2024 Hall of Honor: Pat Christenson

Pat Christenson: Empowering Leadership Shepherds Neon Desert Into New Entertainment Era

For decades, Pat Christenson has been at the heart of the Las Vegas entertainment industry, helping transform the city into the vibrant, neon-lit entertainment beacon it is today.

From his early days as a high school and college wrestling champion, to his pioneering work managing the Thomas & Mack Center and Sam Boyd Stadium, Christenson’s career was marked by innovation, perseverance and a relentless focus on developing people.

Christenson’s journey began on the wrestling mats of Wisconsin, where he honed his skills and determination. Despite losing his final high school match, Christenson caught the eye of a coach from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who recruited him to join the Badgers’ wrestling team.

Christenson’s grit and talent paid off, as he went on to become a collegiate wrestling champion, a feat he considers one of his proudest accomplishments. After college, Christenson’s path took an unexpected turn when he found himself drawn to the world of venue management.

He started out as a high school wrestling coach and athletic director, but soon discovered his true calling in the fast-paced, ever-evolving entertainment industry. Christenson’s big break came in the early 1980s, when he was recruited by fellow wrestler Dennis Finfrock to help manage the newly built Thomas & Mack Center at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where Finfrock had been named athletic director.

The venue was a work in progress, with an unfinished concourse, no concession stands and over budget by $5 million, but Christenson saw the potential in the venue and was determined to make it a success.

 

“We knew we had to make it work, and that’s exactly what we did,” Christenson said. Finfrock, Christenson and their team, which included fellow college athletes Daren Libonati and Steve Stallworth, set out to transform the Thomas & Mack Center into a thriving hub of activity.

Libonati, who worked closely with Christenson for over 15 years, fondly recalls Christenson’s approach to management.

“He ran the building as if we were a team,” Libonati said. “Great teams don’t need guidance, they need love and someone to put their arms around them, and they need to be pushed to go ahead and be who they’re striving to be.”

Christenson trusted his team, rarely interfering with their ideas and initiatives.

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“You could always trust that your ideas would be heard, and if you could check the box, he would let you run with it,” Libonati explained.

This collaborative spirit was fostered from the top down, stemming from Christenson’s own experiences. Libonati credits Finfrock, Christenson’s predecessor, as the one who recruited him to Las Vegas and instilled in him the same coaching-style leadership.

“If it wasn’t for Dennis, we would have never gotten to Pat, which then got to me,” Libonati said.

Together, Finfrock, Christenson and a team of former college athletes-turned-industry leaders, including Libonati, Stallworth, and Ron Drake, formed a “coaching tree” that shaped the venues industry in Las Vegas.

Each brought their unique strengths and perspectives, but they were united by a shared passion for excellence and a commitment to empowering their teams.

They developed innovative strategies to generate revenue, including the introduction of suites, advertising, an in-house ticketing system and parking — features that set the Thomas & Mack apart from other college venues. “We were pioneers in a lot of ways,” Christenson said. “We had to be creative, to think outside the box, and to really understand what our customers wanted.”

Christenson’s leadership and vision paid off, as the Thomas & Mack Center quickly became a premier destination for concerts, sporting events and other live entertainment at a time when the neon desert was synonymous with gambling and the idea of a pro sports franchise in the city was considered absurd.

The Thomas & Mack Center continues its decades-long tradition hosting of the National Finals Rodeo, an event that was lured by Finfrock and Christenson. The two convinced the university to jackhammer out the concrete floor of the new building so it could host the rodeo and other dirt shows.

The Thomas & Mack Center’s sister venue outside town, the Sam Boyd Silver Bowl stadium, also became a regular stop for top-name acts like the Grateful Dead.

For a decade, the two venues were among the busiest in the college space. Christenson was instrumental in booking 175 events per year between the arena and the stadium.

Christenson left UNLV in 2001 to head up Las Vegas Events and was replaced by Libonati, who himself had returned to the Thomas & Mack fold after helping turn the MGM Grand into a premier destination for prize fights and other events.

Christenson’s true legacy lies not just in the success of the venues he managed, but in the way he approached his work. He was a firm believer in the power of people, and he dedicated himself to creating a positive, productive work environment for his team.

“I knew that if I wanted to be successful, I had to invest in my people,” Christenson said. “I had to show them that I cared about their success, and that I was willing to do whatever it took to help them grow and thrive.”

He pushed his employees to exceed their own expectations, but he also provided them with the resources and support they needed to succeed. He was a mentor and a coach, guiding his team through the challenges of the industry and helping them to reach new heights in Vegas and beyond. In 1992, Finfrock left UNLV to open the new MGM Grand Garden Arena and he took Libonati, a former UNLV field goal kicker, with him.

In an expansion of the team concept, the outgoing personnel cooperated with their remaining colleagues, one of whom was Stallworth.

