Grand Garden Arena

Old venue, but decent. The sound was okay for the concert I saw. The vendors and staff were friendly and helpful. Beer selection could have been better.

It’s always a good time when I go here. I appreciate that they have a thorough security check so I always feel not threatened when I’m enjoying a boxing or UFC event. It is always clean and well presented. I’ve never been disappointed at an event here.

worst arena I have ever been to. saw Motley Crue there. it was so slow getting in to the arena that the line was still out in the casino when it was time for the show to start. they waited until to late to open the doors and then took forever to get everybody into the show. then during the show they don’t have anybody making sure people follow the no smoking rule. it was smokier at the concert in the section I was sitting in than the worst casinos here. would not see another show here if they gave me free tickets.

Came here for the first time last night to see Motley Crue. Motley Crue was good, however I personally do not think this is a great venue for concerts. It was extremely smokey inside and the acoustics suck. A huge brawl broke out near us in section nosebleed 204. When the show was over, it was impossible to get out of the parking garage. We finally gave up and parked the car and took a cab to a bar off the strip.

Was in Vegas for a work trip and stayed at the hard rock. We went to see the lakers play the Kings and it was awesome. Great places to get a drink or a shot and some food. We sat in the third row and it was beyond amazing. We could literally see the expressions of all the players. We were right next to Kobe! Easy to get in and get out!

I love watching all the mega sports events here. So nice to enjoy front row seating at the Mayweather fight recently. I also enjoyed the last several UFC fights and was seated directly next to the octagon. I hope the future stadium being built to the west is just as good. I never have a problem parking and Love that Metro Police protects the citizens enjoying the fights! I always feel safe when they are around! There is so much history at the Garden and so much to enjoy at this property in general. I can’t wait for the next mega event, I will be there front and center of course!

Simply wonderful!
Came for the Mayweather fight and left a happy dude.
What can I say?

Loved this place! We were to the right of the stage and could still see pretty well! Thank you Jimmy Buffet! I am officially a parrot head now and I had an awesome time! Would go back here for another concert, so much fun!

Pretty nice concert space. We came for I Heart Music and we were in the nosebleeds (section 203) and you could still see everything pretty well, no complaints.
The beers and drinks are average prices for an arena, obviously buying tall boys is the most cost effective way to go. But, they did let us bring a couple cans in with us which is a rarity and pretty awesome. If you tried to come in with a glass container they gave you a cup to empty it out into. How awesome is that?
The bartenders are actually very friendly, they remembered me from both nights (not sure if that’s good or bad). One actually asked the second night if I had survived the first night. We had a good laugh. You don’t get that much at arena type venues.
Overall a nice place. Security checkpoint was a bit chaotic but they had enough people directing traffic. Some bar stands were cash only but if you literally turned around you could use your card at the one behind you.

I’m a first timer at the UFC 191 it was an amazing experience! Everything is well organized we had to go through a V.I.P. entrance which was fancy, there was airport type security check, and it has lovely staff that will help if you’re lost, like I was! The arena was big and it had bunch of lights! Amazing music, overall the night was amazing!

I try to avoid these huge arenas to see a show. Everything is far and you end up being so far away that you might as well just watch it on tv. But this is a review of the actual arena and not my personal preference. Lots of concession stands so the wait wasn’t too long. Great sound. Only complaint I really have is that speakers were hanging in front of the big screen so you couldn’t see any of the close ups if you are sitting on the side of the arena. Don’t understand why they didn’t have more screens strategically located.

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Just like any other area, except it seems run-​down, limited drink and food options, a lot of cops at the RUSH band concert, really?
Uncomfortable seatings, I was hoping it’d be nicer because it’s Las Vegas, disappointed!

