LVCVA completes executive makeover
Hill named COO; Ralenkotter staying put
Ever since Steve Hill announced his plans to leave the Governor’s Office of Economic Development in September, he’s been pegged as the heir apparent to Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority President and CEO Rossi Ralenkotter.
But a lot has changed since September.
Hill on Tuesday officially was announced as the LVCVA’S new chief operating officer by Ralenkotter.
The position, which Hill will take over on Jan. 22, will pay between $212,200 and $424,400 a year.
But Ralenkotter won’t be relinquishing the LVCVA reins anytime soon, and when he does, Hill wouldn’t necessarily be next in line for the job. Ralenkotter, 70, wrapped up the two-year process of reorganizing the LVCVA “C-suite” in announcing Hill’s appointment. He also said Cathy Tull, senior vice president of marketing, has been promoted to chief marketing officer, a position the LVCVA board authorized last month, and that Ed Finger, senior vice president of finance, has been promoted to chief financial officer. Finger replaces Rana Lacer, whose last day at the LVCVA was Tuesday. Lacer is stepping down to spend more time with her family.
Hill will handle day-to-day functions for the LVCVA, while Ralenkotter will continue as the organization’s top policy man and will represent the city in national and international representative roles.
Once Hill outlined plans to leave Gov. Brian Sandoval’s administration in September — an occurrence not uncommon in the latter months of an outgoing government chief executive — Hill became the favorite to take a lead role at the LVCVA. Hill has been a key figure as chairman of the Southern Nevada Tourism
LVCVA
Infrastructure Committee and the Las Vegas Stadium Authority. While most of the focus for the stadium has been on its role as the Raiders’ new home, the facility has long been considered an important economic development driver benefitting the tourism economy. Hill is expected to continue to chair the Stadium Authority.
When the Oct. 1 shooting occurred, the C-suite reorganization process went to the back burner. The anticipation that Hill would join the group got pushed back, and LVCVA leaders insisted that he was a candidate for chief operating officer, not a shoo-in.
The extra time enabled Hill to prepare Assembly Minority Floor Leader Paul Anderson, R-las Vegas,
to fill his economic development post.
Last month, the LVCVA discussed Ralenkotter’s eventual successor and how the board wants a say in
what happens when Ralenkotter eventually leaves.
That isn’t likely to happen anytime soon — at Monday’s groundbreaking ceremony for the Las Vegas