About two years and $170 million after beginning construction, the Aria debuted its expanded convention center last month.
The project, which added 200,000 square feet of meetings and convention space, almost doubled the existing facility and brought the total footprint to 500,000 square feet across multiple floors. Integrated with the original convention center, the expansion adds ballrooms with built-in stages, indoor/outdoor breakout rooms and spaces with natural light, views and floor-to-ceiling windows.
"Convention business demand at Aria continues to grow, especially as planners discover we can accommodate larger groups, allowing us to book into 2020 and beyond," said Tony Yousfi, vice president of sales. "With this expansion, we can better service our clients' needs and increase the spectrum of events we can host."
Also new to the meetings area is the Cypress Executive Lounge, a 3,000-square-foot business lounge with fully stocked pantry, small suites for private or one-on-one work, a conference room with capacity for 30 and an elegant study with plush leather furniture and shelves stocked with books.
The top floor of the convention center is also home to a nontraditional meetings venue, the 21,000-square-foot Primrose ballroom, which can host up to 2,000 attendees and includes a pair of open-air verandas. The new construction also adheres to LEED Gold standard, making it an environmentally friendly meetings facility.
And the travel industry is already singing the praises of the new development.
"When selecting a location for our largest annual event, only the best will suffice for the world's top and most discerning travel advisers from countries across the globe," said David Hansen, Virtuoso's senior vice president of events, in a statement. "Aria's remarkable new space has elevated their already impressive game to a whole new level, which will allow us to continue hosting Virtuoso Travel Week, luxury travel's preeminent show, in Las Vegas."
For more information, visit aria.com/en/meetings-groups/meetings-and-conventions.html.