In today’s sports tourism industry, Public Private Partnerships are more and more common as a means to take a much-needed sport facility from concept design to ribbon cutting. Two of Las Vegas’s facility owners will take a deep dive into their respective sport facilities on how they worked with public and private groups to achieve success.
Moderated by Vince Trinidad
Panelists:
STEVE STALLWORTH
General Manager
South Point Arena
Stallworth is a 34-year veteran of the sports and entertainment industry and is currently the General Manager of the South Point Arena & Equestrian Complex. The South Point Arena is a 4,500 seat multi-purpose arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The South Point Equestrian Center Complex, which includes two additional Arenas as part of the Priefert Pavilion, is widely regarded as the premiere equestrian facility in the United States.
His experience also includes being the Vice President & General Manager for the Orleans Arena and Associate Director of the Thomas & Mack Center, Sam Boyd Stadium, and Cox Pavilion. He was also the Director of Sports Marketing for the UNLV Athletic Department, Director of Corporate Sales for the Canadian Football League’s Las Vegas Posse, Director of Marketing and Sales for the Arena Football League’s Las Vegas Sting and the Continental Indoor Soccer League’s Las Vegas Dust Devils.
A 1987 UNLV graduate in Communication Studies, Stallworth also played quarterback for the UNLV Rebels football team from 1982-86. He was named team captain and received the scholar athlete award in 1985 and 1986. Stallworth was also named one of the top 100 athletes in the 100 year history of Yuma High School.
He is very involved in community activities and is currently on the board of trustees for the Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame, Las Vegas Bowl, UNLV Football Foundation, Professional Athletes Brain Health Coalition, and the local chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame. He was also a co-chair for the Events & Operations Committee for the 2024 Las Vegas Super Bowl and serves as an adjunct professor in Sports & Event Management for the College of Southern Nevada.
He has been inducted into the UNLV Athletics Hall of Fame, Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame, and Yuma High School Hall of Fame. He was recently named a Las Vegas Sports “Game Changer” by the American Cancer Society and is also a youth football coach and former elected member of the Nevada State Board of Education.
Stallworth is married to the former Stephanie Pettit and has a 32-year-old daughter, Savannah, and a 28-year-old son, Stetson.
BUD PICO
General Manager
Craig Ranch Regional Park and Amphitheater
JAY VICKERS
Director, UNLV's Sports Innovation Institute
Jay Vickers, Director for UNLV's Sports Innovation Institute, brings over twenty years of senior leadership experience to his role. With a diverse skill set spanning management, fundraising, sales, marketing, customer service, grant acquisition, sports health, research, public speaking, and community engagement, Jay has consistently delivered tangible results throughout his career. Jay's comprehensive understanding of the dynamics within higher education institutions enables him to align external divisions with institutional and community objectives effectively. This alignment has been instrumental in bolstering revenue streams and fostering collaborative ventures that benefit both UNLV and its surrounding communities.
Among Jay's notable achievements are securing a $3.25 million appropriation for education, research, and innovation initiatives. His leadership was also pivotal in achieving NSHE (Nevada System of Higher Education) approved Institute status in record time, a testament to his strategic acumen and collaborative approach. Jay's commitment to student success and community engagement is evident in his orchestration of the first fully paid Super Bowl internship for 40 UNLV students.
This initiative, in collaboration with the Las Vegas Super Bowl Host Committee, NFL Foundation, and United Way of Southern Nevada, provided invaluable opportunities for students to gain real-world experience in the sports industry. As a founding member of Game Changers United, the U.S. Soccer Federation Board for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, he has been instrumental in driving positive change within the industry. Working alongside the Federation, he has played a crucial role in breaking down barriers and creating a more inclusive environment within the entire U.S. Soccer ecosystem. Additionally, Jay has played a key role in the creation of the Sports, Entertainment & Innovation Conference (SEICon). SEICon is a groundbreaking event, bringing together industry leaders, innovators, and stakeholders to explore the intersection of sports, entertainment, and innovation. Through his leadership and vision, Jay Vickers continues to drive the Sports Innovation Institute forward, positioning UNLV as a global leader in sports innovation.