Las Vegas NowPresident Obama Arrives in Las Vegas

President Obama Arrives in Las Vegas

President Barack Obama's airplane landed in Las Vegas just after 4 p.m. He is here for a fundraiser for Senator Harry Reid's The Good Fight tribute concert Tuesday night.

The president's motorcade caused some major delays on the I-15, Russell Road and Spring Mountain as the motorcade made its way from McCarran International Airport to Caesars Palace.

An Iraq War veteran will introduce Senator Reid at the fundraising concert. The concert will be at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, with performances from Bette Midler, Clint Holmes and the Las Vegas Academy's student choir. But many people will show up to hear from the new Commander in Chief.

"It's electric. People are so excited and proud to have the president. Proud for the president to see where we all live, and work, and what we do," said Jan Jones with Harrah's Entertainment.

Officials at Caesars Palace have been preparing for weeks for the presidential visit. Tickets to the event are still available and the money generated will go to the reelection campaign for Senator Reid.

The White House reached out to Mayor Oscar Goodman about comments the president made about travel to Las Vegas. Months back, in response to companies who received bailout money rewarding high paid executives with trips to Las Vegas, the president said those companies should not be allowed to spend tax payer money on leisure trips. But Governor Jim Gibbons and Mayor Goodman accused the president of telling people not to travel to Las Vegas and blamed numerous cancellations on the comments.

Monday, the mayor spoke to the president's chief of staff. "I got the impression after that conversation that after the president comes here tomorrow, he'll have very positive things to say about Las Vegas being a place to have serous business meetings and to have great conventions," said Goodman.

The governor was asked to greet the president at the airport and declined, saying "While I appreciate the offer, I am not interested in a handshake and a hello from President Obama. I am interested in an apology and plan to undo the damage the president did.

"Working families are suffering because of the President's remarks, the President should retract his reckless statement about Las Vegas and make a public statement supporting business and tourist travel to Las Vegas and other destinations in the State of Nevada."

The president will be staying at Caesars Tuesday night and will be talking about energy policy Wednesday at Nellis Air Force Base. That event is not open to the public.