Thunderbird Hotel to host Saints Row event Saturday

Las Vegas is turning into Santo Ileso – at least for one night.

The Thunderbird Boutique Hotel will host the Saints Row: No Vacancy Party from 7 to 11:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are free.

“We wanted to bring the game to life, so to speak,” Koch Media Director of Marketing Andrew Blumberg said. “We wanted to do an event that people could really experience the game and not just watch on their monitors.”

The Thunderbird will be reimagined as a real-life version of Santo Ileso, the fictional city in the upcoming Saints Row (Aug. 23).

“Saints Row is a long-established franchise with a ton of fans,” Blumberg said. “It’s really fun with the characters and the gameplay and the types of things you can do. The personalization, the expansive open world and the tone of the game, it’s all really fun and gave us a ton of material to work with.”

Actors portraying characters from the game will be roaming around the premise. There will also be a food truck based on one of the criminal enterprises in Saints Row, and a boss factory that allows you to sample customization items from the game, including clothing and accessories, and get your photo taken. There will also be a Saints Row-inspired tattoo parlor, muscle cars and saloon games.

In addition, Metalachi, a heavy metal mariachi band, will perform.

“It’s a Saints Row themed event with tons of artwork from the game and experiences based on the game,” Blumberg said.

While Santo Ileso is a fictional city, it takes influences from the American Southwest, including Las Vegas.

“I know that the city is not based on one particular place in the Southwest,” Blumberg said. “But there’s a lot of Vegas in Saints Row. Las Vegas felt like the perfect fit for the vibe we wanted to create with this event.”

Guests will be asked to show proof of vaccination. For those who are unvaccinated, masks will be required. The event is open to people ages 17 and over. To RSVP, click here.