Just trying to get inside to the lobby is a challenge not for the faint of heart. I was in the Land of the Giants, crushed on all sides by hordes of other would-​be concert-​goers, every one of whom was at least a foot taller than I. It was like being trapped inside an MRI machine or under an avalanche searching for an air pocket.
Once inside, the quest for air continued. It was warm, too warm, and I felt the air conditioner come on just a few times, and only for about a minute each time, during the more than three hours’ duration of the fabulous Eagles concert. What, MGM doesn’t make enough money from gigs like this to ensure that people paying $ 200.15 a ticket are comfortable? (Of course, we didn’t pay for our tickets, so I guess I have no right to complain. So sue me.) And what’s with that 15 cents on each ticket category? It could have been worse: at least we weren’t in the most expensive seats, which are foldable and open-​back and all the same level. No Giants blocked my view, except that, as good as our seats were, we were still far enough from the stage that we had to watch the screens. I don’t know why I own binoculars, since I never remember to take them anywhere.
The sound system was decent enough, and the ladies’ restroom was huge. Leaving the arena was easier than getting in, since no one had to be scanned. But we didn’t park in the regular garage (I won’t give away our secret), so we got stopped at the stop sign just at the walkway between the arena and the garage. And we stayed stopped until the ENTIRE arena emptied out! No matter that a bunch of idiot drivers behind me were actually honking their horns, we weren’t permitted to move.
Bottom line: free tickets for an amazing concert, but at a venue that needs some serious improvement.

Umm, no. This has got to be one of the worst arenas I have ever been to. Let me get all the negatives out of the way because for damn sure it outweighs the positives.
Have you ever wondered what it felt like to be a cow, goat, sheep, etc being in a herd? Well thats exactly what you feel like when you make your way to the lobby of the arena. Feeling like a sardine in a can is another way of putting it. The walkway going through the metal detectors and then having the ticket takers scan your tickets is a very slow and unorganized process. If you are claustrophobic, you will suffer. If you are not claustrophobic, then you just might be after an episode at this arena. This is also the point where you know who has not showered and does not have deoderant on. The same goes for when you exit. You are one of many going in one direction like mindless zombies.
I have always heard about the great music artists and famous popular sporting events like boxing and MMA go down here so that alone should tell me that the arena itself should be top notch right? WRONG.
Since this was my very first event here and it just so happens to be the Billboard Music Awards I was very ecstatic of what I was about to witness. Taylor Swift won 4 awards and no, Kanye West didnt do or say anything stupid this time around although I wouldnt have been surprised if he did. He got booed when he was introduced.
Oops, sorry for the little rant there. The very first thing that horribly stood out was the audio quality or lack there of. You can barely hear what the hosts and award presenters were saying. A lot of times I had to ask my seatmates what was just said and vice versa. As for the singers, it varied but the main theme was that there was no consistency due to just bad sound quality all around. The only thing that might be construed as positive were the subwoofers. The bass was really good on just about every performance. But then again, the overall low decibel levels of the vocals practically cancels that out.
Where we sat was basically the nosebleeds towards the back of the arena. You can see the stage meaning the people on it looked like a flea circus. Of course I expect that sitting so far away but they tried to alleviate that by putting 1 big projection screen right above the stage and 1 to the right and left of it. Only problem was that some of it was being blocked by the lighting fixtures strewn about hanging down from the ceiling.
If you plan on getting any kind of concessions here, I recommend you eat before coming here because basically they legally rob you.
Which brings me to another disappointing observation. Anywhere you went inside the arena whether in your seat or going up and down the stairs the floor was consistently sticky. Probably from all the beer and sodas that people spill. I was thinking that they had people assigned specifically to clean the floors. Either they dont do that or people were spilling beverages left and right just before we got there. Here’s the kicker though. There are railings you can hold on to assist you while moving up and down the stairs. These things were sticky too! After touching the railings I was afraid of getting a staph infection!
Another bummer is that the ventilation and cooling system was virtually non existent. I was pretty much sweating the whole time just sitting there and I was wearing cargo shorts and a plain t-​shirt. From my recollection I know they usually blast the AC in these big arenas for obvious reasons but it doesn’t seem to apply here.
Now for the couple positives from this experience. First one I noticed plenty of security guards and law enforcement all over the place so at least you know you will be safe. Not sure if they can protect you from staph infections though. Second one was that the bathrooms were pretty clean and kept up pretty well not to mention easily accessible. So from these two positives you can feel safe while taking a leak.
In closing, I am hoping that the new arena that is almost done being built across the street in between New York New York and Monte Carlo has taken the bad design of the Grand Garden Arena into careful consideration since it is the same company that is involved. The Grand Garden Arena should have a documentary titled, «How to design and build a poorly constructed arena». What I witnessed should have been an awesome experience based on the star studded line up but all the negatives pretty much ruined it for me. As a side note, I have been to the Mandalay Events Center, the Orleans Arena, the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, and the Thomas and Mack Center. Whatever negatives these places I have experienced are nothing compared to the Grand Garden Arena in terms of bad logistics.
Unilocal 2015 Review #25
523 overall

