Megaresort
Encyclopedia
A Megaresort is a type of destination resort
which is of an exceptionally large size, sometimes featuring
large-scale attractions (casino
, golf course
, theme park, multiple accommodation
s). The hotels along the Las Vegas Strip
are most typically thought of as megaresorts owing to their immense size and complexity. Kirk Kerkorian is credited for building the first mega resort in 1969 earning him the nickname "father of the mega resort".
in 1969 and 1973 by architect
Martin Stern, Jr.
and entrepreneur
Kirk Kerkorian
, the International Hotel (later the Las Vegas Hilton
) and the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino (later Bally's Las Vegas
), set the standard for such casino resorts. After the International and the MGM Grand, the first megaresort is generally considered to have been The Mirage
given its size and emphasis on non-gaming entertainment options like shopping and fine dining to draw in customers. Megaresorts use the same fantastic or mythical theme (medieval life at Excalibur
, tropical at The Mirage, famous cities, etc.) throughout their properties.
feature multiple hotels, multiple theme parks, a shopping complex and other features. Other megaresorts exist with no specific centerpiece, having many features that are considered prominent, such as Atlantis Paradise Island
and it's upcoming sister park in Dubai
.
At Genting Highlands Resort, it is considered a megaresort due to its large size and number of amenities. It is located on Pahang hill facing Kuala Lumpur
, the capital of Malaysia. The resort consists of five hotels, named Genting Hotel, Highlands Hotel, Resort Hotel, Theme Park Hotel and the First World Hotel. The First World Hotel is currently the world's largest hotel with 6118 rooms with an indoor theme park. The resort contains two casinos, a large outdoor theme park, hostels and an apartments building. Over forty years of success have transformed this lone hill to one of the leading casino resorts in the world, commonly known as the Las Vegas of Malaysia.
The Famosa Resort located at the historical state of Malacca
, Malaysia is a complex developed from turning empty land into a giant tourist attraction. The resort includes a water theme park, safari, "cowboy town", hotels and bungalows.
Destination hotel
A destination hotel is a hotel whose location and amenities make the hotel itself a destination for tourists, rather than merely a convenient place to stay while traveling through or visiting the area for other reasons. Destination hotels are also called destination lodgings and sometimes...
which is of an exceptionally large size, sometimes featuring
large-scale attractions (casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
, golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
, theme park, multiple accommodation
Accommodation
Accommodation may refer to:* A dwelling* A place of temporary lodging* Accommodation , a theological principle linked to divine revelation within the Christian church* Accommodation , a term used in United States contract law...
s). The hotels along the Las Vegas Strip
Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester...
are most typically thought of as megaresorts owing to their immense size and complexity. Kirk Kerkorian is credited for building the first mega resort in 1969 earning him the nickname "father of the mega resort".
Las Vegas hotels
Two projects in Las VegasLas Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
in 1969 and 1973 by architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
Martin Stern, Jr.
Martin Stern, Jr.
Martin Stern, Jr. was an American architect who was most widely known for his large scale designs and structures in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is credited with originating the concept of the structurally integrated casino resort complex in Las Vegas.The International Hotel and the first MGM Grand...
and entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
Kirk Kerkorian
Kirk Kerkorian
Kerkor "Kirk" Kerkorian is an American businessman who is the president/CEO of Tracinda Corporation, his private holding company based in Beverly Hills, California. Kerkorian is known as one of the important figures in shaping Las Vegas and, with architect Martin Stern, Jr...
, the International Hotel (later the Las Vegas Hilton
Las Vegas Hilton
The Las Vegas Hilton is a hotel, casino, and convention center in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is a joint venture between Colony Capital, which owns 60 percent, and New York City-based REIT Whitehall Street Real Estate Funds, which owns the remaining 40 percent...
) and the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino (later Bally's Las Vegas
Bally's Las Vegas
Bally's Las Vegas, formerly the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, is a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip. The Las Vegas resort is located within the unincorporated locale of Paradise, Nevada and is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment Corp.. The hotel features 2,814 extra-sized...
