ProRodeo Sports News - November 19, 2021

TIME CAPSULE THEN & NOW

PRCA ProRodeo file photo These are the streets of Las Vegas in 1985, the same year the NFR moved to the Thomas & Mack Center in Vegas from Oklahoma City.

City of Lights

NFR first came to the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas in 1985

BY TRACY RENCK M oving PRCA’s National Finals Rodeo fromOklahoma City to Las Vegas in 1985 wasn’t welcomed with open arms by the rodeo community. The bold move, however, has paid massive dividends and produced unbelievable memories at theThomas &Mack Center. In 1985, the National Finals Rodeo moved to Las Vegas and the Thomas &Mack Center on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus, where the prize money has grown from $1.79 million in 1985 to $6.25 million in 2013 to $10 million in 2015 and 10.2 million in

2021. The event has virtually sold out every year. There were 169,171 fans who attended the 2018Wrangler NFR. A year ago, the Wrangler NFR was moved to Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, because of COVID-19 restrictions in Las Vegas. The 2021Wrangler NFR, presented by Teton Ridge, is back at the Thomas &Mack in Vegas and what better time to enjoy some of the top photos from the NFR’s first year in Vegas in 1985. TheThomas &Mack Center was officially opened Dec. 16, 1984, with Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Diana Ross. The $30 millionThomas &Mack was able to seat 16,500 fans for the 27th annual NFR, Dec. 7-15, 1985.

ProRodeo Sports News 11/19/2021

WRANGLER NATIONAL FINALS RODEO

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