Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas
Las Vegas is full of big buildings — but there are generally big crowds to fill the space (concerts and shows, sporting events, even the casinos). And then there’s Barrett-Jackson: Still socially distanced, the auction house’s event, June 17-19, was relatively empty of foot traffic (compared to, say, a non-pandemic-era Scottsdale sale, anyway). This allowed easier movement from one side of the venue to the other, as well as ample space to wander around and look at the cars. Only bidders and guests were allowed in the door, and everyone was temperature-checked on their way in. There were no locals treating it like a car show, as so often happens. Keeping things only to bidders, guests, and staff may not be the most financially lucrative situation for the house, but as an experience, wandering around, it’s highly recommended.
Only Barrett-Jackson can commandeer all of that space and come out a winner. This year’s event, held in the brand-new West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, saw more than 700 cars sell for $48 million total. There was no event last year, so the only numbers we have to compare to are from 2019, but all of the event-to-event numbers are substantially up across the board. (Except the foot traffic.) There were more cars available, more cars sold, and $15 million dollars more at the weekend, thanks in part to
