A new attraction is coming to the Las Vegas Strip, as T-Mobile Arena will open in April and provide the city with a state-of-the-art indoor sports and entertainment venue. While T-Mobile Arena will feature many of the modern amenities associated with new venues, it will also offer many unique aspects, including an arena-exclusive cocktail menu.
In February, the arena announced that it was partnering with concessionaire Levy Restaurants and mixologist Tony Abou-Ganium to form a slate of premium cocktail offerings, headlined by a drink known as the Atomic Fizz. As the Los Angeles Times reported last month, the Atomic Fizz has been heavily inspired by both T-Mobile Arena and the Las Vegas region:
Abou-Ganim said the name of the signature drink — Atomic Fizz — is a fitting match to the Nevada desert, once the site of dozens of atomic-bomb tests.
The mixologist said the tall drink will incorporate a blend of Grey Goose Le Citron vodka, Aperol orange liqueur, agave nectar, prickly pear puree, freshly squeezed lemon juice and sparkling water.
“I’m really pleased with the way the drink turned out,” he said.
Abou-Ganim added that it will be “T-Mobile magenta” in color and served at every food-and-beverage stand in the arena.
“People will look at this as part of the overall experience of going to T-Mobile,” he explained. “ ‘Yeah, we’re going to see a UFC fight or see George Strait, but we also get to have an Atomic Fizz.’ ”
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the Atomic Fizz will be joined by Rum Punch and Scratch Margarita on the exclusive cocktail menu. Cocktails in the arena will be served on carved ice cubes that are customized to the drink
While the drinks will surely add to the experience, T-Mobile Arena has some other amenities that should be unique in their own right. The Toshiba Plaza—a two-acre space outside the arena—will host outdoor events, including festivals and pre-game entertainment options. In addition, there will be four outdoor terraces—which can serve as public gathering spaces, or be obtained for private events—and three exterior balconies.
Inside T-Mobile Arena, there are several ticketing and entertainment options. While most fans will take in events from the 20,000 person seating bowl, there are also several premium areas and gathering spaces. Three bars and lounges—The Goose Island Bar, a scotch bar, and a whiskey lounge—will be part of the concession offerings. The slate of premium seating options will feature various levels of suites, and additional offerings that include, but are not limited to, club seating and opera boxes.
T-Mobile Arena is a partnership between MGM Resorts International and the Anschutz Entertainment Group, which had once teamed up with Harrah’s Entertainment to build a venue in Las Vegas, only for the project to eventually fall through because of funding issues. AEG and MGM opted to work on this project without public dollars, resulting in a $375 million arena that will be built with private money. Populous was brought on board to design the facility, which will be characterized by its vast, oval-shaped glass exterior.
Ground was broken in May 2014, and the project has managed to stay on schedule for its planned opening this spring. T-Mobile was announced as the naming rights partner earlier this year.
In the beginning, T-Mobile Arena will be without a full-time major sports tenant, but it has a busy schedule nonetheless. A concert featuring The Killers, Wayne Newton, and Shamir will christen the venue on April 6, kicking off a musical slate for the year that will include performances from Janet Jackson, Garth Brooks, and George Strait.
Those looking for a good sporting event will have a few options this year. The Harlem Globetrotters will visit the arena on April 19, and the Las Vegas-based Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is expected to hold an event at the arena in July. The fall and winter months will be highlighted by an appearance from the Professional Bull Riders Association, which will host its world finals at T-Mobile Arena in November, plus a college basketball matchup between Duke and UNLV that is expected to take place in December.
T-Mobile Arena may eventually be home to a major sports franchise. A group led by investor Bill Foley has been working to bring an NHL expansion team to Las Vegas. The franchise, which is vying to be Nevada’s first from one of the four majors sports leagues, would play its home games out of T-Mobile Arena, with the 2017-’18 season being the earliest it would begin play.
Even if it has to wait a year or more for its first major franchise, T-Mobile Arena will add to the indoor entertainment venue landscape, and serve as another destination in Las Vegas.
