Las Vegas News Bureau

Last updated
Las Vegas News Bureau
Established1949
PurposeTourism promotion
Headquarters Las Vegas Valley, Nevada
Parent organization
 Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA)
Formerly called
Desert Sea News Bureau (1949–1955)

The Las Vegas News Bureau is a promotional agency within the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA). It is based in the Las Vegas Valley. It was created as the Desert Sea News Bureau in 1949, originally as a promotional branch of the local chamber of commerce. It consisted of a team of photographers and writers, who would chronicle local attractions for publication in national newspapers and magazines.

Contents

The current name was adopted in 1955, and the LVCVA has operated the bureau since 1992. The bureau's collection, including historic film footage and more than 7 million photographs, is stored in a vault at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

History

Early years

Throughout the later half of the 1940s, the Las Vegas chamber of commerce hired various advertising firms to promote the city to tourists. The most successful of these firms was Steve Hannagan and Associates, [1] [2] [3] hired in 1948. [4] [5] [6] Hannagan had previously led promotional campaigns for Sun Valley, Idaho and Miami Beach, Florida. [7] [8] In 1949, the chamber of commerce created a promotional branch known as the Desert Sea News Bureau. [9] [10] [11] The name was a reference to nearby Lake Mead. [1] [12] Hannagan led the agency with a small team of photographers and writers. [3] [7]

The bureau would place stories in major newspapers and magazines to promote Las Vegas, and also sent photos and stories to travel editors. For example, bureau photographers would typically snap images of tourists enjoying themselves at Las Vegas resorts, and then send the photos to the visitors' local newspaper for publication. [3] Because Las Vegas was already known for its gambling, Hannagan primarily focused on other amenities that the city had to offer. [3] The bureau also promoted nearby nature attractions such as Death Valley, Lake Mead, and Zion National Park. [3] [7] Although the bureau sought to convey a family image of Las Vegas, it also relied on an excess of cheesecake photos featuring young women. Visiting celebrities were also featured regularly. [3] [13] [14] Singer Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack were frequent subjects of photographs and video footage shot by the bureau. [10] [15] [16] Sinatra would later perform for one of the agency's promotional films. [17]

Hannagan departed the bureau later in 1949, as the chamber of commerce could not afford to keep him on. [13] However, his advertising methods would continue to be used. [1] [8] Ken Frogley took over management, and the bureau continued its focus on non-gaming attractions. Frogley would regularly travel to Los Angeles, hoping to convince local writers to publish more positive stories of Las Vegas. The bureau also provided assistance to visiting reporters, giving them tours of the city while persuading resorts to offer them free rooms and meals. [13]

In 1953, the Sands hotel-casino installed a floating craps table in its pool. A bureau photo of gamblers, playing the game in swimming suits, was published around the world through United Press International. The popular photo was taken by chief photographer Don English, and it helped to propel Las Vegas' tourism industry. [9] [18] [19] Frank Wright, curator for the Nevada State Museum in Las Vegas, said, "It's one of those icon photographs; something catchy that captured American imaginations". [18] Another popular photo, also by English, involved Sands showgirl Lee Merlin dressed in cotton which resembled a miniature mushroom cloud. The 1957 photo, known as Miss Atomic Blast, reflected the atomic testing that was common in Nevada at the time. [20] [21] [22]

The agency was renamed the Las Vegas News Bureau in May 1955, emphasizing its association with the city. [23] That year, the Las Vegas Sun wrote that the chamber of commerce, through the bureau, deserved "a major share of the credit for Las Vegas's status as a tourist capital of the world". [13] During the 1950s, the bureau worked with film studios and Las Vegas hotels to put together premiere events for several films. It also created a 13-minute promotional film in 1956, titled Las Vegas: Playground USA. It was produced on a $10,000 budget. [13]

By the late 1950s, the bureau had sent nearly 30,000 photographs to national newspapers and magazines, which had published around 15,000 stories and images. [13] Don Payne took over management in the 1960s. [18] [24] By the end of the decade, Las Vegas had become well known among the general public, and the bureau gradually shifted to become a liaison, working with hotel publicists and travel writers. [1] [25]

Recent years

Closure of the Las Vegas News Bureau was announced in May 1992, after funding was pulled. The agency had been spending $650,000 a year. The chamber of commerce determined that the bureau was duplicating promotional efforts already undertaken by individual resorts. [26] [27] The LVCVA took over the bureau later that year and kept it open, albeit with a reduced budget. [28] Journalist Myram Borders was announced as the new head of the agency, taking over for Payne. [29] Borders retired from the position in 2002. [30] [31]

