This year saw the opening of many significant event and meeting venues in Las Vegas. Here's a look at the best restaurants, party rooms, hotels, corporate event venues, conference centers, and private rooms to open in 2014. These new and renovated Las Vegas venues suit groups large or small for private and corporate events, business dinners, cocktail parties, conferences, weddings, and more.
SLS Las Vegas—formerly the Sahara Hotel—opened in September following a $415 million renovation. Located on the north end of the Strip, the property is SBE's largest hotel, with 1,600 rooms in three towers. Lenny Kravitz and Kravitz Design Inc. designed a collection of suites, and Philippe Starck consulted on the design through Gensler. The restaurant and nightlife lineup includes many of SBE's signature brands such as the Sayers Club, the Bazaar by José Andrés, Katsuya, Cleo, 800 Degrees, Umami Burger, and the Griddle Café. The property also includes a 20,000-square-foot nightclub called Life, a club called Foxtail, and the Foxtail Pool Club. It also has 80,000 square feet of meeting space.
A new venue for concerts, festivals, and other large events, the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center opened in September and holds 15,000 people. The open-air venue comes with state-of-the-art sound, lighting, and audio equipment. The stage has a 32- by 18-foot main video screen with 16- by 9-foot side screens that can stream live video or show other content, and the venue can also host custom LED shows. Concessions are available at walk-up cabanas, and a V.I.P. zone offers private cabanas with bottle service.
Delano Las Vegas, a transplant of the South Beach hot spot from Morgans Hotel Group and MGM Resorts International, opened September 2. The Las Vegas Strip hotel has 1,117 suites, 20,000 square feet of meeting space—from traditional boardrooms to the casual 1,257-square-foot Sage Living Room—and the 14,000-square-foot Bathhouse Spa. The property has a number of restaurants and lounges including Franklin, a cocktail bar, and the locally sourced Della’s Kitchen. Chef Alain Ducasse plans to open Rivea next year. Also on tap for 2015 is Delano Beach Club.
The popular new attraction the High Roller Las Vegas doubles as a sky-high event venue. Located at the new entertainment and dining district the Linq Promenade, the observation wheel offers private cabins that fit 40 people and can come with a bartender. The "party in a pod" experience, which debuted in September, lasts 30 minutes and gives guests a 360-degree aerial view of the Las Vegas Valley.
The 7,000-seat theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino has been renovated and added new amenities. Now called the Axis at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, the theater has a new elliptical lobby with ambient lighting, a massive video and projection installation inside the theater, and a dance floor and V.I.P. table seating. Gensler helmed the renovation.
Brooklyn Bowl—the activity entertainment complex founded in Brooklyn's Williamsburg neighborhood—debuted a Las Vegas location in March. The music, dining, and, bowling venue holds 2,200. Much like its Brooklyn sibling, the Vegas locale has food from Blue Ribbon Restaurants. The venue is part of the Linq, the new restaurant, retail, and entertainment corridor between the Quad Resort & Casino and the Flamingo Las Vegas.
The massive Drai's Beach Club & Nightclub opened Memorial Day weekend at the Cromwell, a new boutique hotel on the Strip. Modeled after the beach club and nightclub concepts in St. Tropez and Ibiza, the 65,000-square-foot concept is spread over two levels. The lower level has two pools, a central wet deck, and 10 V.I.P. bungalows and luxury cabanas that have their own pools. The mezzanine level has a private pool with five private V.I.P. bungalows and another 15 V.I.P. cabanas. Drai's holds as many as 4,500 for receptions.
Blvd. Cocktail Company, a craft cocktail bar, opened in March at the Linq. A baby grand piano anchors the 2,700-square-foot space, which has seats 150 or holds 40 for receptions. A 600-square-foot patio, accessed through pocket doors, offers views of the Linq's High Roller observation wheel. Above the piano is a custom art installation by local artist Gabriel Culp. Made from 11,000 LED florescent lights, the cloud-like piece displays visual effects, such as thunderstorm simulations, to accompany performances.
At 35,000 square feet, Picnic at the Downtown Grand Las Vegas hotel is a vast space with room for a number of amenities: an infinity pool, a fire pit, a bandstand, a restaurant and bar, and private cabanas overlooking downtown Las Vegas. The rooftop venue opened this spring and holds 1,500 for receptions.
Made L.V., a tavern-style restaurant from restaurateur Elizabeth Blau and chef Kim Canteenwalla, opened in August at Tivoli Village. The 216-seat eatery comes with a patio, a bar, and retro arcade games. The comfort food menu includes small plates, salads, sandwiches, and main courses such as the fish fry with cod and malt vinegar dust.
