighted that initiative when reacting to news of the Las Vegas debate, and its president, Geoff Freeman, called UNLV the ideal setting for informing candidates about the casino industry.

“We’re confident that many of the students candidates encounter on campus next fall will offer proof of casino gaming providing a path to the middle class for people of all backgrounds and experiences,” Freeman said in a statement.

UNLV and the authority teamed up this spring to submit a bid to host one of the debates. The authority said Las Vegas was one of 16 sites on the short list.

This won’t be the first debate held in Las Vegas this election cycle: A Democratic primary debate is happening at Wynn Las Vegas next month. Las Vegas also tried to host the 2016 Republican convention but ended up withdrawing its bid last year.