Expansion is the catchword nowadays for MGM Resorts International’s Las Vegas portfolio, and innovative new meeting space is a significant part of the plan.
The company has three major meeting space expansion projects in the works at MGM Grand, ARIA and the new Park MGM, reflecting its commitment to growing group business in Las Vegas.
The $130 million expansion of the MGM Grand Conference Center broke ground with much fanfare during MPI-World Education Congress (WEC) in June, complete with a line of company officials and one major influencer, none other than Deepak Chopra, pitching shovels into the ground after throwing out the first piles of dirt. Chopra has partnered with MGM since the company launched Stay Well Meetings—the industry’s first-ever wellness meetings experience—in 2014 and was on hand to give a keynote during MPI-WEC and attend the groundbreaking.
Scheduled for completion at the end of 2018, the MGM Grand Conference Center expansion will add 250,000 square feet of space for a total of more than 850,000 square feet. As part of the expansion, Stay Well Meetings also will extend its footprint by 22,000 square feet and encompass the conference center’s entire second floor. Stay Well Meetings features amenities and programs that stimulate healthy, productive and creative work environments.
“The expansion of Stay Well Meetings, along with our 340 Stay Well accommodations, allows MGM Grand to offer a completely unique destination for groups that carries through the entire resort experience, from the board room to the guest room,” said Ernest Stovall, vice president of sales for MGM Grand. “The conference center expansion allows us to grow with the needs of our clients and drive new and expanded business to Las Vegas.”
The new 250,000-square-foot space at MGM Grand will seamlessly connect to the existing conference center on all three levels and include a new 5,500-square-foot outdoor courtyard available for private events, a 49,000-square-foot ballroom, a 32,000-square-foot ballroom, three junior ballrooms and 11 breakout rooms. The resort’s unique meeting spaces include the stand-alone, 92,000-square-foot Marquee Ballroom and the 16,800-seat Grand Garden Arena.
Meanwhile, exciting things are also brewing at another MGM Resorts development. MGM and New York City-based Sydell Group will debut new meeting and conference space this fall as part of Monte Carlo Resort and Casino’s transformation into the highly anticipated Park MGM. With a combination of innovative non-traditional spaces and flexible design, Park MGM will fill an unmet need in Las Vegas for small groups, while also offering beautiful spaces to host up to 5,000 attendees.
The modern conference space will feature expansive ballrooms, flexible meeting places and an outdoor terrace. The space will be highlighted by the city’s first Executive Meeting Center (EMC) and Ideation Labs—two meeting areas designed to maximize productivity for small groups. Additionally, Park MGM will include an installation of the Stay Well program.
Meeting planners also will be able to take advantage of Park MGM’s other amenities to curate unique experiences for attendees, including the 30,000-square-foot Park Theater, the upcoming Eataly Las Vegas, restaurants by celebrated chefs, a luxurious pool environment and more.
At press time, the main conference space was set for completion in October, with the introduction of the Executive Meeting Center and Ideation Labs in the first quarter of 2018.
ARIA’s $154 million meeting space expansion is also slated to be finished early next year. The project will deliver an additional 200,000 square feet of technologically advanced, flexible meeting space across four stories, highlighted by indoor open-air spaces and a glass-enclosed venue with dramatic views of The Park and new T-Mobile Arena. Upon completion of the expansion, ARIA will feature more than 500,000 square feet of meeting space.
ARIA’s new convention space will maintain MGM Resorts International’s commitment to build all new venues to LEED Gold standards or better, creating one of the most expansive high-end, environmentally friendly meeting facilities in the world. Already an established leader in this area, ARIA has integrated environmentally responsible practices and services for all meetings, conventions and events, earning it a prestigious five keys from Green Key Global’s Eco-Rating Program.