8 New Venues in Las Vegas for Fall 2022 Meetings and Events

Circa Resort & Casino in downtown Las Vegas opened its 35,000-square-foot meeting and convention space in August. Each of the main meeting spaces is named after iconic Las Vegas motels from the past; the largest room is the Galaxy (pictured), a 14,456-square-foot space with a 1,677-square-foot outdoor terrace, plus a large LED screen, build-in AV capabilities, full rigging, and a partition wall that opens the ballroom to the pre-function spaces. Other options include the 3,572-square-foot Starlite room, the 1,651-square-foot Carousel room, and the two Ambassador meeting rooms that combine to form a 1,055-square-foot space. Smaller private spaces include the 920-square-foot La Concha and the 192-square-foot Bonanza Office. Other amenities at the resort include a 60th-floor cocktail lounge, along with Stadium Swim, a year-round pool with a 143-foot screen; it can be booked for private events for up to 4,000 people. Also on-site? The world’s largest sportsbook, which boasts a 78-million-pixel screen and space for 1,000 people.

The Jonas family opened the second location of Nellie’s Southern Kitchen at MGM Grand in June. Helmed by Denise and Kevin Jonas, Sr.—the parents of Kevin II, Joe, and Nick (the Jonas Brothers) and Franklin—in partnership with TLI Bedrock LLC, Nellie's features nightly live music and Southern comfort food inspired by the musicians’ grandmother’s recipes. Reimagined Southern comfort food options from executive chef Mario Nichols include collard and artichoke dip, chicken and dumplings, shrimp and grits, pulled pork sandwiches, and banana pudding. Decor from OLY Studios aims to transport visitors to Grandma Nellie’s hometown of Belmont, N.C., with weathered barn wood, white shiplap cottage walls, handmade furnishings, and artwork inspired by the Smoky Mountains. Guest enter the space through a structural hallway inspired by the quilts Grandma Nellie collected; other on-theme details included a front porch-inspired space with birdhouses and hanging flowerpot chandeliers; a bar area with table legs inspired by horses; and private dining rooms (pictured) that evoke Belmont’s picturesque meadows. The eatery is located near the entrance to the Grand Garden Arena, a 100,000-square-foot multifunctional facility that can seat up to 17,000 guests.

One of the season’s buzziest openings is The Bedford by Martha Stewart, which opened in August at the Paris Las Vegas. Developed by the lifestyle icon herself and her team of experts, the restaurant’s menu features French-inspired cuisine with fresh ingredients sourced locally, intending to evoke an authentic dining experience at Stewart’s own 1925 country farmhouse. Menu highlights include a whole roast herb chicken, carved tableside, along with classic Niçoise salad, oysters Rockefeller, and an upside-down lemon meringue pie, while signature cocktails boast fun names the "Martha-tini" and the frozen pomegranate "Martha-rita." The 194-seat dining room was also designed by Stewart—and even includes an accurate replica of her brown faux-bois dining room. The stylish space features a neutral, subtle color palette and hanging greenery, plus a collection of hanging copper pans from the MARTHA by Martha Stewart collection. Special food and cocktail packages are available for groups larger than 14.

The 1,613-room SAHARA Las Vegas unveiled its $200 million renovation in April. The property now offers more than 95,000 square feet of indoor-outdoor venue space for private or corporate events, along with a full-service catering and banquet team. The casino and resort has nine ballrooms; the largest spans 8,824 square feet and accommodates 700 guests. Additional event-friendly venues throughout the property include the AZILO Ultra Pool, which features a stage area, LED screens and massive LED wall, and space for 2,000 standing or 1,180 seated. There’s also an adjacent lounge space that holds 240, and two other rooftop pool areas that hold 300 and 250, respectively. Live entertainment spaces include the SAHARA Theatre (pictured), which holds 1,200 and has 12 VIP booths and three full-service bars, and the smaller Magic Mike Theater, which holds 446. Various restaurants are also available for full buyouts, including Bazaar Meat by José Andrés, which holds 500 people.

Also at SAHARA Las Vegas, James Beard Award winner Shawn McClain and his partners, Richard and Sarah Camarota, opened their newest Las Vegas restaurant, Balla Italian Soul, in September. The regional, seasonal menu focuses on the lighter aspects of Italian cuisine, including vegetable dishes, handmade pastas, and seafood. The stylish space was designed by Innovativo Design, and welcomes guests with a glass charcuterie station, plus a bar area with a bricked ceiling reminiscent of Roman wine cellars. Wood and brass fixtures line the main dining area, which is anchored by lit olive trees and Italian photography. The main dining room seats 120, while a private dining room seats 12.

Caesars Palace recently wrapped up a multimillion-dollar renovation of its original main entrance, casino dome, and porte-cochère. The redesigned space now offers a coffered ceiling and an intricate marble mosaic floor, along with a 15-foot-tall Carrara marble statue of Augustus Caesar. The raised ceiling features hand-painted illustrations of Roman gods and a chandelier containing 70,000 crystals. Beyond the entryway are two new gaming pits, plus energy-efficient LED lighting and reimagined carpet, wall, and ceiling coverings. Also new is the lobby’s Galleria Bar, which has 24 seats, 22 multi-game slot machines, and a menu of signature cocktails. Overall, the 3,980-room Caesars Palace resort features 130,000 square feet of casino space, the 75,000-square-foot OMNIA Nightclub, the 4,300-seat Colosseum, and more.

Looking for a memorable spot to entertain your VIPs? In July, the conservatory and botanical garden at The Bellagio opened The Garden Table, an immersive dining experience for as many as six guests. Diners get access to pre-fixe brunch or dinner menus by the award-winning teams at MICHAEL MINA Bellagio and Sadelle’s Cafe while sitting within the conservatory’s latest displays. This summer, for example, that meant an homage to the animal kingdom (pictured), where guests sat amongst 28 animal sculptures and close to 10,000 plants and flowers. For fall, the conservatory has a harvest theme, and The Garden Table’s design and menus rotate depending on the season. The Bellagio has a number of standout event spaces, including the 45,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom; the 6,082-square-foot Grand Patio; an exhibition kitchen available for team-building activities, cooking demos, and receptions; rentable art galleries; and much more.

Looking to get off the Strip? Spiedini Fiamma Italian Bistro opened on Oct. 5 at Rampart Casino, part of the Resort at Summerlin complex. Situated on the main promenade connecting the casino and the JW Marriott Las Vegas, the restaurant brings an airy, coastal vibe to the desert, with shades of blue and curves mimicking waves throughout the design. There’s also light-colored marble and quartz counters, sand-colored stacked stone and light tiles, and lush blue velvet banquettes. Paying homage to fiamma in the name are various flame-inspired features, including fire pits on the patio and an open kitchen. A standout event space is the 1,400-square-foot wraparound patio, which features lush greenery, waterfalls, and koi ponds. There’s also a private dining room, as well as semiprivate spaces that can accommodate between 16-50 guests. The resort includes a 50,000-square-foot casino and more than 100,000 square feet of event space, plus 50 acres of gardens and a resort-style pool.