10 New Venues in Las Vegas for Fall 2023 Meetings and Events

Fontainebleau Las Vegas is a 67-story luxury resort opening Dec. 13 on the Strip; it’s one of the largest luxury properties to open in Las Vegas in the last decade. The highly anticipated property will feature 3,644 hotel rooms and suites and 150,000 square feet of gaming space, a 95,500-square-foot luxury boutique retail district, and a 6-acre pool district. There’s also 550,000 square feet of customizable meeting and convention space that includes 57 breakout rooms, four ballrooms, and a 3,800-seat theater. Located just one block from the Las Vegas Convention Center, the new resort will also have 36 first-to-market concepts from award-winning chefs and restaurateurs like Gabriela Cámara, Masa Ito and Kevin Kim, Alan Yau, Evan Funke, David Grutman, and more. Other resort highlights include the 55,000-square-foot Lapis Spa—complete with 44 treatment rooms and a purifying salt cave—plus a 14,000-square-foot fitness center and a 10,000-square-foot penthouse suite. There’s the Fontainebleau Fleur de Lis suite collection, spanning the resort tower’s top five floors and offering personalized service for ultra-VIP guests.

Opening Nov. 20 is Durango Casino & Resort, a brand-new luxury venue from Station Casinos located in the southwest portion of the Las Vegas Valley. The 200-room property is a foodie haven, with highlights including the elevated Eat Your Heart Out food hall, Nicco’s Prime Cuts & Fresh Fish steakhouse, Mijo Modern Mexican Restaurant, and more; a highlight is Wax Rabbit (pictured), a 1,000-square-foot cocktail speakeasy from Clique Hospitality showcasing classic libations from Mexico. (Clique Hospitality also plans to open Bel-Aire Backyard, a stylish poolside retreat at the resort, in late spring 2024.) For events, Durango Casino & Resort boasts more than 25,000 square feet of space including the 15,290-square-foot Agave Ballroom, which holds more than 1,000 people, and a luxury penthouse with an eight-seat dining room, 24-hour butler service, and a private patio overlooking the Strip.

Peter Luger Steak House opened in October inside Caesars Palace. A spinoff of New York’s 135-year-old restaurant with the same name, the upscale eatery features a bar and an octagonal-shaped main dining room with a triple-height ceiling. Bronze chandeliers, brick archways, and photos of the brand’s history complete the elegant look. The menu is the same as the original New York location with the addition of a chilled seafood tower. The 8,700-square-foot restaurant was designed by Jeffrey Beers International; it has multiple private dining rooms and can seat more than 300 people.

The highly anticipated Sphere officially opened in September with a much-buzzed-about residency from U2. The skyline-changing venue has a 580,000-square-foot, fully programmable LED exterior (the largest LED screen on earth) called "The Exosphere”; it consists of approximately 1.2 million LED pucks, spaced 8 inches apart. Inside, Sphere’s main venue bowl can hold 17,600 seated or 20,000 standing and features immersive effects like changing temperatures, cool breezes, and custom scents to enhance experiences. There’s also a grand entry (pictured) that can hold 3,000 people and features unique, futuristic components like Aura the Robot, billed as the world’s most advanced humanoid robot, who welcomes guests to the venue. A variety of suites can hold up to 32 people for private events.

In late October, nongaming and nonsmoking hotel Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas announced the phase one completion of a multimillion-dollar propertywide renovation that includes a floor-to-ceiling redesign of all guest rooms and sites, upgrades to the 15,000 square feet of event space, and a redesign and relocation of the lobby and front desk. The 398 guest rooms (which include 84 suites) now complement the property’s surrounding desert landscape with a neutral color palette and calming hues contrasted by deep, warm colors. The new lobby, meanwhile, has an art deco-inspired design, and the event spaces emphasize natural light and a fresh and modern style. Phase two of the renovation will begin in spring 2024 and will be designed by Rockwell Group; it will add Peacock Alley (pictured), a 23rd-floor tea lounge and bar concept.

Looking to get off the Strip? Pine Bistro opened in September in Southern Highlands, a master-planned community located in the southern foothills of the Las Vegas Valley. The modern Mediterranean dining and nightlife experience, which has heavy Lebanese influences, is 21-and-up and serves family-style dishes and elevated cocktails, all using fresh ingredients delivered daily from California. Curated by AYYA Hospitality Group, Pine Bistro’s menu was refined by executive chef Dany Chebat with cocktails from lead bartender Lewis Caputa, who most recently worked at The Venetian. The airy dining room features wood decor, industrial touches, Turkish window frames, and a hand-painted mural; there’s also a 12-seat bar area and an outdoor terrace with Strip views and daily hookah service delivered by a roaming cart.

In July, Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas completed phase one of a luxury guest room and suite redesign, encompassing 409 of the property’s total 424 guest rooms and suites. (Phase two will complete the 15 specialty suites and is set to debut in late fall 2023.) Inspired by the morning light of the Mojave Desert and the floor-to-ceiling views of the surrounding Las Vegas Valley, the new textiles and finishes are designed to create a modern luxury retreat; the refresh was led by KES Studio in tandem with MGM Resorts International Design and Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. The nongaming hotel, located on the Strip, offers 38,300 square feet of event space; the largest ballroom spans more than 10,000 square feet with space for 900, while a pool area can host receptions of as many as 500 people.

Another property with newly refreshed rooms is SAHARA Las Vegas, which launched its remodeled Marra Tower suites in October. The luxury suites offer high ceilings; elegant brass inlays and marble accents; and updated amenities like Nespresso machines, a Grohe dual rain-head and handheld shower system, and automated blackout draperies. Overall, SAHARA Las Vegas features 1,613 guest rooms in three towers, plus more than 85,000 square feet of flexible meeting space. There are also two rooftop pools; a collection of acclaimed restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues; and a 60,000-square-foot casino.

Paradox Museum, located on the Strip near MGM Grand, opened in July. The 11,000-square-foot space, which features more than 90 exhibits, describes itself as a mind-bending museum that celebrates contradicting realities. The entire venue can be rented for private events and corporate gatherings for as many as 300 people, and comes complete with fully customizable event seating; AV equipment; and entertainment offerings like DJs, magicians, stilt walkers, and more. The unique museum can be rented by the hour or for full-day events; it also offers branding and event sponsorship opportunities starting at $1,000.

Ideal for small business meetings away from the hustle and bustle of the Strip, the 127-room SpringHill Suites by Marriott opened in July. Offering easy access to Allegiant Stadium and Harry Reid International Airport, the casual all-suite hotel spans 75,000 square feet and offers a pool and hot tub, fitness center, dining room, and 24-hour marketplace. For meetings, the nongaming property has a 345-square-foot boardroom that seats 10, and all rooms feature microwaves, mini-fridges, and workstations. The property is the fifth hotel in Southern Nevada that the Nigro family of companies, including Nigro Construction and Nigro Development, has built and now owns and operates.