Smart Meetings

As an independent planner who specializes in corporate events, conferences, symposiums and incentives, Meller is a major proponent for one of the most glamorous, exciting, unique destinations on earth. “Vegas has its own heartbeat, with a wide array of activities—not only gaming,” she says. “There are cultural things, theater, entertainment, dining, golf and off-site tours and excursions. There’s easy in-and-out access—great airlift with direct flights. There’s virtually no need for car rentals.”

And if that’s not inducement enough, the 24/7 city is undergoing yet another huge wave of growth, with expansions, new builds and over-the-top entertainments that will keep it fresh—and your attendees intrigued.

“In the next five years, we’re adding 40,000 rooms, an investment of $30 billion, and  bringing our total room inventory to 175,000 rooms,” says Michael Goldsmith, CMP,    director of convention sales for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. “At the same time, we’re adding more convention space—more than 12 million square feet of meeting, convention and trade show space.”

The stats—and the implications—are mind boggling, particularly for a destination that now derives more revenue from guest rooms than gaming. That allows for even bigger trade shows and association meetings, even more meetings—and perhaps, with the increase in competition, better rates. At the least, in the face of increased competition, properties are more receptive to booking farther out than in the past.

Not surprisingly, the city’s major hospitality players have upped the stakes in this process. Not long after Harrah’s and Caesars merged, the combined company created Las Vegas Meetings by Harrah’s Entertainment, an entire division devoted solely to our industry across all of their (now) seven properties.

MGM Mirage, the merger of MGM Grand and the Mirage Corporation, is upgrading, expanding and flexing its combined muscle to include the construction of CityCenter, a 76-acre, $7 billion multi-use development of hotels, a casino, residences, entertainment and high-end retail.

Last December, The Palazzo—a new luxury offering by the Sands Corporation—opened adjacent to The Venetian. Connected to the Italian-themed resort and the Sands Expo and Convention Center, Palazzo is the third component in what’s now dubbed the Las Vegas Sands MegaCenter, accommodating up to 55,000 delegates.

And that’s just for starters. New hotels are gaining a toehold, as well—Fontainebleau Las Vegas to the north and M Resort, Spa and Casino to the south.

The sheer size and number of choices of Vegas hotels can be intimidating to planners who haven’t given the city a try. For those of you who are new—and even repeat bookers—the Las Vegas CVA is a terrific resource. “We can cut through some of the perceived clutter and point them in the right direction. We can make it a lot easier; because of the way we’re funded, we don’t charge for our service,” Goldsmith says.

In fact, he says, “We’re like the Google of Las Vegas: we might not have the answer at our fingertips, but we know where to go and who to speak to.” According to Goldsmith, the organization provides a dedicated lead-distribution program that gets your specs into the hands of hotels immediately, after which the hotels will respond directly to you. Because of the way they’re funded (an authority, not a bureau), they “don’t represent particular properties, but the entire community,” he says. “It doesn’t matter where people come in Las Vegas, just that they visit,” he says.

All 40 million of them annually.

MEETINGS VENUES
In a city where over-the-top is business-as-usual, the Las Vegas Convention Center (managed by the LVCVA) draws the larger trade shows and other events with more than 2 million sq. ft. of exhibit space and 138 meeting rooms (that’s 10,072 standard 10-x-10 booths, if you’re counting). Catering is by Aramark, and the center is Wi-Fi ready, which means your delegates can log onto the Internet without plugging in their laptops. The facility is within three miles of the downtown casino area and accessible via the Las Vegas Monorail.

Just minutes away from downtown, also, is Cashman Center, which has two adjoining divisible exhibit halls, with 98,100 sq. ft. of exhibit space. There’s also an indoor theater seating up to 1,922 and an outdoor stadium for 10,000—with a 580-person restaurant. Each of the facilities can operate independently from one another.

There’s also a group of large hotels with convention centers, among them Mandalay Bay, the MGM Grand and The Venetian.
    
