The highly acclaimed show “Absinthe” is a mix of acrobatics, cabaret and adult humor. Courtesy Photo

Dining and entertainment are part of every meeting in one form or another. It might be as simple as providing necessary food and beverage for attendees, or as complex as a strategy to meet goals and increase ROI. Whatever planners’ goals are related to dining and entertainment at their meetings, few destinations can provide such an immense range of options as Las Vegas.

The city is widely known as the entertainment capital of the world, and few would dispute the title. From the very beginning, Las Vegas shed its ranching and railroad roots to embrace the entertainment value of its casinos and the Hollywood stars that flocked to perform in them. The city hasn’t looked back since, evolving into the entertainment and dining powerhouse it is today.

Las Vegas has more than 2,000 restaurants. Some hotels have as many as 40 dining and beverage outlets. There are multiple shows day and night, including residencies, comedians, magic shows, dinner shows, concerts and, of course, the acrobatics of Cirque du Soleil. Then, there’s Sphere, an extravaganza of technology, artistry and design created out of a head-spinning concoction of scientific and math principles, laws, theorems and equations that most of us have never heard of. The result is a one-of-a-kind venue. At just a year old, Sphere will undoubtedly hold its place at the top of the “must see” list for years to come.

The choices can be overwhelming, especially for planners and groups that don’t know Las Vegas well. So, how do planners leverage the endless opportunities the city offers and what will that mean to their meetings? Kim Becker, CMP, DES, SEPC, MBA, president of Louisville, KY-based Emerald Meeting & Event Planning, says the answer almost always depends on the specific meeting and who is organizing it. “I would say that dining and entertainment are important for any organization meeting that’s bringing together attendees and vendors. While the hosting organization may not utilize options outside of the hotel, many of the vendors will.”

Becker says dining and entertainment can serve all kinds of important functions in a meeting. Depending on how it’s used, and in what venue and part of the meeting, dining and entertainment can wow attendees and clients in the host hotel or provide an opportunity to experience a venue beyond the hotel. They can give small groups within the conference a special experience or provide a networking opportunity for certain attendees apart from the main conference.

Bonding can also be a benefit of wisely used dining and entertainment elements, depending on the size of the event. Becker says, “I was at a small group dinner of eight people hosted by an exhibitor recently and we discovered that three of us have outside interests in common, which definitely expanded my knowledge and contacts in that area.”

As to the question of how dining and entertainment can contribute to the ROI of a meeting, Becker goes back to vendors hosting their own events within a meeting. “I think that definitely contributes to the vendors’ ROI for the meeting,” she says. “And in turn, that contributes to the ROI for the meeting organizer. For instance, if there is very positive feedback from vendors about all the great dining and entertainment options in Vegas, then they are more likely to renew their relationship (in whatever way — exhibits, sponsorship, etc.) when the organization returns to Vegas the next time and be excited about it.”

Becker says that in many ways the various dining and entertainment elements of a meeting can almost function as their own meetings within a meeting. “I’ve worked for clients who were hosting advisory groups, so the first-night meal at a local restaurant was almost like its own meeting where it had its own site visit and tasting and was a vital kickoff to the rest of the week. And then, I’ve worked for groups that want to provide appropriate food and beverage as allocated by the registration fee, but nothing exceptional. I’ve had several groups who have used dining to build a rapport with the C-suite teams, staff or board.”

Dining and entertainment, she points out, can provide far more than a good time. “I worked for a Fortune 25 that really wanted to go all out for its sales group,” Becker says. “There was a specific desire to have menus they wouldn’t forget and musical entertainment they couldn’t see anywhere else.”

Providing a good time in conjunction with the serious business of a meeting can, in fact, be good business. Adding avenues for networking and bonding in a fun way can be very productive. “You want to make sure everyone enjoys the specialness because, even though it’s not downtime, it’s also not meeting time. It’s often the opportunity for attendees to have a little more relaxed conversation with a beverage,” says Becker.

Some entertainment serves a dual purpose in a conference. Speakers can elicit laughs and/or awe, but they can also weave in messages that align with a company’s goals and values. “I’ve had some clients that use comedians and magicians for the meeting portion of the event,” Becker notes. “And others that simply want tickets to a Cirque show.”

She says one of her favorite restaurants is Hugo’s Cellar in The Queens. “It’s old Vegas and it’s not for everybody. That’s the thing about Las Vegas; if you can’t find what you’re looking for, you’re not looking hard enough.”

Becker also points out that COVID did change a lot about group dining and the residuals of that still impact planners. “We have to think about dining differently than we once did in terms of logistics.”

To planners considering Las Vegas for a meeting, Becker says one way to work effectively with entertainment and dining is to treat these functions like their own separate meeting. “I do believe you need to make sure that you’re not deviating from the mission or values of the overall meeting; however, if you’re looking to have a wow dinner or entertainment, you need to think about it like it’s its own entity and what that looks like from the first planning step to the minute the event is over.”

Marissa Kilkenny, event producer and owner of MarKeting Manners LLC and co producer for Up Your Aly Events, says that dining and entertainment are integral to her business in terms of drawing clients and creating a successful event. “It is always situational to me,” she says, “but a large part of my business is over-the-top experiences and wowing clients and their attendees. That brings people together; they can all look back on the event or moment as special because it’s not something that everyone has access to. I think the more you wow guests and attendees, the more they keep coming back to your meetings and events.”

