A Taste of March Madness Week, Peek at PH’s new LED Wall
I have been going to Las Vegas for the first week of March Madness for many years now. There are a lot of resources already detailing the various basketball viewing parties, and I’m sure many have been studying the brackets hard looking for a way to create a winning one that is unique enough to be significant. For my friends and me, it is about that, but also, it is about so much more. In the future, I will write in more detail about these elements. This article is to merely serve as a preview regarding some of what attracts us to Las Vegas at this crazy busy time.
The first and initial drawing factor is the basketball. With 32 games between the 64 teams on the first two days of the tournament (I’m not counting the play-in games) there is really no other situation quite like this where so many people are throwing action around on so many different games. A lot of parlays and teasers abound (another sports betting article that will be forthcoming!), and games on those days go from 9 AM to 7 PM with very little break.
The advantage of doing a man-cave type viewing party is, as you can see from these previous images, that you basically have a living room all for yourself. While the cost has become fairly steep these days, with premium open bar and higher-end food compared to the larger viewing parties, a group like mine can really make that difference up in no time. The best part is that you can have a lot of fun in the cave, wander around and hit up some slots and table games, and then come back, since the cave is yours.
As an added bonus, in most years, St. Patrick’s Day overlaps this first week of the NCAA tournament. That means there is even more partying and fun to be had on that specific day. The old tradition of the O’Sheas street party is alive and well, now simply taking place on the LINQ Promenade instead of on the closed off street next to the original O’Sheas.
Beyond that, even the clubs get into the action. There will usually be some form of St. Patty’s Day party, or a green themed night, or something similar. Usually, the craziness of the day itself will carry over into a relatively high-energy night.
Finally, spring break, for at least some schools, almost always overlaps this first week of basketball. Vegas itself seems to recognize this as it usually will have warmed up enough such that the pools are open, and cabanas can be had. These can be utilized for some rest and relaxation, away from the rest of the hustle and bustle, or they can also be turned into a private basketball viewing party or St. Patrick’s Day celebration.
There is way more that is going on, in particular, this year the start of March Madness also coincides with the Las Vegas Wizard World Comic Con. This is just a preview of the main experiences that people come to Las Vegas for during this time. Hopefully, it is as fun for you if you are here during this week, or if you haven’t been yet, perhaps this article, and ones to follow, will convince you to give it a shot.
[Images: gennadius]
A former VegasChatter contributor, gennadius is a regular visitor to the Las Vegas area. Some areas of interest include aviation, sports (gambling, watching, participating), blackjack, craps, and science fiction.
When in Vegas, gennadius can be found looking for good food, spending time at the clubs, hanging out at the tables, and watching games with friends.
