The good news is yes, such tours do exist; the bad news is that they're not open to the general public. Security concerns are a major factor behind casinos' reluctance to let people behind the scenes, while issues of staff privacy, operational disruption, and general secrecy (i.e., not wanting to display "dirty laundry" -- the back of house is seldom a glamorous place) all play their part, too.
In the main, unless you're with a film crew from the Travel Channel, the only way that you can get to tour the back of house of any major Las Vegas casino resort is if you’re part of an official educational or industry-related group and the casino agrees to arrange a special program for you. For example, we read online about a recent career trek to Las Vegas organized for alumni of Stanford Business School. Apparently, some highlights of this trip, arranged by the GSB Travel and Hospitality Club, included a tour of the kitchen of the Bouchon restaurant and bakery, the count room, and the surveillance room at the Venetian, plus a two-hour backstage tour of Ka at the MGM Grand, and a full tour of the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay. The offer of a full tour of Harrah's had to be foregone due to time constraints. We approached the organizers to find out how they'd succeeded in getting such great access and they informed us that it was via a combination of friends and acquaintances in high places, plus contacts with various alumni now employed in senior positions at these properties.
The American Institute of Architects is another organization that seems to get great behind-the-scenes access via its Las Vegas chapter. Last May, for $65 it offered members tours of Mandalay Bay, the Palms, and Paris, which encompassed everything from kitchens and engineering areas to employee changing rooms and construction sites. The tours sold out quickly.
A call to Bellagio informed us that you can get back-of-house tours there if you're going to invest money in the MGM Mirage-Mandalay group, but that's the only way.
If you work in the casino industry, there's an alternative way to get back-of-house access. The annual Global Gaming Expo (G2E), held at the Las Vegas Convention Center, arranges a number of casino-property and behind-the-scenes tours, for which delegates can sign up. 2005's options included: Caesars' hotel operations and a full property tour of Wynn Las Vegas (sold out); Bally's call center and Paris' cook-and-chill kitchen; Caesars' food and beverage and the Stratosphere's security and surveillance departments; and the Flamingo's premier restaurants, pool, and spa areas. You must be an industry professional to attend the Expo. Click here for the different pricing packages available.
There is one tour we know of that's open to the public, however, and that’s the backstage tour of Bally's Jubilee! show, which takes place every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 2 pm. Your guide is a real live showgirl and you get to see sets, costumes, the lighting booth, dressing rooms and repair shops, and to stand center stage. The cost is $15 but if you also purchase a Jubilee! ticket (priced at $65, $77, & $82), the price of the tour is just an additional $10. For the tour you have to be 13+, but 18+ for the show. You can visit the Web site at www.caesars.com/Ballys/LasVegas/JubileeBackstageTour.htm and tickets are available from the Bally’s and Paris box offices.
