In a city known for its bright lights and big headlines, the Best of Las Vegas contest has quietly grown into one of the largest “Best Of” programs in the United States, surpassing 13 million verified votes last year alone.
What began as a simpler initiative in 1981 — the same year Sandra Day O’Connor was nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court and Las Vegas hosted its first-ever Caesars Formula One Grand Prix — has since evolved into a national model for recognizing excellence in local business.
That year, the Las Vegas Review-Journal launched the contest to celebrate outstanding businesses in the community. Over the decades, the contest has expanded in scope and sophistication. A major modernization occurred in 2018, increasing the number of categories, enhancing participant engagement and implementing more rigorous fraud-prevention measures.
“Balloting and tabulation is one of the most critical aspects of our contests,” said Bill Cummings, president and CEO of NERUS Strategies, the company that partners with the Las Vegas Review-Journal to produce the contest. “Processing over 13 million votes, without failures or issues, is something we are particularly proud of.”
“It’s one thing to have a contest,” said Neil Potter, chief operations officer at NERUS. “It’s another to have one the size of Best of Las Vegas, for a single market.”
Michael LaBonia, senior vice president of advertising and sales for the Review-Journal, emphasized the scale and value of the program. “We see this as a great opportunity for the businesses of Las Vegas, both large and small. Taking on a contest like this takes surgical talent operating the program. Our in-house team works closely with the NERUS team on all aspects.”
The contest is open to businesses located in Clark and Nye counties. It begins with an open nomination period, July 14-30 and only qualified businesses advance to the voting round, Aug. 18-Sept. 11. To qualify, businesses must be operational in 2025, serve the greater Las Vegas area, and actively provide the services or products listed in their nominated categories. For instance, an auto service center may be nominated for oil changes, tires and repairs, provided it offers all those services. Each nomination is vetted for accuracy, though the contest does not verify licensing, financial standing or complaints.
To help small businesses compete in this expansive program, a free “Lunch & Learn” webinar is scheduled for July 16 from noon to 1 p.m. The webinar will feature contest producers and sales leaders who will share best practices, success stories and engagement strategies.
“It’s as much about engagement as it is awareness,” Cummings added.
There is no cost to be nominated, participate or win. The top three winners in each category are featured in the official winner’s magazine. While there are paid opportunities for additional promotion, participation in them is not required to win.
Registration is required for the July 16 webinar. Visit ShopBestOfLasVegas.com/LunchAndLearn to sign up.