Venues

The Light Group opened Lily Bar & Lounge at Bellagio Resort & Casino in February. The 3,393-square-foot cocktail lounge is located in the resort’s casino floor. Mixologist Emilio Tiburcio developed Lily’s cocktail menu, and appetizers and small plates are also available. Design firm Munge Leung is behind the design, which includes mahogany colors and golden tones. High ceilings and large windows offer panoramic views of the casino, giving the space an airy feel. At night, drapes descend for a more intimate setting. Imported Spanish stone tabletops and plush, community-style ottomans round out the furnishings.

The new American Burger Works at the Excalibur Hotel & Casino offers burgers and Belgium French fries with 15 dipping sauces, including bacon-mustard, cheddar cheese, chili-cilantro sour cream, and Jack Daniel’s ketchup. For a summer cool-down, milkshakes include original Blue Bell ice cream flavors vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry, with the option of candy mix-ins including Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Oreo Cookies, and Heath Bars. Healthier and breakfast options are also available at the venue, whose design includes chandeliers made from mechanical gears and antique filament bulbs. The Industrial Revolution-inspired decor includes an entryway made from garage-style doors.

KJ Kitchen Dim Sum & Seafood Restaurant is now open at Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino. It's the second location for the traditional Chinese restaurant, offering a dim sum lunch menu. The 4,600-square-foot location holds 350 people for seated events and is open from lunch to late night. The dim sum experience includes a customary tableside cart allowing guests to visually select their options. Other choices include shrimp, lobster, crab, and giant clam dishes.

The new Machine Guns Vegas is now accepting reservations for its high-energy packages. Among the available experiences: Guests can test out the guns used by the Navy's SEAL Team Six, or try a real-life version of the Call of Duty video games. The 10,000-square-foot facility offers no alcohol and has 16 shooting lanes where guests and groups can securely test their skills on a wide selection of machine guns, handguns, and other firearms.

The Mob Museum opened to the public on February 14. The downtown Las Vegas space tells the story of organized crime and law enforcement, including the mob’s impact on the city's history. The venue is available for booking as an event space and also offers special rates and packages groups of 12 or more for a day at the property.

The new Public House, a spin on an old-school tavern or gastropub, is located near the meeting space at the Venetian and Sands Expo and has private space including a boardroom with room for 11. There is also a semiprivate space that can be become fully private by closing sliding doors; it seats about 30. Both areas have have audiovisual capabilities.

In time for summer, the Artisan Hotel Boutique will be available for full buyout. The venue is a boutique hotel within walking distance from the Strip, with an art collection in signature ornate frames adorning the lobby, hallways, rooms, and ceilings. Art ranges from contemporary to classic pieces including Cézanne, Chagall, and da Vinci, and 62 standard rooms are each named after a different artist. Under the new ownership by the Siegel Group, the property recently revamped its lounge and pool venues. Two artist suites have upgraded amenities. The Mood at Artisan restaurant dishes up modern American cuisine by chef Eric Nenneman, and the Artisan Lounge is open 24 hours a day. There is a business center and complimentary Wi-Fi for guests, plus a fitness center. A bonus: the Artisan is a pet-friendly property. If you dare to venture outside, the pool deck is also available for events.

New York's Dom DeMarco's Pizzeria & Bar opened in Summerlin in December, offering its signature pizza as well as salads, pasta, wine, and 12 craft beers on tap. Chef Enzo DeIuliis is at the helm in the kitchen. The restaurant also offers a lively bar scene and TVs. For summer entertaining, beat the heat indoors. And when the weather permits, the space also has a patio that seats close to 80 guests.

Beat the heat outside while you sweat indoors. The 4,000-square-foot Shine Alternative Fitness space opened February 29, offering a lineup of classes that are available for group booking. Founded by two performers, Dima Shine and Russ Petroni, Shine's classes are intended to develop strength, endurance, balance, and flexibility. Classes are taught by past and present Cirque performers and fitness experts in related industries, and include aerial arts, gyrokinesis, kickboxing, yoga, pole fitness, and stretch, as well as dance courses like ballet, contemporary, hip-hop, modern, and Zumba.

The Smith Center for the Performing Arts has opened at last. The public-private partnership brings performances by resident companies as well as first-run touring attractions to town. The five-acre cultural campus includes three performance spaces: the 2,050-seat main performance area in Reynolds Hall, the Boman Pavilion’s 258-seat Cabaret Jazz theater, and the 250-seat Troesch Studio Theatre.