As of 2004, the Las Vegas News Bureau had more than 1 million negatives stored in its vault. [32] That year, the agency exhibited 70 images from its collection, depicting noteworthy moments from the city's history. [33] In 2007, the bureau sought to exhibit more of its collection for educational purposes. The agency hoped to digitally archive much of the collection within five years, allowing for preservation and display of the items. [34] Borders praised these efforts and said that prior to that point, there was little public demand to see the collection. She also noted that the bureau previously did not have enough staff and time to exhibit the items. [16] [34]

Two exhibits opened later in 2007, [35] and others would follow in the years to come. [15] [36] [37] As of 2021, the Las Vegas News Bureau has more than 7 million photos in its collection, which is stored in a temperature-controlled vault at the Las Vegas Convention Center. [38] [39]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Las Vegas</span> Largest city in Nevada, United States

Las Vegas, often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and 2nd-largest in the Southwestern United States. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city, known primarily for its gambling, shopping, fine dining, entertainment, and nightlife. The Las Vegas Valley as a whole serves as the leading financial, commercial, and cultural center for Nevada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cranfills Gap, Texas</span> Town in Texas, United States

Cranfills Gap is a town located in Bosque County in central Texas, United States. It was founded by Norwegian Emigrants and to this day most residents can trace their lineage to those Norwegian Founders. The population was 281 at the 2010 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westgate Las Vegas</span> Casino hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada

The Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino is a hotel, casino, and timeshare resort in Winchester, Nevada. Located near the northern end of the Las Vegas Strip, it is owned by Westgate Resorts. It opened in 1969 as the International Hotel, and was known for many years as the Las Vegas Hilton, then briefly as the LVH – Las Vegas Hotel and Casino. From 1981 to 1990, it was the largest hotel in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Las Vegas Valley</span> Metropolitan area in Nevada, United States

The Las Vegas Valley is a major metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada, and the second largest in the Southwestern United States. The state's largest urban agglomeration, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Statistical Area is coextensive since 2003 with Clark County, Nevada. The Valley is largely defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a 600 sq mi (1,600 km2) basin area surrounded by mountains to the north, south, east and west of the metropolitan area. The Valley is home to the three largest incorporated cities in Nevada: Las Vegas, Henderson and North Las Vegas. Eleven unincorporated towns governed by the Clark County government are part of the Las Vegas Township and constitute the largest community in the state of Nevada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tropicana Las Vegas</span> Casino hotel in Nevada, United States

The Tropicana Las Vegas is a casino hotel on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Bally's Corporation, on land leased from Gaming and Leisure Properties. It offers 1,467 rooms, a 50,000-square-foot (4,600 m2) gaming floor, and 72,000 sq ft (6,700 m2) of convention and exhibit space.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luxor Las Vegas</span> Hotel and casino in Paradise, Nevada

Luxor Las Vegas is a 30-story casino hotel situated on the southern end of the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The hotel is owned by Vici Properties and operated by MGM Resorts International and has a 120,000-square-foot (11,000 m2) casino with over 2,000 slot machines and 87 table games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Las Vegas Convention Center</span> Convention center in Nevada

The Las Vegas Convention Center is a convention center in Winchester, Nevada. It is owned and operated by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign</span> United States historic place

The Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign is a Las Vegas landmark funded in May 1959 and erected soon after by Western Neon. The sign was designed by Betty Willis at the request of Ted Rogich, a local salesman, who sold it to Clark County, Nevada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Riviera (hotel and casino)</span> Former casino hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada

Riviera was a hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Winchester, Nevada, which operated from April 1955 to May 2015. It was last owned by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, which decided to demolish it to make way for the Las Vegas Global Business District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raley's Supermarkets</span> Supermarket chain

Raley's Supermarkets is an independent, family-owned American grocery and retail technology company headquartered in West Sacramento, California. Raley's was founded in 1935 by Thomas P. Raley in Placerville, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Nevada Zoological-Botanical Park</span> Zoo in Nevada, United States

The Southern Nevada Zoological-Botanical Park, informally known as the Las Vegas Zoo, was a 3-acre (1.2 ha), nonprofit zoo and botanical garden located in Las Vegas, Nevada that operated from 1981 to September 20, 2013. It was located northwest of the Las Vegas Strip, about 15 minutes away. It focused primarily on the education of desert life and habitat protection. Its mission statement was to "educate and entertain the public by displaying a variety of plants and animals". An admission fee was charged. The park included a small gem exhibit area and a small gift shop at the main exit. The gift shop and admission fees helped support the zoo.

