Las Vegas Is a Slam Dunk for College Basketball Fans During the 2015 NCAA Men's Tournament

The Destination Offers the Ultimate Viewing Parties with Food and Drink Specials That Will Have Fans Cheering

LAS VEGAS, March 3, 2015 /CNW/ -- It's college basketball tournament time and Las Vegas offers the ultimate experience for fans. From the world's largest race and sports book at Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino to a multitude of viewing parties on and off the Strip, the destination provides the perfect backdrop for fans to cheer on their favorite team.

Hoops & Hops, the three-day basketball tournament celebration, will take place inside The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, from 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., March 19 - 21. Guests will be immersed in the competitive excitement at The Chelsea, an event and performance space, which will be transformed into an exclusive sports lounge. An array of gourmet stadium fare and game-day snacks will also be available throughout the weekend. Fans should also stop by Holstein's Shakes and Buns inside the resort. The restaurant will serve up The Bracket Burger throughout the tournament. This specialty burger consists of a juicy 8-ounce, dry-aged beef patty topped with American cheese, a fried egg, firecracker onions, lettuce, tomato, avocado, spicy mustard and barbecue sauce.

Lagasse's Stadium at The Palazzo Las Vegas will be packed with live viewing on 20 screens, March 19 - 22. Doors open at 9 a.m. and food specials include chilled Alaskan king crab legs, fresh shucked oysters and a surf-n-turf tomahawk bone-in, 30-ounce rib-eye steak. Located conveniently next to The Venetian Las Vegas sports book, B&B Burger & Beer features 16 HD TVs, a selection of 18 draft beers and more than 50 craft and domestic bottled beers for fans to enjoy. Tip-off packages are also available at Rockhouse, Las Vegas' ultra-dive bar at The Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian Las Vegas.

Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino's Hoops Central is where guests will want to be for the madness of the college basketball finals during the first weekend. Watch the games on giant HD screens in the Westgate Theater, while enjoying food and beverage specials, prize giveaways and much more. The event is free and doors open at 8 a.m. Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino is also home to the SuperBook®, a 30,000 square-foot space with more than 350 seats.

ARIA Resort & Casino offers great game-day action at FIVE50, Lift Bar and the property's Race and Sports Book. Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino has plans to keep fans cheering with food specials at the Sports Book Grill. For the ultimate viewing party, head to The Pub at Monte Carlo Resort and Casino. Guests can pick from VIP packages or purchase a main floor table, while enjoying the all-you-can-eat buffet.

The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino will offer slam-dunk views of each action-packed game during its tournament madness viewing parties March 19 - 21. Basketball fanatics can root for their favorite college teams alongside thousands of fans with a live, high-definition stream of each matchup.

The Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, provide the perfect backdrop for fans looking to have a good time. Cabo Wabo Cantina will transform into the ultimate sports hub March 17 - April 6. The LOFT, a luxurious new event space directly above Cabo Wabo Cantina, will feature games on multiple flat-panel, big-screen TVs including a 184-inch video grid, a 180-inch projection screen and multiple 80-inch HD TVs. Guests can also catch a game at Blondies Sports Bar & Grill and PBR Rock Bar, which will offer drink and food specials.

Caesars Palace will be filled with events to celebrate Hoops on the Strip. Models will be on property March 19 and 20 handing out basketball swag. The property also offers Pop-a-Shot Arcade Basketball at Spanish Steps, Slice Bar, Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill and Serendipity 3. Guests can play a solo game or compete against a friend for the highest score. Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill is a great place to catch all of the basketball action. The venue will show every game on its screens and offers food and drink specials. With 43 seats available daily March 17-22, 26-28 and April 4 and 6, Race and Sports Book Lounge is the ultimate way to view the game with friends. Basketball aficionados can also grab a slice and watch the games at Slice Bar March 19-22.

Basketball fans are invited to the madness in March viewing party at the Treasure Island ballroom March 19 - 21. Admission is free and the party starts at 7:30 p.m. each night.

Downtown Las Vegas is home to multiple viewing parties with free entry, including The D Las Vegas, California Hotel and Casino and Fremont Hotel and Casino during opening weekend. Fremont Street Experience invites college basketball fans to dribble down to the sixth annual Downtown Hoopstown, taking place March 2 - April 6. The four blocks underneath the Viva Vision canopy will be lined with college banners and flags as Fremont Street Experience transforms into the ultimate college basketball destination with special events, including nightly entertainment from the stage production show "Hardwood Hotties," an interactive high hoops zone, the world's largest NCAA bracket and a special basketball-themed show displayed on the 1,500 foot Viva Vision canopy. 

Fans cheering on their favorite teams at Aliante Casino's Race & Sports Book may take advantage of food and drink specials, March 17 - April 6. ETA Lounge, located at the center of the casino floor, will also offer a reverse happy hour from 10 p.m. to close.

Specials can also be found at Pot Liquor Contemporary American Smokehouse at Town Square during select men's college basketball games. It includes deals on Pot Liquor's signature Carolina Pulled Pork, Moinks and specialty cocktails.

For the perfect party snack, head to Sprinkles at The LINQ Promenade, where fans can customize cupcakes with a variety of flavors, basketball themed stickers and the names of their favorite coach or player.

For an easy way to get around in the destination, use the Las Vegas Monorail. Riders can get a discount on an unlimited weekend pass by using the promo code MM2015.

For the perfect way to unwind from all of the excitement, head to one of Las Vegas' 50 golf courses. Bali Hai Golf Club includes 7,000 yards of pure tropical golf paradise, located right on the famed Las Vegas Strip. Royal Links Golf Club offers golfers a collection of the best holes from the British Open rotation courses, featuring an authentic castle-style clubhouse.  

To plan your unforgettable trip to Las Vegas for this March, including air and hotel packages, show tickets and more, visit www.LasVegas.com.

Photos and video of Las Vegas are available at www.thenewsmarket.com/LVCVA.

ABOUT THE LVCVA
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) is charged with marketing Southern Nevada as a tourism and convention destination worldwide, and also with operating the Las Vegas Convention Center and Cashman Center. With more than 150,000 hotel rooms in Las Vegas alone and almost 11 million square feet of meeting and exhibit space citywide, the LVCVA's mission centers on attracting ever increasing numbers of leisure and business visitors to the area. For more information, go to www.lvcva.com or www.LasVegas.com.

Press Contact:
Adrienne Prather-Marcos, R&R Partners
T: 702.318.4386
[email protected]

SOURCE Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority