[ON LOCATION] LYDIA GREGORY
The City of Entertainment continues to reinvent itself, as evidenced by its recent developments, from new and renovated spaces to cutting-edge entertainment options. An interesting statistic we heard more than once: “Eighty percent of meetings are 200 people and under.” It’s a number you might not expect given the sheer size of some of these properties, but a testament to the flexibility of the Las Vegas MICE offer.
Paris Las Vegas unveiled the Versailles Tower late last year, expanding its capacity to host larger groups. Formerly the Horseshoe Las Vegas’ Jubilee Tower, it underwent a $100 million renovation that added 756 rooms and suites, bringing the total guest room count to 3,762. It connects with the new Paris Skybridge, a 253-ft-long pedestrian walkway. Our Versailles King Room—spacious at 445 sf—was comfortable, with a white marble bathroom, plenty of workspace and a royal blue velvet sofa with a view of the Sphere. While not new, we must mention breakfast at Paris’ Mon Ami Gabi—as many restaurant choices as there are in this hotel, this is a can’t miss.
We also got a sneak peek at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino’s first phase of a $300 million remodel. The upgrade is a modern take on 70s glam, with cheeky nods to the iconic disco ball. Guest rooms now offer glass-enclosed walk-in showers, there are new USB-port-enabled charging stations and all have mini-fridges and fully stocked minibars, to name just a few changes. The project includes the creation of 111 new suites on three top-level floors, bringing the total number of suites to 753. All 4,212 accommodations are expected to be finished by the end of the year.
The Flamingo Las Vegas is also in the midst of a multi-phase redo, which kicked off with new restaurants (read on for more on that) and this spring’s star, the GO Pool, a $20 million multi-pool complex with a VIP experience for sunworshippers.
When it comes to new eateries—great venues for smaller groups—Vegas never disappoints. We attended the opening of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay’s latest venture with Caesars Entertainment, Gordon Ramsay Burger at the Flamingo. Ramsay was there in person, joined by Bravolebrity Lisa Vanderpump, whose Pinky’s by Vanderpump also recently debuted. The burger bites and spicy tater tots passed around at Gordon’s were a delicious peek at the menu. We then popped by the fabulous Pinky’s for The Pinky’s Pumptini and a Flamingo Pink mocktail made with coconut cream.
Resorts World Las Vegas just opened the much-anticipated Stubborn Seed, celebrity chef Jeremy Ford’s second location. It joins the 50+ dining experiences in the complex, which make it ideal for in-house dine-arounds. Favorites include Dawg House Saloon sports bar with live music and Carversteak, where they can burn your client’s logo right on their porterhouse.
Wynn Las Vegas’ Tableau is currently transforming into the Four Sixes Ranch Steakhouse popup after sundown, the brainchild of Taylor Sheridan (of “Yellowstone” fame) and chef David Middleton. Think 48-oz. tomahawks sourced from Sheridan’s north Texas ranch and caviar towers. We had lunch at Tableau, and I feasted on the lobster & avocado salad—just slightly lighter.
We also enjoyed an evening at Orla by Michael Mina at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, enjoying Mediterranean and Middle Eastern fusion dishes—recommend your groups start with a Rio Spritz for a showy, but not too strong, libation. At MGM Grand, they just opened Netflix Bites, with a menu inspired by popular Netflix shows.
Vegas continues to craft unique experiences that can be memorable additions to meeting itineraries. Swingers Crazy Golf, the new mini-golf hotspot, bar, restaurant and arcade with a DJ at Mandalay Bay, can host up to 1,500 attendees, though keeping that number between 1,000 to 1,200 is the sweet spot. Another fun hands-on entertainment option is the Flight Club at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas, where you and 549 of your closest attendees can play social darts, cozy up to the 27-seat carrousel bar or team-build playing oche (rhymes with “hockey”).
Then there’s Spiegelworld’s DISCOSHOW, an evening event that starts with dinner at Diner Ross, accessed via a NYC 70s “subway entrance.” The menu is all gourmet twists on classic diner food with a primo bev menu, but the piece de resistance is the DISCOSHOW. Minutes before it starts, two disco-daddies in hot pants and skates twirl around the diner as a preview. Attendees need to wear their flashiest duds, because this show is interactive on steroids. The video walls play the NYC’s disco scene—it’s a history lesson wrapped in a pulsing beat—the floor is lit, the dancers are pure Solid Gold and the bodies cannot keep still. Capacity is 500 but go less for more room to dance.
There’s a growing market for off-Strip resorts that keep a group self-contained, with the bonus of being able to pretty much take over the resort, including with signage and branding. Something we also noticed with these off-Strip properties is the refreshing amount of natural light they had, even in the meetings and casino areas. Another big plus? Both of the properties we visited offer free parking.
Twenty minutes from the Strip and 15 minutes from the airport, newcomer Durango Resort & Casino welcomed us for our last night. We had a chance to experience its swanky Resort King Mountain View room, which reflected the chic desert design of the hotel, all cognac leather, wood, high-end amenities and high-tech touches. The property has 180 guest rooms plus 29 suites, including the 1,800-sf Vista King Suite on the top floor. Panoramic views of the Strip and the mountains are built in—what’s missing is the hassle of traffic and massive crowds. With over 20,000 sf of meeting and convention space, it also has extraordinary outdoor spaces like the Bel-Aire Backyard, a poolside oasis that connects to the swanky Bel-Aire Lounge. The Durango has four main restaurants, including the stunning Mijo Mexican restaurant, with its Wax Rabbit speakeasy and collection of fine tequila. Of note is the Eat Your Heart Out food hall, with a bevy of international flavors.
The second off-Strip property was M Resort Spa Casino in Henderson, 30 minutes from the Strip and undergoing a $200+ million expansion to add 384 guest rooms and 15,000 sf of convention space, bringing the total accommodations to 774. The wow factor here is very much in evidence—we were told one client had two of his vehicles on display in the lobby for an event. M has 11 eateries, 92,000 sf of gaming and the award-winning Spa Mio. Its outdoors is just as impressive, with a 100,000-sf pool and events plaza. Its newest meeting space is the M Pavilion, with 25,000 sf of pillar-less space and a capacity for 2,300.
lvcva.com; caesars.com; mgmgrand.mgmresorts.com; rwlasvegas.com; venetianlasvegas.com; themresort.com; durangoresort.com
