Gaming resorts are having a banner year, with openings throughout the U.S. greeting “action” aficionados and meetings and events groups alike.
Following are some major highlights in the segment relevant to groups who may love “games of chance” but still don’t want their meetings left to chance.
[Related: The Birthplace of the Las Vegas Strip Is Experiencing a Multibillion-Dollar Revival]
Las Vegas
Mandalay Bay $100M Renovation
Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, a top-tier Las Vegas events and tradeshow venue and current home of IMEX America, completed a $100 million redesign of its 2.1 million-square-foot convention center that included upgraded technology infrastructure, additional digital signage and a fresh design that complements its tropical-inspired brand image.
Venetian CC Expansion
The Venetian Convention and Expo Center has commenced a $188 million renovation as part of the property’s 25th anniversary $1.5 billion resort-wide makeover.
‘Trop’ No More
The Tropicana Las Vegas is going out with a bang in October—an implosion is scheduled during IMEX America 2024 on October 9, for those who may want to make a date for the iconic property’s 2:30 a.m. date with destiny. Fireworks will accompany the implosion, which is planned to make way for a 33,000-seat Major League Baseball stadium, the 2028 home of the Las Vegas Athletics franchise.
[Related: WATCH: Iconic Tropicana Las Vegas Hotel & Casino Implodes in Spectacular Fashion]
Mirage Transformation
Another iconic Vegas property, The Mirage—credited with ushering in the mega-resort era when it opened its doors in the late 1980s—is closed for a transformation into the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Guitar Hotel in spring 2027. Keeping with the brand’s showy standard, the new property will be in the form of a 660-foot guitar tower that will indeed tower over the Strip.
Fontainebleau Making Waves
Opened in December, 2023, Fontainebleau Las Vegas features 3,644 rooms and suites along with 550,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space.
“The accessibility of the resort is one of our biggest differentiators. Its podium-like shape allows guests to move effortlessly among our rooms and suites, meetings and convention space, world-class shops, 36 first-to-market restaurants and bars, top-of-the-line wellness amenities, six-acre pool district, expansive gaming floor and immersive entertainment and nightlife options,” said Colleen Birch, COO of Fontainebleau Las Vegas, in an interview with Meetings Today shortly after its December 2023 opening. “We had planners involved in designing our convention space. This allowed us a unique opportunity to build this resort from the ground up with a planner in mind. The back-end infrastructure is thoughtful and intentional. We have six dedicated freight elevators, which really makes a difference in the overall experience, and for a more efficient load-in/load-out time.”
[Related: Iconic Tropicana Las Vegas Closes for Good. See Photos Throughout the Years]
[Related: Las Vegas Resort Leaders on Major Events, Game-Changing Developments and Meetings Momentum]
New Jersey
Borgata Wraps Renovation
Atlantic City’s Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, an MGM Resorts Luxury Destination, recently completed a remodeling of its multi-use events venue on the 32nd floor of the property’s MGM Tower.
The aptly named Overlook takes up the space that formerly housed Immersion Spa and has been transformed into a versatile area with tailor-made event capabilities. The Overlook has a 9,060-square-foot floor plan and features 28-foot floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Atlantic City’s Marina District and the Atlantic Ocean.
The MGM Tower at Borgata features 757 guest rooms and suites and 27,000 square feet of meeting space, as well as two indoor pools, two outdoor heated pools and five boutique retail shops.
Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa offers 2,000 guest rooms and suites and 106,000 square feet of meeting and event space, including a 2,400-seat Event Center and 900-seat Music Box theater.
Louisiana
NOLA Rebrand
Caesars Entertainment is investing $435 million into the expansion, renovation and rebranding of the 450-room Harrah’s Hotel and Casino into Caesars New Orleans, which will house the new Nobu Hotel New Orleans. The building’s 340-room tower is currently under construction and expected to be completed by the end of 2024.
Illinois
Chicagoland Diamond
The Wind Creek Chicago Southland Casino, opened this summer in the East Hazel Crest and Homewood neighborhoods in Greater Chicago, is set to be the first AAA Four-Diamond casino in Illinois and Northern Indiana. The $300 million casino resort is centrally located to all southern Chicago suburbs.
The property, the principal gaming and hospitality entity for the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, features a 16-story, 252-room hotel with 53 luxury suites, a skyline lounge, three restaurants, an indoor pool, fitness center, spa and a 15,800-square-foot entertainment center. The resort will also have a 70,000-square-foot casino with 1,400 slot machines, 56 table games and a sportsbook. Wind Creek Chicago Southland will offer 35,000 square feet of conference and event space for groups looking to gather in Chicago’s south suburbs.
Wind Creek Hospitality currently manages 10 premier gaming properties in Alabama, Florida, Nevada, Pennsylvania and the Caribbean.
Missouri
Ameristar Expansion
St. Charles’ 400-all-suite Ameristar Casino Resort Spa is expanding its convention center and renovating its hotel and restaurants. The expansion is scheduled for a fall 2025 opening and the renovations should wrap by the end of 2024, according to owner Boyd Gaming. The expansion will add more than 40,000 square feet of meeting and convention space—tripling the size of the existing space—making it the largest hotel meeting space in St. Charles County.
Washington
ilani Additions
Located on the Cowlitz Reservation in Ridgefield, ilani Casino and Resort opened in 2023 and is now undergoing an expansion set to bring an additional 10,000 square feet to its Meeting & Entertainment Center.
The 30,000-square-foot facility is equipped with a full production, lighting and sound system and also offers groups customized catering services. The largest space in the Meeting & Entertainment Center, the Cowlitz Ballroom, is able to accommodate groups of up to 2,500 attendees.
The latest phase in the renovation plan will bring the total amount of space in the Meeting & Entertainment Center to 40,000 square feet.
Tulalip Is Growing
Tulalip Resort Casino, located in the Greater Seattle region, is in the midst of a two-year expansion and renovation project that will add more than 70,000 square feet of meeting space and completely refresh the exterior and interior of the property. The casino-resort, located just north of Everett on Tulalip Tribes land in Quil Ceda Village, offers five restaurants, a 12-story hotel and three entertainment venues highlighted by a 2,000-seat outdoor amphitheater that hosts major acts. The expansion and renovation project is set for completion in late 2025.
