10/1/2024
Supporting the Arts
George G. Johnson enjoys his Saturday matinee subscription for the Toyota Broadway Las Vegas® Series, but sometimes travel plans or his daughter’s work schedule conflict with those performances. When that happens, Johnson knows what to do.
“I get in touch with my Donor Concierge,” he says. “He’s a great person to work with, and he’s able to switch around my tickets or get me additional tickets for the different shows.”
Johnson, a retired CPA who moved to Las Vegas from Detroit in 2020, has access to Donor Concierge services because he’s a member of The Smith Center’s Chairman’s Club, comprised of Members who contribute at least $10,000 annually to the nonprofit performing arts center.
Naturally, most Members contribute below that threshold annually, and their donations are essential for carrying on The Smith Center’s mission of educating and entertaining Southern Nevadans through the arts. For example, Member contributions helped more than 50,000 students and teachers take buses to The Smith Center to witness free performances during the past year.
For those with the means and the interest, however, giving even more carries additional benefits.
Those Chairman’s Club’s benefits include access to the private Founders Room during Reynolds Hall performances, priority consideration for Broadway subscription renewals and purchases, complimentary parking, invitations to The Smith Center’s annual Chairman’s Celebration and more.
Membership also helped Johnson connect with new friends as he became more familiar with the Las Vegas community. “I was sitting in the Founders Room and started talking to someone … turns out we live near each other and belong to the same country club … and one thing led to another, and I’ve ended up spending time with he and his wife in the San Diego area.”
Johnson, who also serves on the Las Vegas Philharmonic Board of Trustees, says his strong connection to The Smith Center – and his involvement in the Chairman’s Club – has deepened his Las Vegas roots, to the point where he might never leave.
“A few months ago I went to Funny Girl in Reynolds Hall in the afternoon, and then I went over and saw Eric Darius, the great sax player, in Myron’s. I had actually been looking at the possibility of selling my place here and moving to Arizona, where I know a lot of people. But after seeing that play and that show in Myron’s, I said, I’m happy I’m in Las Vegas. Where else could I get this kind of entertainment, all in one place?”
To donate to The Smith Center and become a Member at any level, visit thesmithcenter.com/membership. Membership begins with a donation of any amount.