When trying to describe what makes Las Vegas great, one inevitably has to talk about a bit of everything: Shows, attractions, restaurants, nightclubs, individual properties … the list goes on and on. It’s in that spirit that we present Las Vegas Magazine’s 2024 Hall of Fame class.
On the following pages you’ll get the pleasure of discovering some of what makes Las Vegas great, exclusively chosen by our growing list of past Hall of Fame honorees, including Jabbawockeez, Absinthe, Carrot Top, Wayne Newton, Fantasy, The Las Vegas Aces, Life is Beautiful and Penn & Teller.
The goal of our Hall of Fame is simple: We want to provide you with a list you can check off here and now; after all, we are the premier tourist publication in the Las Vegas Valley—our goal is to help you make the most out of your stay.
Here’s to the class of 2024! And here’s to you and your enjoyment of the honorees!
The Beatles Love by Cirque du Soleil
All Fab Four fans need when they come to Las Vegas is The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil. When it premiered at The Mirage in 2006 it represented a groundbreaking new direction for Cirque, made possible due to the friendship between founder Guy Laliberté and George Harrison. Written and directed by Dominic Champagne, the show benefitted from the direct involvement of The Beatles’ primary record producer George Martin and his son Giles as music directors.
Omega Mart
There is no food desert at Area15, the menagerie of experiential, immersive attractions located west of the Strip. Omega Mart has that covered with an inventory of exceptional quality and products that can’t be found anywhere else. There are fresh Happles to be had in the produce section, sculpted cheese and meat products in the deli, Honey Clumps of Hmm …, breakfast in a box and Liquid Death in a can.
Bazaar Meat by José Andrés
José Andrés’ empire of signature restaurants and small-plate concepts stretches from coast to coast, but only one place in Las Vegas covers carnivores from albondigas to an Ultimate Tasting menu. That would be Bazaar Meat by José Andrés at Sahara Las Vegas. Five kitchens, diverse dining environments and design concepts, the tantalizing scent of char wafting through the atmosphere, and the finest cuts of fresh beef and pork make Bazaar Meat a can’t-miss experience for intrepid gourmets.
The Chandelier
If there is any center bar that can be considered a center-Strip center attraction, The Chandelier at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas easily qualifies. It’s surely one of the seven wonders of the Strip. There are as many selfie-scene possibilities as there are sparkling beads in designer David Rockwell’s three-story cascade of crystals that became instantly iconic when The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas opened in December 2010.
Temptation Sundays
Temptation Sundays is the only pool party in Las Vegas that directly caters to the LGBTQ+ community. But even if you aren’t gay, it’s the one of the best pool parties in town. It wasn’t the first venue to open as daylife began to compete with nightlife for the attention of Vegas party people, but it’s maintained its energy and momentum as other pools began turning down the volume and curbing excess. A lot of credit for its endurance is due to host Eduardo Cordova, a longtime promoter and owner of Las Vegas Arts District restaurant The Garden.
Allegiant Stadium
Allegiant Stadium was built give the Raiders a world-class Vegas gridiron. Mission accomplished. It was a no-brainer to assume its designers would attempt to conceive of the most futuristic, football-friendly stadium built to date, but how would it fare as a live performance venue? By the end of the summer of 2021 artists such as Garth Brooks and Guns N’ Roses demonstrated that it worked well, and there was room for a 65,000-capacity, climate-controlled concert colosseum in the Entertainment Capital of the World.
Ultimate Fighting Championship
There have been many landmark moments in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship organization that led to its rise. Without late filmmaker John Milius’ interest in the ancient fighting sport of pankration, the first UFC in 1993 may never had happened. If Brazil’s Gracie family had never taken an interested in jiu-jitsu, they would have never produced UFC’s first champion Royce Gracie. If Dana White hadn’t been raised in Las Vegas, he may never have been in position to steer UFC to massive success.
iHeartRadio Music Festival
The way we listen to music was changing in 2011 when the inaugural iHeartRadio Music Festival debuted at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Streaming was coming to the fore in broadcasting, and iHeartRadio had positioned itself as one of several major platforms. A music festival celebrating the diversity of radio programming with artists representing the gamut of genres was a natural outgrowth of iHeartRadio’s all-in-one streaming app.
Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood
To turn right or turn left? That is the question visitors must ask themselves upon entering Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood. To turn right means moving around Miracle Mile in a counterclockwise direction like pilgrims circumambulating the Kaaba in Mecca. A left turn makes it easier to think of Miracle Mile’s offering in clockface terms, with Planet Hollywood proper at midnight or 6 o’ clock, depending on where one enters.
Aria
In music, an aria is an expressive melody performed by one voice within a larger, usually operatic work. In early forms arias consisted of simple melodies but developed into more purposeful structures as composition became more sophisticated, contrasting expositional passages with emotional displays of vocal talent. Such is the case with Aria, the 50-story, state-of-the-art hotel-casino that began as the centerpiece of CityCenter and became the Camelot of what is now the Aria campus.
Renee West
Renee West spent much of her life making a difference in the casino world. She truly blazed a trail for others to follow, having the distinction of being the first woman ever named president of a Las Vegas Strip resort. For West, her interest in the field wasn’t so less about gaming and more about interacting with, and developing, people. She discovered this about herself when she worked with Caesars Palace as a training specialist with human resources.
Hall of Fame honorees from 2020
Hall of Fame honorees from 2021
Hall of Fame honorees from 2022
Hall of Fame honorees from 2023
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