One of the oldest of cliches is that "The show must go on," but in Las Vegas, the shows go on, and on and on…
A destination that unabashedly bills itself as "The Entertainment Capital of the World" is a jewelbox where visitors expect to see the splashiest and glitziest—and sometimes a tad tawdry—shows, featuring jaw-dropping production standards and marquee-attraction performers, and meeting delegates should expect no less.
"There is not a city on Earth anywhere that has what Vegas has to offer in terms of superstar chefs and stage spectaculars," says Robin Leach, former host of the iconic television show Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous and a Las Vegas resident for the past 11 years. "All in four miles of the strip—nowhere else in the world does that, not Broadway, not London’s West End, not Paris. Living here is both exhausting and stimulating."
When he’s not exhausting himself by experiencing all the city has to offer—or perhaps more accurately, while he’s indulging in its unrivaled showbiz options—Leach acts as a sort of Las Vegas entertainment ambassador by running the Vegasdeluxe.com website. It’s a job that suits him fine.
"I see every show," Leach says matter-of-factly. "The thing that you have to take note of here is that in these four miles of the largest entertainment showcase in the world, there’s something for a teen of 14, for their parents, or someone who’s 44 years of age, or 74 years of age—there’s something for everyone."
As an example, Leach points to the Cirque du Soleil franchise, which offers up a seemingly endless supply of shows—seven at present and a Michael Jackson collaboration that will soon bring the number to eight—that range from family-friendly acrobatic and illusion productions such as O and Mystere to the adult-oriented Zumanity.
The Montreal-based company, which has become as synonymous with Vegas as it is with its home city, even dips into the world of popular culture with collaborations with members of The Beatles for the well-received Love production and with master illusionist Chris Angel on Believe.
One entity that helps groups sort through the tangle of entertainment options is Las Vegas Meetings by Harrah’s, a virtual one-stop shop for meeting planners utilizing any of the eight Harrah’s-operated properties in the city, representing more than 1 million square feet of meeting space, 23,000 guest rooms and some of the top shows in town.
With ease-of-use being the primary objective, planners can utilize any combination of the facilities it represents, allowing groups to leverage spend and work through one contact with one contract and one food and beverage minimum.
The other casino mega-operator, MGM MIRAGE, has 11 hotels in Vegas and boasts a full-service events production company, MGM MIRAGE Events, that employs a small army of planners, designers and artisans, and can even fabricate custom props in its dedicated facility.
When it comes to a destination that offers everything under the sun—and neon lights—for a meeting, Las Vegas has it in spades, and now at rates that open it up to groups that may have been priced out before.
"All aspects of the waterfront are totally covered," says lifestyle connoisseur Leach in his trademark style.
