Las Vegas’ unlikely evolution from a dusty railroad stop to a global capital of entertainment, meetings, dining and innovation represents a master class study in sales, marketing, publicity and promotion.
Founded by the Nevada Legislature in 1955, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) and its Las Vegas News Bureau division have successfully shaped the destination’s irresistible brand for 70 years. Signature campaigns of the modern era include VegasMeansBusiness.com, launched in 2009.
With passion, purpose and poise, LVCVA professionals like Vice President of Destination Sales Rebecca DeLuca bring their A-game every day. Leading the sales and marketing efforts that bring meetings and conventions business to Las Vegas, DeLuca, who currently chairs the MPI Foundation Board, shares how she “rose to the top of her dream empire” in this edited conversation with Meetings Today Senior Contributor Jeff Heilman:
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“I grew up in the Midwest surrounded by family, friends and neighbors. My mom was a single working mother of three girls and had seven siblings. In my family, there were endless large gatherings that were alive with conversation, food and laughter. Hospitality was part of my life before I even knew what it meant—it shaped how I connect with people.
My first paying gig, at 15, was washing dishes at an Italian restaurant. At The Ohio State University, where I earned a business administration degree in marketing, my activities included coordinating my sorority's annual philanthropy event, which included a hockey tournament, silent auction and dinner. I loved the energy of bringing people together, which led to my first professional job as a meeting planner with Columbus, Ohio-based Cardinal Health.
That was in 2005. While at Cardinal Health, I worked with the executive director of convention services at Mandalay Bay. In 2008, when I was ready to move to Las Vegas, I reached out to her and landed a job there as convention services manager with a portfolio of 500- to 10,000-person conventions. Six months in, I helped to produce MPI WEC 2008. It was sink or swim—and I swam.
Over the next five years, I made successive intentional moves that offered me new challenges, more responsibility and a deeper understanding of our industry across major markets.
Following managerial positions in sales with Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in Washington, D.C., MGM Grand in Vegas and W Hotels in Chicago, I joined the LVCVA’s remote sales office in Chicago in 2013. Over seven years living back in the Midwest, I became invested in leading the MPI Chicago Area Chapter, where I gained exposure in leading teams and strategic planning.
That sparked my desire to elevate my career and lead at a higher level. In 2019, I joined Caesars Entertainment in Vegas as director of key accounts and strategic partnerships, national meetings and events, before returning to the LVCVA in my current position in 2023.
When I reflect on the sum of the experiences that shaped my voice and values as a leader, I think back to how my mom taught me the power of work ethic, resilience and asking for help. Playing team sports to this day has taught me how to collaborate, lead and learn from failure. I firmly believe in the power of setting goals, and I tend to achieve every goal I set.
Trust is everything in Las Vegas. The relationships I have built and the years I have invested in this city make me deeply effective in my role. I have been the customer, I understand hotel strategy and I know how to guide clients toward positive impact.
Leadership, to me, is about staying grounded while evolving. Through the years, I have received comments about my aspirations, age and being a woman. I take that in, reflect on it, and decide how I want to show up. Leadership is also about listening, accepting feedback with an open mind and building resilience.
I am honored to be considered a leader. I represent a major demographic in our industry—a woman in her early 40s raising a family—and I am proud of that visibility. If my path helps others rise, I call that success. Impact, to me, is people.
My pride extends to all my relationships and the people that I have mentored, along with service, which goes hand in hand with hospitality. As a 10-plus year MPI member and past chapter leader, it is my privilege to serve as 2025 Chair of the MPI Foundation Board. Giving back is second nature for me and for Las Vegas. Helping others and lifting our industry are two of the most fulfilling parts of this work.
I am also deliberate when managing my time. When working, I’m fully present. When I am with my family, I’m all-in there, too. But I have learned that quality time outweighs quantity, so I give myself grace if a week does not go as planned.
The magic of Las Vegas is undeniable. Built on reinvention, the destination is always evolving to exceed expectations, and that “here we go” energy when you arrive or wake up and see the lights never fades. Las Vegas is truly a ‘Category of One’ place that keeps people—and groups—coming back.”