Robert T. Beers is an American accountant (CPA) and member of the Republican Party. He was previously an elected member of the Nevada Assembly from 1998 to 2004, the Nevada Senate from 2005 to 2008, and the Las Vegas City Council from 2012 to 2017. He ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for Governor of Nevada in 2006. In January 2014, he announced that he would run against Democratic Senator Harry Reid in the 2016 U.S. Senate election, but he withdrew from the race in June 2015. In 2018, he was defeated for Nevada State Treasurer by Zach Conine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority</span> Tourism agency for Las Vegas

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority(LVCVA) is a government agency and the official destination marketing organization for Southern Nevada. It was founded by the Nevada Legislature in 1955. The LVCVA owns and operates the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) and is responsible for the advertising campaigns for the Clark County, Nevada area. The LVCVA also owns the Las Vegas Convention Center Loop, the Las Vegas Monorail, and the Las Vegas News Bureau. The LVCVA previously operated the Cashman Center complex; however the City of Las Vegas took control at the end of 2017 and is evaluating possibilities for the facility's future.

R&R Partners is an American advertising, marketing, public relations, and public affairs firm based in Las Vegas, Nevada. They are known for creating the ad campaign "What Happens Here, Stays Here," for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA). R&R maintains domestic and international clients through its headquarters in Las Vegas, and eight locations in ; Mexico. In 2013, Adweek named R&R Partners the top marketing agency in the state of Nevada. It was also named one of the best places to work in marketing and media by Advertising Age.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Town Square (Las Vegas)</span> Shopping mall in Enterprise, Nevada

Town Square is an open-air shopping, dining, office, and entertainment center in Enterprise, Nevada, United States. It occupies approximately 100 acres (40 ha), located one mile south of the Las Vegas Strip. It was developed by Centra Properties and Turnberry Associates. Construction began in 2005, with Marnell Corrao Associates as general contractor. Town Square opened on November 14, 2007. It has 1.5 million square feet (140,000 m2), including 350,000 sq ft (33,000 m2) of office space. In 2017, Town Square was sold to Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America and Fairbourne Properties, with the latter also handling management.

Nevada Policy, formerly the Nevada Policy Research Institute, is a private non-profit, free-market and limited-government policy research organization based in Las Vegas, Nevada. Nevada Policy seeks to promote private, rather than government, solutions to issues facing Nevada and the western region of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Sisolak</span> 30th governor of Nevada

Stephen F. Sisolak is an American businessman and politician who served as the 30th governor of Nevada from 2019 to 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, he served on the Clark County Commission from 2009 to 2019 and on the Nevada Board of Regents from 1999 to 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Nevada gubernatorial election</span>

The 2022 Nevada gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 2022, to elect the governor of Nevada. Incumbent Democratic governor Steve Sisolak lost re-election to a second term, being defeated by Republican nominee, Clark County Sheriff, Joe Lombardo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Nevada</span>

The 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Nevada were held on November 8, 2022, to elect the four U.S. representatives from the state of Nevada, one from each of the state's four congressional districts. The elections coincided with the Nevada gubernatorial election, as well as other elections to the U.S. House of Representatives, elections to the U.S. Senate, and various state and local elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tuscany Village</span>

