Lock up the children,” said Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea
during a press conference announcing a free concert in conjunction
with Las Vegas’ 100th anniversary celebration. He should have made
that “lock up the tickets.”
The concert will be held July 2 in a parking lot that was once
the site of the Landmark Hotel. The land
at the corner of Paradise Road and Convention Center Drive now
belongs to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. The
site was chosen because of its proximity to the Strip.
With the best of intentions, the City of Las Vegas and media
mega-company Clear Channel put together the Fourth of July event
starring the famous rock band with popular alternative band Weezer
and offered 50,000 free tickets on the Internet.
Tickets to the event were snapped up in 15 minutes then
immediately began appearing on E-bay and other Internet sources for
about $100 each.
Las Vegas mayor Oscar Goodman was shocked to learn that people
would try to capitalize on a free event.
“Whoever takes advantage of the largesse and good will of the
city is a bum. ” Goodman said at the time, while threatening to
sue.
Another 5,000 tickets were released through Las Vegas
Ticketmaster locations and given away in radio contests to try to
give Las Vegas residents a chance at the tickets.
Tickets are still available from several Internet sources for
those planning a last-minute trip, but not for free, of course.
Although the event is located close to the strip, alert clients
that parking will be a challenge and details of a park-and-ride
program have yet to be announced.
www.vegasrocks100.com
| EVENTS CALENDAR
The Las Vegas Centennial is a celebration of the 100th anniversary
of a May 15, 1905, railroad land sale that, it could be said,
marked the beginning of Las Vegas. Some say the city’s beginnings
go back 50 years earlier when the Mormon Church attempted the first
settlement, but in Las Vegas, you can’t let the facts stand in the
way of a good party.
The celebration kicked off last Dec. 31 and continues through
next New Year’s Eve. The majority of the events took place this
spring such as the cutting of a huge birthday cake, an old West
village and a wedding for 100 couples. A free concert by the Red
Hot Chili Peppers over the July 4th weekend is the highlight event.
Other events that have been incorporated into the celebration
include: International Hispanic Day Parade
Downtown
Oct. 8
Vegas Valley Book Festival
Downtown
Oct. 13-14/20-22
Bite of Las Vegas, Food Festival
Desert Breeze Park
Oct. 22 Aviation Nation Air Show
Nellis Air Force Base
Nov. 12-13
Patriots Party/Veterans Day Parade
Downtown
Nov. 11-13
New Year’s Eve Fireworks Las Vegas Strip Dec. 31Many other events,
mostly geared to Las Vegas residents, have been sanctioned as part
of the celebration. Other events are being added as the year goes
on. For more information and a full calendar of events see
www.lasvegas2005.org.
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