LAS VEGAS — Rossi Ralenkotter, a marketing icon who spent more than 40 years at the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), which included almost 15 years as President and CEO, passed away on Oct. 10, 2025, at age 78.
A Lasting Legacy
In an interview with 8 News Now, Rossi described arriving in Las Vegas as a boy in the 1950s, when it was a smaller destination, and called it “a great community.”
Ralenkotter started out in the hospitality industry and joined LVCVA in 1973, working through the ranks.
His efforts helped make Las Vegas the leading city for trade shows in North America, bringing events such as CES® to the destination.
Ralenkotter was a key force behind the authority’s “What Happens Here, Stays Here” campaign in 2003 with R&R Partners. This won him the Brand Week Magazine’s Grand Marketer of the Year award the following year.
Ralenkotter also helped create the Las Vegas Bowl and supported Cashman Field, the previous home of the city’s baseball team, The Aviators. In 2014, he was elected to the U.S. Travel Association’s Hall of Leaders.
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By The Numbers
According to the Nevada Independent, Ralenkotter’s work helped:
- Las Vegas tourism increase from almost 8.5 million visitors to 42.9 million in 2016.
- Convention attendance grow from 357,000 to more than 6.6 million.
- Hotel room inventory rise from 29,000 to more than 150,000 at the end of 2024.
“Rossi Ralenkotter helped shape Las Vegas’s modern identity and elevate our city to global prominence,” Steve Hill, President and CEO of LVCVA, explained. “Rossi was a steadfast champion for Las Vegas and an advocate for the people, businesses and institutions that make our city extraordinary. During his 45 years with the LVCVA, nearly 15 as President and CEO, Rossi helped establish Southern Nevada as a leader in tourism, conventions and special events. Under his guidance, Las Vegas evolved into a premier global destination … On behalf of the entire LVCVA, I extend my deepest condolences to Rossi’s family and loved ones. We are profoundly grateful for his contributions and honored to continue advancing his vision for Las Vegas.”
Industry Voices
Across the events industry, major players celebrated Ralenkotter’s work and impact.
“Rossi Ralenkotter changed the game,” U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman stated. “His audacious, data-driven marketing campaigns raised the bar for destinations around the globe. 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.”
“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,” Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley stated. “I am honored to have known him and am grateful for his service to our community.”
“Rossi Ralenkotter is a giant of the meetings and conventions world,” Gary Shapiro, CEO and Vice Chair of the Consumer Technology Association®, which produces CES®, stated. “Under his leadership as president and CEO of LVCVA, Rossi transformed Las Vegas as the world’s leading travel and convention destination.”
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