A rendering of the 5,000-seat theater that will be built at the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino, Las Vegas.
In what looks to be the creation of Las Vegas’ own L.A. Live-type campus, MGM Resorts International announced plans for a 5,000-seat theater at Monte Carlo Resort and Casino. The theater will be positioned between Monte Carlo and New York New York, adjacent to MGM Resorts’ and AEG Live’s 20,000-seat Las Vegas Arena currently under construction on Las Vegas Blvd.
With AEG Live as a development partner, The Park, an eight-acre entertainment district surrounding the new arena, could resemble L.A. Live as a complex of various entertainment venues and restaurants once it is completed in April 2016. The arena and theater will operate together much like Staples Center and Microsoft Theater do in Los Angeles.
“This is transformative not just for Monte Carlo, but for MGM Resorts,” said Monte Carlo General Manager Patrick Miller. “This kind of mid- to large-scale theater is definitely something new for us to work on. This is really a precursor to a lot of change. If you think about the neighborhood, all of that combined becomes this big segment and energy corridor that the theater just fits into. So it’s really the precursor for a lot of discussion around Monte Carlo and exciting changes for that property situation in the center of that neighborhood.”
A rendering of Las Vegas Arena, which will open in Spring 2016.
Las Vegas Arena is looking to be the home of Las Vegas’ first NHL team. The arena would be able to seat 17,500 in the hockey configuration. The $375-million project was designed by Populous with a 650,000-sq.-ft. building that will include 50 luxury suites and more than two dozen private loge boxes and looks to host 100 to 150 events annually.
The theater will broaden the MGM Resorts venue portfolio, which currently includes many large venues like Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand, festival lots and the new arena.
“Those are big scale venues for big events and fights, but what we didn’t have in the company portfolio was a mid-to-large-scale venue,” said Miller. “It really adds a great component for any big-scale artists that want that intimate approach, whether that’s in a resident format or just a one-off show that they’d want to do. This really provides for that. We thought that this was the perfect size, the perfect scale and obviously the perfect location.”
The estimated $100-million project is set to break ground after Blue Man Group, Monte Carlo’s resident act, finishes its last show there in early October. Blue Man Group will be moving back where they started in Las Vegas years ago at the Luxor, while the new theater is slated to be completed by the end of 2016.
“It’s a huge footprint and definitely a solid outlet for Monte Carlo,” said Miller, “and we’re excited about it.”
Unique to the market, the theater will offer dynamic seating that allows for easy transformation into multiple configurations, reflecting the flexibility of the space. The bottom rows will be telescopic seating, allowing for an open floor plan for certain events.
“I think what’s unique about the format and structure of this theater at the Monte Carlo is you can certainly do the concerts, but you entertain every genre,” said Miller. “Everyone comes to Las Vegas to see their favorite acts, and some people love rock 'n' roll, some people love country, some people love pop. What’s exciting about the theater is its flexibility in that you can also do small-scale fights in this format as well. The venue also speaks to the EDM movement, and you can have a DJ on the stage. And finally, the format can be used as a conference center, too. You get a flat floor plan and you can do tables and conventions and meetings in that setting.”
Though no final plans have been set, Miller said they estimate a total of 150 events at the theater each year, and artist residencies are definitely an option as well.
“We know these artists are asking for it,” said Miller. “The struggle with being on tour and going on tour obviously is it's cost prohibitive and time prohibitive. It’s so much easier to come to our location where their fan base is already, since Vegas is the ultimate place to go see a show and fan bases will always travel here. The tour schedule might not be right for them, but certainly several weekends a year would work great in Las Vegas.”
When it came to the design of the theater, Miller said it was important that Montreal-based Sceno Plus factor in Las Vegas Arena's presence nearby. The finished product complements the park district and includes a connection to the locale and the desert, while providing a contemporary feel with the glass structure.
“Our designer did a great job of really respecting how impactful that arena is going to be," said Miller. "This theater has to be just as impactful and complement that. I think it really reflects a modern desert feel in a great setting.”
Interviewed for this story: Patrick Miller, (702) 692-6729