Incentive - February 2008 - (Page 78)

TRAVEL LAS VEGAS portfolio of properties, and reports having 25 major conservation projects currently under way. The company recently created an executive “green team” to focus on these efforts. They Say the Neon Lights Are Bright Like its retail and dining industries, Vegas is hosting plenty of exports from New York in its entertainment venues. Broadway shows including Spamalot, Phantom of the Opera, and Mamma Mia! have proved strong draws for incentive groups, providing Big Apple shows with a Vegas twist (unlike on the East Coast, audi- Studio 54 at the MGM Grand, a modern version of the 54th St. original ences are encouraged to bring drinks into the theater). In April, the Frankie Valli musical, Jersey Boys, will open at the Palazzo. Most major acts (and plenty of smaller ones) make Vegas part of their tour, and big-name acts can be enjoyed at venues from the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay to the massive MGM Grand Garden Arena. Though Celine Dion, the big draw of Caesars’ Colosseum, left at the end of 2007, Bette Midler begins this month, with Elton John returning with his acclaimed The Red Piano show in March and Jerry Seinfeld filling in dates throughout the year. And of course the entertainment giant Cirque du Soleil continues to spread its acrobatic powers across the city. In addition to premiering a new Criss Angel–inspired show later this year at the Luxor, Cirque has an Elvis-themed show opening with CityCenter. While many Broadway shows rotate through the theaters, Cirque just keeps bringing Vegas additional shows without retiring any. Even Cirque-like shows, such as the Franco Dragone creation, La Rêve, have drawn large and consistent audiences. While most incentive trips build in blocks of free time for winners to rest or shop, in Las Vegas these free times are almost a necessity in order to allow attendees to enjoy the vast array of options. Rich Weber, the CEO of Destination Vegas, a local DMC, is having the 100 to 150 travelers taking part in a March program choose their own entertainment for Saturday night. “They just go online and see what shows they want to see, what they want to do, what their preference is,” says Weber. “Rather than pick a show as a group, we’ve elected to let that be their choice. If they want to see a show, then we select a show. If they want to go gamble, they’re on their own.” PRA expands this choose-your-own entertainment concept by offering “Show Arounds,” taking smaller groups to different pairings of restaurants and shows. Visitors can go online prior to the trip and choose from several options: a meal at the Venetian’s Aquanox followed by the Blue Man Group or dinner at Bellagio’s fashionably casual Fix before a performance of Cirque du Soleil’s O. To make the event truly memorable, planners can consider getting groups fully involved in the activities through a themed evening. In the fall, PRA entertained a group of about 300 from a Houston food company by hosting a reception at the Mirage’s Revolution Lounge before going to LOVE, featuring music from The Beatles’ catalog, but guests were encouraged to dress as their favorite Beatle, any era. The MGM Grand’s Studio 54 nightclub (another New York clone) lends itself to getting winners involved in the action, both because of its lively ’70s aesthetic and the trapeze and swing that hang from the ceiling. “The CEO and two of his vice presidents all dressed up in costume and the CEO came down from the top in the swing,” recalls Miyoshi of a 600-person group. “It was fun. People do like to dress up.” s Planner Resources Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority www.lvcva.com CityCenter www.citycenter.com The Palazzo Las Vegas www.palazzolasvegas.com Trump International Hotel & Tower Las Vegas www.trumplv.com Harrah’s Entertainment www.harrahs.com Caesars Palace www.caesarspalace.com Wynn Las Vegas www.wynnlasvegas.com Springs Preserve www.springspreserve.org Activity Planners Inc. www.activityplanners.com PRA Destination Management www.pra.com/epra/destinations /LasVegas/index.html Destination Vegas www.destinationvegas.com Airline Resources Virgin America is now flying between Las Vegas’ McCarran International Airport and San Francisco. Virtually all other major carriers, including JetBlue, American and many international airlines can also get your group into the city. www.mccarran.com INCENTIVEMAG.COM/VEGAS Dining, entertainment and wasn’t there something else to do in Vegas? Read about gaming’s new role in the city. 78 | Incentive | February 2008 | incentivemag.com http://www.lvcva.com http://www.citycenter.com http://www.palazzolasvegas.com http://www.trumplv.com http://www.harrahs.com http://www.caesarspalace.com http://www.wynnlasvegas.com http://www.springspreserve.org http://www.activityplanners.com http://www.pra.com/epra/destinations/LasVegas/index.html http://www.destinationvegas.com http://www.mccarran.com http://www.incentivemag.com/vegas http://www.incentivemag.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Incentive - February 2008

Incentive Magazine - February 2008 Editor’s Note: Archie and the Boys In The News Cover Story: On The Ball Incentives Incentive Primer: How to Use Sporting Events Incentive Interview: Jim Avery on Doing the Right Thing Employee Empowerment Motivates and Pays Dividends Hospitals, Nurses Win With Flexible Scheduling Legal Ease: Safety Programs and Unions Case Study: The Weitz Company Retains Its Boomers Potentials: Here and Now Star Power in the Kitchen Awards: Gift Card Trends for the New Year Travel News The Manhattanization of Las Vegas Classics Renewed: Monaco and France Advertiser Index Off The Cuff: Tumi’s Mike Landry

Incentive - February 2008

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