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It’s a solid bet that casino resorts have all the components in place to host successful meetings, including first-rate accommodations, an abundance of high-tech meeting space, inviting food-and-beverage choices and inspiring entertainment options.

“Casino resorts offer a comprehensive package for meetings and conferences,” says Darlene Lyons, executive vice president of T3 Events Group and associate partner at T3 Sixty in California. “It’s easy to get first-rate entertainment as there is often in-house talent. Dine-arounds with celebrity chefs are popular as many have namesake restaurants. Airports are accessible, guestrooms impressive and there are great spas and pools.”

Often, attendees will add a few days on to their trip, before and after the conference, to take advantage of all that a casino resort has to offer.

“Casino resorts have just about everything under one roof,” adds David Bruce, founder and executive director of the Alliance of Independent Meeting Professionals, in Granbury, TX. “There are meeting facilities [and] a half-dozen or more restaurants of different styles and price points that make a dine-around so easy. Plus, resorts are being built with meetings in mind. Meeting attendees can usually get from their sleeping room to the meeting space without having to step foot in a smoky casino.”

Legendary Las Vegas 

Many gaming resort destinations are not satisfied resting on their laurels. Consider Las Vegas, NV, where Formula 1 fever continues to permeate the city with the billion-dollar economic impact of the Las Vegas Grand Prix. The annual race, which takes place in November, is just one of many massive sports and entertainment draws for a city that hosted the Super Bowl last year and also introduced the highly anticipated MSG Sphere the year prior.

Of course, trade shows and other events continue to be big business in Las Vegas. According to the 2024 LVCVA Visitor Profile Study, last year conventions in the city played host to nearly six million people, with 47% of attendees at corporate meetings and conventions saying they were more interested in coming to the event because it was being held there. Plus, with more than 150,000 rooms on the Strip, attendees have plenty of hotel options to suit any budget or group size.

These include:

• Fontainebleau Las Vegas – One of the newer additions to the strip, this 25-acre luxury resort stands across from the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) campus and boasts 3,644 guestrooms with 550,000 sf of meeting and convention space across five levels
• Paris Las Vegas – Last year, Caesars Entertainment completed a more than $100 million renovation to transform the Horseshoe’s Jubilee Tower into the new Versailles Tower, which features 756 luxury guestrooms with balconies overlooking The Strip. A pedestrian bridge connects the tower to the Paris Las Vegas resort
• Bellagio Las Vegas – Operated by MGM Resorts International, this ever-popular hotel unveiled its new-look spa tower rooms and suites last year after the completion of a $550 million property-wide renovation project. The resort features an 8.5-acre lake that serves as the centerpiece for the Fountains of Bellagio, a magnificent aquatic music-and-light show that thrills crowds nightly. Other hotel attractions include award-winning dining at The Mayfair Supper Club, a world-class art gallery, an exquisite conservatory and botanical gardens and the legendary “O” show by Cirque du Soleil, in addition to a spa, salon and luxury shopping

But Wait … There’s More

Event groups will also love Wynn and Encore Las Vegas, which comprise two luxury hotel towers. The resort features approximately 194,000 sf of casino space, 20 signature dining experiences, 14 bars, two award-winning spas, approximately 560,000 sf of meeting and convention space and more than 170,000 sf of retail space, as well as two showrooms, two nightclubs, a beach club and recreation and leisure facilities. This includes Wynn Golf Club, which is once again gearing up for this fall’s annual Concours automobile exhibition — an event that remains a huge draw for many attendees.

To help with congestion during such high-profile events, Elon Musk’s innovative underground transportation system, The Loop, continues to be extended. Once completed, the full system — which operates 40 feet beneath the ground — is expected to run 68 miles long with 104 stations. This Loop will provide seamless access to key locations throughout the city, perhaps none more important than the 4.6 million-sf Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC). The venue is currently undergoing a long-awaited $600 million renovation designed to minimize disruption to scheduled conventions and trade shows. Set for completion by the end of this year, the project will extend the contemporary design and architecture of the 1.4 million-sf West Hall, which opened in 2021.

Elsewhere, Resorts World Las Vegas was the first property to open its own Vegas Loop station with access to the LVCC. Making travel to and from the convention center fast and simple, the hotel’s meeting spaces are a great addition, with over 250,000 sf of flexible space, six ballrooms and a theater with capacity for 5,000 attendees. The resort, which cost $4.3 billion to build, integrates three of Hilton’s premium brands into its resort campus: Las Vegas Hilton at Resorts World (the resort’s full-service brand), Conrad Las Vegas at Resorts World (Hilton’s lifestyle luxury brand) and Crockfords Las Vegas, LXR Hotels & Resorts (part of Hilton’s network of independent ultra-luxury properties).

Reno/Lake Tahoe

Reno continues to gain momentum as a meetings destination, and it all begins with the Reno-Sparks Convention Center, located just south of downtown and only minutes from Reno-Tahoe International Airport. Offering 600,000 sf of exhibition and meeting space, this state-of-the-art venue has been expanded and renovated to host events of all types and sizes. Visiting groups will also have access to more than 15,000 nearby rooms — everything from AAA Four Diamond resorts to boutique hotels.

Among these, one popular option is the Peppermill Resort Spa Casino, which completed renovations on all Peppermill Tower rooms, as well as all 600 suites in the Tuscany Tower and several ballrooms.