THE STRIP
Probably the most widely known and expensive real estate in the world (the current price of an acre is estimated at $33 million, according to some sources), the Vegas Strip is what most people visualize at the mention of “Vegas.” The Strip encompasses Las Vegas Boulevard as a physical address and is used loosely to ID the entire hotel/entertainment milieu in close proximity. It has enjoyed several “waves” of growth throughout the years. While El Rancho Vegas was the first casino on what’s now called The Strip, the Flamingo in 1946 was an indication of its future direction. The opening of The Mirage in 1989 introduced the destination-resort concept, and the town has never looked back.

HARRAH’S
Las Vegas Meetings by Harrah’s Entertainment oversees the meeting sales and operations for a total of seven properties: Bally’s, Caesars Palace, Flamingo, Harrah’s, Paris, Rio and—recently added—Imperial Palace. The brand’s biggest news is a $1-billion expansion of Caesars Palace, which features a second hotel tower (The Octavia, 665 rooms) plus a new 263,000-square-foot convention center that connects to the existing meeting space in the Palace Tower. Look for a completion date of early 2009.

The company’s ace in the hole has been its ability to offer planners flexibility among the venues with one master bill—allowing them essentially to mix and match their functions in a variety of meeting spaces and ballrooms across the board. In February the company unveiled another, totally new concept, according to Don Ross, vice president of catering, conventions and events for Las Vegas Meetings. Now planners have the option to include alternative venues, such as restaurants and nightclubs, and still have the same “one contact, one contract and one F&B minimum,” he says.

Entertainment rates a capital “E” here, with new shows like Bette Midler, who opened at Caesars last month, and The Red Piano featuring Elton John, also at Caesars, plus a clutch of unique venues such as the 15-acre tropical playground at Flamingo and a pool and beach at Rio.

MGM MIRAGE
“Mirage started the mega-resort trend in Las Vegas,” says Joni Peru, director of convention sales for The Mirage Hotel and Casino—way back in the 1980s when the property was developed and owned by Steve Wynn. But the resort refuses to be dated and began a $110-million room and suite re-design last month, which comes on the heels of a multi-year renovation that already added restaurants, nightlife and The Beatles’ LOVE by Cirque du Soleil.

Mirage did its wedding dance with MGM in May 2000, and today the combined company encompasses another hefty chunk of Las Vegas hotel real estate, including Mandalay Bay, THEhotel at Mandalay Bay, The Signature at MGM Grand (named the “Best Luxury Hotel in the U.S.” by TripAdvisor.com readers), MGM Grand, Bellagio, The Mirage, Monte Carlo, Luxor, Excalibur, New York-New York, Treasure Island and Circus Circus. “We view each property as separate,” says Bryan Gay, executive director of sales for Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino (mandalaybay.com). “But we make the experience as seamless as possible.”

CityCenter, the brand’s newest showpiece, is coming in late 2009, according to Gail Fitzgerald, vice president of hotel sales and marketing for CityCenter. Redefining the Vegas skyline, the 76-acre complex is creating a “city within a city,” putting a there there, she says. The vision was spectacular, and the reality will match it—especially the as-yet-unnamed resort-casino (4,000 rooms and 300,000 sq. ft. of meeting space) and Vdara, a nongaming 1,543 unit boutique hotel, two of several components that also include fine dining and luxe retail. The entire project is up for LEED certification—on track to become the first development in Nevada to receive the coveted certification. And Elvis will be seen in the house—at least as part of a new Cirque du Soleil production whose details are totally under wraps.

The properties are loaded with unusual venues for events. At Mandalay Bay the new eyecandy sound lounge and bar, with private booths and a DJ who’ll mix your tunes with his, is located right in the middle of the casino floor. Bare, at The Mirage, is a “European-style” (i.e., topless) pool area during the day; off-hours it’s an intimate setting for private events run by The Light Group, with a full-service bar, custom furnishings and pool-side cabanas. Surprise your attendees with a reception or behind-the-scenes tour at the Shark Reef Aquarium or wow your VIPs with an opportunity to be a dolphin trainer for a day at The Mirage.

