The Las Vegas Luxury Meetings Scene Heats Up

Nothing says "top-level meeting" like having the Secret Service onsite. But wrangling VIPs like Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump -- as well as their black-suited entourages -- is just a day in the life of Las Vegas meeting hosts. "As a casino resort, it's in our DNA to take care of special VIP guests," says Karin Davis, director of sales for The Venetian and The Palazzo Las Vegas Sands, as she checked off last-minute details for the final GOP debate of 2015. "Our hotels host very important guests every day… it's what we do."

Vegas was twice the national Town Hall of choice in 2015, first hosting the Democratic primary debate in October at the Wynn Resort & Casino and, more recently, the GOP debate, at the Venetian last month. In October, the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) campus, about three miles from the Strip, will play host to the final debate of the general presidential election.

But just as Las Vegas has taken sparring to the next level -- from world leaders to world heavyweight champions -- the city is stepping up its game within the luxury meetings category.

Home of the City-Wide Deluxe
"All the meetings at MGM's high-end luxury hotels are luxury meetings," says Michael Dominguez, senior vice president and chief sales officer for MGM Resorts International. "For all the meetings in our hotels, the meeting space is concentrated in our high-end properties, which would translate to me as luxury meetings."

According to Dominguez, luxury meetings have tended to be "more personal, more intimate." But a new city-wide meeting that is coming to the MGM campus is bucking the trend.

The largest group MGM has is a client user program of about 20,000 people. Part of the luxury experience will be entertaining the group with a private Aerosmith concert.

"Some of my larger corporate meetings now demand that level of entertainment," says Dominguez. "And that's where the luxury meeting has shifted dramatically. Entertainment is such a huge part of the programming."

Reina Herschdorfer, director of marketing for Caesars Entertainment National Meetings & Events, couldn't agree more: "If your group wanted to take [over] the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, where Celine Dion and Elton John perform, and have a dinner right on the stage where they sing, that could certainly be done." Throw in Elton John? "It's not out of the question."

Everyone's a Winner, Baby
Whether it's a suite in a deluxe property or a buyout of the top nightclub in town; making it rain at the luxury mall with gift cards, certificates, and special promotions; or a unique and incredible experience, meeting planners want to know about it.

According to Gabe Kuti, vice president of sales for M Resort Spa Casino, luxury meeting planners know what they want, thanks to local destination management companies (DMCs) who "cover the entire spectrum."

Kurt Wuebbenhorst, vice president of sales at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, adds "All of our groups come in and out of our main porte-cochère, which ensures all Cosmopolitan guests a grand 'sense of arrival' when they enter the hotel. If a group is looking for a special check-in experience, we are happy to arrange a satellite check-in that incorporates interactive art with our partners in the city, as well as unique food and beverage offerings."

Caesars, whose core resort turns 50 this year, has had decades to fine-tune its high-roller welcome. As a result, "Our products lend themselves to the luxury meetings business," says Herschdorfer. "We have programs like our Diamond Cards, that allow luxury meetings to access our VIP lounges, VIP check-in, and expedited line access, among the many perks." Each tower in Caesars includes a VIP check-in. At the newest towers, accommodations can include butler service.

"The room product is very important to a meeting professional who is booking a luxury or executive meeting," says Davis. "Since every key at The Venetian and The Palazzo unlocks a suite, we find our resorts work very well for these meetings. Doesn't everybody want to be 'upgraded' to a suite in Las Vegas?"

In addition, The Palazzo offers the Prestige Level, which features an elevated level of service, beginning with a private check-in, to "unparalleled amenities with special touches," and a top-drawer staff. "Everybody has heard the legends about 'high roller' gamblers and what casinos can do to make them feel welcome, important, and comfortable," says Davis. "Well, we can do similar things for VIP incentive winners."

At MGM, "One thing that is new, that's a little bit like a best-kept secret, is that our partner Cirque du Soleil has put together some unique team-building programming," reveals Dominguez. "Groups can experience a rehearsal and a behind-the-scenes tour of how some of the Cirque shows are produced, and there's a team component where some people can experience what it's like to act like a Cirque performer. [The SPARK Sessions program] has been very exciting for the groups that have experienced it so far."

Luxury groups can beat the ground traffic by traveling via helicopter. In November, Maverick Helicopters debuted a $5 million, 6,000-square-foot Las Vegas terminal, which includes a private room for VIPs and group events. Sightseeing tours of the Strip and the Grand Canyon are always popular.

"Depending on the time of the year," adds Davis, "we have such 'insiders only' areas available for groups as the Paiza Club -- a private gambling club and restaurant at the top of The Venetian's suite tower -- as well as the Azure Luxury Pool at The Palazzo and the new LAVO Casino Club -- which is great for Millennials."

So Many Chefs, So Little Time
There are currently more than 30 high-profile chefs in Las Vegas: Bobby Flay, Daniel Boulud, Wolfgang Puck, Mario Batali, Emeril Lagasse, Thomas Keller . . . the list goes on. Some of them are now Vegas-based, thanks to the culinary creativity that has exploded throughout the city, making it exciting for foodies. Others control the menus and frequent their local establishments several times a year. And with all the stars working in Vegas, it is pretty easy for luxury groups to meet a top chef, be they celebrity or simply celebrated.