), set the standard for such casino resorts. After the International and the MGM Grand, the first megaresort is generally considered to have been The Mirage
The Mirage
The Mirage is a 3,044 room hotel and casino resort located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, United States.The Mirage is connected by a free tram to Treasure Island. The marquee in front of the Mirage is the largest free standing marquee in the world.-History:The Mirage was built by...
given its size and emphasis on non-gaming entertainment options like shopping and fine dining to draw in customers. Megaresorts use the same fantastic or mythical theme (medieval life at Excalibur
Excalibur Hotel and Casino
The Excalibur Hotel and Casino is a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, in the United States. It is owned and operated by MGM Resorts International....
, tropical at The Mirage, famous cities, etc.) throughout their properties.
Basic Styles of Megaresorts
Many megaresorts have a large theme park as its centerpiece. Resorts such as the Walt Disney Parks and ResortsWalt Disney Parks and Resorts
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts is the segment of The Walt Disney Company that conceives, builds, and manages the company's theme parks and holiday resorts, as well as a variety of additional family-oriented leisure enterprises...
feature multiple hotels, multiple theme parks, a shopping complex and other features. Other megaresorts exist with no specific centerpiece, having many features that are considered prominent, such as Atlantis Paradise Island
Atlantis Paradise Island
The Atlantis Paradise Island is a resort and waterpark located on Paradise Island, The Bahamas. Officially opened in 1998, the resort was created by South African hotel magnate Sol Kerzner and Kerzner International Limited. Paradise Island first opened its Coral and Beach Towers as the Trump...
and it's upcoming sister park in Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
.
At Genting Highlands Resort, it is considered a megaresort due to its large size and number of amenities. It is located on Pahang hill facing Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, the capital of Malaysia. The resort consists of five hotels, named Genting Hotel, Highlands Hotel, Resort Hotel, Theme Park Hotel and the First World Hotel. The First World Hotel is currently the world's largest hotel with 6118 rooms with an indoor theme park. The resort contains two casinos, a large outdoor theme park, hostels and an apartments building. Over forty years of success have transformed this lone hill to one of the leading casino resorts in the world, commonly known as the Las Vegas of Malaysia.
The Famosa Resort located at the historical state of Malacca
Malacca
Malacca , dubbed The Historic State or Negeri Bersejarah among locals) is the third smallest Malaysian state, after Perlis and Penang. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, on the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and the state of Johor to the south...
, Malaysia is a complex developed from turning empty land into a giant tourist attraction. The resort includes a water theme park, safari, "cowboy town", hotels and bungalows.
On the Las Vegas Strip
- Bally's Las VegasBally's Las VegasBally's Las Vegas, formerly the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, is a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip. The Las Vegas resort is located within the unincorporated locale of Paradise, Nevada and is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment Corp.. The hotel features 2,814 extra-sized...
- Las Vegas HiltonLas Vegas HiltonThe Las Vegas Hilton is a hotel, casino, and convention center in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is a joint venture between Colony Capital, which owns 60 percent, and New York City-based REIT Whitehall Street Real Estate Funds, which owns the remaining 40 percent...
- Wynn Las VegasWynn Las VegasWynn Las Vegas is a resort and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The US $2.7 billion resort is named after casino developer Steve Wynn and is the flagship property of Wynn Resorts Limited. The resort covers . It is located on Las Vegas Boulevard and Sands Avenue Wynn Las...
and the Encore Hotel and Casino - Treasure Island Hotel and CasinoTreasure Island Hotel and CasinoTreasure Island Hotel & Casino is a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, USA with 2,664 rooms and 220 suites, and is connected by tram to The Mirage as well as pedestrian bridge to the Fashion Show Mall shopping center...
