Mandalay Bay Convention Center: Business Meets Vegas

Right on the Las Vegas Strip, the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Paradise, Nevada, brings together sharp design and sheer scale. Also in the package is location convenience. It’s part of the Mandalay Bay Resort complex. So, everything from restaurants and entertainment to a manmade beach is already built in. This place has become one of the most-used venues for shows and expos in the city.

Where It Sits

You’ll find Mandalay Bay Convention Center at 3950 South Las Vegas Boulevard. It sits on the southern edge of the Strip. That’s close enough to all the action but with enough space to stretch. Restaurants, casinos, nightlife, etc., it’s all around. And if you’re staying at Mandalay Bay itself, your event is just an elevator ride away. Tied into the resort, the center also gives direct access to attractions like the Shark Reef Aquarium and a beach complex that spans 11 acres. You can get business done without missing out on the Vegas experience.

How It All Started

The original Mandalay Bay had some meeting space (around 190,000 square feet), but the demand kept growing. In April 2001, the resort’s leadership decided to go big. They committed to building an entirely new convention center on 16.5 acres just behind the main resort. Construction started that summer but hit a temporary pause after September 11. Like a lot of projects at the time, progress stalled. By July 2002, the building had topped out. By January 2003, it officially opened.

The price tag hit $236 million. That investment turned Mandalay Bay into the second-largest venue in Las Vegas, behind only the Las Vegas Convention Center. The first event in the new building was the Aqua Show. It focused on the pool and spa world. That kickstarted a long list of events that continue to roll in every year. When MGM Mirage bought the property in 2005, bookings picked up. Things shifted into high gear. In 2013, they went green. A massive solar panel project added more than 21,000 panels to the roof. This covered around 20% of the resort’s energy needs. Growth hasn’t stopped. In 2014, a $66 million expansion brought in 350,000 more square feet and added 900 underground parking spaces. The Oceanside Ballroom came with it, which is a 70,000-square-foot addition that opened in early 2016. From 2022 to 2024, another $100 million renovation focused on tech upgrades, layout improvements, refreshed interiors, etc. That update makes the venue more flexible for modern event demands.

Why Exhibitors Choose Mandalay Bay Convention Center

Mandalay Bay Convention Center extends real options. It can host full-scale expos or intimate summits, all under one roof. With major updates already complete and more shows on the calendar, it keeps raising the bar.

Space Breakdown

The total footprint now sits at over 2.1 million square feet. That has 861,000 square feet dedicated to exhibits alone. You get six massive exhibit halls that are labeled A through F. These range from just under 50,000 square feet to over 170,000 each.

Then there are the ballrooms:

Mandalay Bay Ballroom: Nearly 96,000 square feet. Great for big crowds. It can hold more than 9,000 people in theater-style seating or 4,200 with round tables.

Oceanside Ballroom: About 69,000 square feet. That’s 6,700 people seated theater-style or over 3,500 for banquets.

South Seas Ballroom: Just over 48,000 square feet. Room for around 5,100 guests.

South Pacific Ballroom: 44,000 square feet. Holds 4,700 theater-style.

Islander Ballroom: 31,000 square feet. It seats about 3,300 in rows or 1,800 banquet-style.

Shoreline Exhibit Hall adds another 181,000 square feet of open space. That’s flexibility. There’s also the Michelob ULTRA Arena. This is an indoor venue with up to 12,000 seats. It includes a 30,000-square-foot event floor and a concourse that runs just over 33,000 square feet. As for meeting rooms, there are 75. And you can customize those setups. Breakouts, boardrooms, whatever you need. Five executive rooms hold 18 to 20 people each for smaller discussions. Three commercial kitchens handle food for events of any size.

Nearby Stays

You’ve got plenty of hotel options close to the venue. Starting with the most convenient: Mandalay Bay itself. You walk out of your room and straight into the event space. There’s no shuttle needed. For something more private or upscale, the Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas is nearby, just 0.35 km away. For more budget-conscious options, OYO, Nirvana Hotel, or even the Luxor may do. The Luxor sits less than a kilometer from the convention space. The Excalibur isn’t much farther, just over a kilometer. Plenty of scope depending on what your team needs.

Getting Around

Vegas has decent transportation options if you’re heading to or from Mandalay Bay. Start with the Monorail. While there’s no station directly at Mandalay, you can hop on at MGM Grand. From there, it’s about a 10-minute ride to the Las Vegas Convention Center. This is great for exhibitors bouncing between venues. Public buses also connect through the RTC system. The 119 line runs past the Strip and gets you to the LVCC in about 18 minutes. Taxis and rideshare services are everywhere. An 8-minute drive can take you from Mandalay Bay to the Convention Center. Expect a fare somewhere in the $27–$35 range, depending on traffic.

Notable Trade Shows

The Mandalay Bay Convention Center stays booked year-round. It sees over 500 events annually. Industries from cosmetics to tech to retail show up in force.

COSMOPROF North America is a magnet for beauty brands, distributors, and retailers. Products, trends, and packaging are all on display.

IMEX America pulls in the events, travel, and incentive industries. Attendees love it, and the feedback proves it.

SuperZoo shows up every August. This one has to do with the pet industry. From grooming tools to dog food packaging, it’s a major deal.

ISA Sign Expo is the place to scout new gear and suppliers in graphics, signage, visual marketing, etc.

Shoptalk witnesses retail experts, tech pros, startup founders, etc., gather to hash out what’s next for commerce.

SupplySide West indulges the supplement and food world. It connects product developers with ingredient suppliers.

Each show brings a new crowd. But they all choose Mandalay Bay for the same reasons: plenty of space and fresh infrastructure with a Strip-side location.

Why Choose Us

TrueBlue Exhibits has created custom rental booths for clients who have been exhibiting at events held at Mandalay for years. If you’re looking to exhibit here, we’ve got you covered. Here’s why choosing us is an advantage for you:

Every rental exhibit we provide you is made to fit the assigned booth space with no layout issues. We follow the venue regulations.

We work within your budget and spring no hidden costs on you.

You can avoid logistics headaches. Storage, installation, dismantle, and shipping are all covered as part of our comprehensive turnkey solutions.

We align each booth with your brand identity and marketing tone.

We also help with tech integration like AR, LED video walls, and touchscreen displays as needed.

We can help you catch maximum footfall with striking displays and booth layouts. Get in touch with us for a successful trade show experience at Mandalay Bay.