Pacman-Mosley boosts Las Vegas coffers by $200M

LAS VEGAS—When Manny Pacquiao fights in this desert entertainment and gambling mecca, the neon lights turn even brighter and the casinos get busier.

This was evident with the influx of local and foreign tourists here starting Friday.

The fight lured a sellout crowd of 16,412 at the MGM Grand Arena, over 10,000 closed-circuit tickets were sold, and hundreds of Filipinos and Asians flew in to support their hero.

Many Pacquiao supporters are high-rollers, who’ll be trying their luck at the gaming tables of the major hotels at the Strip.

In an interview with the Las Vegas Sun, fight promoter Bob Arum estimates that Pacquiao-Mosley will boost the city’s coffers by at least $200 million (P8.6 billion) or as much as $300 million (P12.9 billion).

The figures were based on the fully booked hotels, the brisk sales at the stores and, of course, the rise in the number of casino patrons.

Pacquiao’s followers and die-hard fans have also grown by leaps and bounds since 2009, when he beat Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto by stoppage in the 12th round.

That time, the casinos posted a four percent increase in sales, the first time in 18 months with the United States at the height of recession.

Now that Pacquiao has turned into a crossover star and global endorser, the impact of the fight to the city’s economy should be substantial.