Spotlight: Participant Events

In the Action

Competitive, fun participant events have found a home in Las Vegas.

Off and Running

The Las Vegas Marathon was founded in 1983, but in 2011, with help from Las Vegas Events and new event ownership, the event blossomed into the Las Vegas Rock ‘n Roll Marathon and took its rightful spot “running at night” down the heart of the Las Vegas Strip. The new setting and energy created an unmatched experience for the 46,500 runners, plus fans and sponsors.

Off the Mat

Las Vegas has hosted the World Wrestling Championships, Olympic trials and other major amateur wrestling events since the late seventies, including the Las Vegas Wrestling Invitational, the only national collegiate wrestling event in the country. Plus, other events with competitors from 10 years old to Olympic caliber athletes have competed in Las Vegas. A highlight event is the U.S. Open, which qualifies athletes for the world championships and brings more than 5,000 youths to Las Vegas annually.

Strikes!

Las Vegas can now be considered a Bowling Capital, with world-class facilities at South Point Hotel & Casino and other locations. In the next decade, the South Point will host five USBC men’s and women’s championships, bringing hundreds of thousands of bowlers to Las Vegas.

Vegas Goes Country

The Wrangler National Finals Rodeo—held in Las Vegas at the Thomas & Mack Center since 1985—is the blueprint for all Las Vegas events and annually attracts more than 250,000 fans and sells out for 10-straight nights. The entire city goes country each December.

Several off-shoot Western lifestyle events have been created surrounding the Wrangler NFR, including the World Series of Team Roping, which attracts nearly 4,000 teams and is rodeo’s richest event with a purse of about $15 million.

Hit the Gas

In 2018, the Mint 400, one of the world’s most prestigious off-road races, celebrated its 50th year in Las Vegas and attracts thousands upon thousands of competitors and fans.

The Mint 400 brings the raw power of offroad racing.

The USBC Open Championships are a can’tmiss event for bowlers.

Wrestling and Las Vegas have a long history.

The World Series of Team Roping is the richest roping event in the world.