LAS VEGAS – AT A GLANCE

More than just the ‘Entertainment Capital of the World’, Las Vegas’ offerings extend well beyond world-class entertainment, including: award-winning restaurants, led by celebrated chefs; first-class shopping, featuring the world’s most luxurious brands; innovative, high-end spa experiences; plus incredible hikes and natural scenery, just a short drive from the Strip. Shaping up to be one of the destination’s biggest years yet, 2020 will see phase II of the multi-billion-dollar expansion and renovation of the Convention Centre finalised; the Las Vegas Stadium completed by mid-year; along with a handful of exciting resort developments.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Las Vegas welcomed 42.1 million visitors in 2018
• The meetings and convention industry welcomed more than 6.5 million delegates attending a convention, trade show or meeting in 2018
• Average city-wide occupancy was at 88.2% for 2018
  • Las Vegas fills more rooms per night on average than any destination in North America
• Tourism has a nearly USD$60 billion local economic impact
• Currently Las Vegas has nearly 150,000 hotel rooms
• By 2021, Las Vegas room inventory is projected at more than 156,000

CONVENTION CENTRE

The LVCVA continues to move forward with the expansion and renovation of the Las Vegas Convention Centre. The multi-phase plan includes a 130,000 square-metre addition, including 55,741m² of exhibit space currently under construction. The second phase of the project will be completed in time for CES in January 2021. As the expansion is completed, the project will move into its third phase, which will see the renovation of the existing 2.9 million square-metre facility.

TRANSPORT

Elon Musk’s, The Boring Company (TBC), is set to design, construct and operate a people mover for the Las Vegas Convention Centre via a loop of underground express-route tunnels that will carry passengers in autonomous electric vehicles at high speeds. The innovative project has the potential to connect Downtown, the Las Vegas Convention Centre, the Las Vegas Boulevard Resort Corridor, McCarran International Airport and beyond. EYOND

RESORT UPDATES

• Caesars Entertainment renovated approximately 3,735 rooms in 2018. Since 2014, they have updated 15,500 guest facilities, which is 67% of the company’s total Las Vegas room inventory of approximately 23,150 rooms
• The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas recently completed a three-year redevelopment plan which included a refresh of its approximately 3,000 rooms
• MGM Resorts International recently added approximately 78,968 m² of meeting space at ARIA, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay and Park MGM, and as of the end of 2018, the organisation offers approximately 371,612m² of meeting and convention space within a 3.2km stretch on the Las Vegas Strip
• Palms Casino Resort recently completed a USD$690 million renovation that touched virtually every aspect of the property
• Park MGM and NoMad Las Vegas – the project comprises two new distinct experiences: Park MGM, a welcoming social hub that evokes the residential spirit, intimacy and individuality of a boutique experience on a resort scale; and NoMad Las Vegas, which brings the refinement of a European home to the Las Vegas Strip
• The STRAT Hotel, Casino and Skypod, formerly the Stratosphere, has introduced a rebrand including fully remodeled “elevated” rooms
• Wynn Las Vegas recently added Wynn Plaza Shops, a Strip-front retail destination offering 6,503m² of dining and lifestyle options

TO COME…

• SAHARA Las Vegas is slated to return to the Strip come spring, thanks to Alex Meruelo (founder of the Meruelo Group), with the resort set to be rebranded back to its original name (the resort is currently SLS Las Vegas)
• The Drew is a resort development project of nearly 4,000 rooms by Marriott International and real estate mogul Steve Witkoff, that will include three hotel brands and mark The Strip’s first JW Marriott in late 2022
• Resorts World Las Vegas will bring three towers, 3,500 rooms, as well as over 100,000 square feet of gaming space to the Strip in 2020
• MSG Sphere at The Venetian is set to be a brand new, state-of-the-art entertainment venue, seating between 17,500-20,000 people, elevating an audience’s experience to new heights

DINING

The Las Vegas dining scene continues to evolve with new restaurants constantly opening, providing unique experiences for both first-time and returning visitors:

• Sadelle’s at Bellagio overlooks the iconic conservatory, bringing elegant dining with vintage style, alongside popular New York classics such as bagels, smoked fish towers and chopped salads
• NoMad Restaurant and NoMad Bar mark the first Las Vegas culinary offerings from chef Daniel Humm, and restaurateur Will Guidara, whose portfolio has garnered six James Beard Foundation awards and three Michelin stars
• CATCH makes a splash at ARIA, dishing up epic renditions of opulent seafood, sushi and steak with a diverse menu for all palates
• Mott 32, one of Hong Kong’s most award-winning Cantonese restaurants, recently opened its first US outpost at The Palazzo
• Cipriani, in the new Wynn Plaza, offers impeccable service and classic Italian cuisine
• The Factory Kitchen, a popular Italian restaurant known for serving only the finest seasonal and local ingredients, is now at The Venetian Resort
• Block 16 Urban Food Hall has opened at The Cosmopolitan and features six individual food and beverage outposts
• Smith & Wollensky will make its highly anticipated return to Las Vegas this spring, inside the Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian in an impressive space standing two stories tall
• Esther’s Kitchen, in Downtown’s Arts District, serves a classic Italian menu that’s seasonally inspired using the restaurant’s own herb garden
• Greene St. Kitchen has recently opened in Palms Casino Resort, and is part food haven and art heaven: filled with 70s pop culture murals, the only permanent Banksy piece and a fully functioning old-school arcade as its entrance

SPORTING EVENTS

The Plaza Hotel & Casino recently celebrated the opening of Core Arena, the first and only permanent outdoor equestrian centre in Downtown Las Vegas. Visitors can experience the National Finals Rodeo every December and enjoy a multitude of collegiate and professional athletic events year-round. AAA baseball team, the Las Vegas Aviators, has recently finished the construction of its new home, the Las Vegas Ballpark, ahead of the 2019 season currently underway. The Las Vegas Stadium is not only set to be the future home to NFL Raiders, but also set the stage for large-scale concerts and events.

You can learn more about the opportunities on offer in Las Vegas by visiting their stand at AIME 2020.