LOVING LAS VEGAS: Barrett-Jackson heads into its 10th year in the City of Lights
October 13, 2017
Posted by Barrett-Jackson
In 2008, the United States was facing economic uncertainty, but Barrett-Jackson Chairman and CEO Craig Jackson looked to Las Vegas and made a skillful bet that The World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions® would be a perfect fit for the Entertainment Capital of the World.
A 1949 MG TC – Carroll Shelby’s first road race car – graced the cover of the very first Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas catalog, and was the top seller at the event, bringing in $313,500.
He was right.
Strategically selecting the vast Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino for the new auction’s location, Barrett-Jackson put collector car enthusiasts right in the middle of the action on the famous Strip, where the excitement in the auction arena easily rivalled anything the neon-bedecked city had to offer.
The Las Vegas Auction became the third automotive and lifestyle event offered by the company, which had already presented successful automotive lifestyle events in Scottsdale, Arizona, and Palm Beach, Florida that year. “We’ve always believed that adding a Las Vegas event was a natural step in the evolution of the company,” said Jackson at the time.
As with each of Barrett-Jackson’s auctions, the Las Vegas event has its own character: one big party from beginning to end, filled with glitz, glamour, celebrity appearances and more. That very first auction kicked off in true Las Vegas style with a festive party on the famed Mandalay Bay Beach, featuring live entertainment and libations, followed by three days of automobilia and collector car auctions, a vast marketplace and The Barrett-Jackson Garage venue for live music. Beginning in 2016, the Opening Night Party moved to the exclusive Drai’s Nightclub overlooking the Strip, providing high-octane entertainment like never before.
A LOOK IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR
One of the recently unveiled 2008 Ford Shelby GT Barrett-Jackson Edition Coupes – this one signed by the stars from “American Idol” – was auctioned for charity at the 2008 event.
2008
The inaugural Las Vegas Auction saw more than 500 collector cars sold at No Reserve, bringing in over $29 million from bidders around the world as viewers watched live television coverage on SPEED. The top seller, at $313,500, was a 1949 MG TC that was the legendary Carroll Shelby’s first road race car. One of the recently unveiled 2008 Ford Shelby GT Barrett-Jackson Edition Coupes – this one signed by the stars from “American Idol” was auctioned for charity. In all, seven charity cars crossed the block for more than $655,000, including a custom 2006 Ford Mustang brought to the stage by hip hop DJ, rapper and custom car aficionado Funkmaster Flex. The auction festivities kicked off with the very first Barrett-Jackson Cruise-In at Gaudin Ford, a tradition that became an annual event.
The first Barrett-Jackson Road Rally was held in 2009, with some 100 classic and collector cars cruising down the Las Vegas Strip.
2009
The 2nd Annual Las Vegas Auction was preceded by the first official Barrett-Jackson Road Rally, where some 100 classic and collector cars traveled down the famous Las Vegas Strip, a custom that continued through 2013. Then the stars came out – literally – for the auction itself, with Carroll Shelby and Don “The Snake” Prudhomme taking the stage to sell the Prudhomme Edition Shelby Super Snake concept for $302,500; the “Father of the Mustang,” Lee Iacocca selling the No. 5 Iacocca Silver 45th Edition Ford Mustang for $352,000; and Jay Leno making a special appearance to sell his Yamaha Star V-Max motorcycle for charity. “Dukes of Hazzard” star John Schneider surprised the crowd when he jumped on the hood of “Bo’s General Lee,” a 1969 Dodge Charger, to sing the show’s theme song. Action movie heroes Bruce Willis, Don Johnson and Sylvester Stallone all took part by either selling or buying vehicles. Top honors for collector car sales went to a rare 1965 289 Shelby Cobra Roadster, which brought in $440,000. All the auction cars were located indoors this year for easy viewing by the 51,000 attendees, while SPEED captured all the action live with 19 hours of high-definition TV coverage.
A UFC limited-edition 2010 Chevrolet Camaro sold for $350,000 at the 2010 Las Vegas Auction, making it one of the event’s top sellers.”
