MGM Grand Las Vegas
Template:Short description Template:About Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox casino The MGM Grand Las Vegas is a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It is owned by Vici Properties and operated by MGM Resorts International. The resort was developed by Kirk Kerkorian through his company, MGM Grand, Inc. Kerkorian had previously developed another MGM Grand, opened on the Strip in 1973, renamed Bally's in 1986, and again renamed Horseshoe in 2022.
Planning began in 1989 for the new MGM Grand. The resort opened on December 18, 1993. With more than 5,000 rooms, it was the largest hotel in the world at the time of its opening. Much of the hotel is 30 stories, excluding a 14-story section, which originally opened as the Marina Hotel in 1975. The MGM Grand includes a Template:Convert casino, the world's largest at the time of opening. The resort's dominant theme was the 1939 MGM film The Wizard of Oz, although such theming would be removed during a two-year renovation that began in 1996.
The MGM originally opened with a theme park, MGM Grand Adventures, which operated on Template:Convert northeast of the resort. The total cost for the MGM Grand and its theme park was $1 billion. MGM Grand Adventures closed in 2000, with the property replaced by The Signature at MGM Grand, a condo hotel; and a Topgolf attraction.
The MGM has featured restaurants from several prominent chefs, including Emeril Lagasse, Michael Mina, and Joël Robuchon. From 1997 to 2012, it also included Studio 54, a nightclub featuring memorabilia from the original Studio 54 in New York. The resort has several entertainment venues, including the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Longtime shows at the resort have included Kà and magician David Copperfield.
History
The property was originally the site of the Tropicana Country Club and the Golf Club Motel, both opened in the 1960s.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Marina (1975–1990)
Tom Wiesner, a Clark County Commissioner, co-founded Southwest Securities Development Company in 1972, and later founded Wiesner Investment Company.<ref name=LVRJ-Jun2002>Template:Cite news</ref> In November 1973, Southwest Securities was planning the Marina Hotel. It would be next to the Golf Club, which itself would receive a renovation.<ref name=Fred/> The Marina was built by Wiesner Investment Company,<ref name=LVRJ-Jun2002/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and opened on May 1, 1975.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The Marina was 14 stories,<ref name=Marina/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and contained 714 rooms,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> as well as a casino, two restaurants, and an entertainment lounge.<ref name=Marina/> The casino portion was initially operated by Allen Glick through his company, Argent Corporation.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Fred Harvey Company served as operator of the hotel, its restaurants, and other areas of the property. Fred Harvey had previously opened other Marina-branded hotels in the United States.<ref name=Fred>Template:Cite news</ref> Meanwhile, the adjacent Golf Club Motel later operated as the Mariner, before being demolished in 1986 to become a parking lot for the larger Marina.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The Marina faced financial problems in February 1987, owing $700,000 to the Internal Revenue Service.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Landlord Southwest Securities also filed a writ of attachment, seeking $393,000 in back rent from the resort's operators. The Marina filed for bankruptcy in March 1987,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and gaming was briefly shut down the following month, after the casino cage bankroll fell below $256,000, a minimum set by the Nevada Gaming Control Board.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In 1989, Wiesner and his partners agreed to sell the Marina to Kirk Kerkorian,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> through his company MGM Grand, Inc. Also purchased was the Tropicana Country Club, located behind the Marina.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Kerkorian announced plans to construct the MGM Grand Hotel and Theme Park on the parcels.<ref name=BuysMarina/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The project was part of ongoing efforts to make Las Vegas a family friendly tourist destination.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> An earlier MGM Grand had been opened by Kerkorian in 1973, at the center of the Las Vegas Strip;<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> it was rebranded as Bally's in 1986.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The present MGM is located near the southern end of the Strip, at the Tropicana – Las Vegas Boulevard intersection.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Kerkorian's $80 million purchase of the Marina was completed in January 1990.<ref name=BuysMarina>Template:Cite news</ref> The hotel structure was remodeled and briefly operated as the MGM Marina.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Tropicana Country Club closed later that year, followed by the MGM Marina on November 30, 1990, both making way for the MGM Grand.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Marina was incorporated into the MGM Grand, becoming its West Wing.<ref name=Marina>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
MGM Grand (1993–present)
