RENO, Nev. (KOLO) – The Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook Off has grown into a nationally known food competition, generating between $24 million and $26 million for the local economy every year, according to Bessy Zamora, Director of Advertising for the Nugget Casino Resort.
Zamora said the annual event draws thousands of visitors from all around the world.
“Yearly it is about $24-26 million, so this is huge. Again, everybody has been anticipating this event, and everybody is so excited, not only because it is big and everyone comes in enjoying the ribs but the money that we bring to the community,” Zamora said.
Zamora said she has met visitors from numerous countries who travel to attend the event.
“I saw actually a couple that is here from Canada and apparently, they have the whole family here, so that’s super exciting, and apparently, they have been coming here for a couple years already so that just tells you, people are literally coming from all over the world,” Zamora said.
Many schools, nonprofits and organizations use the annual event as an opportunity to fundraise for their programs.
Jay Rathmann, owner and executive chef of BJ’s Barbeque, hires local culinary students to help run his stand and his restaurant.
“I mean how many times do these kids get the opportunity to work at a rib stand in a nationally known cook-off and sell thousands of ribs,” Rathmann said.
Rob Hastings, a retired high school coach, has spent the past 25 years working for Indiana-based Rasta Joe’s BBQ. He was introduced to the team while looking for ways to raise money for his baseball team at North Valleys High School.
“We used this as a fundraiser. We brought in his guys that take money and cashiers and that. So, we raised a couple thousand dollars for the baseball team. It was a great deal. I enjoyed doing it, the kids did, the parents did, so I retired 5 years later and decided I would just keep doing it,” Hastings said.
Elizabeth and Eli Maile, owners of local ice cream shop, Sierra Swirl, said they give back to the community by hiring locals to work their stand.
“We want to help the community. By helping to hire those in the community, we can financially support them, then they can support their family, and in turn their families go out and find work as well,” the Mailes said.
The Mailes said they have met people from all over the world at this event and are looking forward to who they will meet next.
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