This year saw the openings of many significant event and meeting venues in Las Vegas, including restaurants from big-name chefs, private rooms, hotels, bars, nightclubs, lounges, event spaces, galleries, and more—even a museum. Here's a look at seven of the most notable venues to open in Las Vegas in 2011 (see slide show), plus previews of three more that have openings planned by the end of the year (see below).
8. Martin Lawrence Galleries at the Forum Shops at Caesars
The team behind the new Martin Lawrence Galleries at the Forum Shops at Caesars is billing it as possibly the biggest art gallery in the U.S., with more than 26,000 square feet of gallery, exhibition, and event space in all. About 8,500 square feet opened in late summer, but the venue will be available for meeting and event buyout when it is fully open in the coming weeks. There are soaring 80-foot ceilings, a 20-foot tall neon “Art” sign, huge guillotine walls that can be raised and lowered, an enormous projection wall, and a sound system.
9. 1Oak at the Mirage Hotel & Casino
With a buzzy New Year's Eve opening planned, The Light Group will open 1Oak at the Mirage Hotel & Casino, where it will replace Jet Nightclub. It will be a partnership with New York-based lifestyle and hospitality company Butter Group (owners of restaurants the Darby and Butter, and lounges and nightclubs the Darby Downstairs, 1Oak NYC, Butter NC, and 1Oak Brazil). International design firm Munge Leung will execute the interior design vision for 1Oak’s Las Vegas outpost, which was conceived collaboratively between the Light Group and the Butter Group. Artist Roy Nachum will incorporate original works of art into the look.
10. SBE's Hyde at the Bellagio
Another highly anticipated New Year's Eve opening is an outpost of SBE's Hyde at the Bellagio in the former Fontana Bar space, with a lounge-y feel by day and a club vibe at night. The indoor-outdoor space will have fountain frontage. Philippe Starck is working on the design, keeping in line with the look of the Bellagio and blending it with the Hyde brand. The capacity is about 730 people in 12,000 square feet.
