A city scaling up for even bigger meetings.
Las Vegas has more meeting space—nearly 15 million sf—than any two or three cities combined…. We’re pretty excited about 2026,” said Steve Hill, President of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, during this year’s Preview Las Vegas event. He added that corporate event business at the LVCVA’s resort partners was also significantly up, with 2025 being “the best year they’ve had.”
According to the LVCVA, the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) alone is “on pace to host approximately 1.2 million tradeshow attendees in 2026, up from 1.0 million in 2025.”
Prevue had a whirlwind tour of what to look for this year.
Convention Central
Still the epicenter for large-scale events, the LVCC recently completed the last of a multi-year project. The Central Hall Grand Lobby with its iconic swoop facade, received a $600 million upgrade that added natural light, massive digital assets and a climate-controlled connection between the North and South Halls.
Speaking of connections, the Vegas Loop, which uses Tesla vehicles and currently connects the Central, North, South and West Halls, as well as Resorts World Las Vegas, Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino, Encore Resort at Wynn and Fontainebleau Las Vegas, is also looking at an expansion. Once completed, it will cover 68 miles of tunnels with stops running through the Strip, the Downtown area, Allegiant Stadium and the Harry Reid International Airport. It’s a people-moving boon for planners.
Keeping Pace with Demand
The Venetian Resort Las Vegas is at the tail-end of a $1.5 billion, multi-year transformation that saw, among other things, a refresh of all 4,000 suites in the North and South towers, new ultra-luxe, by-invitation-only Signature Suites and new 650-sf Luxury Loft Suites with 15-ft ceilings, new restaurants and gaming space. Also recently wrapped up, a $188-million investment in its adjoining 2.25-million-sf Venetian Expo and Convention Center—from tech upgrades to an upscale color palette. Of note: For all its size, Assistant Director of Sales, Deanna Kirk, mentioned that a full 83 percent of their business is groups under 300.
Circa Resort & Casino, the first ground-up downtown resort in 40 years, is home to the world’s largest sportsbook—all three stories of it—as well as Stadium Swim, a year-round, 6-pool, multi-bar outdoor venue with a huge 40-ft screen that’s an excellent choice for an out-of-the-box buyout venue. According to Director of Sales Sasha Lee, however, their number one venue for groups is the swanky Legacy Club on the 60th floor, with its 360-degree views, outdoor terrace and a sweet spot of 350 (upscale attired) attendees. Of note: Circa works with its own in-house AV, saving planners a minimum of 30 percent,
according to Lee. “Planners work from start to finish only
with Circa,” she says.
A short ride north from the LVCC, Resorts World Las Vegas encompasses three brands with three distinct levels of luxury (Las Vegas Hilton, Conrad Las Vegas and Crockfords Las Vegas). They all share a centralized meetings and events venue totaling over 250,000 sf, including a 100,000 sf pillar-less ballroom. It’s also home to one of the chicest VIP spots on the strip, Alle Lounge on 66, ideal for intimate events (100-125 attendees) with a startling 360-degree view of the Strip and the desert. Keep in mind the building’s digital facade—one of the largest in the U.S.—doubles as customizable event messaging.
Not every program requires a mega hotel. The recently refreshed 392-room Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas continues to serve executive and C-suite retreats—with a sweet spot of a 120- to 200-sized group. Its 15,000+ sf of meeting space, all of which features floor-to-ceiling windows, is complemented by intimate spaces such as the 23rd-floor SkyBar and Peacock Alley, the site of Waldorf’s signature afternoon tea sessions, which can be bought out for your group. Expect a renovation of the Presidential Suites this summer.
Culinary Vegas
At MGM Resorts, Bellagio is still celebrating the late-2025 opening of CARBONE Riviera, located in the waterfront space once occupied by the iconic Picasso. Its glass walls and open terraces offer amazing views of the Bellagio Fountains, plus it boasts a 33-ft decorative yacht that can be activated for private events.
Wynn Las Vegas debuted the delectable PISCES Bar & Seafare, but we stopped in for lunch at WAZUZU, a vibrant Pan-Asian restaurant. Another can’t miss dining experience: BOA Steakhouse at the Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian.
Resorts World Las Vegas is home to The District, with a bevy of restaurants made for networking meals, events and dine-arounds that keep your attendees onsite. We lunched at a top choice for Mexican food, ¡VIVA! by Ray Garcia.
Off-property experiences, though, can be a key part of any Las Vegas program. Lip Smacking Foodie Tours has 2-hour programs including a Chinatown Speakeasy Tour and a new dive into the top five craft cocktail bars in the Arts District with a professional guide. It includes VIP skip-the-line entry, the best seats in the house, craft cocktails and paired gourmet dishes. The program is available for private group buyouts at custom start times, a ready-made—and different—evening option.
Out-of-the-Box Experiences
We had three cherry-on-top experiences during our stay. The uniquely peculiar AREA15 recently debuted Zone 2: The Terminals, with, among other attractions, Felix & Paul Studios’ Interstellar Arc, a fully immersive journey into deep space, and Universal Horror Unleased. This is 20,000 sf worth of custom venue that will soon welcome more immersive attractions, dining and retail.
A 15-minute Strip Highlights Night Tour with Papillon Helicopters, which followed Las Vegas Boulevard, gave us a privileged view of everything from the Sphere to the Bellagio Fountains to the Strat Tower. The aircraft had headset narration (and music) and can accommodate private charters for small groups of up to six at a time (they have several helis, of course).
Re-opened for the 2026 season, the Grand Prix Plaza, originally developed for Formula 1, is being integrated into the city’s year-round event portfolio. This 39-acre site is almost a clean slate waiting for your event ideas, and includes the 4-story, 300,000-sf Pit Building (ask about the swanky Turn 1 Lounge for your execs). It encompasses the F1X, F1DRIVE and F1HUB experiences, and will keep your attendees enthralled with everything from cosplaying in the Pit Stop Challenge to “designing” their own car to driving karts at 30 mph around a 1,470-ft track.
lvcva.com; vegasmeansbusiness.com
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