Rossi Ralenkotter, former president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority, passed away on October 10 at age 78 after a 16-year battle with cancer.
Ralenkotter is the co-creator of the iconic Las Vegas ad campaign, “What Happens Here, Stays Here.” He spent 14 years leading the LVCVA. During his tenure, Las Vegas saw a record visitation of 42.9 million people in 2016.
An early proponent of using data to refine marketing strategy, he was part of a group of community leaders that helped convince the National Finals Rodeo to move to Las Vegas in 1985, and then persuaded the International CES trade show and other major conventions to come to Las Vegas, which became the top trade show destination in North America for the past 25 years.
“Rossi Ralenkotter is a giant of the meetings and conventions world,” said Gary Shapiro, CEO and vice chair of the Consumer Technology Association, which owns International CES. “Under his leadership Rossi transformed Las Vegas into the world’s leading travel and convention destination. He raised the convention industry and made Las Vegas the global focal point for both entertainment and exhibitions.”
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“He was a Las Vegas original and contributed greatly to the growth of the meeting and convention business–and had the vision to expand the convention center at a time when people thought it would never work in Las Vegas,” said Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley.
Ralenkotter also served as board chair for U.S. Travel, where he established and presented to the U.S. Congress a strategy of connecting America through travel.
“Rossi Ralenkotter changed the game. His audacious, data-driven marketing campaigns raised the bar for destinations around the globe,” said Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, in a press release. “His warmth and kindness made him a trusted partner not just to his colleagues in Las Vegas, but to travel professionals from coast to coast. The entire travel industry mourns his loss and is better off for every day we had together.”
Ralenkotter is survived by his wife Mary Jo, five children and 10 grandchildren.
