Sphere Las Vegas

Many name Las Vegas as the top conference destination in the world. Few places are as thoroughly dedicated to meetings and events or able to offer the unbeatable combination of massive amounts of space and thousands of rooms in a relatively concentrated area within minutes of an international airport.

Las Vegas also has an uncanny ability to reinvent itself when necessary and to provide an ever-evolving portfolio of lodging and off-site options to keep itself fresh. An extravaganza of superb dining and world-renowned entertainment only add to its nearly irresistible allure. The result is that many planners and groups return again and again.

Jeff Welger, director, corporate meetings & events, with Arch Insurance Group, Inc., in Hoboken, NJ, has successfully overseen and directed multiple programs in Las Vegas over the past 10 years, including one in the spring based at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino. The group booked 300 rooms for the meeting. “This particular initiative marked my inaugural program in the post-pandemic era,” he says. “Las Vegas presents multiple compelling advantages for diverse meeting formats, including robust air transportation access, a comprehensive range of hotel accommodations spanning luxury, mid-range and themed properties, exceptional culinary offerings and distinctive venue selections for off-site gatherings. Furthermore, Las Vegas’ dynamic and continuously expanding entertainment landscape resonates with the preferences and desires of most attendees.”

Welger adds, “The decision to host a conference or event in Las Vegas is primarily influenced by the comprehensive guest experience combined with competitive pricing and exceptional value.”

He says that planners should consider such off-site venues as the Sphere and Allegiant Stadium, as well as having attendees see a show or explore different fun venues such as AREA15, the Mob Museum, Swingers (mini golf) or countless others.

His group had no need for the convention center for this particular meeting as the hotel offered exactly what they required, and Welger notes that the decision to go with Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino came down to two key factors. “The venue’s meeting infrastructure provided an excellent fit for our planned agenda, and the pricing structure fell below our budgeted amount. The resulting savings allowed us to invest in enhanced ancillary programming and special events, ultimately delivering a memorable experience for our attendees. Additionally,” he continues, “the RFP experience with the Mandalay Bay sales and conference services team was best in class. That experience continued through the delivery of the meeting. From a planner perspective, the experience was five-star.”

Gondola ride at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas

Another MGM Resort that tends to draw meeting planners in Las Vegas is the MGM Grand, which offers three floors with more than 850,000 sf, including a 380,000 sf conference center and a 92,000-sf pillarless ballroom. Their 100,000-sf MGM Grand Arena can seat up to 17,000 attendees. Planners can create a daytime experience at the Palm Tree Beach Club, The Park, the MGM Grand Pool or Topgolf and later go to the five-level Hakkasan nightclub.

The Strip offers plenty of options. Caesars Palace is another great pick with its 300,000 sf of meeting and event space and 3,960 rooms and suites, as well as more than 30 acclaimed restaurants and entertainment venues. This integrated environment allows conference participants to stay, dine, connect and celebrate without leaving the resort.

The conference center is designed for meetings of every size, and its seamless connection to the Palace Tower makes it ideal for conferences where convenience and flow matter. Participants can move effortlessly from their rooms to general sessions, breakouts, and receptions, creating a cohesive event experience. Standout venues include the Octavius and Julius Ballrooms, each capable of hosting up to 5,555 attendees. Planners can elevate their opening keynote inside the iconic Colosseum, which offers a dramatic stage, exceptional acoustics and a cinematic atmosphere.

The Garden of the Gods Pool Oasis provides a stunning setting for receptions and networking events with seven unique pools. The newly opened OMNIA Dayclub & Skybar – connected directly to OMNIA Nightclub via a skybridge – offers 121,000 sf of dynamic indoor and outdoor event space.

For planners with a larger meeting, they may choose Caesars Forum with its 550,000 sf and two 108,000 sf pillarless ballrooms, as well as two additional 40,000 sf ballrooms. Its 100,000 sf Forum Plaza is perfect for outdoor events.

