The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority Board of Directors unanimously approved a pay raise and annual bonus for the tourism agency’s top executive Tuesday morning.
LVCVA President and CEO Steve Hill received a 6 percent salary increase, bringing his annual base pay to $566,755.11. The board also approved a $240,603 performance bonus, equal to 45 percent of his salary before the raise.
The compensation package was approved after LVCVA Chief Strategy Officer Ed Finger outlined the agency’s executive compensation methodology, and Hill presented an annual performance update that included both tourism challenges and marketing successes.
Finger said the LVCVA benchmarks executive compensation against destination marketing organizations, local governments and private-sector hospitality employers. He said the authority’s budget is roughly three times larger than the next-largest destination marketing organization in its peer group and about nine times the median budget of those organizations.
He also said the LVCVA differs from most peers because it operates the Las Vegas Convention Center, oversees destination sports initiatives and manages the Las Vegas Monorail.
The tourism agency is funded by a tax on hotel rooms.
“This group operates simultaneously as a destination marketing organization, a convention center, and a sports authority, far beyond what most organizations do,” Finger said during his presentation to the board.
Finger told directors that Hill’s compensation was roughly in line with the median of the comparator group as of July 1, before any 2026 salary adjustments by peer organizations.
In his annual review presentation, Hill said the first half of the fiscal year was “pretty tough,” with visitation and revenue per available room declining. He cited higher airfares, the loss of Spirit Airlines as a competitive factor in some markets and weaker consumer sentiment as continuing headwinds for Las Vegas tourism.
Hill said the LVCVA has been working to offset those challenges through additional marketing efforts and that the agency is seeing some improvement in travel-intent metrics during the summer campaign.
Despite the softer environment, Hill highlighted several positive indicators. He said March and May set records, and that May was “one of the best months in the history of Las Vegas.” He also said projected room tax revenue for fiscal year 2026 is about $357 million, roughly $12 million above budget projections.
Hill also highlighted a three-year partnership that brings the Michelin Guide back to Las Vegas and the Southwest, with the first award ceremony scheduled for August.
Board member Michele Romero read comments into the record from Compensation Committee Chairman Brian Gullbrants, who was absent from the meeting. Romero said Gullbrants described Hill and the LVCVA team as “exceptional” and said their performance “makes him proud to be part of this community and destination.”
The board also approved a raise and bonus for LVCVA General Counsel Caroline Bateman, bringing her annual salary to $273,728.62 with a $52,138.78 bonus.
Contact David Danzis at ddanzis@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0378. Follow @AC2Vegas_Danzis on X.
