Meeting News - March 24, 2008 - (Page 46)

Destination Insider: Las Vegas Ritz-Carlton’s Pavilion with a View Goodwilled Hunting, But Challenges Await Scavengers T he most recent teambuilding offering by events ﬁrm Atom Las Vegas is a twist on the classic scavenger hunt set within the MGM Mirage properties. Dubbed “The Hunt,” the game involves a “clue shrew” who gives teams leads and takes them to speciﬁc locations. But it’s hard to know whether she’s help- ing much. The clue shrew may be giving false leads, and it’s up to teams working together to ﬁgure out what is true and false, and ﬁnd the next item on the scavenger hunt list. “It’s a very interactive activity that demands that the members of each team think in a new way,” said Jay Joseph, Atom’s owner and president. Groups get up close and personal with sharks at Mandalay Bay. Along with deductive reasoning, scavengers will also need to use other skills. One of the scavenger list items could be a team photo with the sharks at Mandalay Bay’s Shark Reef exhibit—without paying to get in. This requires a team to play to the strengths of each of its members—recognizing the best negotiator or most persuasive speaker, for example—and taking advantage of their talents. —HWB The Ritz-Carlton’s new Pontevecchio Pavilion opened earlier this month on the shores of Lake Las Vegas near the resort’s Pontevecchio Bridge. Touted as the ﬁrst event space of its kind in southern Nevada, the facility is a fully acclimatized, glass-enclosed ballroom with the same Tuscan-inspired decor of the 349-room resort. Receptions, meal events, meetings, and exhibits can take advantage of sceneic mountain and waterfront views in the 4,920-sf non-traditional ballroom, which can host up to 300 people, has three full sides of windows, and includes an extensive catering kitchen. —HWB Room to Breathe at Expanded Spas Canyon Ranch SpaClub at the Venetian ResortHotel-Casino is scheduled to complete a project next month that will expand the facility from 69,000 sf to 134,000 sf, spreading into newly opened sister hotel Palazzo Resort-Hotel-Casino. The facility will have more than 100 treatment and service spaces. A coed space called the Aquavana Experience is a European-inspired suite of thermal spa cabins, experiential showers, cold rooms, and thermal bathing experiences. Earlier, a fresh design at the Spa at the Mirage was unveiled in December. The spa now offers additional treatment rooms and a menu featuring botanical elements, such as “Onsen Longevity”—a fullbody exfoliation that uses a blend of powdered bamboo, Japanese yuzu, grapefruit, and rice—and “Sweet Red Rose,” a facial that uses handpicked rose petals to soothe sensitive skin. —HWB Suite Life for Incentive Winners Over-the-top suites aren’t a new phenomenon in Las Vegas, but now all guests can sample the VIP experience, complete with a wide array of in-room entertainment options. “What is so great about these sites and the services that go with them is that it really helps you to theme your entire experience,” said Bryan Allison,VP of marketing for Vegas.com. “The level of service these suites offer is an amazing incentive opportunity,” said Jeremy Handel, a spokesperson for the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority.“These suites aren’t made for couples; they are created for groups.” While most guests revel in private cabanas, there are a select few who can take private laps in their rooms hundreds of feet above the Strip with the six Sky Villas at Palms Casino Resort. The Palms also has the Fantasy Suites,including the Kingpin Suite (see “Venues That Bowl Them Over”on p. 44) and the two-level, 10,000-sf Hardcourt Suite featuring a half-court basketball ﬂoor. Personalized team jerseys and cheerleaders can be arranged. The Skylofts at MGM Grand offer guests its 46 MeetingNews March 24, 2008 Dream and Spa Butlers, who will give them transporting sensory experiences from a variety of theme packages. Meanwhile, spa seekers can be accommodated by the 1,816-sf Salon Suites at the Wynn resort, which offer hot-stone therapy. —DY At the Venetian’s 134,000-sf Canyon Ranch SpaClub, attendees will have lots of elbow room. www.meetingnews.com http://www.Vegas.com http://www.meetingnews.com

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Meeting News - March 24, 2008

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