2010
Barrett-Jackson partnered with MGM Resorts International for REVVED – a week-long celebration of cars, chrome and neon that culminated in the 3rd Annual Las Vegas Auction. From shopping excursions, a wine auction and car art exhibits to Barrett-Jackson-themed happy hours, a classic golf tournament and more, special events took place at all the MGM Resorts properties in the city. The auction itself was headlined by eight special cars from the estate of Las Vegas headliner star and philanthropist, Danny Gans. A number of vehicles were auctioned for worthy causes, raising $1.1 million for six nationally recognized charities. While the diverse docket featured everything from stagecoaches, John Deere tractors and prewar classics to Resto-Mods and muscle cars, it was late-model collectibles that proved the most coveted among the 1,000 bidders. Top sellers included a 2008 Bugatti Veyron for $770,000, a 2009 SLR McLaren Roadster for $412,500 and a UFC limited-edition 2010 Chevrolet Camaro for $350,000.
Barrett-Jackson President Steve Davis with legendary MMA Champion Randy Couture, one of many celebrities to visit the auction in 2011.
2011
The 4th Annual Las Vegas Auction was the finale of a year-long celebration marking Barrett-Jackson’s 40th anniversary. It was an illustrious end to a successful year, with more than 60,000 in attendance to witness electrifying moments like the charity sale of Barrett-Jackson President Steve Davis’ 1964 Ford Fairlane. After a moving tribute to members of the armed forces, the car brought the house down when it sold for $700,000 to benefit the Armed Forces Foundation. The auction drew many celebrities throughout the event, including actors Josh Duhamel and Tom Arnold, cast members of the hit cable television show “Pawn Stars,” comedian Rich Little, legendary MMA Champion Randy Couture, and magician Criss Angel, who sold seven vehicles from his collection. In all, 580 vehicles were sold at the three-day event, a record for Las Vegas, with a 97 percent sell-through rate.
At the 2012 event, a number of world record sales at auction were seen, including this 1970 Shelby GT500 for $220,000.
2012
More than 68,000 car enthusiasts turned out for the Barrett-Jackson’s 5th Annual Las Vegas Auction, which saw three world records set on the final day, when a 1967 Mustang Shelby Super Snake sold for $330,000, a 1970 Shelby GT500 sold for $220,000 and a 1962 Lincoln Continental Convertible sold for $113,300 – the highest sales at auction for vehicles of their kind. Other “star cars” at the event were a 1970 Plymouth HEMI Superbird that brought in $297,000 and a 1967 Ford Mustang Custom Fastback that went to its new home for $275,000. Automobilia sales reached more than $660,000, an outstanding 45-percent increase from 2011. Back for a second year was the cast from the popular reality TV show “Pawn Stars,” and Aerosmith guitarist Brad Whitford and drummer Joey Kramer were also in attendance.
Craig Jackson with country star Clay Walker, who kicked off the 2013 event with a live performance.
2013
Barrett-Jackson’s 6th Annual Las Vegas Auction was the first to be broadcast live on three different FOX networks: FOX Sports 1 (the relaunch of SPEED), FOX Sports 2 and the National Geographic Channel – a groundbreaking mix of coverage that brought Barrett-Jackson auction programming to the largest audience in collector car auction history. The auction was the highest-grossing Las Vegas event to date, with over $32 million in vehicle sales. Nearly 70,000 fans were in attendance to witness Rick Hendrick’s stunning pair of 1963 Chevrolet Corvettes sell for $106,400 and $110,000, and a 1999 Chevrolet Suburban from “The Sopranos” Seasons 1-4 bring in $110,000. The auction’s top seller was a 1967 Ferrari 330GTC that sold for $495,000, while $352,000 took home a 1931 Lincoln Model K Convertible. The event was kicked off with a live performance by multi-platinum country star Clay Walker at the Opening Night Party on the beach at Mandalay Bay. Walker later performed his hit “All American” on the auction block during a special military tribute that saw a 2012 Shelby GT500 “Super Snake” which brought $500,000 to Wounded Warriors Family Support – just part of the $2.2 million raised for charity at the event. Other high-profile celebrities in attendance included legendary Las Vegas performers Siegfried and Roy, critically acclaimed film director Bryan Singer, former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson and 2012 Playboy Playmate of the Year Jaclyn Swedberg.
