Las Vegas will host the '20 NFL Draft, "effectively providing an opening ceremony to the Raiders’ first season in their new home," according to a front-page piece by Michael Gehlken of the LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL. The city was "awarded the three-day event" in favor of finalists Denver, K.C. and Cleveland/Canton. Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority CEO Steve Hill said he had a “pretty strong indication over the last couple of weeks” that Las Vegas would receive the bid. However, Gehlken notes the decision was "not considered a certainty until it was formally announced at the league’s owner meetings in Irving, Texas." Hill said that it has "yet to be determined where exactly in Las Vegas the draft will be held" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 12/13). However, NFL Senior VP/Events Peter O’Reilly revealed yesterday that the event will be "on and around the Vegas Strip" (Daniel Kaplan, THE DAILY).
TWITTER REAX: Fox Sports Radio's Jason Smith: "Every single big sporting event should be in Las Vegas: Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Finals, everything. It's the ultimate vacation/tourist destination across the U.S." MGM Resorts: "@nflcommish, let us know if you need a tour guide." Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman: "A Super Bowl will not be far behind!" Charlotte Observer's Jourdan Rodrique: "What could go wrong?" The MMQB's Andrew Brandt: "Four years ago the NFL shut down a Fantasy Football convention (with Tony Romo and others) because it was adjacent to a casino. Now they they will have a team and the Draft in Las Vegas in 2020."
NOT SHUT OUT COMPLETELY: In Canton, Chris Beaven wrote the "glitz and glamour of Las Vegas won out over the history of pro football" in Ohio. However, the NFL will "celebrate the 100th anniversary of the league’s founding during the 2020 season, with plans already being made for a celebration in Canton to coincide." A group of community leaders, NFL officials and Johnson Controls HOF Village executives are "planning the multimillion-dollar Centennial Celebration" for Sept. 14-17 (Canton REPOSITORY, 12/13).