“Pat was always there for us, pushing us to be our best,” said Stallworth, a former UNLV quarterback and Thomas & Mack Center associate director, who is now running Las Vegas’ 4,500 seat multi-purpose South Point Arena, Equestrian Center and Priefert Pavilion. “He didn’t just see us as workers, he saw us as partners, and he treated us that way.”

Christenson’s approach paid dividends, as the Thomas & Mack Center gained a reputation for exceptional customer service and its tightly knit, highly motivated team.

The venue’s success also had a ripple effect on the broader entertainment industry in Las Vegas, as Christenson’s innovative strategies and people-centric approach inspired others to follow suit.

As the city’s entertainment landscape continued to evolve, Christenson remained at the forefront, helping to shape the industry’s future both through his tenure at UNLV and his next move, to head up the Las Vegas Events, where he served from 2001 to January of 2024, when he retired as president. Under his tenure attracting and growing signature events, LVE secured four conference basketball tournaments major music events including Electric Daisy Carnival, Rock in Rio and Life Is Beautiful, USA Sevens rugby, the NBA Summer League and multiple USBC Open Championships in bowling.

All told, the non-gaming economic impact from those events jumped from $109 million in 2001 to $535 million annually between 2015 and 2019, according to Las Vegas Events data.

Colleagues noted that he played a key role in the development of the NBA Summer League and the FIFA World Cup Basketball tournament, further cementing Las Vegas’ status as a premier live destination.

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The “Pat and Dennis coaching tree” is a testament to their ability to identify and nurture exceptional talent, with individuals like Joe Santiago, Chris Bald, and Mike Newcomb going on to helm some of the most prestigious venues in the country, Stallworth said. “What set Pat apart was his relentless drive and unwavering commitment to innovation,” he said. “He was a true creative force, constantly generating new ideas and pushing the boundaries of what was possible.”

Whether it was providing employees with cutting-edge technology or spearheading groundbreaking partnerships, Pat’s vision was always one step ahead of the curve, both Stallworth and Libonati said.

Christenson’s impact was particularly evident in the growth and success of the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. Recognizing the potential to fill the Thomas & Mack Center during the typically slow pre-Christmas period, Christenson worked tirelessly to elevate the NFR experience. He collaborated with partners like Wrangler to ensure every aspect, from employee uniforms to parking and transportation, reflected the spirit of the event.

“He was smart enough to look at a company like Wrangler and say, ‘I want to put every one of my employees in Wrangler Jeans and red

Wrangler shirts and white Wrangler shirts that say Thomas & Mack Center on one lapel and NFR on the other lapel, and let’s look the part,’”  Libonati recalled.

Christenson’s vision extended beyond the arena walls, as he played a pivotal role in the growth of “Cowboy Christmas,” transforming the pre-Christmas period in Las Vegas into a bustling celebration of Western culture and shopping. Credit goes to his ability to understand the needs and desires of NFR attendees, and to create a holistic experience.

With the growth of NFR, what was once a shoulder season between Thanksgiving and Christmas has become a nearly month-long takeover of Glitter Gulch by cow folks, riders, ropers and everyone who loves them. The cohort is known to get its Christmas shopping done at Las Vegas’ impressive array of stand-alone and casino malls.

The economic impact of Cowboy Christmas on the fortunes of the city is a direct result of the tireless creativity Christenson brought to a city that never stops growing and changing.

After helping change the face of the city with the opening of the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Libonati returned as executive director to his alma mater and the Thomas & Mack Center.

“When I returned in ‘98, he opened the door and said, ‘What have you learned in those last five years that you’ve been away?’” Libonati said. “In that time, I learned how to become a promoter. I learned how to become a producer of shows. I learned a lot that I would have not learned at the Thomas & Mack in those five years when I left.”

Even in retirement, Christenson’s impact on the industry is felt and, while he might struggle with chronic fatigue, he has not slowed to a stop.

He took in a David Gilmour show at the newly opened Intuit Dome in October and has opened a consultancy, P.C. Event Consulting.

He has turned his attention to sharing his experiences and insights through a variety of projects, including a TED-style talk on the evolution of Las Vegas, now home to the NFL Raiders and their impressive Allegiant Stadium, with the MLB’s Oakland Athletics in line to build their own stadium on the Strip.

He has also published a book, “Rock Vegas: Live Music Explodes in the Neon Desert,” which details the transformative effect that music, particularly rock n’ roll, has had on Sin City.

From the glittering lights of the MGM Grand Garden Arena to the bustling energy of the Orleans Arena, once run by his protégé Stallworth, to his work securing events while at LVE, the imprint of Christenson’s vision is as undeniable as Bugsy Siegel’s. He didn’t just shape the city’s entertainment industry — he helped define it, leaving an indelible mark that will be felt for generations to come.

As the industry reflects on the contributions of its most influential figures, Christenson’s name will undoubtedly stand tall. He was a visionary, a trailblazer and a true icon of the Las Vegas entertainment scene — a testament to the power of his passion, creativity and unwavering commitment to excellence through teamwork.

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