Mandalay Bay spends $100M to update its convention space’s design and tech | Conventions

The $100 million renovation of Mandalay Bay hotel-casino’s 2.1 million-square-foot convention center has been completed.

The just under two-year renovation of the convention center included updating technology, infrastructure, digital signage, and refreshed interior design to incorporate the Mandalay Bay’s tropical theme to the convention center, the resort said. The renovation was first announced in fall 2022.

Some of the new technology includes over 200 motion-detection cameras and the installation of new Ethernet cables, which is set to double the frequency of transferring data and internet speed, the resort said. Additionally, 11 digital walls to display event-specific messaging were added as well as 20 double-sided 55-inch flexible display units.

Ernest Stovall, vice president of hotel sales at Mandalay Bay, said the extensive renovation and updates will ensure the convention center can continue to offer high-end and modern meeting spaces for conventions and businesses.

“Our goal is to evolve alongside the meetings industry to meet the needs of the modern customer,” Stovall said in a statement. “Based on invaluable insights from our customer advisory board, we crafted a space at Mandalay Bay that sets a new standard in excellence and reflects the future of modern meetings, events and trade shows.”

The interior of the Mandalay Bay Convention Center was updated to a tropical theme with white-washed walls and ceilings along with floral designs in cerulean and coral colors and walnut accent walls. Other updates include streamlined signage, enhanced lighting and new seating areas.

The design work was overseen in a collaboration between MGM Resorts International’s Design Group and Dezmotif Studios. The renovations included the addition of work from artists Thandiwe Muriu, Sarah Anne Johnson and others as part of MGM Resorts International’s corporate fine art program.

Mandalay Bay Convention Center, which with the hotel-casino is owned and operated by MGM Resorts International, is the fifth-largest convention space in North America.

In a 2023 ranking by The Wall Street Journal of the top 30 convention centers in the U.S., Mandalay Bay Convention Center came in at No. 7. The Las Vegas Convention Center grabbed the top spot, and The Venetian Expo came in third.

Mandalay Bay isn’t the only convention space that has looked to upgrade its space. The Las Vegas Convention Center is in the middle of a $600 million, 2½-year renovation. The renovations will bring the rest of Las Vegas Convention Center to the standards of the $1 billion West Hall, which debuted in 2021.

Contact Sean Hemmersmeier at shemmersmeier@reviewjournal.com. Follow @seanhemmers34 on X.