The Big Game will soon be upon us, and with it, the return of America’s favorite pastime: football! The 2019 Super Bowl will put a temporary halt to the glamorous Las Vegas lifestyle, as even the most diehard gamblers will have to stay at home to watch the action.
This year’s match up is set to be a fight between two titanic titans: New York’s titans and Los Angeles’ angels. Which team will emerge victorious?
The Biggest Games Ever Played In Las Vegas
While the Super Bowl isn’t exactly Shakespearean theater, it is, by far, the biggest game in Las Vegas. This city has been home to some incredible matchups over the years:
- The 2007 World Series pitted Las Vegas’ beloved Cubs against New York’s powerful Mets. The game was such a sell out that the Las Vegas Stadium had to turn some ticket holders away, and security was strictly enforced.
- The 2018 World Cup saw a record number of football fans come to Sin City. Many of them traveled from Australia, Argentina, and Chile to take a dip in the sports betting pool.
- The 2014 World Series saw three games between the San Francisco Giants and Kansas City Royals. The Series lasted until the game six, which was suspended by lighting and rain. A Game Seven was necessary, which the Royals won. The Series still holds the record for the most games played in Vegas.
- The 2009 World Series had a different feel. It was a clash of old and new, with the Pirates’ long-ball and dangerous staff of young guns facing the Giants’ precision hitting and dominance up the middle. The World Series was named after Vegas hotel owner Steve Wynn, who had bet on the Giants in the series. The baseball world will miss Wynn’s input and guidance, but the series drew record numbers of fans, and many of them stayed in town for the entirety of the six-game series.
- For many years, the World Series was the biggest game of the year in Las Vegas. But in recent years, with the rise of the super bowl, the attraction of the Big Game has largely offset the appeal of the World Series.
The sheer magnitude of the Super Bowl is something else. It’s not just about the game itself; it’s about the entire surrounding experience, from the commercials to the half-time show. Fans travel from all over the world to take part in the Big Game frenzy that is Las Vegas in early February.
How The Super Bowl Changes The Strip
Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or an adventurous vacationer, you’ll have a hard time missing out on the all-consuming Super Bowl mania that is Las Vegas in early February. The city simply shuts down for a couple of weeks before, during, and after the Big Game. Bars, clubs, and restaurants along the Strip close down, the city’s inhabitants flock to their TVs, and everyone is looking for a way to make money off the game.
This year’s Super Bowl spotlights the return of some of the most iconic buildings and landmarks on the Strip, such as Michael Myers’ Haunt, the Lion’s Walk, and the Stratosphere Tower. While these structures have been around for decades, they’ve never been more prominent than they are now, thanks to the Big Game. One of the most anticipated scenes of the Super Bowl is when Michael Myers, the famous psychopathic character from the original Halloween, makes his grand return and takes on Hollywood itself once more.
The Grand Canyon, the great American landscape featuring the legendary red rock, will also be on display for the entirety of the month of February. This year it’s not only the Grand Canyon, but it’s also the complete Colorado River, from Lake Powell, located in Utah, to the Gulf of California. These will be spectacular sights to behold, but they won’t be available for leisure travelers, only those connected to the NFL via a ticket or two.
The Rise Of The Super Bowl In Vegas
The 2019 Super Bowl in Las Vegas is the result of a 10-year joint venture between the NFL and the Las Vegas Bowl Association. The partnership was designed to ensure that the annual Big Game would be played in a meaningful manner, despite the fact that it’s taken place in the middle of winter. The season premiere of the NFL’s flagship television show, Sunday Night Football, was held at the beginning of February, which is considered the Super Bowl season. The annual NFL Draft, which takes place in the spring, kicks off the football season, and thousands of fans begin to congregate in Las Vegas for the games themselves.
The numbers for the 2018 Super Bowl were staggering. According to the Nevada Gaming Commission, there were 4.9 million people visiting Nevada during the month of February. Of those, 300,000 were in Las Vegas. That’s a 60% increase from 2017, and the city’s hotel rooms and restaurants are experiencing an economic boom as a result (mostly due to the influx of football fans). The city is experiencing a construction boom as well, with hundreds of new luxury apartments and hotels set to open their doors in the coming months.
One of the most iconic venues in Las Vegas is the Strip. This famous American cityscape has been a major player in the global gambling industry since it opened its doors in 1966. Today, the Strip is home to some of the world’s most recognizable brands, including the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, the Mirage, the Excalibur, and the Riviera. These are just a few of the properties that have graced the skyline for decades.
Since the inception of the Super Bowl, the Strip has undergone a massive makeover. In 2018, the 50-year celebration of the Super Bowl was marked by a number of grand openings and refurbishments that transformed the famed American cityscape. The 50th anniversary of the Super Bowl was officially celebrated on February 4th, with the grand opening of the Wynn Palace. The 6,282-room resort is the ultimate expression of excess, with an indoor lake, luxury pool villas, and an outdoor jungle pool. If you can think of a way to enjoy yourself in style, the resort’s got you covered. The Wynn also introduced the city to the artistry of Miu Miu, who designed the resort’s gowns for the 2018 Golden Globes, and the 2019 Met Gala, among others. In 2019, the Wynn will host the Monster Truck Madness, a four-day long celebration of all things automotive, from the SEMA Show to the Monster Truck Rally to the Streets of Vegas. This year’s event, titled “Mighty Mike’s Monster Jam World Championship Tour,” will once again highlight some of the greatest monster truck drivers in the world. The resort’s restaurants and bars will hum with activity as football fans and non-fans alike enjoy some well-deserved pints and bites during one of the biggest events in sports.
The return of the Super Bowl to Vegas will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the city. Local tourism will rise, as will the city’s profile as a premier travel destination. The sheer volume of tourists will present unique challenges for residents, from the influx of people looking for low-cost accommodation to overcrowding on the streets and at public transportation stops. But all these problems will be temporary, as one of the city’s biggest attractions will be drawing people from all over the world, and the city will be better for it.