That said, she adds, “As humans, we’re constantly overstimulated, so I think it is also important to balance an event’s dining and entertainment with relaxation moments as well.”

Planners have many considerations in terms of ways to productively use dining and entertainment within a meeting. There are basic meal functions, of course, and the obvious wow factor that can serve to drive attendance among other things. But these functions can also work to entertain VIPs and to bring together a company’s executives on their own or with important clients. Organizers can use a special event during the main meeting to reward top employees, or the planning team might use an offsite lunch or dinner to connect and strategize during an event. “I think it is a combination of all of the above,” Kilkenny says. “We have to eat and dine at these meetings, but a reception with great entertainment is a fun way to start or end a program — or both! These events can seal the program and keep everyone engaged.”

Additionally, she says, “I think the more serious and intense the meeting, the more dining and entertainment need to be top level. Work hard, play hard — and there’s no better city to do that in than Las Vegas!”

Moss Adams LLC held its One Firm Week conference in Las Vegas in June with 1,400 in attendance. Stacy Weber, CMP, the company’s meeting, travel & procurement senior manager, says Las Vegas is an ideal meeting destination for many reasons, noting that it also offers a number of resources, including LVCVA, the city’s CVB, for planners who want to incorporate dining and entertainment into their meetings.

“We needed to find 15 restaurants that could accommodate 75-600 guests for dinner and the LVCVA was able to provide suggestions and contact information, which significantly decreased our workload. And both Caesars and MGM have group dining teams that help you with availability and options and connect you with the individual sales managers at the properties or venues you’re interested in. This centralized approach makes the whole process so much easier. Outside of those venues, Brooklyn Bowl, a Caesars Entertainment venue on the LINQ Promenade, was a pleasure to work with and very much enjoyed by our attendees.”

Once the group settled on Las Vegas as the meeting destination, Weber says the next order of business was to find a hotel that met their requirements. “We needed a hotel that could fit the size of our group (rooms and space), had the dates available and that we knew could provide the experience and service our attendees expected. Bellagio fit the bill from the beginning, and by the end had exceeded our expectations.”

However, with a group of 1,400, Weber still needed to book functions at a variety of venues. Fortunately, there’s no shortage of those in Las Vegas and planners can count on the quality for their groups that expect high-level dining and entertainment. “We hosted 13 dinners at hotel dining outlets across Bellagio, Caesars Palace, Cosmopolitan, Aria and Paris. All of them stood out because they each offered a different experience. The teams worked with us to create off-the-menu experiences, including a standing reception the first night and a buffet dinner the second night.”

Underscoring the city’s ability to continually reinvent and renew itself, Weber notes that 10 of the 13 dinners were at places that were new to the group. That alone makes Las Vegas a top choice for planners whose groups require not only top-level entertainment and dining but also an ever-changing selection of new options. And that begs the question, do you go with old favorites at times or always with what’s new and trending?

Weber says both. “We definitely repeat if it went well because why reinvent the wheel? But there’s always something new popping up in Las Vegas and we’re always excited to try those new options,” she says.

The bottom line, Weber states, is that there is no other place like Las Vegas, and there are endless opportunities to incorporate all kinds of dining and entertainment into meetings. “Every city has tremendous dining, entertainment and culture,” she says. “However, Las Vegas does it best. Whether you’re on or off the Strip, anything you can imagine is available to you. Las Vegas understands and appreciates groups and meetings, and the venues are always willing to step out of the box to partner with you to make sure you’re getting the event you want.”

Some entertainment offerings in Las Vegas go beyond the imagination. That includes not only creative shows and A-list entertainers, but also only-in-Las-Vegas venues such as Sphere, which is attached to The Venetian. Sphere is amazing to see from the outside — and it can be seen from many points in the city — but for that truly “bucket list” experience planners want to give their attendees and executives, you have to be inside.

For those who have never experienced Sphere, prepare to be in awe by the five Aura robots in the Grand Atrium who are there to greet guests and answer any questions you see fit. The best introduction to the technology that makes Sphere special is “Postcard From Earth,” a 50-minute commissioned film by Darren Aronfsky that provides a perspective on planet Earth that will immerse all of the senses. For groups that have already done that part of Sphere, there are a variety of shows and other experiences, including a version of U2s Sphere concert that will make attendees feel they are at the original live show. It also makes a great place for a presentation or event.

Kilkenny calls Sphere a phenomenon. “What a great way to dine and then experience the Sphere with colleagues. It’s unique to Vegas and such an amazing location for any type of event,” she says.

With so many choices, it’s hard to pick favorites, but there are a few options for planners and groups that stand out for Kilkenny. “Absinthe is a very fun show,” she says, “and O by Cirque du Soleil is still everyone’s favorite. As for culinary experiences, she says groups will do well at “any of the amazing restaurants along the fountains, and PRIME, one of the most well-known steakhouses in town (and beyond), is a true classic staple. For those who want to combine dinner and a show,” Kilkenny says, “Mayfair Supper Club provides clients with a true dinner and show experience.”

To planners wanting to know how best to incorporate dining and entertainment into a meeting, Kilkenny says, “Nothing is too big, and no detail is too small. I love adding special touches all over the dining experience — menu cards, logos on desserts, staff in company colors, specialty cocktails and so on. That allows for a fun and captivating experience and clients feel very special.”

However you want to incorporate dining and entertainment into your meeting, whatever the size and makeup of your group, whatever meeting goals you have, Las Vegas will deliver — and then some. C&IT