Billed as the “The Atomic-Powered Singer,” Elvis Presley fizzled in his April 23, 1956, Las Vegas debut at the New Frontier. His 1969 career comeback show at the International Hotel was a completely different story.
The King’s subsequent seven-year run of 636 sold-out shows vaulted Vegas entertainment from intimate showrooms and nightclubs into large-scale arenas and stadiums.
Seventy years later, show time in Vegas means global superstars performing on tour and in residencies in buildings including Allegiant Stadium, T-Mobile Arena and next-generation wonderland Sphere. Vegas is now a global sports capital and championship city, with the fun and games extending to dynamic new meeting venues, clubs, restaurants and activities.
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Staying Ahead of the Game
Following the success of Super Bowl LVIII in 2024, the Big Game returns to Vegas and Allegiant Stadium in 2029. Offering 125,000-plus square feet of versatile space, the 65,000-seat multipurpose venue was Billboard’s top-grossing stadium in the U.S. and second highest in the world for the second year running in 2025.
Celebrating its 10th anniversary this April, T-Mobile Arena has likewise been a multipurpose golden ticket for Vegas. Nicknamed, “The Fortress,” the 20,000-capacity venue generates constant excitement as home of the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights.
Seeing the team’s first home game on October 10, 2017, nine days after the Route 91 Harvest festival shooting, cemented my bond with Vegas. Making the Stanley Cup finals that year, the team raised the trophy in 2023.
Mandalay Bay’s 12,000-capacity Michelob ULTRA Arena is home court of another Vegas victor, the three-time WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces.
Vegas is now an official contender for an NBA expansion team. Major League Baseball is on track for the 2028 season as the Las Vegas Athletics’ new 33,000-seat ballpark takes shape. An investment group is looking into relocating Major League Soccer’s Vancouver Whitecaps to Vegas. The Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix roars back this November for the fourth time.
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Welcome to Oz
Residencies are another Presley legacy. After celebrating their 50th anniversary in 2025, magicians Penn & Teller marked 25 years at Rio Las Vegas this January, the longest-ever engagement at a Vegas property.
Launched in 1993 at Treasure Island (TI) Hotel & Casino along with the resort, Mystère is Cirque du Soleil’s first and longest-running show in Vegas. With a prime Strip location, TI, offering 18,000 square feet of space, remains a value-driven destination for groups.
Nearing completion, the $1.5 billion refresh of Venetian Resort Las Vegas includes 4,000 reimagined suites and the $188 million design-led makeover of the Venetian Convention & Expo Center. With most of the 2.25 million-square-foot venue now beautified and upgraded with high-tech enhancements, the exquisite new 10,000-square-foot Lusso Lounge opens later this year as a refined retreat for executive meetings.
Caesars Palace’s Strip frontage now sizzles like St. Tropez following last month’s scheduled opening of OMNIA Dayclub & Skybar.
Created in partnership with Tao Group Hospitality, the multilevel entertainment and pool complex connects to OMNIA Nightclub for a seamless day-to-night experience. The ribbon-cutting even featured an Evel Knievel-inspired motorcycle jump. America’s original daredevil is also back at the new interactive Evel Knievel Experience scheduled to open this month in the Arts District.
Since debuting in September 2023 with a 40-show residency by rock legends U2, the engineering and technological wonder that is Sphere continues to wow concertgoers and corporate attendees. The live experience venue has completely redefined entertainment, just as Elvis Presley did 70 years ago. As of January, ticket sales for regular showings of The Wizard of Oz at Sphere had exceeded the 2 million mark.