Also located in the heart of the Reno-Tahoe region is the all-encompassing Grand Sierra Resort. The casino-hotel features renovated guestrooms and suites, 200,000 sf of meeting and convention space, more than 1,200 slot and video poker machines, 47 table games, seven poker tables, as well as special gaming area known as the Infinity High Limit Room. The resort is also set to break ground on a $1 billion expansion that will include the addition of a brand-new arena, parking garage and ice rink.

Southwest U.S.

In Arizona, just 15 minutes from both Tucson International Airport and the city’s downtown area is Casino Del Sol Resort, Spa and Conference Center, which boasts more than 100,000 sf of indoor/outdoor meeting space. Its premier offerings include several restaurants, bars and lounges, a spa and fitness center and the approximately 5,000-seat AVA Amphitheater, as well as an 18-hole golf course.

Less than a two-hour drive from Tucson, Talking Stick Resort and Spa in Scottsdale, AZ, is a popular venue with planners, providing more than 100,000 sf of flexible meeting space. With its selection of attractive indoor and outdoor venues — which include an easily reconfigurable 25,000-sf Grand Ballroom and open-air breakout rooms — the hotel can accommodate everything from a full-scale trade show to an intimate gathering overlooking Camelback Mountain, ensuring an unforgettable experience for all of your attendees.

Elsewhere, in New Mexico, the Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort & Casino — situated on the Mescalero Apache reservation — is another excellent option, with more than 45,000 sf of meeting and event space and 15 individual meeting rooms that can be configured to accommodate groups of any size.

East Coast

Owned and operated by the Oneida Indian Nation, Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, NY, remains a meetings mecca as it undergoes its largest expansion in two decades.

Set for completion in 2027, the $370 million “evolution” of the resort will include the addition of a 165,000-sf conference and events center known as the Grand Expo, which will double the resort’s existing meeting space with an all-new 30,000-sf Grand Ballroom and beautiful outdoor event spaces. Such enhancements are expected to make Turning Stone the largest conference destination in upstate New York and one of only three venues of similar caliber and size throughout the state.

Meanwhile, Encore Boston Harbor, in Everett, MA, sits on 33 acres, only five miles from Logan International Airport. Connecting attendees with Boston using a fleet of branded water shuttles, the 50,000-sf state-of-the-art meeting and event space includes a 37,000-sf divisible grand ballroom, 10 customizable meeting spaces, 15 restaurants and lounges and 671 hotel rooms. There is also a 21,000-sf waterfront event lawn that distinguishes Encore Boston Harbor as one of the grandest event venues in the country.

Almost 300 miles away, in Mount Pocono, PA, Mount Airy Casino Resort offers more than 20,000 sf of total meeting space, with about 284 guestrooms and nine executive suites. Set against the Pocono Mountains, the resort features close to 1,600 slot machines and over 70 table games, plus a full-service spa, restaurants — including Guy Fieri’s Mt. Pocono Kitchen, and Bistecca by Il Mulino — a lakefront 18-hole golf course, an indoor/outdoor pool and a nightclub.

Atlantis Paradise Island

Last year, the celebrated Atlantis Paradise Island completed a bold multimillion-dollar renovation project while forging exciting new partnerships throughout the resort. Upgrades included a complete revamp of The Royal Towers, a reimagined Atlantis Casino and much more.

The resort’s 25th anniversary launched a new chapter for the first-of-its-kind entertainment resort and destination, ensuring attendees will continue to experience the very best at Atlantis Paradise Island, with stunning accommodations, innovative cuisine and extraordinary events ranging from live musical performances and concerts to internationally acclaimed food-and-wine festivals.

Whatever your budget or group size, Atlantis Paradise Island has an answer, with five unique lodging options: the renovated grand iconic towers of The Royal, family-friendly accommodations at The Coral, waterfront villas at Harborside Resort, all-suite luxury suites at The Cove and residential-style housing at The Reef.

Using Atlantis’ Sapphire Services, attendees can book bespoke offerings with curated itineraries showcasing the culture and beauty of the Bahamas. Then, when the meetings are over for the day, they can choose one of more than 20 dining options, from beachside bites to more upscale offerings, including Chef Michael White’s coastal Italian restaurant, Paranza at The Cove. In fact, Atlantis Paradise Island happens to boast three Michelin star-rated chefs: White, Nobu Matsuhisa and José Andrés.

When it comes to having fun during meeting downtime, attendees will love Aquaventure. One of the world’s largest waterparks, this 141-acre waterscape delivers thrilling slides and river rides with 11 pools and five miles of white sand beaches in the center of Atlantis. The hotel is also home to the largest open-air marine habitat in the world. Over 65,000 aquatic animals from 250 species make their home in the resort’s natural ocean-fed lagoons and habitats. This includes Dolphin Cay, an unparalleled marine animal conservation and education center created to teach visitors about some of nature’s most friendly mammals.

The casino floor at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood includes live roulette, poker, blackjack and more. Courtesy Photo

Florida

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood is the flagship resort of Hard Rock International, which is owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida. After a $1.5 billion expansion, the renowned entertainment, gaming and hospitality destination introduced the world’s first and only Guitar Hotel — always a popular option with attendees. The resort’s amenities include a 42,000-sf Rock Spa & Salon, an 18-acre recreational water experience, private “Bora Bora” style cabanas and more than 15 food-and-beverage options. There is also an expansive gaming floor — featuring more than 2,700 slots, over 200 table games and a 45-table poker room — plus 120,000 sf of premier meeting and convention space and a 26,000-sf retail promenade.

Elite planners will tell you: If you want to ensure an unforgettable and well-attended meeting or event, selecting a casino resort will always be the right choice. | AC&F |