March 18, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Stacy Allsbrook, Las Vegas Centennial, 702-229-4733 or sallsbrook@lasvegasnevada.gov
Nancy Katz, R&R Partners, 702-318-4213 or nkatz@rrpartners.com

Gateway to the Las Vegas Centennial opens
- Web site launch and grant program announced -

The gateway to Las Vegas' 100th birthday extravaganza is now open with the launch of the official dedicated Las Vegas Centennial Celebration Web site, www.lasvegas2005.org. Developed as an awareness and education tool by Centennial staff, the site will serve as the portal to all Centennial Celebration activities and programs.

"We're excited to introduce lasvegas2005.org and share our vision and plans with everyone, not only in Las Vegas but around the world," said Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, who is chairman of the Centennial Celebration Executive Committee, which began meeting last year. "I encourage everyone to visit the site frequently as it will continue to be updated as the various programs and events scheduled throughout 2005 are finalized."

Las Vegas Centennial events are planned from Dec. 31, 2004 through Dec. 31, 2005 in addition to the official 100th birthday observance on May 15, 2005. There are opportunities for individuals and all types of organizations to become involved.

"The Centennial Celebration will be a partnership of many beyond Las Vegas City Hall and Las Vegas city boundaries who are joining to commemorate the greatest city in the world's 100th birthday," said Goodman. He cited involvement from key community and business leaders, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Clark County staff and Clear Channel Entertainment, which will produce several signature events, sell sponsorship packages, handle merchandising and licensing and develop Centennial-related television broadcast rights and opportunities.

"Las Vegas and Clark County are inextricably linked, so it's natural that we join together to celebrate this community's centennial," said Clark County Commissioner Bruce Woodbury, who is on the Centennial Celebration Executive Committee. "Together we will put on a larger-than-life event that residents and visitors will not soon forget."

Stephens Media Interactive, another Centennial partner, is providing Web site hosting services for lasvegas2005.org. "We have worked closely with Centennial staff to design an extremely easy-to-use informative site that will continue to evolve as the Centennial events approach," said Al Gibes, executive director of Stephens Media Interactive, the producers of reviewjournal.com, and the Review-Journal's Online Guy columnist. "The servers and bandwidth make it possible for people across the Las Vegas Valley and around the world to have simultaneous access to the most current information on Las Vegas and the Centennial Celebration."

The first phase of the Centennial Web site includes: general information including mission, goals and board members and their profiles; Las Vegas history, timeline and photo/image bank; information about the community, cultural, educational, fundraising, historical and special events working groups; involvement opportunities including descriptions and contacts; Las Vegas Centennial Grant Program information and application; sponsorships and partnerships; news releases and board meeting information; Centennial license plate information; advertising opportunities; key links; and contact information.

One of the site's components is the Las Vegas Centennial Grant Program where local charitable, civic, educational, ethnic and faith-based organizations now can apply for thousands of dollars in grants to develop their own Centennial-related programs to occur in 2005. Applications are due May 15, 2004 with awards distributed in the summer. In addition to www.lasvegas2005.org, applications are available at the Centennial office, 400 Stewart Ave., 2nd Floor.

The Web site's next phase, scheduled for August, will include a master events calendar and the stories, anecdotes and personal histories of Las Vegas residents. "We anticipate the calendar will be one of the most popular areas of the Web site, as it will be the only place that will have the latest information on everything from school and civic organization celebrations to major community-wide signature Centennial events," said Stacy Allsbrook, Las Vegas Centennial Celebration executive director.

"Stephens Media Interactive is excited to be an active participant in the Centennial Celebration," said Gibes. "We understand the importance of having an always-updated, informative and interesting Web site, and want and expect lasvegas2005.org to be 'THE' place to go for everything Centennial. It will be a bookmarked site for every Web surfer with an interest in Las Vegas. In conjunction with other Centennial Web site promotional efforts, we plan to incorporate links to www.lasvegas2005.org from many places on the reviewjournal.com site and expect traffic on the Centennial site to build steadily."

In addition to Mayor Goodman, the Centennial Celebration Executive Committee includes Las Vegas Councilman Gary Reese, Las Vegas Councilman Lawrence Weekly, Clark County Commissioner Bruce Woodbury, Senator Richard Bryan, Ryan Arnold, Hannah Brown, Tim Cashman, Alan Feldman, Bill McBeath, Rossi Ralenkotter, Don Snyder, Robert Stoldal and Mike Varney. Additional Centennial Committee members include Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt, Fred Albrecht, Mary Anne Beaman, Pat Christensen, Robert Elliot, Dale Erquiaga, Sherman Frederick, Craig Galati, Jim Gans, Ashley Hall, Louise Helton, Sheila Moulton, Doug Puppel, Col. Gerald Sawyer, Joe Schillaci, Dr. David G. Schwartz and Ben Torres.