3 New Developments in Las Vegas’ Meetings & Events Scene
Renovation news from Rio Hotel & Casino and M Resort & Casino, plus a new partnership between Marriott and MGM Resorts.
Four years after Caesars Entertainment sold the 2,500-room Rio Hotel & Casino to the Dreamscape Companies, the plan to reimagine the property with a more luxurious style and environment is finally coming to pass.
At the end of this year, Dreamscape will take over management of the property from Caesars and begin a staggered renovation of the more than 2,500 guest rooms. A full refresh will also come to the conference center, which features divisible ballrooms measuring 54,000 square feet, 39,000 square feet, 20,000 square feet, 11,000 square feet, and 5,000 square feet. There’s also 500,000 square feet of outdoor event space on property. The large outdoor-pool area will be upgraded, and several new food and beverage outlets will be introduced at the property.
Another Property Upgrade Coming to Vegas
To the south of Rio Hotel & Casino, the 390-room M Resort in Henderson will break ground in Q4 2023 on a new tower that will nearly double the guest-room inventory. The 375-room addition will also bring a new, 15,000-square-foot ballroom to complement the existing 92,000 square feet of meeting space on property, which includes the 25,000-square-foot M Pavilion and a 17,000-square-foot ballroom. Three outdoor terraces totaling 17,000 square feet are also available.
The M Resort is home to three restaurants and three bar/lounges, and is the host hotel of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders when they play eight home games at nearby Allegiant Stadium each autumn. The resort is located just off Interstate 15 in Henderson, 10 miles south of where the Las Vegas Strip begins near Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino and 12 miles from Harry Reid International Airport.
A Heavyweight Partnership
MGM Resorts has signed a strategic-licensing agreement with Marriott International that will bring 17 MGM properties, including 12 in Las Vegas, into the Marriott Bonvoy program and to Marriott’s booking engines. All the MGM properties are expected to be available on Marriott websites and apps by the end of the year. Meanwhile, MGM properties will continue to be available on MGM Resorts' digital channels.
Members of MGM Rewards will be eligible to link accounts with Marriott Bonvoy and receive select member benefits while Marriott Bonvoy members can earn and redeem points for stays at all MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy properties. Also, members of both programs will be able to exchange MGM Rewards points for Marriott Bonvoy points and vice versa. In addition, the Marriott Bonvoy Moments program will be enhanced by MGM's culinary, entertainment, and sports offerings.
Four of the MGM resorts will also be affiliated with existing Marriott collection brands. Bellagio Resort & Casino will join The Luxury Collection; ARIA Resort & Casino will join Autograph Collection; Park MGM will join Tribute Portfolio; and The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas will maintain its present affiliation with Autograph Collection.
Other MGM properties in Las Vegas included in the agreement are Excalibur Hotel & Casino, Luxor Hotel and Casino, Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, New York-New York Hotel & Casino, NoMad Las Vegas, Vdara Hotel & Spa, and The Signature at MGM Grand.
Around the country, other MGM properties included in the deal are The Borgata Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City; Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi; MGM Grand Detroit; MGM National Harbor in Maryland; and MGM Springfield in Massachusetts.
