The Story Behind Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino & Its Unique Opening Day

Las Vegas is home to hundreds of famous places, and Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino is one of the most well-known. It’s a 4.5-star luxury resort situated on South Las Vegas Boulevard near Luxor, Excalibur, and Allegiant Stadium. Mandalay Bay’s opening day caused quite a ruckus in Las Vegas, and it’s a story that continues to reverberate throughout the city and the nation. 

All About Mandalay Bay

Mandalay Bay is in a city called Paradise, Nevada, and it’s situated at the far south end of the famed Vegas Strip. The resort includes a 43-story main building, a more recent second tower, and numerous other amenities on the same property. The main building was completed in 1999 at a cost of $950 million, and it was erected on the site of the former Hacienda hotel and casino, which was demolished on December 31, 1996. 

Construction of Mandalay Bay started in 1997, and it was targeted toward high-end clientele. This meant it would compete with The Mirage, Paris, and The Venetian among numerous other luxury resorts in the city. Despite the big plans, Mandalay Bay’s construction was fraught with problems. In the middle of 1998, the soil beneath the partially constructed resort settled much more than engineers had anticipated, which caused the center of the building to sink a whopping 17 inches into the ground. Fortunately, 536 metal pipes known as micropiles were installed below the building to pull it back from the brink of disaster. 

Mandalay Bay’s Opening Day

Mandalay Bay didn’t get its iconic moniker until February 1998, which was about a year before it opened its doors. It was named for the city of Mandalay in the country of Myanmar, and it was hoped to romanticize the tropics in a way that would appeal to celebrities and wealthy visitors. 

The doors officially opened at 10:00 pm on March 2, 1999, following a VIP-only soft opening earlier in the day. The major grand opening festivities were some of the most memorable in Vegas history and featured the famous Blues Brothers – Dan Akroyd, James Belushi, and special guest John Goodman – leading a procession of more than 200 motorcycles right through the resort’s front doors! The still-famous House of Blues later hosted the Blues Brothers as they commenced the resort’s first live performance, and Bob Dylan joined them later in the evening. 

Other Notable Events

Those who were present at Mandalay Bay’s opening ceremony certainly have a wild story to tell, but Mandalay Bay has always been about the shock factor. In fact, in 2002, the resort asked both the Chinese and US governments for approval to import two panda bears as an attraction. While Mandalay Bay claimed they would generate more than $50 million a year from this exhibit and give much of that back to China to help with panda conservation, they weren’t able to secure approval. 

Mandalay Bay is a favorite among stunt performers thanks to its huge 43-story stature and second hotel tower, which was added in 2003. Andy Lewis, a famous tightrope walker, set a record by walking the 360 feet between the two towers on a slackline more than 480 feet above the ground. 

Today, Mandalay Bay is still one of the most popular hotels and resorts in Las Vegas, and it’s a favorite among celebrities, too. The resort hosts acts like Cirque du Soleil, the Shark Reef Aquarium, and musicians like Five Finger Death Punch and Glenn Danzig regularly perform there, just to name a few. 

If you want to see Mandalay Bay and other iconic Las Vegas attractions like the Welcome to Las Vegas sign, Luxor, Excalibur, and others, schedule a Las Vegas limo tour today. It’s the best way to experience the best the city has to offer, and you can do it in true VIP style.