- The Venetian and The PalazzoThe PalazzoThe Palazzo is a luxury hotel and casino resort situated between Wynn and The Venetian on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, a suburb of Las Vegas. It is the tallest completed building in Nevada...
and the Sands Expo Convention CenterSands Expo250px|land|right|thumb|The Sands Expo and Convention Center main entrance, Las Vegas, Nevada, Jan. 7, 2009The Sands Expo and Convention Center, at 1.2 million square feet , is the second largest convention center in the Las Vegas metropolitan area... - The MirageThe MirageThe Mirage is a 3,044 room hotel and casino resort located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, United States.The Mirage is connected by a free tram to Treasure Island. The marquee in front of the Mirage is the largest free standing marquee in the world.-History:The Mirage was built by...
- Harrah's Las VegasHarrah's Las VegasHarrah's Las Vegas is a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The property is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment Corp.. Harrah's has over 1,200 slot machines....
- Caesars PalaceCaesars PalaceCaesars Palace is a luxury hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, an unincorporated township in Clark County, Nevada, United States in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. Caesars Palace is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment Corp....
- Bellagio Hotel & CasinoBellagio (hotel and casino)Bellagio is a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in the Paradise area of unincorporated Clark County, Nevada, USA and a member of The Leading Hotels of the World. It is owned by MGM Resorts International and was built on the site of the demolished Dunes hotel and casino.Inspired by the...
- Paris Las VegasParis Las VegasParis Las Vegas is a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, USA, that is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment Corp....
- Planet Hollywood Resort and CasinoPlanet Hollywood Resort and CasinoPlanet Hollywood Las Vegas, previously known as The Aladdin, is a casino resort on the Las Vegas Strip, in the unincorporated locale of Paradise, Nevada, United States. Westgate Resorts operates the condo portion of the property, known as PH Towers by Westgate.Planet Hollywood is owned by Caesars...
- Monte Carlo Resort and CasinoMonte Carlo Resort and CasinoThe Monte Carlo Resort and Casino is a megaresort hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, USA. The hotel is 32 stories, featuring a casino floor with over 2,200 slot and video poker machines and 95 table games. It is operated by MGM Resorts International...
- MGM Grand Las VegasMGM Grand Las VegasThe MGM Grand Las Vegas is a hotel casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The MGM Grand is the third largest hotel in the world and largest hotel resort complex in the United States in front of The Venetian. The MGM Grand was the largest hotel in the world when it opened in...
- New York-New York Hotel & CasinoNew York-New York Hotel & CasinoNew York-New York Hotel & Casino is a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip at 3790 Las Vegas Boulevard South, in Paradise, Nevada. It is owned and operated by MGM Resorts International.-Description:...
- Excalibur Hotel and CasinoExcalibur Hotel and CasinoThe Excalibur Hotel and Casino is a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, in the United States. It is owned and operated by MGM Resorts International....
- Luxor Las Vegas
- Mandalay Bay Resort and CasinoMandalay Bay Resort and CasinoMandalay Bay Resort and Casino is a 44-story luxury hotel casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It is owned by MGM Resorts International. Five floors of the main hotel building are occupied by the five-star and AAA Five-Diamond Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas...
, THEhotel, Mandalay Bay Convention CenterMandalay Bay Convention CenterThe Mandalay Bay Convention Center, located in Paradise, Nevada is one of the largest privately owned and operated convention centers in the world. The facility is owned by MGM Mirage. It is attached to the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino and adjacent to the Mandalay Bay Events Center...
, Mandalay Bay Events CenterMandalay Bay Events CenterMandalay Bay Events Center is a 12,000 seat indoor arena, at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, on the Las Vegas Strip, in Paradise, Nevada. It is owned by MGM Resorts International.It has hosted many music, boxing and mixed martial arts events....
and the Shark Reef
Atlantic City
- The Borgata Hotel Casino and SpaBorgataThe Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa is a luxury hotel, casino, and spa in Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States. It is owned by Marina District Development, a joint venture between Boyd Gaming and a divesture trust established by MGM Resorts International...