Wynn and Encore Las Vegas have a combined 560,000 sf of total space as well. Golf lovers gravitate to their fairways, as well as luxurious accommodations, spa and nightlife. The Encore Theater has 1,480 seats for indoor events. The Encore Beach Club has a nightclub that opens onto a 45,000 sf pool deck, accommodating up to 3,500 people. Also available is XS, a lavish indoor 40,000 sf venue that has seating surrounding a European-style pool.

Resorts World Las Vegas offers easy access to the convention center with its Vegas Loop and more than 50 state-of-the-art meeting rooms and six ballrooms with 250,000 sf of meeting and event space. Their Resorts World Theatre offers 4,850 seats. They also have an Ayu Dayclub and Zouk Nightclub available. Three hotels are housed at Resorts World: Las Vegas Hilton, Conrad Las Vegas and Crockfords Las Vegas.

Caesars Palace

The Venetian Resort Las Vegas has plenty to offer with 2 million sf of expo space, with a range of ballrooms, meeting rooms and unique venues to choose from. The resort offers a total of 7,167 lavish suites in The Venetian and The Palazzo. There is plenty to do, including fine dining, entertainment, shopping and even Gondola Rides. The Sphere is the resort’s biggest attraction with its immersive media and technology. They can cater to group events up to 17,500 attendees. The resort has been undergoing a $1.5 billion redevelopment project, which has included renovation of its rooms and towers and now a $188 million redesign of its convention center.

The bottom line is that no matter where you choose, Las Vegas can meet your needs. “Las Vegas presents an ideal destination for meetings of all scales, whether accommodating large-scale conferences requiring substantial meeting facilities or intimate executive gatherings,” Welger says. Combined with competitive pricing across multiple tiers, he adds, “Las Vegas emerges as a compelling choice for meetings regardless of budgetary parameters.”

When HUB International Mountain States Limited, part of one of the largest global insurance brokerages in North America, was looking for a site for its 2026 annual sales award triple crown event with 120 attendees, the choice was easy. “We’ve been hosting our event at a Station Casinos property for over 10 years, and at Durango Casino & Resort for the last two years,” says Jenny L. Bolt, MBA, CRM, CIC, executive vice president, commercial lines practice leader, in Missoula, MT. “We plan on returning again in 2027.”

Bolt says the destination and resort are a good fit for her group for several reasons. To start, she says, the region for this group spans Montana, Wyoming and Idaho, and it’s easy for attendees to fly to Las Vegas from mountain states airports. “Durango Casino & Resort is also a newer property which is nice. The pool area and outside spaces for events are amazing, and it’s off the Strip – a bonus when trying to keep a group together in Las Vegas.”

As is true for many planners and organizations, it’s relationships that often drive business. For Bolt, the prior relationships with Station Casinos and Durango Casino & Resort were important factors. Prior to meeting at Durango Casino & Resort, the group booked Red Rock Resort Casino & Spa for several years. “We love the Station Casinos properties,” Bolt says. “The staff is always great and accommodating to our group’s needs, the rooms are comfortable and the casino, pool and other amenities are all wonderful for keeping our group together. This is an awards trip for our top salespeople, and they love to be pampered and have downtime to spend with their fellow peers, vendor partners and regional leaders.”

Bolt says that Durango Resort’s variety of onsite dining and meeting options are a draw, and she has nothing but positive words for the hotel audiovisual company. “We work with their Encore Global for all our AV needs for the event. They are always great to work with,” she says.

Treasure Island Hotel & Casino is another option for those wanting a more intimate meeting environment. It offers 18,000 sf of meeting and event space. The biggest selling point for the venue is that their meeting rooms are away from the casino with easy access from every guestroom.

Sahara Las Vegas

Another great property, which classifies itself as having boutique charm, is Sahara Las Vegas, located on the north end of The Strip. Although it may seem small next to some other resorts, it actually offers more than 1,613 rooms, many which have been recently remodeled, and 85,000 sf of meeting and event space.

