Virus Grinch steals Cowboy Christmas

Event canceled even if NFR happens here

The novel coronavirus has delivered another blow to Las Vegas.

Cowboy Christmas, the retail gift show held every December at the Las Vegas Convention Center during the National Finals Rodeo, has been canceled for 2020.

The event, a display of western-themed crafts and art that annually draws more than 250,000 people, was the latest activity knocked out by the pandemic.

Representatives of Las Vegas Events, the special events coordinator for the rodeo, said Tuesday that the show would be canceled regardless of whether the rodeo occurs in Las Vegas.

The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association announced Aug. 19 that it is exploring options for holding the rodeo, which annually has been one of the most successful special events on the Las Vegas calendar.

The Colorado Springs, Colorado-based PRCA said a decision would be reached by Sept. 30 as to whether to have the rodeo in Las Vegas without fans in attendance or search for another venue in another city.

Holding the rodeo without fans would be problematic for Las Vegas Events because ticket sales revenue generates millions of dollars in prize-pool money.

Representatives of Las Vegas Events said that if the rodeo is held in another destination, Cowboy Christmas could be hosted there. The organization said it will work closely with the PRCA to determine the feasibility of including Cowboy Christmas in its plan for 2020 by the end of September.

One of the most successful and popular ancillary events of NFR in Las Vegas, Cowboy Christmas has grown into a 440,000-square-foot shopping and interactive experience.

With more than 350 exhibitors from across the United States, Cowboy Christmas caters to the western lifestyle and includes live entertainment, specialty food and beverages and western exhibits.