Catching the Big Game in Las Vegas is the next best thing to being there
By Matt Kelemen
Bellagio sports book
Super Sunday provides Las Vegas visitors with one major decision: where to watch the game. With so many choices, several factors come into play. Football aficionados who planned trips to Las Vegas around Super Bowl XLVII want destinations, with an emphasis on comfort, drinking and dining options, spectator atmosphere, or all of the above. For people whose visit to Las Vegas just happens to coincide with the AFC champs slamming helmets with the NFC’s triumphant survivors, it’s good to have a short list of viewing venues handy. Nearly every resort has a sports book that will be tuned in on Feb. 3, but some places go the extra mile to offer the next best thing to being in New Orleans on game day.
Some of the best destinations are the sports books and some have practically become institutions. MGM Grand Hotel & Casino has a large plasma screen for every two spectators in its 104-seat book, but it also offers four second-level skyboxes that accommodate up to 10 guests and can be expanded to handle twice as many. The raucous cheers that echo through Caesars Palace during high-profile sports events emanate from its book located between the Colosseum and casino floor. Besides offering abundant seating, its big screens can be seen from a distance and are easily accessible from nearby bars, restaurants and pedestrian areas. The Bellagio offers luxury in its stately area, a high-roller hangout that is often cited by betting experts as one of the classier places to take in racing and games. Space is limited though, so reservations may be in order for the day.
Crossroads at House of Blues
Mandalay Bay’s sports book is one of the easy-access choices, allowing guests a casual place to stop by for a minute or stay. LVH may have been in transition for the past few years, but its book has consistently drawn the faithful who know they will always find elbowroom and sight lines. The 30,000-square-foot space boasts dozens of giant screens, with one measuring 15-by-20 feet, and an Ultimate Fan Cave featuring comfortable lounge seating.
The Golden Nugget may well be the sports book destination of downtown. Screens for every seat in the classy environs, booths designed to pamper patrons and a video wall make the Nugget an auspicious space to watch the game. Plus, the Golden Nugget is also holding a viewing party in the showroom, with free admission.
Meanwhile, Blondies Sports Bar & Grill inside Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort offers an alternative to the sports book experience with a relaxed, neighborhood bar vibe, more than 60 screens and the ultimate halftime diversion: beer pong tables. You’ll need to make reservations for a table. The Pub at Monte Carlo hosts a Big Game Party with a bar buffet and a variety of all-you-can-drink packages (reservations recommended). And Crossroads at House of Blues hosts a Big Game Party, with open bar plus an all-you-can eat menu, and a concert after the game.
With so many places to catch football’s greatest game, Las Vegas is arguably the second-best place to be on Feb. 3.
