Unique Venues Shine in Las Vegas

With trade shows and in-person events making a comeback, Las Vegas has set the stage for unmatched experiences with innovative and affordable venues that can bring even the boldest vision to life. Here are some of our favorites for hosting everything from inspiring keynotes to small group meetings to gatherings under the stars.

Show Ready

In the heart of the Las Vegas Strip, CAESARS FORUM is among the newest conference centers in the city with direct access to The LINQ Hotel + Experience, Harrah’s Las Vegas and Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel & Casino via a sky bridge. Featuring the two largest pillarless ballrooms in the world, the 550,000-sq.-ft. ultra-modern venue can accommodate over 10,000 attendees and offer world-class entertainment and restaurant-quality receptions under the lights of the High Roller observation wheel.

Style meets functionality at The Expo at World Market Center, the largest venue in Downtown Las Vegas. Opened in April 2021, the $103.5-million facility features 315,000 square feet of flexible, sustainable exhibit space divided into north and south halls, an expansive lobby area oftentimes used for trend displays, a spacious registration area, an on-site shuttle bus depot, and an attached parking garage. With the addition of The Expo, World Market Center now offers more than 700,000-sq.-ft. of flexible event and exhibition space.

Grand and Glamorous

Home of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders and 2024 Super Bowl LVIII, Allegiant Stadium hosts world-class entertainment, including globally recognized sporting events such as the 2022 NFL Pro Bowl, Pac-12 Championship Game and Las Vegas Bowl. The fully enclosed and climate-controlled venue offers 10-plus versatile spaces for groups of 25 to 65,000 guests, branding opportunities on cutting-edge digital signage assets, and immersive experiences with guided behind-the-scenes tours and appearances by the Raiderettes and Raiders players. From on-field receptions to banquets in the futuristic Raiders locker room, this high-energy venue is all about the winning spirit and group success.

Resorts World

Unrivaled entertainment is coming to the Resorts World Theatre, Las Vegas’s newest state-of-the-art venue with the city’s largest and tallest performance stage. The 5,000-capacity concert and entertainment venue is built for A-listers as well as conventions and corporate events. Designed by International Design Firm Scéno Plus, it includes two private lounges, bars and VIP spaces. It offers everyone a great view with the furthest seat just 150 feet from the stage, unobstructed sightlines and top-end audio with more than 265 L-Acoustics speakers that use L-ISA hyperreal technology.

 

 

Collaborative and Innovative

Perfect for smaller groups and VIP ideation sessions, The Stella Studio is a multi-functional, intimate venue at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas. Located in The Palazzo tower, the 8,000-plus-square-foot space features a modern, neutral aesthetic, a private entrance, a dedicated kitchen and bar, as well as private restrooms. Planners can choose from classroom, banquet or theater-style seating for their event in this airy venue awash with natural light.

Stella Studio

Accredited by IACC, The Ideation Studio at Park MGM provides a unique environment for corporate retreats and brainstorming sessions for groups from six to 24 with 10 spaces designed with collaboration and flow of ideas in mind. The venue is part of The Meeting Center at Park MGM, a 77,000-sq.-ft. conference area featuring an expansive ballroom, 29 meeting rooms, a 4,345-sq.-ft. private outdoor terrace, and is steps away from T-Mobile Arena and outdoor dining and art at The Park.

 

Unique and Memorable

Just like being on the wings of a bird is how visitors describe FlyOver Las Vegas, an immersive experience that lets riders soar over the Las Vegas Strip, Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon as well as other natural wonders. Riders hang suspended in front of a 52.5-ft. spherical screen and can dip and turn as they feel the rush of the wind and the exhilaration of flight. With theaters that fit up to 40 people per ride and flight rides running every 15 minutes, it’s the perfect teambuilding experience for groups of any size.

Area 15

A constantly evolving playground, AREA15 is enthralling guests with interactive art installations, mind-blowing tech and mesmerizing realms of Meow Wolf’s Omega Mart and Van Gogh: An Immersive Experience. Planners can take advantage of over 230,000 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor meeting and event space, including the A-Lot, a massive 32,454-sq.-ft. outdoor “playground” surrounded by large-scale interactive artworks; The Portal, a 6,584-sq.-ft. indoor space with 360-degree projection-mapped walls; the Sanctuary, and The Grounds,” a 4-acre, 190,000-sq.-ft. multi-use outdoor event space and take their event to an entirely new dimension.

As trade shows and in-person events make a comeback, Las Vegas continues to lead the way with world-class venues and facilities holding events safely and successfully.