While—contrary to any rumors—the original isn’t for sale, you can hold your gathering on the “Brooklyn Bridge,” at New York-New York, an outdoor venue that can wow up to 1,000 meeting-goers. Also at New York-New York is ESPN Zone, a high-energy sports-themed restaurant and entertainment center with private function space; bring a small group or buy out the place.

LAS VEGAS SANDS MEGACENTER
When you roll The Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino and the Sands Expo and Convention Center together with Palazzo, a brand new, $1.8-billion, 3,000-suite property, what else would you call the spectacular combination but “MegaCenter”?  “We needed something that would encompass all three under one brand,” says Chandra Allison, executive director of sales for The Venetian and Palazzo. And “encompass” it does, having the capacity to host 55,000 attendees and offering more than 2.2 million sq. ft. of flexible show and meeting space—the largest integrated resort and meeting complex in the world. It’s like having a citywide, but at one location (in fact, the trio offer more meeting space than some large cities).

However, Allison says, The Venetian and the stand-alone Palazzo both have their own lobby and front desk, which allows both properties to retain their individual identities.    
Together, The Venetian and Palazzo offer their own complement of celebrity chef restaurants (including Emeril Lagasse, Thomas Keller and Charlie Trotter) and high-energy entertainment. In addition to Blue Man Group and Wayne Brady, the super-popular musical Jersey Boys opens next month.

WYNN    
When the results of the Market Metrix Hospitality Index for 2007 were released last month, Wynn Las Vegas topped the upscale casino segment with a 91.5 customer-satisfaction rating—a tribute to the ultra-luxe 2,716-room resort whose owner is ambitiously adding another building to its presence. Opening in late 2008, the new $2.2-billion hotel, dubbed Encore, will add another 2,000 or so suites and 50,000 sq. ft. of additional meeting and conference space. Spamalot, the Monty Python musical comedy, has opened here in a brand-new theater, and Wynn offers what no other resort on The Strip can: its own golf course, available only to Wynn hotel guests. Roll the dice confidently here—it’s one superlative after another.

OFF THE STRIP
The Strip is just fine for some groups—why come to Vegas otherwise, they reason. And that’s a good point for planners to consider. But what about those groups who want the cachet of Vegas and the close proximity to all that glitz and glamour, but on their terms.

First, there are options like The Platinum, just off The Strip, that attracts groups due to its luxurious, nongaming ambience. It sports all the amenities planners are looking for: 10,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, including Misora, a fabulous roof-top event space with panoramic views of the city; a WELL spa; a pool; and Stir, a cafe/lounge with specialty cocktails—a hit with its celebrity clientele.

Off Strip, downtown on Fremont Street, there’s value to be found, along with a more nostalgic “old Vegas” feel—but that doesn’t mean low-budget. Fremont Street is lined with casinos, hotels and restaurants, plus a fun-zone called the Fremont Street Experience. This pedestrian-friendly area features a $70-million light canopy and a 550,000-watt sound system, all the better to broadcast the mostly free concerts along with its way-larger-than-life videos. Among the accommodations downtown is the Golden Nugget, a Four-Diamond hotel that unveiled a $60-million expansion last December.

HENDERSON/LAKE LAS VEGAS
Ever-expanding Henderson, only a few miles south of McCarran International Airport, is the second-largest city in Nevada—even larger than Reno. It encompasses not only the city, but also Lake Las Vegas, a 3,600-acre master-planned resort community off Lake Mead Parkway on the way to Hoover Dam.

Downtown Henderson continues to evolve; its main street beautification program has been completed, the plaza has been re-done and live entertainment on Thursdays and Fridays is a big draw, says Ed Kirby, national sales manager, cultural arts and tourism for the city of Henderson.

Part of the expansion is the recent opening of four new properties in the past few months: a new Wingate by Wyndham (the first of the new partnership), a Holiday Inn, a Hampton Inn and a Hilton Garden Inn.

Slated to open in 2009 is the brand new M Resort, Spa and Casino at the very southern tip of The Strip (still within Henderson’s boundaries, however!). Situated 400 feet higher in elevation than the other resort-casinos on The Strip, it’ll have views of the Vegas skyline from every guest room (390), plus it’ll offer 40,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.

