Barrett-Jackson and Las Vegas are a perfect match, so much so that one could assume the annual auction and automotive lifestyle event was tailor-made for the glitzy destination. And while 2017 marks a special occasion for this ideal union—the event’s 10-year anniversary in Las Vegas—Barrett-Jackson was a well-developed and universally beloved event for decades before it expanded here, established in 1971 in Scottsdale, Ariz. The company produces auctions there as well as Palm Beach, Florida, and Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, but the extra splash Las Vegas provides pushes it over the top.

“When we came to Vegas, it was definitely something more than a car auction, but we brought the right ingredients to the right place and grew it into something special,” says Nick Cardinale, Barrett-Jackson’s executive vice president and general manager. “People don’t realize how big it is until they get there, and there’s so much excitement in that arena.”

If the word “arena” doesn’t align with your idea of a car collectors’ event, you haven’t been to Barrett-Jackson. For much of the last decade, the auction itself has been held inside the cavernous Mandalay Bay Events Center, typically home to some of the biggest concerts and sporting events to hit the Strip. Last year, the expansion of the resort’s convention facilities allowed Barrett-Jackson to create its own auction arena, a customized setting to keep the action flowing in a more fluid way.

“Mandalay Bay has been such an amazing partner for the last 10 years and they’ve grown with us,” Cardinale says. “To have the entire event within the convention center walls is much better for customers and fans, and this year we’ll have an even better setup that should only increase the energy.”

Barrett-Jackson is a big party that’s about more than the cars—there’s food and drinks, shopping and auxiliary events, like a VIP kickoff party at Drai’s rooftop nightclub at The Cromwell on Oct. 18. But the cars are the stars, and this year’s docket will be one for the ages, full of the most sought-after

and rare vehicles on the planet: the 2007 Ford Shelby GT Concept Car; the 2005 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren with under 7,500 miles; and a 1968 Ford Shelby GT350 Fastback, just to name a few.

“We also have a live stage experience that’s new this year,” Cardinale says. “It will be streamed live and we’ll have commentators interviewing the celebrities and sponsors, and it will provide an even better chance for fans to interact with the auction.”

Barrett-Jackson is ready to blow it out for its big Vegas anniversary, making one of the city’s biggest annual events even bigger.

Get ready by checking out the 2017 Las Vegas Auction Preview Docket online at barrett-jackson.com, and start your engines.

Mandalay Bay, Oct. 19-21. 480.421.6694