A resident of Las Vegas, Nev., since 1944, Cortez was a four-term County Commissioner, served on the Boards of the University Medical Center, the Las Vegas Valley Water District, and the Metropolitan Police Department. And he was a member of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Travel and Tourism Advisory Board.
But it was his last job which left an indelible mark: for 13 years, he was president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. His job: help promote Las Vegas as a tourist destination. During his tenure, tourism to Vegas grew from 21 million visitors in 1991 to 37 million visitors in 2004. During that time, one thing stands out as key to that growth: Cortez put in place a suggested new slogan for the gambling and entertainment town: “What happens here, stays here.” The American public — and comedians — quickly adopted it, but with a notable change: “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” (The official version is still “here”, though.)
Travel Agent magazine named him U.S. Person of the Year for 1999, calling Cortez “one of the most astute marketers in the tourism industry.” Manuel “Manny” Cortez died in Las Vegas on June 18 from a heart attack. He was 67.
Note: As I revisit this in 2026, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” is still predominant, and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority has it registered as a trademark in addition to the first version.