Smart Meetings

 During the past couple years, the world’s most bizarre desert oasis (other than Dubai) has seen an explosion of activity, especially along an area of Las Vegas Boulevard, known as The Strip.

A seemingly endless string of massive new properties is coming down the pipe, most promising unprecedented this-and-that.

Most of the hotels in town have ample space for the majority of meetings, but the most massive groups may want to consider renting one of the city’s convention spaces. The largest on The Strip is the Mandalay Bay Convention Center (mandalaybayconventions.com), a four-level property with nearly 1.5 million sq. ft. of meeting and exhibit space, including four ballrooms ranging from 31,000 to 100,000 sq. ft.

Another massive option on The Strip is the Sands Expo and Convention Center, directly behind the Venetian Hotel. The Sands, combined with the Venetian Congress facility, has more than 1.9 million square feet of combined meeting and event space.

Finally, while not directly on The Strip, the Las Vegas Convention Center (managed by the LVCVA) offers a whopping 3.2 million square feet of space, including 144 meeting rooms.

An array of meeting space choices across the properties also abounds, including the huge Colosseum at Caesars (for up to 4,100 people). Harrah’s also has created its Diamond Card program that allows meeting planners to go to the front of lines and hang out in special lounges. This benefit can also be set up for CEOs, VPs and other VIPs, and applies across all Harrah’s properties. 


 The other massive merger to transform The Strip in recent years was, of course, the union of MGM and the Mirage Corporation. The company’s properties include Bellagio, Circus Circus, Excalibur, Luxor, Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand, The Mirage, Monte Carlo and New York New York – more than enough budget options for all sorts of groups.

The big news for MGM Mirage, of course, is the development of Project City Center, a 66-acre site that will secure the company’s dominance along the center-to-south Strip. Meeting space here, too, runs the gamut, from intimate executive board rooms at Bellagio and awesome SKYLOFTS at MGM Grand to the huge Mandalay Bay Convention Center.

A good source for basic information is the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA.com for meetings info; visitlasvegas.com for general info), which in addition to promoting the city far and wide, operates the Las Vegas Convention Center and the 100,000-square-foot Cashman Center. Other good web sites for basic info are Vegas.com and the official city site, lasvegasnevada.gov.

Back to Top

Getting There

McCarran International Airport (LAS), which is located just one mile from The Strip.

The main transportation options for groups are charter buses, which can be rented from a number of local providers (vegasbuscharter.com).

Alternatively, the Las Vegas Monorail (lvmonorail.com) travels along the east side of The Strip behind the resorts from 8–2 a.m., with multiple stops in between along a four-mile route.

Back to Top

Not To Be Missed

Cirque du Soleil  always mesmerizing and are a great choice for groups (cirquedusoleil.com)

Mandalay Place (100,000 sq. ft. on a skybridge) or the Fashion Show Mall can set up a number of group programs, including afternoon teas with fragrance sampling, home decorating seminars, fashion shows, scavenger hunts, and more. (mandalaybay.com and  thefashionshow.com)

Wolfgang Puck restaurants in town can arrange cooking classes for team-building events, spousal programs etc. (wolfgangpuckcatering.com).

Culinary Excursions  can bring groups into the celebrated kitchens of Las Vegas, and can set up gourmet cooking lessons, wine pairings, chef secrets & techniques, and other “behind the scenes” experiences.

 Pink Jeep Tours (pinkjeep.com) can take groups all the way to the Grand Canyon (West Rim), or to Valley of Fire, Eldorado Canyon, Red Rock Canyon, Mount Charleston and Hoover Dam. 

 

Back to Top

What's New?

Big Gets Bigger | Get ready for a gigantic addition to the meetings scene in Las Vegas. The new Palazzo Resort Hote...

Saviors on The Strip | Global Hyatt Corp. and Marathon Asset Management have come to the rescue of the Cosmopolitan hote...

Vegas’ Biggest Yet | The Palazzo Las Vegas will celebrate its grand opening this weekend, starting Thursday, January 1...

Yet Another Game In Town | InterContinental Hotels Group announced plans to build a new 386-room Crowne Plaza near the Las V...

The King of The Strip? | New York-based developer FX Real Estate and Entertainment recently revealed its intentions to cre...

CityCenter Unveils ARIA Casino Resort | MGM Mirage has announced that the much-anticipated name of their massive new casino resort proper...

Back to Top

« Back to Butte