Resorts World
Resorts World Las Vegas

Las Vegas is getting back to business with new event spaces, entertainment venues and resorts, as well as a commitment to adhere to health and wellness protocols.

Las Vegas has added a significant amount of event and entertainment space in the last year and a half, with many developments opening their doors in 2021.

Resorts World Las Vegas opened on June 24, and is the first ground-up development on the Strip in over a decade. The sprawling $4.3 billion mega-resort integrates three of Hilton’s premium brands, bringing together Conrad Hotels & ResortsLXR Hotels & Resorts and Hilton Hotels & Resorts to offer more than 3,500 hotel rooms. The resort complex features over 40 food and drink outlets, including a Singapore-inspired food hall called Famous Foods Street Eats; numerous retail outlets; and a 5.5-acre pool complex. Resorts World offers more than 250,000 square feet of flexible space, including six ballrooms, and is conveniently located next to the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Circa Resort & Casino opened in October 2020. Situated in Downtown Las Vegas, the  1.24-million-square-foot property boasts 777 rooms and suites, as well as 11 dining and bar options. Unique to Circa is Stadium Swim, a multitiered pool amphitheater concept featuring six swimming pools on three different levels, and a massive 40-foot-tall high-definition screen.

Virgin Hotel Las Vegas
Virgin Hotels Las Vegas

Virgin Hotels Las Vegas opened in March 2021. The reimagined and re-conceptualized 1,502-room casino resort is part of the Curio Collection by Hilton. It offers 130,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space, as well as a five-acre backyard with a 17,000-square foot event lawn. The resort also features a 4,500-person venue called The Theater as well as 11 dining options including Nobu Las Vegas.

Following an investment of $200 million, Harrah’s Las Vegas completed an extensive renovation in June 2021. The enhancements include 2,542 redesigned guest rooms, a complete casino floor remodel, and two new LED marquees at the north and south entrances. Additionally, the renovation has added a skybridge giving convenient and direct access to meeting and event spaces at the new CAESARS FORUM.

The 550,000-square-foot CAESARS FORUM opened in October 2020 and is located east of the Strip with direct access to more than 20,000 hotel rooms in walking distance. The new LEED-certified building offers over 300,000 square feet of flexible space, including the two largest pillarless ballrooms in the world, offering 110,000 square feet of space each and allowing for unobstructed views. Additionally, CAESARS FORUM offers two 40,000-square-foot junior ballrooms that can be divided with airwalls. It also has six boardrooms, four of which offer access to a 100,000-square-foot outdoor plaza.

West Hall Entrance
Las Vegas Convention Center West Hall

The Las Vegas Convention Center’s (LVCC) new West Hall Expansion debuted in June when it hosted World of Concrete, which was the first major convention to return to Las Vegas and the U.S. since the pandemic began. The expansion adds an additional 1.4 million square feet to the facility, including 600,000 square feet of new exhibit space, 328,000 square feet of column-free space, a 14,000-square-foot outdoor terrace, and 150,000 square feet of meeting space, including the ability to create 80 breakout rooms. The LVCC also holds the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) STAR facility accreditation, considered the gold standard for safe facilities, and was the first facility in Nevada to achieve the globally recognized status.

Another addition to the center is the new Vegas Loop at Las Vegas Convention Center, a first-of-its-kind transportation system that features three passenger stations that connect the existing LVCC space to the new West Hall. The Vegas Loop at Las Vegas Convention Center provides a quick way for attendees to travel across the 200-acre LVCC campus in under two minutes using a fleet of Tesla vehicles that can shuttle more than 4,400 riders per hour across the site through two-mile-long tunnels.

The new Expo at World Market Center Las Vegas opened in April 2021 and is the largest event venue in Downtown Las Vegas. The complex offers over 315,000 square feet of space, including 195,000 square feet of exhibit space, divisible by two halls that can accommodate up to 1,000 booths. Sustainability is a key element of the Expo, and approximately 97% of its construction debris has been recycled, with 11,000 tons of existing asphalt repurposed into the center’s current design. The venue also boasts Green Globes certification, which demonstrates its commitment to energy conservation, lowered water consumption, and responsible use of materials.

Area 15
AREA15, Las Vegas

AREA15 opened in September 2020 and bills itself as an immersive entertainment and event complex. Inside the venue is a 23-foot Japanese maple tree bedecked with 5,000 LED lights; a virtual reality simulator that mimics what it would be like to be a bird; the first indoor, electric dual-track suspension ride in the U.S.; as well as numerous art installations, retail outlets, bars, restaurants, and Omega Mart by Meow Wolf. The venue also boasts 40,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space, including combinable options.

 

This article was written by Steve Grasso in partnership with Prevue Meetings & Incentives.