1. NEW AIR ROUTES
Air Canada rouge is offering nonstop flights from Toronto to Las Vegas, and with that addition, the airline now offers more service from both Toronto and Montreal than any other carrier. Additionally, starting this month, Delta Air Lines will begin offering increased service from Seattle to Las Vegas, and as of April 1, it will increase daily nonstop flights to five. aircanada.com or delta.com
2. DOWNTOWN GRAND LAS VEGAS
Downtown Grand Las Vegas opened recently in downtown Vegas featuring 634 guestrooms, 600 brand-new slot machines and 30 table games, a sports book and walk-up gaming and dining windows along 3rd street. It also offers a variety of food and beverage offerings, including a Stewart + Ogden diner bistro, Red Mansion Chinese Restaurant and MOB Bar, and look for the spring opening of PICNIC, an urban rooftop pool retreat. downtowngrand.com
3. PRESTON BAILEY FLORAL SCRUPTURES
Wynn Las Vegas has unveiled two floral installations conceptualized by event designer, Preston Bailey. One is a 20-ft.-tall hot air balloon and the other a 13-ft.-tall animated carousel, both of which will reside in the atrium of the hotel. When developing the concept for the sculptures, Bailey looked to childhood inspirations to play upon the atrium’s existing whimsical theme. The sculptures are adorned with more than 110,000 flowers. wynnlasvegas.com
4. DOG-FRIENDLY
Vdara Hotel & Spa launched a dog-friendly program late last year called V-Dog. It’s a canine-friendly program that not only welcomes, but caters to, man’s best friend. For an additional $50 per night, guests may bring up to two furry friends with a combined weight of less than 70 pounds, or one pooch at the same weight. Sleek Deluxe Suites have been appointed for those with dogs, and upon check-in, all dogs will receive a treat and an en-suite menu. vdara.com
5. BRITNEY SPEARS
Over at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino Las Vegas, Britney Spears started strutting her stuff this past month. She will be performing her infectious dance hits, along with tracks from her eighth studio album, and she’ll even bring back her most popular, iconic looks on stage. The “Britney: Piece of Me” show will be a 2-year residency housed in a nightclub/theater space. planethollywoodresort.com
6. EL LOCO
Las Vegas’ newest rollercoaster, the 72-second El Loco debuted this month at The Adventuredome at Circus Circus Las Vegas. The ride includes a 90-ft. ascent followed by a greater-than-straight-down diving drop, a 45-degree outwardly banked curve and a 180-degree turn that races over the edge into a barrel roll. circuscircus.com
7. THE LINQ
The LINQ, part of Caesars Entertainment, began to open in phases last month. It’s an outdoor dining, shopping and entertainment district located center Strip. Anchoring the development is the Las Vegas High Roller, topping off at 550 ft., making it the world’s largest Ferris wheel and the first of its kind in the U.S. caesars.com
8. DELANO LAS VEGAS
Set to open in the fall as part of the Mandalay Bay resort complex, this “boutique” hotel will be an all-suite property with 1,100 accommodations. Amenities will include the luxurious Bathhouse spa and gym facilities, Mix restaurant, and other high-energy night and daytime offerings that Delano has become known for. morganshotelgroup.com/delano/delano-las-vegas
9. FIZZ LAS VEGAS
Over at Caesars Palace Las Vegas, a new champagne lounge and bar has debuted, FIZZ Las Vegas. It’s positioned between The Colosseum at Caesars Palace and Forum Shops at Caesars and offers a unique, intimate space. Guests can opt for high-end champagnes by the glass or carefully created curated spirits. There will also be a selection of caviars, gourmet paninis and small plates. caesars.com
10. THE WHO
“The Who-Miles Over Vegas” is the newest show at the Fremont Street Experience. It’s built around the music of legendary rock band The Who and includes three of the band’s most iconic songs, including “Pinball Wizard,” custom synced to graphics, as well as live music footage, album art, performance footage and more. vegasexperience.com
11. SLS HOTEL & CASINO LAS VEGAS
SLS Hotel & Casino Las Vegas is set to open in the fall at the north end of the Strip. It will feature 1,600 guestroooms and suites, The Bazaar by Jose Andres, Katsuya by Starck, Cleo, headed by chef Danny Elmaleh, and an exclusive 10,000-sq.-ft. Fred Segal retail experience, as well as a world-class sports book. slshotels.com/lasvegas
12. DIVE WITH LE REVE
The Diver’s Dream package that’s part of the “Le Reve” show at Wynn Las Vegas allows scuba-certified guests to explore the vast depths of the aqua theater and experience a live show from under the water. The package, which starts at $1,750 for one diver and $2,450 for two, includes a 2-night stay in a deluxe room at Wynn or Encore, a VIP Indulgence ticket to “Le Reve,” a private backstage tour, and a SDI-certified scuba training session with the “Le Reve” team. wynnlasvegas.com
13. MADAME TUSSAUDS’ MARVEL 4D INTERACTIVE THEATRE
The brand-new Marvel 4D Theater at Madame Tussaud Las Vegas, which includes an array of new figures, including Captain America, Thor, Nick Fury and Tony Stark, will allow guests to see, hear, and feel the super heroes save the day. Additionally, there are new interactive experiences and a selection of newly added A-list celebrities. madametussauds.com/lasvegas
14. I HAVE A CRUSH ON YOU
The Morton Group has debuted CRUSH eat, drink, love at MGM Grand. It offers a welcoming, dynamic setting complemented by the cuisine of executive chef William DeMarco. It will be open for lunch and dinner. mgmgrand.com
15. SAY “I DO”
Visitors to Las Vegas can say “I do” by the banks of the Colorado River surrounded by the landscape of the Grand Canyon with the Papillon Group. The package begins with a limo ride to the airport where a private helicopter awaits for a flight to the bottom of the canyon for the ceremony. The bride and groom can take a wedding party of up to four passengers and the whole “tour” takes approximately four hours. papillon.com
16. MAKEOVER AT PALMS
The Palms Casino Resort received a head-to-toe $50 million makeover that included a redo of the Ghostbar nightclub and the classic N9NE Steakhouse. The steakhouse’s refresh introduced a chic, updated look, although the resort emphasizes, it’s the “same great food.” thepalms.com
17. RE:LAX
Ok, this might not be a destination spa, it is intimate (read: small), but the new 3,500-sq.-ft. spa, Re:lax, at the four-diamond Aliante Casino + Hotel is getting high marks from some Vegas insiders. With a mantra of “renew, recharge and revive,” the spa has eight treatment rooms, several VIP rooms, couples’ rooms, wet rooms, and a steam room and sauna. Guests can opt for a Swedish massage, green tea wrap, Moroccan body therapy or warm sugar scrub. aliantegaming.com
18. PANDA!
Last month, the first-ever Chinese-produced show to take up a Las Vegas residency, “PANDA!,” premiered at The Palazzo Las Vegas. It combines high-flying acrobatics, kung fu mastery, music and dance, and transports audiences to a realm of Far Eastern folklore. venetian.com
Archived related articles (available on recommend.com/magazine/issue-archive):
Las Vegas Embraces the Future (November 2013)
contact information
Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority: lvcva.com or lasvegas.com/travelprofessionals