Looking to the future also, the city’s convention center is closing in May for approximately one year for a floor-to-ceiling renovation. The project will include high-tech A/V and, in a second phase, an expansion of the meeting space from the current 12,000 sq. ft., as well.

Henderson offers value for groups, Kirby says—it has all the amenities Vegas has, and The Strip is only minutes away. With 11 golf courses, he adds, “we’re kind of like a golf resort in Vegas.”

Part of that golf resort attraction is Lake Las Vegas, a private enclave with three top-tier resorts (The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas, Loews Lake Las Vegas Resort and MonteLago Village Resort) surrounding the largest privately owned lake in the U.S. Here you’ll find championship golf, including a Jack Nicklaus Signature course, along with water attractions that include a private yacht for charter and water sports such as kayaking, canoeing, paddle boats and more. Brand new is the Ritz’s Pontevecchio Pavilion, a 4,920-foot glass-enclosed ballroom located on the banks of the lake for 300 people, opening this spring.

SUMMERLIN
Summerlin is an insider’s secret: Only 12 miles from The Strip, it’s a beautiful master-planned community set along the Spring Mountain Range foothills, dotted with parks, golf courses and outdoor space with numerous miles of hiking trails.

   “People think off-The-Strip is off the path and away from the action,” says Carmen M. Rubino, CMP, director of sales and marketing for the JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort & Spa. “But Summerlin is a prestigious upscale community with great dining and shopping. People use our property as a launching pad—they’ll meet here and will go to The Strip one night, maybe for a show.”

Which is one of the reasons Susan Perry, CAE, president of The Perry Group in Alexandria, Va. chose the Marriott property for her client, a national association with a little over 200 meeting attendees. “We wanted an intimate atmosphere. We wanted to know we were in Vegas and have accessibility to The Strip, but didn’t want to be in the middle of that and have daytime distractions,” she says. “There is a casino [there], but it’s not an overriding force in that building.”

“There’s so much for people to do,” she continues. “We had all kinds of off-site tours in the afternoon—we’d close down the meetings by about noon and it was a big free-for-all. Guys went backstage at Bally’s, to the Hoover Dam, cruises on Lake Mead and [we had] other spouse events. The spa is wonderful, it’s not like a factory, you don’t feel like it’s a cattle call.”

Golf sold her on the property as well. “Golf is a big deal with us; we wanted easy access to golf and Angel Park is right across the street,” she says. The Marriott also works closely with TPC Las Vegas, Rubino says. “It acts as an extension of our property. We have a partnership and you can charge at the Tournament Players Club like you can at the hotel. Transportation is included—it’s one mile from the property.”

But the Marriott isn’t the only game in town. The new Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa, designed in a sleek, contemporary style, is an appealing option, particularly for younger groups. One thing you’ll find here—keeping up with the latest trend—is the Red Rock Lanes bowling center, a 72-lane facility with 24-hour bowling and lane-side gaming. But its other attraction is a VIP suite with 12 lanes and a nightclub experience featuring 65-inch plasma TVs, custom lounge furnishings and F&B service (it can also be divided into three four-lane rooms).

LAUGHLIN
About 90 miles to the south of The Strip—but with a gaming-entertainment vibe—is the town of Laughlin, on the Colorado River. Meeting space is located in several hotels, including Aquarius Casino Resort, which offers the largest space (30,000 sq. ft.). Among the others is Harrah’s Laughlin Casino and Hotel, with 7,250 sq. ft. and Tropicana Express Hotel Casino with 14,340 sq. ft. Off-site activities center around golf and water sports; the Laughlin Visitors Bureau can help you find a property with the right fit for your group.

Back to Top

Getting There

Getting to Las Vegas is easy. McCarran International Airport is served by more than 40 airlines, include Southwest and JetBlue. Back to Top

What's New?

iMacs for the Masses in Las Vegas | The Fontainebleau Las Vegas, slated to open in fall 2009, has reached an agreement with Apple to ...

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