Tuscany Village is a golf course community located in Henderson, Nevada. It was originally proposed by developer Jim Rhodes in 1995, under the name Palm City. The project was proposed for the former site of the Stewart gravel pit. The surrounding area initially sparked concern about the location's suitability, due to various environmental issues at the time. The site was located near sewage ponds and a longtime manufacturer of chemicals which had contaminated the land. Ground water was also found to have high radioactive levels.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Evans, K.J. (February 7, 1999). "Steve Hannagan". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
  2. ↑ Townsley, Michael (2020). Steve Hannagan: Price of the Press Agents and Titan of Modern Public Relations. Gatekeeper Press. ISBN   978-1-6629-0722-7 . Retrieved October 10, 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Gragg, Larry D. (2019). Becoming America's Playground: Las Vegas in the 1950s. University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN   978-0-8061-6553-0 . Retrieved October 10, 2022.
  4. ↑ "High-Powered Publicity Firm To 'Sell' Clark County, Vegas" . Las Vegas Review-Journal. May 21, 1948. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Hannegan, Staff Prepares Publicizing District" . Las Vegas Review-Journal. June 16, 1948. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Chamber to Hear Hannegan Plans" . Las Vegas Review-Journal. July 18, 1948. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  7. 1 2 3 Foster, Jonathan (2018). Stigma Cities: The Reputation and History of Birmingham, San Francisco, and Las Vegas. University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN   978-0-8061-6225-6 . Retrieved October 10, 2022.
  8. 1 2 Smith, John L. (May 20, 2021). "Book reminds us of those who promoted Vegas in sunshine and shadow". CDC Gaming Reports. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
  9. 1 2 Fabulous Las Vegas. Beautiful America Publishing Co. 2006. p. 75. ISBN   978-0-89802-815-7 . Retrieved October 10, 2022.
  10. 1 2 "Las Vegas News Bureau". Clark County, Nevada. December 1, 2009. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
  11. ↑ White, Ken (December 13, 2002). "Ghost of Vegas Past". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on March 9, 2005.
  12. ↑ Coughtry, Jamie (1987). "John F. Cahlan: Fifty Years in Journalism and Community Development". University of Nevada Oral History Program. p. 159. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Cohen, Jonathan D.; Schwartz, David G. (2018). All In: The Spread of Gambling in Twentieth-Century United States. University of Nevada Press. pp. 81–92. ISBN   978-1-943859-61-0 . Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  14. ↑ Smith, John L. (April 19, 2006). "News Bureau's 'heart and soul' showed irresistible side of Las Vegas". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on April 21, 2006.
  15. 1 2 Leach, Robin (November 9, 2015). "Las Vegas News Bureau salutes Frank Sinatra with three photo exhibits". Las Vegas Sun. Archived from the original on July 8, 2018.
  16. 1 2 Schorr, Melissa (March 2, 1999). "Rat Pack pack rats". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
  17. ↑ Evans, K.J. (May 17, 1998). "Crooner no stranger to LV publicity stunts". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on June 12, 1998.
  18. 1 2 3 Crowley, Matthew (July 1, 1998). "Worth more than words: A photo taken 45 years ago changed the image of Las Vegas". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on November 4, 1999.
  19. ↑ Whaley, Sean (April 19, 2006). "His eye sold nation on Las Vegas" . Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  20. ↑ Morrison, Jane Ann (May 7, 2012). "News Bureau showed sexy sells". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  21. ↑ "Question of the Day". Las Vegas Advisor. May 19, 2011. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  22. ↑ Feldberg, Sarah (May 16, 2012). "Learning from and repeating history with the Miss Atomic Bomb photo recreation". Las Vegas Weekly. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  23. ↑ "Name Is Changed" . Las Vegas Review-Journal. May 19, 1955. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  24. ↑ Przybys, John (September 10, 2021). "Payne, news bureau manager who helped to market Las Vegas, dies". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
  25. ↑ Cross, joe (February 18, 1982). "Selling a city bureau's task" . Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  26. ↑ "LV News Bureau to shut down" . Las Vegas Review-Journal. May 30, 1992. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  27. ↑ "News Bureau will be missed" . Las Vegas Review-Journal. June 5, 1992. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  28. ↑ Retrieved October 9, 2022:
  29. ↑ "Borders will head LV News Bureau" . Las Vegas Review-Journal. August 21, 1992. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  30. ↑ Deskin, Ruthe (January 24, 2002). "Borders is still real news". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  31. ↑ "Borders reflects on trailblazing career". Las Vegas Sun. July 23, 2002. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  32. ↑ Bond, Tiffanie (December 29, 2004). "Keepers of the history". View News. Archived from the original on February 23, 2005.
  33. ↑ White, Ken (December 31, 2004). "Looking at History". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on January 3, 2005.
  34. 1 2 O'Brien, Matt (July 26, 2007). "The way we were". Las Vegas CityLife. Archived from the original on June 5, 2009.
  35. ↑ "News Bureau opens its vaults" . Las Vegas CityLife. October 4, 2007. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  36. ↑ Jones, Jay (March 15, 2009). "Snapshots of Sin City". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  37. ↑ "Las Vegas News Bureau photo exhibit to tour" . Sunrise View. March 31, 2009. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  38. ↑ Horwath, Bryan (November 4, 2021). "This Las Vegan's job is to keep an eye on the future by preserving the past". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
  39. ↑ "History: The Las Vegas News Bureau shoots to thrill". Nevada Public Radio. January 1, 2012. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.