A groundbreaking ceremony for the MGM Grand, heavily inspired by the resort's Wizard of Oz theme, was held on October 7, 1991.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A topping off ceremony followed on February 23, 1993.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Casino executive Clifford S. Perlman was named to oversee the resort and theme park,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> the latter known as MGM Grand Adventures. The MGM Grand and its theme park occupied Template:Convert,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and cost a total of $1 billion to build.<ref name=Simply/>
The MGM Grand opened to the public on the morning of December 18, 1993, following a private VIP party for 3,000 guests the night before.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The opening came three months earlier than initially planned, as construction proceeded ahead of schedule.<ref name=UPI>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The MGM employed 8,000 people.<ref name=Reynolds/> A 251-foot-high sign was added along the Strip shortly after the resort's opening, and was among the biggest signs in Las Vegas.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A monorail opened in 1995, connecting the MGM Grand with Bally's. It served as a forerunner to the Las Vegas Monorail.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 1996, the MGM Grand received a four-star rating from Mobil Travel Guide.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Rapper Tupac Shakur visited the MGM on the night of his murder in 1996. He attended the Bruce Seldon vs. Mike Tyson boxing match at the resort, and subsequently got into a fight with gang member Orlando Anderson in the hotel lobby, before being shot later that night just off the Strip.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In mid-1996, MGM Grand, Inc. began a 30-month, four-phase renovation of the resort.<ref name=NewLook>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=Monster>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Terrence Lanni, the chairman of MGM Grand, Inc., said he wanted customers to "feel like guests coming to a premiere of one of the world's greatest movies. When we're completed, every aspect of this property will bespeak entertainment."<ref name=Monster/> Much of the Wizard of Oz theming was removed during the renovation,<ref name=LVA/> and revenue improved substantially.<ref name=posed/> As the resort marked its 10th anniversary, additional renovation work was underway to help it compete against the nearby Mandalay Bay.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A $160 million hotel renovation took place from 2011 to 2012, marking the first makeover for the rooms in more than a decade.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The West Wing was renamed the Studio Tower in 2022, following renovations.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In January 2020, MGM Resorts announced that it would sell the resort to a joint venture consisting of MGM Growth Properties and The Blackstone Group. MGM Growth would own 50.1 percent of the joint venture, and Blackstone would own the remainder. The MGM Grand would be leased to MGM Resorts, which would continue to operate the resort.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The deal was finalized a month later.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Vici Properties bought MGM Growth in April 2022, and then bought out Blackstone's stake in the MGM Grand in January 2023.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Features
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Veldon Simpson was the MGM's architect,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> while the original interior design was handled by Henry Conversano & Associates, and Miller & Jedrziewski Associates.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Kamin/>
Hotel and casino
The MGM contains 5,044 rooms; its hotel towers rise up to 30 stories,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> while the original western wing remains a 14-story structure.<ref name=Marina/> The MGM originally opened with 5,005 rooms;<ref name=UPI/><ref name=Roar>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> by room count, this made it the largest hotel in the world, beating the Rossiya Hotel in Russia.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It remains the largest single-building hotel in the U.S.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Upon opening, the resort also included the world's largest casino, measuring Template:Convert. It featured 3,500 slot machines and 165 table games. The casino floor was divided into four themed areas,<ref name=Simply/> including the Emerald City Casino, themed after the eponymous fictional locale in The Wizard of Oz. This area featured costumed performers and animatronics depicting characters from the film.<ref name=posed/><ref name=Reynolds/><ref name=Potempa/> The entry featured a seven-story dome with a ceiling that switched between day and night; and a 15-minute magic show known as The Wizard's Secret, which incorporated a hydraulic moving floor.<ref name=Simply/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Other themed gaming areas included the Hollywood Casino, featuring a Hollywood movie theme; the Monte Carlo Casino, focused on high rollers; and the Sports Casino, which included the property's sportsbook.<ref name=Simply/>
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Hotel rooms were also divided into themes,<ref name=Reynolds/> including Casablanca, Hollywood, and southern American. The Wizard of Oz served as the primary hotel theme.<ref name=Skyline/><ref name=Roar/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The hotel's exterior consists of green glass panels, originally meant to evoke Emerald City.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=Kamin/> Blair Kamin, architecture critic for the Chicago Tribune, considered the movie and Wizard of Oz themes poorly integrated, and wrote that the resort exterior "resembles a bland suburban office building with a cartoonish lion's face stuck on the front." Kamin also was critical of the property's size, calling it "so overwhelming and, occasionally, so confusing, that they hand out a map of the hotel-casino at the front door."<ref name=Kamin>Template:Cite news</ref>