"The culinary experience has become part of the luxury experience," says Dominguez. "We're all looking for food and beverage moments." MGM boasts Joël Robuchon's Atelier, one of the world's most celebrated restaurants. "Our chefs are known for their culinary distinction -- Joël Robuchon, Michael Mina, and Rick Moonen. We have wonderful chefs."

Dominguez points to one of MGM's signature events, its annual Recipe Showdown. "We had ARIA's Julian Serrano serve as a judge last year. He met the planner who made Spinach Florentine and told her, 'Here's how you could have made that dish better, from a presentation point of view." She tells me how honored she was 'for him to take the time, pull me aside, and say, this is a really good dish -- let me tell you how you would present it, so the Florentine is the star.'"

Another way to have the "inside foodie" experience is to go to the source -- namely, the business that supplies many of the specialty foods in Vegas. "Meals for luxury meetings being held on the Strip are generally prepared in-house," says Brett Ottolenghi, owner of Vegas-based Artisanal Foods. "The exceptions are Kosher, Halal, and Indian food, which the Strip outsources, while off-the-Strip luxury meetings are catered by dozens of catering companies and restaurants." To learn the latest food trends, foodie groups can drop in at Artisanal Foods Market, which is "a great venue for food-centric meetings. We can accommodate groups of up to 30, or have catering services delivered to your venue."

For a group to create its own foodie event, says Kuti, the M Resort's Studio B Kitchen can be made available for wine pairing, chef presentation, and a cooking competition for team building. The Cosmopolitan's Wuebbenhorst recalls, "Most recently, a high-end group transformed one of our ballrooms into a food-and-beverage festival, even creating its own 'beer garden.'" Their vendor brought in unique furniture groupings, interactive stations, picnic benches, etc.  It was an amazing transformation and the sky is the limit on what you could do in our ballroom space."

More, More, More
For years, Vegas has been amping up its luxury accommodations and venues to gain a unique advantage over other destinations. While these rivals may compete with Las Vegas on quality, none holds a candle to its quantity. Las Vegas just has more of everything.

In Las Vegas, destination spas and destination greens run neck-and-neck, with more than 45 spas and 50 golf courses. New ways for groups to enjoy spas include creating their own pop-up spa within the venue's meeting space, or incorporating wellness programs like MGM's Meet Well into their events. An even newer way to enjoy golf for small groups is to rent one or more of the Wynn Fairway Villas, which offer private views of the Wynn Golf Course -- the only course on the Strip.

Last August, Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino soft-opened its 350,000-square-foot convention center expansion, which features new exhibit space and a 20,000-square-foot foyer. The official completion of the expansion is set for this month.

Harvest by Roy Ellamar, a locally sourced, fine-dining eatery, opened in December in the Bellagio Spa Tower, in the space that formally housed Sensi.

ARIA Resort & Casino has refreshed its 300,000-square-foot convention space, featuring special new touches like media walls, high-tech furniture, and charging stations.

Adjacent to ARIA, The Shops at Crystals at CityCenter includes 13,000 square feet of multi-level, flexible meeting space. Called the Event Space at Crystals, it can accommodate up to 980 guests and overlooks ARIA's colorful dancing waters of Lumia (as well as the Focus Water Wall).

The Venetian and The Palazzo have recently updated standard suites at the Venetian and completed a refresh of the public areas and kitchen facility of the Sands Expo. In 2016, there will be new shows at each of the four theaters, as well as several new restaurants.   

At Caesars, the debut of the Julius Tower's $75 million renovation is imminent. Formerly the Roman Tower (part of the original Caesars that opened in 1966), the new 587-room Julius Tower is the latest piece of Caesars' ongoing $1 billion investment in its 85-acre Vegas campus.

"When we first opened our doors almost 50 years ago, we set the standard for luxury," says Gary Selesner, Caesars Palace's regional president. "And we are proud to continue to raise the bar for excellence in every way."

Also at Caesars, Mr. Chow Las Vegas opened in December, taking over the location above Rao's. The new 6,500-square-foot restaurant, the seventh in the prestigious chain, features a bar and offers private dining space.

In April 2016, the Las Vegas Arena, a 20,000-seat multipurpose event center, is expected to open its doors. The arena will feature first-class amenities, including personal service and luxury suites to provide an exclusive environment to enjoy special events. "One of the biggest things we've seen," says Dominguez, "is that there's a need and want for people to explore the destination, be a part of the destination." In addition to the arena, "We are opening our new MGM Park early next year, which is meant to be an outdoor pedestrian experience that we expect will be heavily used for groups."

By the end of the year, MGM Resorts plans to open a second, smaller venue at The Monte Carlo Resort and Casino. With a glass wall facing The Park -- located between New York-New York Hotel & Casino and the Monte Carlo -- the theater will seat 5,000 when it opens at the end of the year.

When last year's presidential debates convened, they brought together the most diverse group of candidates in history: A smattering of CEOs, a top surgeon, a secretary of state, as well as various governors and senators. Sound like a five-star meeting? Just another day in the life of Las Vegas.

Questions or comments? Email [email protected]

This article appears in the January 2016 issue of Successful Meetings.