- Tropicana Casino and Resort Atlantic City
- Harrah's Resort Atlantic CityHarrah's Atlantic CityHarrah's Resort Atlantic City is a hotel and casino, located in the marina district of Atlantic City, New Jersey, and is Harrah's flagship casino.The casino is one of three in the marina district of the city, along with the Borgata and the Golden Nugget...
- Caesars Atlantic CityCaesars Atlantic CityCaesars Atlantic City is a luxury hotel, casino, and spa resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Like Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, it has an ancient Roman theme. Atlantic City's second casino, it opened in 1979 as the Caesars Boardwalk Regency. The . casino has over 3,400 slot machines, and is one of...
- Revel Casino Resort
Theme Park Resorts
- Disneyland ResortDisneyland ResortThe Disneyland Resort is a recreational resort in Anaheim, California. The resort is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Parks and Resorts division and is home to two theme parks, three hotels and a shopping, dining, and entertainment area known as Downtown Disney.The area now...
- Walt Disney World
- Disneyland Resort ParisDisneyland Resort ParisDisneyland Paris is a holiday and recreation resort in Marne-la-Vallée, a new town in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. The complex is located from the centre of Paris and lies for the most part within the commune of Chessy, Seine-et-Marne....
- Tokyo Disney ResortTokyo Disney Resortis a theme park and vacation resort located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, just east of Tokyo. It is owned and operated by the Oriental Land Company with a license from The Walt Disney Company. The resort opened on April 15, 1983, as a single theme park , but developed into a resort with two theme...
- Hong Kong Disneyland ResortHong Kong Disneyland ResortThe Hong Kong Disneyland Resort is a resort built by the Government of Hong Kong and The Walt Disney Company in Hong Kong on reclaimed land beside Penny's Bay, at the northeastern tip of Lantau Island, approximately two kilometres from Discovery Bay...
- Universal Orlando ResortUniversal Orlando ResortUniversal Orlando Resort is a theme park resort in Orlando, Florida. It is wholly owned by NBCUniversal and its affiliates. The resort consists of two theme parks , Universal CityWalk , and three Loews Hotels...
- Alton TowersAlton TowersAlton Towers is a theme park and resort located in Staffordshire, England. It attracts around 2.7 million visitors per year making it the most visited theme park in the United Kingdom. Alton Towers is also the 9th most visited theme park in Europe...
- Knotts Berry Farm
- Sunway Lagoon Resort
- Chessington World Of AdventuresChessington World of AdventuresChessington World of Adventures Resort is a theme park and zoo in South West London, England. It lies south of Central London. Historically opened as Chessington Zoo in 1931, a theme park was developed alongside it, opening in 1987...
Other Megaresorts
- A' Famosa ResortA' Famosa ResortA' Famosa Resort Malaysia is located in Malacca, Malaysia, near the Simpang Ampat exit on the North South Expressway. It was named after the 16th century Portuguese fort of the same name which was once stood near the harbor of Malacca city...
- Atlantis Paradise IslandAtlantis Paradise IslandThe Atlantis Paradise Island is a resort and waterpark located on Paradise Island, The Bahamas. Officially opened in 1998, the resort was created by South African hotel magnate Sol Kerzner and Kerzner International Limited. Paradise Island first opened its Coral and Beach Towers as the Trump...
- Baha MarBaha MarBaha Mar is a resort located on the island of New Providence, The Bahamas owned by Baha Mar Resorts Ltd. and managed by CEO Sarkis Izmirlian. On 30 March 2010 an agreement on the redevelopment of the resort was announced. The project will be financed by China Exim Bank while construction will be...
- In development - Fontainebleau Miami Beach
- Genting HighlandsGenting HighlandsGenting Highlands otherwise known as Resorts World Genting is the flagship integrated resort developed by Genting Group. It is nestled on a mountain peak within the Titiwangsa Mountains on the border between the states of Pahang and Selangor of Malaysia...
- Nickelodeon Suites Resort