While much of the world has met in Las Vegas at some point for every possible type of meeting, Nancy Lee, senior manager, meetings and events, with Arch Insurance, in Tarrytown, NY, has not. The annual client program of the group’s business unit has never been set in Las Vegas due to the stigma many have about the destination for its connection to gaming. But that all changed this year. “The main reason we considered Las Vegas is because one of Arch’s clients is with MSG/Sphere. There have been discussions about touring Sphere, which made Las Vegas an appealing destination for this annual meeting. That, as well as the room rate at a hotel of such high caliber, the Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas, a Hilton brand, made it a top consideration.” Her group discovered what many already have … that Las Vegas is much more than just gaming.

She adds, Las Vegas “is a cost-effective destination with good airlift and very close proximity to the airport. You can be on or off/near the Strip, and there are so many dining, entertainment and activity options.”

Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas is uniquely suited to this group for a variety of reasons. It’s a non-smoking, non-gaming property that sets itself apart as an elegant sanctuary high above The Strip. It’s close to everything, but apart from everything at the same time. In addition to the appealing rates, Lee says the brand, star rating and quality of meeting space and guestrooms were factors in looking at the property.

When a global financial services company wanted to change things up and create a huge “wow” event in Las Vegas for 900 attendees, they turned to Candie Beane, DMCP, managing director with PRA Las Vegas. She says the city is far more than a meeting destination; “it’s a masterclass in reliability and reinvention.”

She adds, “Insurance and financial companies can return year over year and still design a new experience for attendees. That’s the magic of a destination that never stops rebuilding itself, from the Las Vegas Convention Center’s recently completed $600 million renovation to a constant rotation of new restaurants and venues, dynamic shows and activities opening on and off the Strip. For planners, that’s a rare gift: a location serious enough to instill confidence and lively enough to make the meeting feel like a fresh event every year.”

While some of Beane’s financial and insurance groups have chosen to book The Palazzo at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas, Aria Resort & Casino or Wynn and Encore Las Vegas, this group has a relationship with The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, and that’s where the company’s third annual sales meeting and celebration event earlier this year was based. Beane says they will continue to stay there for the foreseeable future.

What made this event different was that Beane was tasked with coming up with something completely new and memorable that would exceed previous results. “The client’s benchmark for a memorable closing celebration was a fan-favorite block party hosted on a studio lot when the group met in Orlando, FL. Our opportunity was to create a final-night send-off that reflected that spirit while delivering a distinctive experience for 900 attendees,” Beane says.

The answer was a full takeover of Fremont East Entertainment District, an open-air district of small businesses, bars and restaurants that had never been privately rented for a corporate event. The concept, Life in Bloom, was a personalized mini-festival. Inspired by Life is Beautiful, a multi-day event that took place in that location, “it featured immersive décor, floral-forward design and a choose-your-own-journey experience,” Beane continues. Attendees entered through a custom 25-foot floral arch and an experience map wall that guided them to signature cocktails, food stations and activations, as well as a 40-foot Ferris wheel. It also included a quiet zone, disco setting, piano bar, a speakeasy lounge, street-side seating and music piped throughout.

“This first-ever private corporate event received overwhelmingly positive survey feedback,” Beane says, adding that it was the top-rated program so far. Of course, she notes, Las Vegas has a cornucopia of possibilities, so her financial client and others have had a lot to choose from.

To her fellow planners, Beane says, “What I want planners to know about holding their meetings in Las Vegas is that the city truly never stops reinventing itself.”

No one is stretching the truth when they say that there is always something changing in Las Vegas. One of the most anticipated venues there is the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas. The resort, which is being built on the site of the former Mirage, will have more than 3,000 guestrooms, a theater and casino, and is scheduled to open late next year. The hotel will also have about 200,000 sf of meeting space, more than 20 restaurants and will feature a massive guitar-shaped tower.

Every time you look, Las Vegas is planning a new hotel or renovating an old one, opening a new entertainment venue or celebrating the debut of a new dining space. This constant flux keeps attendees interested in coming back for more. With the plethora of options, great airlift and abundance of meeting and event space, Las Vegas remains a stellar location for meetings and events. I&FMM