MGM Resorts International announced recently that one of its signature properties in Las Vegas, Mandalay Bay, will be undergoing renovations. The resort has been on the Strip since 1999.
MGM officials said they will be spending at least $100 million on the resort’s convention center. The goal is to create a brighter and more vibrant atmosphere. MGM will be sticking with Mandalay Bay’s tropical theme, but will be upgrading the convention center’s technological infrastructure and installing new digital signage.
“With Mandalay Bay home to many of the city’s top events and trade shows year after year, we recognized the need to upgrade the space to reflect modern-day needs and create a timeless design complemented by our service experience,” said Ernest Stovall, vice president of sales for Mandalay Bay. “We listened to feedback from meeting planners over recent years and are confident this refreshed and upgraded space will exceed their needs and expectations in every way.”
Specifically, 11 digital walls, each measuring 24 feet by 13 feet, will enable brand placement, event-oriented messaging, and sponsorship highlighting. Twenty double-sided mobile “flexible display units” will also help conventioneers get to where they’re going. For safety, all meeting rooms will be retrofitted with radio-frequency-identification locks and more than 220 motion-detection cameras will be installed throughout the center.
These improvements come after the casino recently installed CAT6A ethernet cabling in the convention center, doubling the speed of data transmission. MGM likens it to downloading a 4K-resolution feature film in 30 seconds.
Some of the other planned improvements include brighter illumination and intimate seating nooks. That part of the project is a partnership with Vegas-based Dezmotif Studios. It will also repaint all walls, ceilings, and pillars. The new color scheme is described as “cerulean and coral tones … accentuated by warm walnut accent walls.”
Last, but not least from MGM’s perspective, is an ongoing emphasis on public art by minority and otherwise under-represented artists. Among the names floated for inclusion are Thandiwe Muriu and Sarah Anne Johnson.
The entire project is expected to take more than two years to be completed. Also planned are a renovation of the Four Seasons’ 424 guest rooms and suites, a makeover of Stripsteak restaurant and the addition of Flanker Kitchen + Sports Bar next summer.