Las Vegas icons Wayne Newton and Penn Jillette were on the block to encourage bidding on a 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat VIN 001, which sold for $825,000 for charity.
2014
Barrett-Jackson rocked Las Vegas with another record-setting auction in 2014, featuring the largest number of consigned vehicles in the auction’s Las Vegas history with more than 700 vehicles and 300 collectible automobilia pieces crossing the block for over $33.3 million in sales. Adding to the electric atmosphere were Las Vegas icons Wayne Newton and Penn Jillette (of Penn & Teller), as well as Corey Harrison and Austin “ChumLee” Russel of “Pawn Stars,” racing great Richard Petty and Miss Hurst Golden Shifter Linda Vaughn. Newton and Jillette were on the block to encourage bidding for a much-anticipated charity car, the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat VIN 001. As Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis looked on, the stunning vehicle hammered in at $825,000, which was equally matched by longtime Barrett-Jackson friend, the Engelstad Family Foundation. With their generous donation, the Hellcat raised more money for charity than any other car in Barrett-Jackson history. In total, $1,642,500 was raised at the 7th Annual Las Vegas Auction to benefit local and national charities. Topping the charts for collector car sales at the event was a 2013 Lamborghini Aventador, which went for $440,000, followed by a 1971 Plymouth HEMI ’Cuda that sold for $385,000.
The top seller at the 2015 Las Vegas Auction was a low-mileage 1968 Chevrolet Corvette L88, which sold for $330,000.
2015
The 8th Annual Las Vegas Auction was brought into the homes of millions of viewers by Barrett-Jackson’s new television partners, Velocity and Discovery Channel. The top result at the 2015 Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas auction went to a low-mileage 1968 Chevrolet Corvette L88 that sold for $330,000, followed by a 2005 Ford GT showing only 2,081 miles that brought $291,500. A 1966 Ford Fairlane 500 R-Code set a new auction record at $275,000, while a 1979 Porsche 911 Turbo made $176,000. As always, charity played a big role during the event, with $750,000 raised through the sale of three cars, including a 2016 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R Z06 VIN 001 that brought $500,000 to benefit the College for Creative Studies. Automobilia had a banner year, with sales totaling $720,000, a new record for Barrett-Jackson’s Las Vegas auctions. Among the familiar faces in attendance were Robin Leach, best known for hosting the television show “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,” Jeff Allen and Meg Bailey from TV’s “Car Chasers” and fan favorite Linda Vaughn.
Automobilia sales at the 2016 Las Vegas Auction totaled $777,000, making it Barrett-Jackson’s most successful non-Scottsdale automobilia auction ever.
2016
This year saw a new layout for the Las Vegas event, with the auction, sponsors and exhibitors, as well as automobiles on display all in the same building at Mandalay Bay, making the event more convenient and enjoyable for all involved. The 9th Annual Las Vegas Auction was headlined by the Tammy Allen Collection. Made up of more than 80 vehicles that crossed the block at No Reserve, the collection captured over $3.8 million in sales and featured some incredible customs, hot rods and high-performance vehicles, including a highly anticipated 1950 Mercury custom known as “Wasabi.” Automobilia sales totaled $777,000, making it Barrett-Jackson’s most successful non-Scottsdale automobilia auction. The event received unprecedented live global television coverage on Velocity and Discovery, with 24 hours in the United States and Canada, and 20 hours in the United Kingdom. Five charity cars brought in $950,000 for national and local causes, while the auction’s top seller was a 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429, at $357,500. A crowd favorite was the 1976 “Wayne’s World” AMC Pacer, which set a new world record when it sold for $37,400.
As history shows, when it comes to the Barrett-Jackson Auction in Las Vegas, you can always bet on an unforgettable time. Be sure to join us for this year’s celebration of the collector car hobby, October 19-21, 2017 at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. For bidder registration, consignment information or general admission, visit Barrett-Jackson.com