Las Vegas creates an atmosphere of focus and engagement for attendees at ITC Vegas. The entire event is hosted at Mandalay Bay, bringing together important players, insurers, investors and partners from across the globe. Courtesy of ITC Vegas 2024 and Rogue Monkey

Las Vegas continues to pride itself as a premier destination for meetings and conventions, offering a seamless blend of business acumen and top-tier hospitality, which drives attendance. In fact, studies show that average attendance for business meetings and conventions increases by 9% when they’re held in Las Vegas.

In terms of overall convention attendance, the city held steady at 6 million in 2024, matching the total from 2023, and boasted an 83.6% occupancy rate for its hotels last year—far above the U.S. rate, on average. Meanwhile, Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) reported an all-time high of 58.4 million passengers for 2024, surpassing the previous record of 57.6 million set in 2023.

A Sure Bet for Attendees

As a hub for major insurance and financial industry conferences such as ITC Vegas, which is held at Mandalay Bay, and Fintech’s Money20/20, hosted at The Venetian Resort, Las Vegas provides access to cutting-edge insights, emerging trends and key decision-makers in those fields.

One reason the city is ideal for a flagship innovation event in the insurance market, like ITC Vegas, is that it’s a destination that drives attendance, according to Nicole Peck, president of ITC Vegas and executive vice president of Clarion Events North America. In fact, there were more than 9,000 attendees at last year’s event.

Peck says that Las Vegas creates an atmosphere of focus and engagement for attendees at ITC Vegas, which brings together important players, insurers, investors and partners from across the globe. “Since most attendees aren’t based there, they’re not distracted by day-to-day office demands. They’re fully present, ready to network, learn and do business,” she adds.

ITC Vegas has been held at Mandalay Bay since 2021. “The venue has the scale and flexibility to support a global conference of our size — everything from high-impact keynotes and massive expos to intimate roundtables and workshops all fit seamlessly under one roof,” Peck says.

What also sets Mandalay Bay apart are its amenities and the people who work there. “The onsite restaurants and lounges are fantastic, not just convenient, but also ideal for informal networking and impromptu meetings,” Peck says. “And with direct connections to both the Four Seasons and W Hotel (formerly Delano), attendees have accommodation options to fit almost every budget and preference, without ever leaving the campus. It’s an ecosystem built for connection, learning and deal-making.”

ITC Vegas hosts everything at Mandalay Bay, from traditional classroom-style sessions and built-in experiences on the expo floor to intimate roundtables, meet-ups, startup demos and exclusive VIP dinners.

“For 2025, we’re doubling down on community-driven content with the expansion of our Community Stage, covering themes like climate, talent, performance marketing and more,” Peck says. “Whether you’re on the main stage or deep in a hallway conversation, everything happens in the same building, making it easy to learn, connect and get deals done without ever leaving the action.”

Attendees especially enjoy the diversity of formats, according to Peck. “People also appreciate the efficiency: Everyone they want to connect with is in one place, and with everything happening under one roof at Mandalay Bay, it’s easy to stay immersed,” she says.

Of course, there are challenges to hosting an event at a venue as large as Mandalay Bay. “From the top of the expo hall to some of the breakout classrooms, it can take 15 to 20 minutes to walk, so we spend a lot of time thinking through traffic flow, signage and scheduling to make sure attendees can navigate easily and don’t miss anything important,” Peck says.

ITC Vegas utilizes Mandalay Bay’s full spectrum of venues, including an opening night party at House of Blues, which, she says, is high-energy and feels like a giant industry reunion. “Then we close with a bang at our legendary closing party, where every year we bring in a major musical act,” Peck adds. Past performers include Ludacris, Earth, Wind & Fire, Boyz II Men and others.

Vegas Is All About Variety

While ITC Vegas holds its annual event at the same place every year, the sheer volume of venues and activities on offer in Las Vegas draws event planners, as the city boasts more than 150,000 hotel rooms and an endless array of experiences.

“The variety of venues in Las Vegas is a draw,” says Barbara Rohloff, global sourcing manager, category lead meetings and events, Prudential Financial, which uses multiple locations for its meetings. “Location and price are the two greatest factors in our decision. We choose Las Vegas for the value in room rates, value in airfare, extensive amounts of meeting space and walkability to restaurants, entertainment and shops.”

Prudential Financial used the JW Marriott Las Vegas in 2024 — once for its Ignite sales conference and again for a national distributor conference. Each event hosted about 300 attendees. “Everything was on property, so transportation was not an issue. Both were very well received,” Rohloff says.

