Las Vegas Weekly

October 25, 2009 · 12:29 PM

Final Day Blog: Mayor is homeward bound from London trip

By Robin Leach

Mayor Oscar Goodman meets cast members of The Lion King in London.

Photo: Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority

Mayor Oscar Goodman blogs about his sixth and final day in London on VegasontheRoad.com:

We had a very productive trip spreading the message about Las Vegas and the new British Airways service. As I get ready to board the inaugural flight, I look forward to seeing you all again back home in Las Vegas when I arrive.

There were so many highlights on this trip -- meeting my London counterpart Mayor Boris Johnson, lunch with British Airways Chairman Martin Broughton, our signature event Thursday that wowed so many people. All of this and being in one of the greatest cities in the world for the first time.

Good things take time and are worth waiting for. New air service to Las Vegas is definitely one of those good things; in fact, it’s a great thing. My colleague Rossi Ralenkotter and the LVCVA (Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority) team began cultivating the relationship with British Airways 10 years ago.

Right now, the U.K. is our No. 1 source of overseas visitors to Las Vegas. As of today, Las Vegas is now connected to 45 European cities through London Heathrow, and that is phenomenal. Not only that, each British Airways flight will generate an economic impact of $260,000 per flight -- that’s $96 million annually for Las Vegas!

I know Rossi is proud today, as I am, to witness and be a part of the airline’s first inaugural flight from London to Las Vegas.

I am looking forward to seeing you tonight, and I thank you for your support.

Oscar B. Goodman, the Happiest Mayor in the Universe

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

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