Rodeo bucks Las Vegas from saddle as host city

In the end, the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association opted for more money and a bigger arena for its National Finals Rodeo. Left to watch the cowboys hit the trail is Las Vegas, home to the sport’s prize event for 29 years. It is heading to central Florida, specifically Osceola County, whose county seat is Kissimmee. Over the past couple of days, officials there escalated interest in luring the NFR to that region and have approved plans for a $100 million, 24,000-seat arena that would be ready for the 2016 NFR. This afternoon, Las Vegas Events announced the PRCA rejected the Las Vegas offer to keep the rodeo at the Thomas & Mack Center beyond 2014, when the event’s current 10-year contract is due to expire. PRCA Chief Executive Karl Stressman indicated last week that other cities were trying to lure the event, though he expressed hope that a deal could be reached to keep it in Las Vegas. “There are people who have some real interest in our product. As the CEO of the PRCA, my obligation is to look at those offers and see what that is like and take it to the board of directors and say, ‘Here is my recommendation as CEO. It’s your decision to make. Here are the pluses and minuses,’” Stressman said. Though this year’s NFR had a record payout of $6.25 million in prize money, Stressman has been fighting for at least the past three years to increase the prize pool. “We’re looking for a higher value on the contestant money, no question,” Stressman said...more