UNLV waived fee for CNN to use Cox Pavilion for debate

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas really did pull out all the stops for CNN this week -- including waiving the cost of renting the Cox Pavilion.

University officials said Friday that the publicity gained from the event more than compensated for the estimated $60,000 the university might have charged for use of the facility.

"This was certainly in the university's interest, given the national attention, and we saw it as an educational experience," said UNLV spokesman Dave Tonelli.

CNN paid all other costs associated with the event, including expenses incurred for the use of university police, according to UNLV Associate Vice President for Community Relations Schyler Richards.

Yet the fee waiver caught university system Chancellor Jim Rogers and Regent Steve Sisolak by surprise. Both attended the event and had assumed CNN paid for the space.

Sisolak said the university might have opened itself up to making the space available at no cost to other organizations because it waived the fee for a partisan event.

"If they did it for the Democratic Party, they should make it available for the Republican Party for their debate," Sisolak said.

Tonelli said the university would waive the fee for other broadcast networks wishing to hold debates at UNLV.

"We would be completely fair," he said.

The university gained publicity and educated the community by hosting the event, Rogers said.

"The fact is that if the fees were $30,000, we got a half a million in advertising from it," Rogers said. "Here you've got (CNN moderator) Wolf Blitzer and everybody talking about UNLV."

The normal cost for renting the Cox Pavilion, where the UNLV women's basketball team plays, for a nonticketed, nonuniversity event is $15,000 per day, according to Thomas & Mack Center Facility Director Daren Libonati.

For ticketed events, the university charges 11.5 percent of the gross sales from tickets.

CNN rented the space for four days, Monday through Thursday.

The network received what it said were the highest ratings ever for a primary debate at just over 4 million viewers.

Contact reporter Lawrence Mower at lmower@reviewjournal.com or (702) 383-0440.