The Latest on The Everything Capital
Las Vegas is a shape-shifter. While the city does indeed have an identity—Las Vegas is a haven for entertainment, food and, increasingly, sports—its offerings are constantly evolving and becoming more attractive for groups. Check out all the latest developments on and around Las Vegas Boulevard.
New and Happening
Just around the corner from The Strip, Area15 is a place replete with immersive experiences, entertainment and plenty of otherworldly event space. Since opening with major attractions such as Meow Wolf’s Omega Mart, and smaller ones such as Birdly flight simulator, axe throwing and escape rooms, the venue has expanded to introduce more attractions such as Liftoff, an outdoor lounge that takes visitors on a sky-high trip, and John Wick Experience, a captivating journey based on the movie series.
Recently, Area15 unveiled Zone 2: The Terminals, its 20-acre expansion that features Universal Horror Unleased, Zone 2’s year-round horror attraction and largest attraction.
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It features four permanent Haunted Houses, including Blumhouse’s The Exorcist: Believer and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, as well as seasonal horror attractions. Zone 2 also features Interstellar Arc, a VR space adventure; The Escape Game, an immersive escape room experience; Great Big Game Show, replete with several games that test your knowledge, reaction times and more; and Game Depot, which features classic carnival games.
Zone 2’s dining options include Looper Concessions and Game Depot Concessions, which offer quick bits such as sandwiches and sweet treats at the former and carnival-inspired classics such as hot dogs, pretzels and popcorn at the latter. Grounded Grills is Zone 2’s grilled cheese food truck that serves a wide variety of melted delights, such as the Flamin’ Elote Fiesta, a Hot Cheetos-crusted grilled cheese with roasted corn salsa and pepper jack and Oaxaca cheese, and Mac Daddy Lux, a grilled cheese with white truffle mac and cheese, and smoked applewood bacon.
This July, Zone 2’s Altair Lounge, built around a repurposed Burning Man Boeing 747 plane, is an indoor-outdoor space that can accommodate up to 1,200 attendees. The space features lounge seating areas and breakout spaces, as well as plenty of branding opportunities. Another new attraction in Zone 2 is Interstellar Arc. This immersive VR-based interplanetary experience takes visitors 11 light-years from Earth to the fictional Arcadia on Spaceport One.
While Area15 is creating engaging ways to spend time with colleagues, properties on The Strip have been working hard to keep their facilities updated and ready for groups.
The Venetian Convention and Expo Center recently underwent a $188 million renovation, updating its 2.25 million-square-foot convention center and enhancing technology outside the ballrooms and breakout spaces, including wide, fully customizable digital screens for branding. This is part of The Venetian’s $1.5 billion investment, during which the property also updated all 4,000 of its suites.
Caesars Entertainment’s The Vanderpump Hotel, formerly The Cromwell, opened last month, with 188 updated guest rooms that feature Lisa Vanderpump’s signature style. Several new spaces have been introduced at the new hotel, including a Vanderpump-designed lounge and Soleia, formerly Drai’s Beachclub & Nightclub, a new dedicated meeting space that sits atop The Vanderpump Hotel.
Another Caesars staple, Caesars Palace, opened Omnia Dayclub & Skybar last month. The day club is connected to Omnia Nightclub, spanning a combined 121,000 sq. ft. Earlier this year, the property introduced two new Colosseum Presidential Villas and 29 Octavius Sky Villas. The former villas are more than 8,060 sq. ft. and 8,370 sq. ft., respectively, and can be combined to create more than 19,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor space.
Read More: Fertitta Entertainment Buys Caesars Entertainment for Nearly $18 Billion
MGM Grand Hotel & Casino recently completed a $300 million renovation of its 3,969 guest rooms and suites, giving them an updated contemporary design. An additional 111 suites were added to the hotel, bringing its total to 753. Along with new rooms and suites, MGM Grand has added new experiences, including Netflix Bites, a restaurant inspired by hit Netflix shows; Palm Tree Beach Club, a tropical day club by DJ Kygo’s Palm Tree Crew; and The Friends Experience, an interactive experience based of the television series.
Allegiant Stadium and Airlines
Allegiant Stadium hosted the Super Bowl in 2024 and is expected to host it again in 2029. The comeback makes sense; the 65,000-capacity stadium has been the home of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders since 2020 and has hosted various major events and private corporate events. Along with the 95,000-square-foot field, the stadium also features several smaller spaces, such as the 24,000-square-foot Coors Light Landing, which provides views of The Strip through floor-to-ceiling windows, and the 3,000-square-foot Shift 4, a cozier space that features a central bar.
Read More: How Sports Programs Boost Attendee Engagement
This year, Allegiant Stadium’s namesake, Allegiant Airlines, is launching nonstop flights to Las Vegas from various West Coast destinations, including Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR), Bellingham International Airport (BLI) and Provo Municipal Airport (PVU). These nonstop flights follow expansions made in late 2025, including flights from Epply Airfield Airport (OMA) in Omaha, Nebraska, and Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) in Kentucky.
Coming Soon…
Within the next few years, event professionals and their groups will experience an entirely new Las Vegas Boulevard, featuring a sky-high guitar, new properties and venues, and a new ballpark at the former Tropicana Las Vegas site.
When Hard Rock Las Vegas opens at the end of 2027, there will be a 700-foot guitar right in the middle of The Strip. The property is expected to feature 3,660 guest rooms and 200,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, including a 90,000-square-foot ballroom. The guest rooms will be split between two towers, the 3,000-room Resort Tower and 600-room Guitar Tower. Additional spaces will be made up of two spas, multiple pools, live entertainment venues and a multitude of restaurants, lounges and retail outlets.
A’s Ballpark is coming in time for the 2028 baseball season. When the ballpark is completed, it will accommodate 33,000 spectators. When the ballpark opens, it will feature an 18,000-square-foot Jumbotron, the largest in Major League Baseball.
A’s Ballpark Experience Center is now available for by-appointment exploration at UnCommons, an outdoor dining and shopping area across adjacent to Durango Casino & Resort in southwest Las Vegas. Guests can look at the A’s baseball team’s history and future. Several highlights are the Immersive Cube, a 270-degree digital walkthrough of the ballpark, and interactive displays of memorabilia, bobbleheads and artifacts from the team’s history.
Among the various dining, shopping and experiences on its 36 acres, Bally’s Las Vegas will be among them. When it opens in 2030, Bally’s Las Vegas will feature 3,000 guest rooms across two towers, a 2,500-capacity entertainment venue and 500,000 sq. ft. of retail, dining and entertainment.
Smart Meetings will be coming to JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort & Spa at The Resort at Summerlin for Smart Women Summit 2026, Aug. 19–20, celebrating female leaders in the events industry. Reservations are now open.
This article appears in the May/June 2026 issue. You can subscribe to the magazine here.
