Thirty years ago this summer, I hit Las Vegas for the first time. From seeing a tuxedoed Telly Savalas playing blackjack at The Flamingo to seeing the sun rise the next day, I was immediately taken—but light years from any real connection to this fantasy paradise in the Mojave Desert. Today, my eternal attraction to Las Vegas is grounded in deep appreciation for its essential embodiment of the perpetual fulfillment, execution and reinvention of one of the most daring, original—and successful—business plans ever created.
In its ongoing evolution from railroad water stop to the Entertainment (and now, meetings) Capital of the World, Las Vegas arguably could have failed any number of times. With water certain to be a pressing issue in the decades ahead, resourcing solutions—energy and transportation among them—have required constant ingenuity. Economic cycles, increasing competition and changing tastes have dictated several “costume changes” for the big Vegas show, too.
Yet, this open lab of innovation, invention and product development always manages to rewrite and enhance the plan—the success of which was never more evident than during my April 2016 visit for Global Meetings Industry Day (GMID).
Even in the short time since participating (the new industry word for attending) in IMEX America here last October, the changes are profound. Visible from my corner suite at ARIA Resort & Casino—part of MGM’s futuristic multiuse CityCenter development, one of the largest privately financed building projects in U.S. history—the new 20,000-seat T-Mobile Arena is the latest asset in the city’s preeminent entertainment and event collection.
Call it a toolkit, toy box or treasure trove, with other new amenities such as MGM’s eight-acre outdoor Park neighborhood surrounding the arena, and some $9 billion worth of new products in the pipeline, the day is foreseeable when planners and participants will literally have the means to bring any meeting vision to life.
Hosted by the LVCVA and resort partners, the FAM accompanying the GMID event showcased, as usual, the city’s ever-evolving diversity of venues and experiences.
Our program began at the Mirage Hotel and Casino’s LOVE Theatre, the custom-built 360-degree home of Cirque du Soleil’s The Beatles LOVE show, where James “Jay” Guildford led an interactive presentation of SPARK Sessions, the corporate development program he created for Cirque (see Zoom In, page 20).
We also saw the moving LOVE, Cirque du Soleil’s revamped interpretation of the Beatles’ legacy, on our last night in town. Most entertaining, too, was Human Nature at The Venetian’s Sands Showroom. Originally a 90s boy band, the titular Australian vocal quartet, performing in Vegas for the last seven years, delivered a playlist of classic hits from the 1950s to the present.
Dining included the chef’s table at Bellagio’s Harvest by Roy Ellamar, where the chef spoke about local Nevada and area sourcing for his menu, rare for Vegas. Bellagio Executive Chef Edmund Wong, instrumental in creating Tuscany Kitchen, the Strip’s only show kitchen, also talked about opportunities for culinary interaction and learning at the resort. We also breakfasted at GIADA, where the gorgeous Four Corners’ views were matched only by a surprise appearance from owner and Food Network star Giada De Laurentiis herself.
Other experiences included the Neon Museum, Keep Memory Alive Event Center and a nighttime Strip tour with Sundance Helicopters.
It takes the best hospitality professionals to bring the infrastructure, experiences and services of Las Vegas to life, which made the rare guided behind-the-scenes tour of the banqueting, floral and bread departments at Wynn Las Vegas especially rewarding. Fun fact for your next visit there: Butterflies in the carpeting denote Wynn Las Vegas, flowers signify Encore Resort and orange indicates meeting space.
Our tour of The Venetian and The Palazzo, the world’s largest integrated resort, featuring 7,100 luxurious suites, nearly 2.3 million square feet of convention and exhibition space, and myriad amenities, was no less inspiring.
Speaking at the GMID keynote address, LVCVA President and CEO Rossi Ralenkotter congratulated keynote speaker Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, for his leadership in giving Las Vegas “a seat at the table for every conversation held in D.C. relative to travel, tourism and the meetings industry.”
For our parting dinner, held at the new Mr Chow restaurant overlooking the Garden of the Gods Oasis at Caesars Palace, I also had my seat at the table—with Messrs. Ralenkotter and Dow, Michael Massari, Caesars Entertainment’s senior vice president for national meetings and events, and members of the LVCVA and Caesars communications teams.
Each successive Las Vegas renewal and reinvention depends on visionaries with the unassailable ambition, will and conviction to keep this impossible desert fantasy going. Honored to learn about the destination’s past, present and future from these elite leaders, as well as from the other panelists and from Michael Dominguez, senior vice president and chief sales officer at MGM Resorts International and co-chair of the Meetings Means Business (MMB) coalition, over breakfast the following morning, it’s clear that the Las Vegas of tomorrow, with meetings as its bedrock, is in good hands.