The casino opened with 50 Lion's Share slot machines, offering a jackpot of more than $2 million. Only one of the machines remained after several years, gaining a cult following among gamblers.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It was the most popular slot machine at the casino.<ref name=Guardian/> A New Hampshire couple eventually won the jackpot in 2014,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> after which the machine was retired.<ref name=Guardian>Template:Cite news</ref>
In 2000, the hotel launched a satellite registration and reservations desk at McCarran International Airport. It was the first Las Vegas resort, along with New York-New York across the street, to offer such a feature.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The Mansion, a secluded area of private suites and villas reserved for high rollers, opened in May 1999.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It was inspired by Tuscany architecture.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Mansion's villas and dining were opened to the public two years later.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In 2001, the MGM Grand led an effort to legalize private casinos, which are closed off to the general public. The Nevada Legislature agreed to change state law, allowing the operation of private gaming salons for players with at least $500,000 to spend and willing to bet $500 minimums.<ref name=Downer>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In August 2002, the MGM Grand became the first Nevada casino to offer a private gaming salon.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> However, demand for such a feature turned out to be extremely low.<ref name=Downer/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In 2005, the hotel unveiled its Skylofts at MGM Grand, consisting of 51 units occupying the top two floors. The units were designed by Tony Chi to resemble urban apartments and are meant for wealthy guests.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> A trio of condo hotel towers, known as The Signature at MGM Grand, began opening in 2006.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Facade
The MGM's original facade along the Strip consisted of a giant lion head, made of fiberglass and blocky in appearance,<ref name=End>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> with visitors entering beneath the lion's closed mouth.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Levitan>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Measuring 88 feet in height,<ref name=Skyline/> the lion was a cartoon-like version of MGM's logo, Leo the Lion. Because of its design, Asian gamblers reportedly perceived the facade as if they were entering through the lion's mouth, which is considered bad luck in Chinese culture.<ref name=Levitan/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=Potempa>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> As a result, plans were announced in May 1996 to remove the lion entrance.<ref name=NewLook/> Demolition began on May 13, 1997, and was expected to take two weeks, with a new $40 million facade taking its place.<ref name=End/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The new facade consists of a lion statue. It weighs 50 tons, and at Template:Convert tall, on a 25-foot pedestal,<ref name=Foot>Template:Cite news</ref> is the largest bronze statue in the U.S.<ref name=pr49>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It was designed by Snellen Johnson,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and created through his Arizona company American Art. Johnson initially worked with a team of 11 people to sculpt a foam mold, which would be used to create the statue.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In November 1997, the property installed 18 promotional and entertainment LED screens, including 15 outside the resort.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Installation of the statue was underway a month later, with the addition of a 5,000-pound paw.<ref name=Foot/> The new facade also includes 11 statues of winged Atlas-like men holding 16-foot diameter bowls. The statues were made of bronze-finished fiberglass and accompany the lion statue,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> along with water fountains and the LED screens.<ref name=pr49/> Work on the statue and accompanying fountains was expected to conclude in February 1998.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Restaurants and nightlife
The MGM Grand opened with eight restaurants,<ref name=Skyline>Template:Cite news</ref> including the 1,000-seat Oz Buffet, the 750-seat movie-themed Studio Cafe, and a restaurant by chef Wolfgang Puck.<ref name=Simply/><ref name=Reynolds>Template:Cite news</ref> The property also featured a food court with seven additional eateries.<ref name=Simply/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Emeril's New Orleans Fish House opened in 1995, marking the first Las Vegas restaurant for chef Emeril Lagasse.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A Rainforest Cafe opened at the resort in 1997,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and operated until 2015.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The MGM added several new restaurants in the early 2000s,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> including Craftsteak by chef Tom Colicchio,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and Nob Hill by chef Michael Mina.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Also added was a Chinese restaurant known as Pearl,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and the Italian restaurant Fiamma Trattoria, the latter by chefs Michael White and Anthony Amoroso.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Pearl was replaced in 2018 by China Tang, which closed two years later.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Fiamma was replaced by a new Italian restaurant, Ambra, in 2019.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
