OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, Las Vegas experienced new growth and landmark changes with the opening of the eyecatching T-Mobile Arena, LINQ Promenade and MGM’s The Park. Now, major construction in the city comes largely to a close, with Las Vegas Stadium one of the few remaining projects, slated to open for the Oakland Raiders in 2020. As it all wraps up, MICE planners stand to benefit in a big way, with new venues and experiences at the ready, rolling out their finest and aiming to please.

However, it’s hardly enough merely to provide a welldesigned conference space or ballroom. Business travelers and travelers in general crave something more memorable, and as MICE planners look to deliver for their companies and clients, venues stay one step ahead. Their efforts make Las Vegas the new place to go for a conference or event as exciting as the Strip itself.

Following MGM’s opening of The Park, the parent company upgraded Monte Carlo to a new experience, Park MGM, this May. While the hotel itself, inspired by green spaces around the world, is beautifully design-driven, the meeting and event spaces leave no detail overlooked when catering to the modern business traveler.

Across newly redesigned conference spaces and boardrooms, attendees benefit from the innovative Stay Well Meetings initiative, developed in partnership with wellness guru Deepak Chopra and the Cleveland Clinic. Stay Well Meetings incorporates specialized air filtration and purification for increased mental agility and access to nutritious food choices. Other touches — such as the abundance of natural sunlight, the serene light green motif and aroma of essential oils — ensure Park MGM is not only a place attendees are required to be but also a place they enjoy.

Park MGM Lobby © PARK MGM

For nighttime events, the property also offers private spaces within its sophisticated new dining and drink venues, Bavette’s Steakhouse & Bar, an outpost of the Chicago speakeasy-style eatery, and Juniper Cocktail Lounge, a whimsical and intimate bar. Future additions to Park MGM create an even more desirable location, as it wraps up changes later this year with the addition of an Eataly marketplace and NoMad Las Vegas, a boutique hotel within the hotel.

Next door, ARIA completed its 200,000-square-foot convention center expansion earlier in the year. The three levels of freshly stylish meeting rooms and ballrooms include sweeping views of T-Mobile Arena and The Park, with additional outdoor space to complement any event. The same good taste that curated the property’s expansive fine-art collection is seen throughout, from the lighting choices to the architecture. Further setting it apart from others in Las Vegas, the entire property boasts LEED Gold certification.

The Strip, though, is no longer the only place to look for excitement. Enclave, a meeting and event space near the airport, proves this. Opened in January 2017 as a brand-new build off the Strip and about one mile from the airport, Enclave was conceived by 3G Productions, an event production company responsible for extraordinary concerts, festivals and other events around the world. The 75,000-square-foot modern, sleek space harnesses 3G’s technical expertise to provide stellar A/V and production support. Additionally, the venue gives guests an element of privacy you won’t find at any resort. Combined, the two facets make the space highly desirable to tech and government groups that require autonomy. The little perks round off the venue’s appeal, such as 40 tons of rigging capacity in the Signature Room, a rooftop space with Strip views and free parking for more than 350.

Nearer the Strip but providing a sophisticated retreat away from the cacophony, Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas offers an intimate boutique feel with all the luxury of the Four Seasons brand and an opportune location adjacent the Mandalay Bay Resort. The private arrival experience gets guests’ stay off on the right foot, just 15 minutes from the airport. When a booking group stays, MICE planners know to expect stylish accommodations and high-end amenities such as the newly renovated Forbes 5-star spa, but guests also enjoy access to all Mandalay Bay Resort pools, dining and shopping via a quiet walkway that connects the two for separation without loss of convenience. The peaceful and private event spaces total 38,200 square feet, ranging from a lovely outdoor fountain terrace to six meeting rooms, ballrooms and two hospitality suites with breathtaking views of Las Vegas, the desert and mountains.

Beyond MICE venues, activity and tour providers step up to the plate as well, serving unforgettable experiences to corporate groups whether they’re networking, entertaining potential clients or just celebrating an internal occasion. One up-and-comer on the scene is the highly lauded Lip Smacking Foodie Tours, far from your average tourist-trap culinary experience. Instead, a small team of in-the-know culinary experts whisk corporate groups away on an evening of VIP dining experiences, visiting five restaurants in one night for pre-set, high-end dinner menus accompanied by signature cocktails. With capacity for up to 140 participants during one tour, the vendor provides a high level of customization for an experience tailored to the client’s style and branding. Offering experiences in an entirely separate league from the general corporate dinners that take place during conferences and other events, president Donald Contursi claims the group can “make any planner look like a rockstar.”

UNIQUE VENUES

The Keep Memory Alive Event Center, designed by legendary architect Frank Gehry, is as striking for its purpose as it is its architecture. Situated within the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, dedicated to combating brain disorders including Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, Parkinson’s disease and others, each event’s proceeds benefit the clinic’s work. Located off the Strip, the center provides several event spaces to choose from, but none are as breathtaking as the main event center interior with its 75-foot ceiling; 199 windows; 18,000 stainless-steel shingles; Wolfgang Puck-designed kitchen; and expertly engineered acoustics.
kmaeventcenterlasvegas.com

Located on the LINQ Promenade with terrace views of the High Roller, Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas is the go-to for an event not only unique but altogether edgier and cooler than what you’d find in your average ballroom. The two-story concert venue/ bowling alley/bar hybrid, outside of clubs and ballrooms, owns the biggest footprint in Las Vegas, with 82,000 square feet and capacity to host up to five events at one time. With the staff ready to take on nearly any challenge, they’ve hosted everything from marketing events to Super Bowl parties, tastings to corporate events, and nearly anything in the space can be branded to fit your needs, from the menu to the bowling balls.
brooklynbowl.com/las-vegas