Las Vegas Convention Center Wraps Up $600M Refurbishment, Reopens

The Las Vegas Convention Center has reopened after extensive renovations. The refurbished venue was called “the best convention center in the world” and will dazzle visitors with an enhanced lobby and facilities.

The Center Reopened in Time for CES

The reopening of the convention center comes just in time for the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), an annual industry fair organized by the Consumer Technology Association. The ribbon-cutting ceremony took place at the refurbished Central Grand Hall Lobby a day before the trade show kicks off.

In addition to a modernized Central Grand Hall Lobby, the renovated center also features a glass curtain wall that ensures sufficient natural light to illuminate the interior. The center is also equipped with three huge screens, allowing organizers to keep visitors informed of the event schedule and the events taking place at the moment.

Additionally, the center now boasts a climate-controlled corridor and redesigned South Hall entrance, as well as a new boardroom and administrative offices.

The new convention center’s renovation was something officials had been planning for decades. While the convention center was expanded in the 2000s, this wasn’t enough. As a result, a new hall was added in 2021, followed by extensive renovations, during which the center remained open and continued to host trade fairs and other shows.

The refurbishment cost some $600 million and resulted in a modernized venue that is suitable for hosting one of the most important tech conventions in the world. To put things into perspective, last year’s edition of CES attracted some 140K+ visitors, with officials expecting a similar number this year. Last year’s CES also contributed some $381.2 million to the local economy.

The Best Convention Center in the World

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and CES hailed the reopening of the convention center. Gary Shapiro, the vice chair and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association, went as far as calling it “the best convention center in the world.”

Shapiro was pleased with the long-standing relationship between CES and Las Vegas and their mutual growth. He reminisced about his predecessor’s decision to move the convention, which was initially held in Chicago, to Las Vegas.

The first CES to take place in Las Vegas happened in 1978. Shapiro noted that, at the time, Las Vegas was primarily known for divorces and gambling, making the move pretty risky. However, it ended up paying off and also helped Las Vegas go beyond gaming and cement itself as a major business destination.