Vegas Scalpers Irk Mayor

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman is up in arms over the scalping of tickets for a free Red Hot Chili Peppers and Weezer concert in the city.

Approximately 35,000 tickets were given away online April 18th and many immediately surfaced on eBay for as much as $70 per ticket.

The July 2nd concert is part of the city’s 100th anniversary celebration.

Goodman denounced “sleazy” resellers who took advantage of the ticket giveaway, calling them “bums” and threatening prosecution. Ticket scalping is illegal in the city and county.

“It’s so unfair because the centennial committee wanted to present this very special event available to everybody free of charge,” Goodman said.

Clear Channel Entertainment, which is promoting and marketing the event, did not address potential legal action in a statement to Pollstar.

“Clear Channel Entertainment always encourages concert fans to obtain their tickets through the authorized ticket agent and discourages people from obtaining tickets through ticket resellers,” a CCE spokesperson said.

Another 5,000 tickets will be made available through Ticketmaster May 16th and 10,000 are being distributed to hotels, officials said.