The company also hosts a group at ARIA Resort & Casino every year for the NABA Convention & Expo. Rohloff says that, with such easy access to shops and restaurants, attendees are at liberty to go off on their own at night. “We may hold a reception at the hotel just to network, but then let them free,” she adds.

Rohloff says that attendees loved being able to enjoy live entertainment at night. “It is such a positive thing when you can leave a meeting at 5 p.m. and have walking accessibility to tourist attractions, entertainment, shops, restaurants, spas and pools. The variety allows everyone to be happy,” she adds.

As senior director of operations and events for Applied Systems, Sherry Hunt also books conferences at ARIA. “It is a beautiful luxury property with a significant amount of meeting space to easily hold a conference for 4,000 people,” Hunt says. “The staff is amazing. They go above and beyond to deliver a high-quality program.”

She says her group is mostly onsite at ARIA, except for evening events, for which they have used venues including Cirque du Soleil shows, large nightclubs and the Mayfair Supper Club at Bellagio — which, she adds, is a very special dinner/show experience.

While costs for some of these conference experiences run higher than they would at other destinations, Hunt notes that the logistics run smoothly: “The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) is a great resource, so be sure to reach out to them for a plethora of services. Additionally, the MGM Resorts brand and team are bar none in Vegas.”

Vegas Just Understands How to Do Meetings and Events

Stacy Weber is senior manager – meetings, travel and procurement at the public accounting firm Moss Adams LLP, and she, too, relies on the LVCVA to help her kickstart the process of organizing of her meetings.

“We choose Las Vegas for our conferences because Las Vegas understands meetings and events,” Weber says. “There is great airlift from anywhere in the country, a hotel or event space to fit every need/style/budget, a plethora of entertainment options and for all of these reasons, it drives attendance at our events.”

Moss Adams held four conferences in Las Vegas in 2024, three of which are recurring. The company’s largest event last year was a three-day internal conference at Bellagio Las Vegas for 1,600 attendees. Two were weeklong seminars with approximately 70 attendees at Park MGM. The other was a two-day C-level healthcare conference with approximately 300 attendees at Red Rock Resort & Spa. For more than 10 years, the company has been hosting events there.

Located about 10 miles west of the Strip, Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa is a 15-minute drive from the airport and is ideal for several reasons, according to Weber. “Red Rock offers all of the splash of an on-Strip property in a calmer environment, and [it] has fantastic on-property restaurants, meeting space that can be accessed without going through the casino and a staff that consistently goes above and beyond.”

Last year’s meetings at Park MGM and Bellagio were the company’s first experience at those hotels, and Weber says they have contracted to return in 2025. “Park MGM has the unique meeting space that works well for training seminars, and the attendees appreciate the smoke-free environment,” she adds.

Moss Adams chose Bellagio Resort & Casino last year primarily because it was available on the dates needed and could meet the company’s needs. “It was a fantastic decision, as I started negotiating the next year’s contract while I was onsite for the program,” Weber says. “The team at Bellagio is absolutely top-notch, and [they are] the primary reason we are returning.”

For the Bellagio conference, the company organized 16 receptions and dinners ranging in size from 100 to 600 people. The first night’s events were reception-style and the second night’s were served in a buffet format — both following strict budgets and a wide range of dietary restrictions.

Weber says that since dining in Las Vegas is expensive for both regular meals and private dining events, Moss Adams had to increase the standard daily per diem. For the Bellagio conference evening events, the company did restaurant buyouts and asked for nontraditional meals and service, and it ended up having to increase its budget by $100 per person.

Weber’s team worked with one point of contact at each property to determine which venues could fit their needs and budget, and then they worked with each venue directly to address setup and food service. “Having the one point of contact to initiate the process saved us significant time and work,” Weber adds.

Renovations All Over the Strip

Already boasting a wealth of top venues, Las Vegas is still adding to its inventory while welcoming a host of property renovations and reinventions.

For groups using the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), the facility is working on upgrades to its south, north and central halls. The project, which began with a $600 million update to the south hall, is slated for completion this year. Among the improvements, a new east entrance will welcome convention attendees with an indoor lobby and outdoor plaza. In addition, the second-floor boardroom will be expanded to 4,000 sf — nearly twice its original size — and will feature a more modern design, increased public seating and a 32-foot-by-9-foot LED screen as its centerpiece.

Also in 2025, MGM Resorts is set to unveil room renovations and new dining concepts and entertainment, with a $300 million remodel of its MGM Grand Hotel & Casino encompassing all of the 4,212 guestrooms and suites within its main tower. The transformation is slated for completion in December 2025. This year, MGM Grand is also opening the Palm Tree Beach Club, a 60,000-sf venue with a capacity of 3,000. It will feature a performance stage and saltwater pool with 12 bungalows and 10 cabanas. Beyond that, MGM Grand recently debuted an immersive dining experience, Netflix Bites, integrating food and drink inspired by popular TV shows from the streaming service.

