Spring Hoopla

Move over Cancun and Cabo. Take a breather, Fort Lauderdale and Palm Springs. March Madness has turned Las Vegas into a leading spring break destination, a place where the biggest college sporting event in America collides with the most notorious party capital in the world.

A four-day event that rivals the Super Bowl in terms of money wagered, the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament has become a raging — and growing — annual bacchanalia that consumes Sin City. It’s called March Madness and it packs hotels and sportsbooks, pulling in around 85% of the estimated $100 million bet on the Super Bowl.

Instead of one big game, the opening weekend of Madness features a frantic two rounds of action — 32 games in the first two days — with wagering opportunities for every single one. Add exuberant college fans and it’s no wonder the energy level is off the charts.

Walls of video monitors throughout the packed sportsbooks and casinos show every overlapping game, and dedicated hoops fans regularly camp out the night before to snag a good seat at the books, said Chuck Esposito, Race & Sports Book Host for the Venetian and Palazzo.

“March Madness draws a much different crowd than the Super Bowl: a younger and more enthusiastic group,” Esposito said. “The opening Thursday is just a phenomenal, colorful scene. Because it falls around spring break we get a lot of students and alumni.”

And the Madness is bigger than ever for 2011, with two “play-in” games added to the tournament, boosting the total number of teams from 64 to 68, tipping off March 15. The move will lure a lot of early visitors, Esposito said, but the real action will get underway starting Thursday, March 17.

“Vegas is the epicenter for March Madness, and it’s like a huge bachelor party on steroids,” said Don Marrandino, former president of Harrah’s Las Vegas and a huge hoops fan.

Lagasse’s Stadium at the Palazzo, which debuted just in time for last year’s tournament, is a major destination for March Madness revelry. It’s a one-of-a-kind sports venue that combines high-definition coverage of the games with a full bar and culinary creations designed by celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse.

Harrah’s Sports Pit has wagering and watching, along with table gaming, video poker and more in a spacious, casual lounge setting. The comfortably elegant sportsbook at Caesars Palace has giant video monitors along with individual TVs at private guest tables.

Long a popular March Madness venue, MGM Grand’s Race & Sports Book is another prime party spot. It features 60-inch plasma screens and posh elevated skyboxes with killer views, private TVs and surround-sound audio and CD systems. Located near Studio 54 and with nearby access to the Strip, the MGM book’s energy level is exceedingly high and perfectly placed for convenient post-game partying.

After all, basketball is just one part of the Madness experience, Marrandino said: “When the games are over, the fans spill out into the clubs and restaurants, and the party continues long into the night.”

—Bob Young, Custom Publishing Writer