VEGAS INC Magazine - Latest Las Vegas business news, features and commentaries about gaming, tourism, real estate and more
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/41819
MYRON MARTIN CEO, Smith Center for the Performing Arts WHERE WERE YOU? I remember waking up early that day and turning on the TV in my kitchen just as the second plane was hitting the World Trade Center. I was shocked, saddened and outraged. I had moved to Las Vegas from New York City, and I couldn't believe what I was seeing. That day I talked to Clint Holmes about doing something. The very next night, a group of entertainers, managers and producers met at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse on West Flamingo to discuss creating a show in support of the victims. Wayne Newton, Bernie Yuman, Frank Lieberman, Bill Acosta, Franki Scinta, Lance Burton, Dave Kirvin, Bob Anderson, Joe Schenk (whose PRG company would play an important production role) Neil Miller, Clint and I were among the group who talked about giving to the September 11 fund by hosting a first-ever concert event featuring all the entertainers in Las Vegas. Neil and I started working (volunteering) the next day by looking for a venue and talking to performers. Wayne hosted a meeting at his house a week later and we agreed to hold the event at Mandalay Events Center (thanks to Glenn Medas) on November 11, which happened to be Veterans Day. By now, it appeared that the New York fund was going to be well subsidized, and we talked about supporting other needs. Wayne had been named chairman of the USO and someone said that we should give our concert proceeds to them in support of our troops—because it appeared that we were going to war. Every night, Neil and I went to showrooms, visited with artists and discussed repertoire and show content. On November 11, we produced a four-hour show with just about every performer in Las Vegas, a wonderful orchestra and chorus, men and women from our police, fire and Nellis AFB, and a number of visiting artists including Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr., Jessica Simpson and others. Everyone volunteered including the talented crew. The arena was packed with Las Vegans who were proud Americans. All proceeds went to the USO in support of our troops. Veterans Day was a proud day for us all. HOW DID IT AFFECT US? Tourism dropped. I think our show sent an important message that Las Vegas was open for business and that our community was resilient, strong and proud. I believe it had a healing effect for our great city. | 12 SEPTEMBER 2011 | BILLY VASSILIADIS CEO, R R Partners WHERE WERE YOU? When the story first broke, I was driving my son to high school. When I got home there was pandemonium at my house. My wife is deputy director of aviation at McCarran. She was here while the senior folks were grounded in Montreal at a conference. I was stunned and shocked. I had an (LVCVA) meeting that morning at Cashman and they decided to cancel the meeting. We came back to the office and set up a communication room. I was doing my job for my clients but I was also supporting my wife, because that's where most of the hell was going on. There were tens of thousands of people grounded in Las Vegas and we were all glued to the news. HOW DID IT AFFECT US? The whole process of flying has gotten more cumbersome. I hate to say this, but if there's anything positive that came out of this in Las Vegas, it was a high level of vigilance and caution. It has really ratcheted up our security. We were down for a while, we pulled our advertising because nobody was traveling. About two weeks later we started doing customer surveys to see what the mood was like. The interesting thing was Las Vegas started to recover more quickly than anyplace else. After a few weeks, the pressure had gotten too intense in the country and Las Vegas was seen as a place to escape for 72 hours. I don't think there's been any lingering effects on business, though. By 2002, our numbers were coming back pretty well. 23 & LEILA NAVIDI LEILA NAVIDI