Yesterday at 2.30am in Las Vegas (10.30 GMT) the last Riviera Hotel & Casino tower was imploded to make space on the Las Vegas Strip for the development of Las Vegas Convention Center District.
The implosion is billed as a sign of the times, as the destination moves away from gambling and casinos, to conferences, meetings and events.
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Chris Meyer, vice president of global business sales, Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority said: “The implosion of the final tower of the Riviera Hotel to make room for the Las Vegas Convention Centre District, is symbolic of a shift that is happening in Las Vegas, that focuses on the meetings and events industry.
“This industry is so vital for the Las Vegas economy, generating an estimated US$9.3bn impact, and each year we see the conference, meetings and event facilities from our hotel partners grow to meet the needs of business travellers and companies holding their events in the destination. Las Vegas has been named the No. 1 trade show destination in the North America for a record 22 consecutive years by the Trade Show News Network and this expansion will help us maintain our reputation as a leading destination for business travel.“
Las Vegas is home to three of the ten largest convention centres in the United States.
The Las Vegas Convention Center is currently at capacity during peak seasons but the 600,000 square foot expansion planned for the Riviera Hotel sight is intended to increase business and encourage larger exhibitions and events.
“We are a city that never stops developing, and this implosion really is a landmark event in a monumental shift towards meetings and events,” Meyer added.
