What you’re seeing is the expansion of Mandalay Bay’s Convention Center to encompass underground parking and more exhibitor/amenity space: When finished, the Convention Center will encompass 2.05 million square feet, making it the fifth-largest such facility in North America.
"In addition to enabling our current clients to develop larger events, the additional space and new flexibility will allow us to attract new business to Las Vegas," said Mandalay Bay COO Chuck Bowling, in a prepared statement. Construction began last fall and the new, $66 million exhibit space is scheduled to begin coming on line by August, with the following January targeted as the completion date. The centerpiece will be a 70,000-square-foot ballroom that can be broken down into five smaller spaces.
Atop the structure will be the largest convention-center solar power array in the world, photovoltaic cells that will yield 3.4 million kilowatt hours a year – comparable to the energy consumption of 1,300 homes. Since Mandalay Bay and its convention center already hold Five Key ratings from the Green Key Eco-Rating and Meetings Programs, the extension of the Convention Center will strive to maintain that level, being built to Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Gold standards.
