The MGM Grand Adventures amusement park opened in December 1993 the same night as the hotel-casino. It occupied 33 acres and had seven (relatively) big rides and attractions, four theaters with shows, and about a dozen eateries and another dozen shops.
From the start, the amusement park was considered by many knowledgeable observers to be underwhelming, and it not only got mixed reviews but attendance dropped steadily over the seven years it was open. At one point, a monster thrill ride, SkyScreamer, was installed, but it barely made a blip in the dwindling popularity of the place. By 1998, the park seemed to be closed as much as it was open.
By then, it had also started to shrink. MGM Grand used nearly 19 acres (40% of the park) to expand its pool area and build a $100 million 380,000-square-foot Conference Center. At the same time, Las Vegas real estate started to skyrocket, which rang the death knell for the rest of the acreage. In fall 2000, MGM Grand announced the park would close for good to the public, though it would remain available as a rental facility for private parties and corporate functions and be renamed the Park at MGM Grand; Sky Screamer and the Conference Center were the main attractions.
Finally, in May 2002, the Park closed for good after a private "Parrothead" party following a Jimmy Buffett concert.
A few months later, MGM Mirage announced that it had formed a joint venture with Turnberry Associates to build a three-tower condominium project called the Signature at MGM Grand. Two of the three towers are now open; the third is scheduled to open this May. Nothing remains of the amusement park.