In addition to rebranding its 1,117-suite Delano Hotel as the W Las Vegas last year, Mandalay Bay also completed a $100 million remodel of its Mandalay Bay Convention Center and debuted its Swingers Las Vegas adults-only golf club experience, which is available for groups, replete with four courses, old arcade games and a cocktail program.

For its 25th anniversary, The Venetian Resort Las Vegas is undergoing a multiphase $1.5 billion renovation, including a redesign of its 4,000 suites and a new 14,000-sf poker room. The hotel is also in the middle of renovating its Venetian Expo convention space, which will include a new 10,000-sf speakeasy-style lounge for invitation-only events.

The former Mirage is being transformed into the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Guitar Hotel Las Vegas. At an investment of more than $4 billion, the property will feature a nearly 700-foot guitar-shaped hotel tower and add 600 rooms and suites. The tower will also offer a spa, pool and restaurants.

Other existing hotels are also introducing new options and concepts. These include Wynn Las Vegas’ Pisces Bar and Seafare, situated on the resort’s iconic Lake of Dreams. Slated to open in spring 2025, the Mediterranean-themed seafood restaurant will welcome groups.

Caesars Entertainment — which draws insurance and financial meetings to its CAESARS FORUM with its 300,000 sf of meeting space — recently opened Pinky’s by Vanderpump at The Flamingo. It’s the newest restaurant and cocktail bar from reality TV star Lisa Vanderpump. The 198-seat venue offers groups a VIP lounge that can seat up to 40. The Flamingo is also embarking on a new $20 million project, the GO Pool, which will feature a multi-pool complex with a 30-seat swim-up bar.

Elsewhere, at The LINQ Hotel + Experience, Spiegelworld entertainment group debuted its DISCOSHOW, which is part production celebrating New York’s ’70s-era disco scene, and part diner, along with two cocktail bars.

After completing a $200 million renovation in early 2023, The SAHARA Las Vegas now features its AZILO Ultra Lounge overlooking the adjacent AZILO Ultra Pool. The lounge has space for up to 240, with a performance area for a DJ or small band, as well as a full-service bar. Altogether, the venue offers 95,000 sf of indoor/outdoor space for private corporate events.

In addition, Resorts World is also offering a new space for small groups at a private dining room in the new Michelin-starred Stubborn Seed restaurant, helmed by Bravo Top Chef winner Jeremy Ford.

Boyd Gaming’s recently renovated of all hotel rooms at its Gold Coast Hotel & Casino. They also upgraded and expanded the legendary Fremont Hotel and Casino in downtown Las Vegas and is working on a property-wide renovation of the Suncoast Hotel and Casino in the northwest part of the city. There are also plans for an upgrade and expansion of Suncoast’s meeting space, which would double its current capacity, also adding a food hall. In addition, the company is planning a new Cadence Crossing Casino in the Las Vegas Valley, slated to debut in mid-2026, with plans for a future hotel.

At the end of 2024, the 2,520-room Rio Las Vegas completed phase one of its $340 million extended renovation and now offers 220,000 sf of updated meeting and convention space. The hotel has also joined the Hyatt Convention Alliance for the Las Vegas market, which helps boost flexibility for meeting planners, offering benefits and rewards for booking at any of the group’s 11 properties.

Big Experiences Off the Beaten Path

There are a variety of off-Strip experiences for groups that take advantage of local attractions, such as AREA15. This immersive and experiential arts and entertainment district recently integrated a large-scale art piece — a Boeing 747 — from Burning Man, measuring 150 feet in length and 60 feet in width. The jet is being transformed into a unique cocktail and dining experience, with a future capacity of more than 1,300. Also new is the John Wick Experience, with interactive missions that can be used for team-building opportunities.

Las Vegas is also introducing the largest Formula 1 attraction in North America at the 39-acre Grand Prix Plaza. This will include F1 X, an interactive experience featuring a 4D tech-based journey, and F1 DRIVE, a karting experience. There’s also F1 HUB, which features F1 simulators, a flagship F1 store and elevated food and beverage offerings.

Also in the works is a new baseball park where the Tropicana once stood. It is being built for the Oakland Athletics baseball team, which will be moving from California to Las Vegas. The venue is slated to open in time for the 2028 season.

Clearly, with its vast hotel capacity and a wealth of one-of-a-kind experiences, Las Vegas will ensure high attendance, powerful engagement and serious ROI, which is why it remains the top choice for elite event planners in the insurance and financial industry.   I&FMM