T-Mobile Arena Celebrates Grand Opening
Gail Chiasson, North American Editor
T-Mobile Arena wasn’t opened yet when we were in Las Vegas last month for #dse2016, although what we could see from the outside of the building looked impressive. It will be on our list for next time, I’m sure.
Setting the stage for the next era of Las Vegas entertainment, T-Mobile Arena turned The Strip magenta the night of April 6/16 for the first time, with the new arena’s opening for 20,000 fans to party to the sounds of such Las Vegas favorites as: the band The Killers; Mr. Las Vegas himself, Wayne Newton; and Las Vegas-born pop artist Shamir. The event kicked off an extensive schedule of concerts, sporting events, award shows and more.
“This is an exciting time for Las Vegas and everyone involved in the development of T-Mobile Arena,” said Jim Murren, chairman and CEO of MGM Resorts International. ”We are opening a world-class venue that we believe will become Las Vegas’ new center of entertainment. Las Vegas has long been known as the Entertainment Capital of the World, and with all the development we’ve unveiled this week in the neighborhood, you can see our deep commitment to ensuring Las Vegas holds that title for generations to come.”
Designed by Populous, the joint venture between MGM Resorts and AEG has the largest arena capacity in the city, expansive balconies curving around the building’s exterior and customizable spaces, making the arena perfect for any type of event.
Dan Beckerman, president and CEO of AEG said, “Bringing together the knowledge, experience and assets of AEG and MGM Resorts International, T-Mobile Arena will become the region’s must-play venue and one of the world’s most sought after destinations for live events. This is the right time, the right location and the right partnership for this groundbreaking arena.”
John Legere, president and CEO of T-Mobile said, “We un-leashed music and entertainment streaming on your smartphone and now we’re taking it to the next level with T-Mobile Arena. T-Mobile customers will always be treated like VIPs with priority access and special benefits – right in the heart of Las Vegas.”
Experiences at T-Mobile Arena aren’t limited to what’s inside its walls. Event-day possibilities extend into Toshiba Plaza, a two-acre entertainment space fronting the arena. Featuring three stages, four 40’-towers with LED screens, accent lighting and speakers, and the best view of the arena’s stunning 200-foot-wide mesh LED wall, the plaza is ideal for concerts, broadcasts and much more.
The excitement continues into The Park, the adjacent outdoor district that debuted April 4. Guests coming to an arena event can start their evening with a fun, casual culinary lineup featuring inviting indoor/outdoor spaces, iconic art and live entertainment. The Park serves as the gateway to T-Mobile Arena from Las Vegas Boulevard.
Scott Maccabe, president and CEO of Toshiba America Business Solutions and Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions said, “We are excited about having the opportunity to include our innovative display technology not only throughout the arena, but also in the creation of two of the arena’s signature elements, Toshiba Plaza and Vegas Interactive by Toshiba. It is our hope that these two areas will enhance the fan experience for generations of T-Mobile Arena patrons.”
The fan engagement zone, Vegas Interactive by Toshiba, located on the main concourse, features Toshiba digital signage technology, including two 12’ by 7’ LED video walls, two 55” and one 65” Virtuoso interactive touch displays. Arena concierge apps within Toshiba’s Virtuoso displays allow fans to easily locate their seats, learn about upcoming T-Mobile Arena events and access detailed information and reviews on nearby restaurants and bars. Patrons interacting with Toshiba’s 65-inch display may also have their photo taken with ‘3D digital doubles’ of iconic Las Vegas figures through an augmented reality app, MoFoto, which is compatible with Apple iOS and Android smartphones.
As you approach T-Mobile Arena, the first thing you notice is the mesh LED screen facing The Strip. Without hindering the view of guests inside, the 200-foot-long screen can display anything from animated video to live performances. And once inside, T-Mobile Arena has ensured each guest will be able to live stream, post, text and capture every moment of the action with an optimized wireless network and charging stations throughout the arena. T-Mobile customers will experience blazing fast speeds on America’s fastest 4G LTE Network throughout the Arena and Plaza and for everyone else, there is access to free high-speed Wi-Fi provided by Cox Business on 550 hubs throughout the venue. Guests in certain areas also can use the network for one-touch ordering from their seats with provided tablets.
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