Monday, September 22, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

McKay's trouble won't affect Big Time, Vaccaro says

Summer tourney to go on in LV without longtime director, if necessary

By STEVE CARP
REVIEW-JOURNAL

The Big Time Tournament will remain in Las Vegas for its 10th anniversary in 2004, Sonny Vaccaro said, with or without Larry McKay.

"Hopefully, it will be in Las Vegas forever," said Vaccaro, owner of the Big Time, the nation's largest prep summer basketball tournament.

"But, yes, the plan is to have it in Vegas, and as long as everything is OK, I want Larry McKay to run it. If Larry can't run it, I'll find an appropriate person to run it."

McKay has been the Big Time's tournament director since its inception in 1995. But he is being investigated by the Clark County School District for alleged improprieties involving funds from the Holiday Prep Classic, another prep basketball event he oversaw.

McKay, who retired as the district's director of athletics in June, said he would like to stay with the Big Time.

"Obviously, I have these issues that have to be resolved," he said. "But if it can get worked out, sure, I'd like to stay with Sonny."

Agustin Orci, the district's deputy superintendent for instruction, said staging the event at district schools this year is not in question, but he didn't know if McKay could participate.

"It's speculative at this point," Orci said Sunday. "We're currently in the process of reviewing all the procedures for handling tournaments in the future. Beyond that, it would be premature to comment on Larry's or anyone's participation."

In the district's internal audit report, officials claim approximately $39,000 of funds earmarked for the Holiday Prep Classic were deposited in a separate account that McKay used for the Big Time.

In addition, the audit claims McKay used $18,000 in funds from the Big Time's account to make short-term loans to the Southern Nevada Officials Association to help cover its payroll.

McKay refused comment on the funds in the Big Time account, and Vaccaro said he hasn't seen the audit.

The Big Time, which attracted a record 400 teams last July, will have a new sponsor, Reebok, when it is held July 22 to 26, Vaccaro said. He recently left shoe manufacturer adidas after 12 years and will work for Reebok as its director of grass-roots basketball.

Whoever runs the Big Time will be a salaried employee, Vaccaro said. McKay's arrangement the past nine years called for him to keep the profits generated after costs had been covered.

Vaccaro didn't know this year's numbers, he said, but two years ago the Big Time generated profits between $75,000 and $100,000. He said McKay divided the money with Green Valley High School boys basketball coach Jim Allen, tournament co-director, and David Pump, who also assisted in running the event.

"Larry's always operated as an independent contractor," Vaccaro said. "Larry collected all the fees, Larry paid all the bills, and anything that was left over was his. I never saw a dime from the tournament."

McKay confirmed the arrangement but wouldn't disclose how much he profited from the tournament or how the profits were divided, saying only, "Let's just say I didn't get rich off the Big Time."

Vaccaro said he learned of McKay's situation Thursday and that the two have spoken.

"I hope and pray that what Larry is is nothing more than a sloppy bookkeeper," Vaccaro said.

Vaccaro said he will negotiate and sign all contracts with the district to secure the 15 sites for next summer's Big Time. He said he paid the district $121,000 in rental-usage fees for the 2003 event to cover the costs for utilities and janitorial services.

That arrangement is expected to continue, but district officials said that Vaccaro can expect to pay a 2 percent increase to cover additional labor costs.