It’s the best feeling in the world—that moment when your 23 carefully considered March Madness bracket choices have not been completely destroyed by all the upsets to come. No matter how many times your hopes have been dashed, you always look forward to the beginning of the NCAA Division 1 men’s basketball tournament. And Las Vegas has plenty of venues where you can enjoy the chaos in style.
Head downtown to Circa Las Vegas’ Stadium Swim complex for Mania Under the Sun, where the seating arrangements are limitless. Bring the whole gang and opt for everything from general admission to the owner’s suite—there are no bad viewing angles here, thanks to the facility’s 143-foot HD screen. Don’t forget to bring your swimwear, as Stadium Swim contains six pools and two spas on two levels. Tickets start at $20.
Westgate Las Vegas’ Hoops Central promises to pack the International Theater (no limit on group size), with tickets starting at $45. Buckets of beer are $35 ($30 for domestic), and plenty of your favorite snacks will be on hand, from popcorn to nachos.
The viewing party at the Grand Ballroom of Golden Nugget is open to the public, but for a guaranteed seat (plus some tasty food and drink), opt for VIP tickets. Prices range from $129-$599, depending on the day, and each comes with four free food items and five free drink tickets. Act quickly!
One of the Strip’s hottest properties hosts one of the hottest parties—Hoops & Hops (now in its 12th year) at The Cosmopolitan’s Belmont Ballroom, featuring wall-to-wall screens, hardwood basketball court with regulation hoop and complimentary games like Super Shot. Packages range from $150 to $300 and include options like open bar and a gourmet buffet.
Resorts World Las Vegas gets in on the action with Battle of the Brackets parties at both Eight Lounge and Gatsby’s Cocktail Lounge. Eight will offer cigar and beverage packages, while Gatsby’s serves up a huge array of champagnes and signature cocktails.
At The Linq Hotel, Buddy’s Jersey Eats serves up Mad Specials for the occasion—six wings for $15, 10 wings for $20 and Nacho Fries (waffle fries topped with spicy chili cheese sauce, bacon, scallions, cilantro, queso fresco and jalapeño) for $14. –Ken Miller
Over at The STRAT, the STRAT Theater hosts March Festival of Hoops viewing parties starting March 16-18. Each day, the fun begins at 8 a.m. and goes until 8 p.m., during which time fans can enjoy the action on three large screens. Tickets, which start at $150, include complimentary well cocktails, domestic beer, house wine, non-alcoholic beverages, pizza, wings, salad and much more.
Also at The STRAT, PT’s Wings & Sports will offer up a wide array of “courtside bites,” including nachos with chipotle cheese sauce, pico de gallo, sour cream, guacamole, jalapenos, pepper jack cheese and drunk black beans for $21, and the double Western burger, topped with bacon, smoked cheddar cheese, barbecue sauce and jalapeno slaw for $19.
Sahara Las Vegas gets in on the action with its Hoop Madness viewing parties at Azilo Ultra Pool on March 16-17. For $100, enjoy a six-hour select open bar from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., or $200 for all-day, all-you-can-drink select bar.
Caesars Entertainment venues up and down the Strip will be jumping with college hoops fun, including:
• Bars like Montecristo Cigar Bar, Stadia Bar, Vista Cocktail Lounge and Alto bar at Caesars Palace; Bound Bar and Interlude Lounge at The Cromwell; The Indigo Lounge at Horseshoe Las Vegas; and Napoleon’s at Paris.
• Restaurants like Off the Strip, AmeriCAN Beer & Cocktails, Tilted Kilt, Virgil’s Real Barbecue and Chayo Mexican Kitchen & Tequila Bar, all at The Linq Promenade, and Ringer Wings, Pizza & Sliders Sports Bar at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino.
• Pools like GO Pool at Flamingo and Influence, The Pool at The Linq Hotel.
One of The Venetian’s hottest bars, Electra Cocktail Club, hosts March Mayhem from March 14-19, in which games can be enjoyed on a 40-foot digital screen spanning one entire wall. And, of course, you can enjoy the bar’s world-class cocktails, not to mention pizza, burgers, wings and more.
For more downtown action, the Plaza Hotel & Casino will host March Mania in its showroom, featuring a 24-foot LED video wall from March 16-18. The festivities start at 8 a.m. each day, and single day tickets are $100, which gets you entry to a raffle and unlimited draft beer. The three-day pass is $250 and includes preferred seating, as well as entry to a free pregame event on March 15.
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