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Chef Joël Robuchon opened two restaurants at the Mansion in 2005, including L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon and the eponymous Joël Robuchon.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The latter has won numerous accolades from Mobil Travel Guide<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and American Automobile Association.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
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Shibuya, opened in 2004, was the resort's Japanese restaurant.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It was replaced when chef Masaharu Morimoto made his Las Vegas debut with Morimoto, a Japanese restaurant opened in 2016.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Three years later, Mina and chef Ayesha Curry partnered to open International Smoke, featuring cuisine from around the world, including barbecue.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It was the fourth International Smoke location to open since the chain's inception earlier that year.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In 2022, the Jonas Brothers and their family members opened Nellie's Southern Kitchen, named after a great-grandmother. It was the second location to open, following a North Carolina debut six years earlier.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Luchini, an Italian restaurant, debuted in 2023. It is accompanied by Chez Bippy, named after a fictional bar featured in the 1993 film A Bronx Tale.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
During the 1990s, the casino included the Betty Boop Bar, which featured an animatronic of comedian Foster Brooks that recreated his drunken humor. It was removed after a few years due to poor aging.<ref name=LVA>Template:Cite news</ref> A nightclub, Studio 54, opened at the MGM in December 1997.<ref name=Glaser/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It featured memorabilia from the original Studio 54 in New York.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Las Vegas location closed in February 2012,<ref name=Glaser>Template:Cite news</ref> and much of its interior decor sat in an MGM parking garage for the next three years, before being purchased by two local collectors.<ref name=Pair>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The former Studio 54 space was replaced by a nightclub and restaurant known as Hakkasan,<ref name=Pair/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> which opened in April 2013.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Another nightclub, Tabu Ultra Lounge, opened in 2003, and had capacity for 340 people.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It closed in 2013, and was replaced by a whiskey bar.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Netflix began construction for a one-year Netflix Bites residency based on its 2023 pop-up restaurant of the same name, which featured chefs from the broadcaster's streaming line-up, such as Dominique Crenn, Ming Tsai, and Andrew Zimmern. The new venue is slated to open in 2025.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Other features
Template:Multiple image Upon opening, the MGM included family friendly attractions such as the Oz Arcade, offering more than 150 games; and the Template:Convert Oz Midway, with 30 midway games.<ref name=Simply/> The theme park, MGM Grand Adventures, opened on Template:Convert located northeast of the resort.<ref name=Roar/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It closed to the public in 2000, and was briefly used thereafter for corporate and special events.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Some of the former theme park land would later be taken over by the Signature towers.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Topgolf opened one of its driving ranges on the remaining acreage in 2016.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The MGM opened a Template:Convert conference center in April 1998.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The facility, as well as a pool and spa, were constructed on 15 acres of land previously occupied by a portion of the theme park and a parking lot.<ref name=End/> An expansion of the conference center began in June 2017,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and was opened in January 2019. It was built at a cost of $130 million.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
An indoor lion habitat opened at the resort as a free attraction on July 1, 1999. The $9 million enclosure measured Template:Convert and featured several glass walls for viewing, as well as a see-through tunnel.<ref name=Lion>Template:Cite news</ref> The habitat consisted of more than 40 lions who were rotated out on a daily basis for viewing.<ref name=Potempa/> The lions were owned by animal trainer Keith Evans and lived at his ranch outside Las Vegas.<ref name=Lion/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> As part of ongoing renovation work, the habitat closed on January 31, 2012.<ref name=posed>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Potempa/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It was replaced by a sports bar.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The 1996–1998 renovation added a retail and restaurant area known as the Studio Walk, featuring a Hollywood sound stage theme.<ref name=End/> In 2013, the Studio Walk was rebranded as The District.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> A separate, underground retail area was known originally as the Starlane Mall, before being renamed MGM Underground in 2012.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In April 2001, CBS opened Television City, a television research facility located in the Studio Walk.<ref>Retrieved November 12, 2023:
- Template:Cite news
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- Template:Cite news</ref> An exhibit, CSI: The Experience, opened at the Studio Walk in 2009. It was a paid attraction based on the television series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Visitors would tour the exhibit, analyzing faux crime scenes and evidence to solve murder cases.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The attraction closed in 2020, due to the local effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The MGM opened with a Template:Convert pool complex.<ref name=Reynolds/> Wet Republic, a popular Template:Convert dayclub by Hakkasan,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> has operated at the pool area since 2008.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Level Up, a video game lounge also by Hakkasan, opened in 2016, taking over the former Rainforest Cafe space.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Live entertainment
The resort originally included the 15,200-seat MGM Grand Garden Arena, in addition to the 1,700-seat Grand Theatre and the 630-seat Hollywood Theatre.<ref name=Simply>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
A production show, EFX, ran at the resort from 1995 to 2002. It was headlined by several different entertainers during its run, including Michael Crawford, David Cassidy, Tommy Tune, and Rick Springfield.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In 1999, the resort debuted a version of the American game show Wheel of Fortune. Audience members were allowed to participate and potentially win money. The show had ended by 2001. It took place in a 400-seat venue previously home to Catch a Rising Star, a chain of comedy clubs.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Template:Multiple image Magician David Copperfield has been a longtime performer at the MGM,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> entertaining there since 2000.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Kà, a show by Cirque du Soleil, has been performed at the resort since 2005. It takes place in a custom-built theater seating nearly 2,000 people.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In 2001, the resort launched La Femme, a topless show that recreated the Parisian cabaret known as Crazy Horse.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Evolution/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The producers chose the name La Femme as Las Vegas already had a strip club known as Crazy Horse Too, which filed a lawsuit regarding the name rights.<ref name=Evolution>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The show eventually took on the Crazy Horse name in 2007,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> before closing in 2012.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A year later, Jeff Beacher opened his Beacher's Madhouse show in the former Crazy Horse venue.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Jabbawockeez dance group opened in the space in 2015,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and is contracted to perform there through 2025.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Brad Garrett's Comedy Club opened in March 2012, with seating for 283 people. It was originally located in the MGM Underground area.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The club has hosted numerous comedians, including Garrett himself.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2022, the club moved to a better location at The District, taking over the former China Tang restaurant space. Although the new location sat in a higher-traffic area, seating was reduced to 210.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In popular culture
The MGM Grand has made appearances in several comedy films.
- The resort is featured prominently in The Great White Hype (1996).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- The Wizard of Oz theme is referenced in Swingers (1996); the character Trent picks up a waitress whose friend works as a costumed Dorothy Gale at the MGM.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- The resort also appears near the end of Vegas Vacation (1997), as the casino where the Griswolds win back their money in a game of keno.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
- The MGM appears during the finale of Ready to Rumble (2000).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- The MGM is one of three casinos to be robbed by Danny Ocean and his crew in Ocean's Eleven (2001).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref> A staged title unification match between heavyweight boxing champions Lennox Lewis and Wladimir Klitschko is also prominently featured in the film.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The MGM has made television appearances as well.
- The resort is featured in a 2001 episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, titled "Table Stakes".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- It also appears in The Amazing Race 15 (2009)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and The Amazing Race 24 (2014).<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
- In Dominion (2014–15), the MGM serves as the home base of David Whele.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
See also
References
External links
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