Partner Voices
Less than six months ago, Lisa Messina joined the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) as the first-ever chief sales officer after leading the sales team at Caesars Entertainment. A 12-year Las Vegas resident, Messina is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and serves on MPI International’s board of directors. TSNN had a chance to catch up with this dynamic leader and talk to her about her vision for the new role, current shifts in the trade show industry, creating more diversity and equity within the organization, and advice to future female leaders. Lisa Messina, Chief Sales Officer, LVCVA With Las Vegas becoming The Greatest Arena on EarthTM, what are some of the things you’re most excited about in your role? Our team was at The Big Game’s handoff ceremony earlier this month, and I couldn’t help but think, “We’re going to crush it next year!”  These high-profile events and venues not only drive excitement, but also provide unmatched opportunities for event planners. Allegiant Stadium hosts events from 10 to 65,000 people and offers on-field experiences. Formula 1 Grand Prix will take place in Las Vegas in November, after the year-one F1 race, the four-story paddock building will be available for buyouts and will also offer daily ride-along experiences that will be available for groups. And, of course, the MSG Sphere officially announced that it will open in September, ahead of schedule, with a U2 residency. It’s going to be the most technologically advanced venue as far as lighting, sound, feel, and even scent, and it will be available for buyouts and next-level sponsorships inside and outside. There’s no ceiling to what you can do when you’re doing events in Las Vegas.  Allegiant Stadium As the trade show and convention business returns to the pre-pandemic levels, what shifts are you noticing and how do you think they will impact the industry going forward? Our trade show organizers are very focused on driving customer experience. Most of our organizers are reporting stronger exhibitor numbers and increased numbers of new exhibitors, with trade shows proving to be almost or above 2019 levels. Now our organizers are really doubling down on driving attendance and focusing on the data to provide that individualized, customized experience to help attendees meet their goals and get the best value. Some companies continue to be cautiously optimistic with their organizational spend when it comes to sending attendees, but I think it will continue to improve. As the U.S. Travel Association makes more progress on the U.S. visa situation, we also expect a growing influx of international attendees. What are some innovative ways the LVCVA helps trade show and convention organizers deliver the most value for their events? We focus on customer experience in the same way that trade show organizers are thinking about it. We got rave reviews with the West Hall Expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), so over the next two years, we will be renovating the North and the Central halls, which will include not just the same look and feel, but also the digital experiences that can be leveraged for branding and sponsorship opportunities.  Vegas Loop, the underground transportation system designed by The Boring Company, is also a way we have enhanced the customer experience. Vegas Loop at the LVCC has transported more than 900,000 convention attendees across the campus since its 2021 launch. Last summer, Resorts World and The Boring Company opened the first resort stop at the Resorts World Las Vegas , with plans to expand throughout the resort corridor, including downtown Las Vegas, Allegiant Stadium and Harry Reid International Airport. The LVCVA also purchased the Las Vegas Monorail in 2020, the 3.9-mile-long elevated transportation system that connects eight resorts directly to the convention center campus. This is the only rail system in the world that integrates fares directly into show badges and registration. For trade show organizers, these transportation options mean saving time, money and effort when it comes to moving groups from the hotels to LVCC and around the city. Also, the more we can focus on building the infrastructure around the convention center, the more it supports the customer experience and ultimately supports our trade show organizers. Scheduled to debut in Q4, Fontainebleau Las Vegas will offer 3,700 hotel rooms and 550,000 square feet of meeting and convention space next to LVCC.  What are some of the plans for advancing DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) within your organization? We’re currently partnering with instead of working with a leading consulting firm, to lay the foundation and create a solid DEI plan and be the leader when it comes to DEI initiatives. The heart of that journey with the consulting firm is also talking to our customers about their strategic approaches to DEI and driving innovation in this space.  What are your favorite ways to recharge? My husband and I have an RV and we’re outdoorsy people. So, while we have over 150,000 world-class hotel rooms and renowned restaurants right outside our doorstep, one of my favorite things to do is get out to Red Rock Canyon, the Valley of Fire, and Lake Mead. Five of the top national parks are within a three-hour drive from Las Vegas, so there’s a lot you can do. We love balancing the energy of Las Vegas with nature, and we’re noticing that a lot of attendees add activities off the Strip when they come here.  Valley of Fire What advice would you give to women following leadership paths in destination marketing? I think it’s about being laser-focused on what you want to accomplish; building a team around you that lifts you and helps you achieve your goals; and being humble and realizing that you do it as a group. No one gets this done alone. Thankfully, there are a lot of women in leadership in this organization, in our customers’ organizations, and in this city that we can be really proud of. We’re a formidable force that is making things happen.   This interview has been edited and condensed. This article is exclusively sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority. For more information, visit HERE.