It’s a decent-​enough place to see a performance: saw Barry Manilow here recently, and the acoustics were surprisingly good considering this place looks like it’s more for sports rather than musical acts.
Like any arena or theater, the seats are small and close together. What I disliked about the seating was that the flooring was aluminum like sports bleachers, and did not feel particularly sturdy as you were inching down the aisle to get to your seat. Also note the lack of support poles/​beams to use as handrails. I’m surprised I didn’t see more of the old people in the crowd stumbling or falling.
There was plenty of helpful staff to find seats and direct you to bathrooms and such. Assuming you can see the floorplan before you purchase tickets, I’d hesitate before saying «there isn’t a bad seat in the house!» and say to try to stick to the midway point of the auditorium or closer for the best view.
NOTE: The chairs face the middle of the auditorium and even in my section (less than halfway from the stage), my neck began to hurt halfway through the show from craning my neck. Consider yourself warned.

I have been to the MGM many times for concerts and never had a complaint. As far as large venue concert situations go, they are as good as one can expect. What made me write a review was my most recent experience there.
I went to the January 1^st Justin Timberlake show. We had decent seats on concourse level and we’re all settled in early and ready to go. The people in the seats next to us arrived and were absolutely drunk and insane. Within about ten minutes they had spilled an entire tall boy can of beer on me with no apology and much attitude, and then proceeded to spill another beer in the other direction and get in a loud argument with the people on the other side of them. Then they argued with the security guard that stepped in as well as the people in the row in front of us. My friend and I were uncomfortable and unhappy at the mere idea of having to endure a 3 hour show next to these people. Bummer, when we had been so excited in the days leading up to it.
The GGA security and guest relations stepped in and were an absolute dream. They apologized profusely, had all jackets that were spilled on cleaned during the course of the show, and even moved us and the people on the other side of the belligerent couple all the way down to VIP where we were mere feet away from the stage. No problems, no questions asked, situation handled. It turned what could have been a terrible, uncomfortable, and possibly early night into an absolutely incredible one and I’m grateful for their staff and high level of professionalism that they showed. Thanks MGM!

The only good aspects of this joint are the restrooms that can accomidate many that want to blow up the restroom… matches please.
For how much MGM is worth and considering the important event’s that are held here (Boxing and Concerts)…Please upgrade something up in this place. I grew up attending various event’s here and I also grew up sitting on the same nasty ass old crusty chairs. My ass is flat and the cussion has diminished to what is now just aluminium with a cloth over it. If you have been to MSG, it is quite similar. Some type of upkeep would be nice thanks.

I’ve been to the MGM Grand Garden Arena for several concerts. Most recently, I was there for the Stevie Wonder, Songs in the Key of Life Performance.
The arena itself is OK. I had seats in the second section from the stage in the 5^th row off the stage. They were good seats. I’ve also been here when I was at the turn in the horseshoe of seating and the seats were painful to get in and out of. In addition, I needed the Hubble Telescope to see the performers.
The ushers were helpful, Metro was accommodating with approving my camera (the screener at the metal detectors thought it needed special attention). One complaint, if TM and AXS are going to encourage electronic tickets on smartphones, have more than one line where your entry can be scanned. It’s absurd to move all of us who are not wasting paper to go to one line to get in. Even the Las Vegas Academy High School can scan smartphone and paper.
The arena is always clean – well to start the evening. Getting out is now a lot easier after the near stampede following one of the large prize fights. Walk up to the plaza level, go through one of the doors that says exit to stairwell, and down the steps and outside and you’re close to the garage. Generally they don’t let you come in this way unless you have floor/​VIP seats. It is the way Mike Tyson came in Saturday night.

I love this venue!
Self-​Parking= Free
Air conditioning= works, and well I might add.
Restroom situation= crazy good. Clean, barely any lines, paper towels & tissues accessible to all. First time in my life I’ve ever seen the sinks adorned with shelves and tissue boxes. Nice touch!
Sound: from the floor and the stands: phenomenal– and my ear drums are still intact.
Accessibility: getting in and out of the arena had been a breeze. Depending on what time you get in (planning ahead and coming early is a strong suggestion), it’s a little bit of a shuffle to the doors, but there are plenty of tables, slot machines, shops and eateries to stop by before actually getting to the entryway.
Staff: Sweet! What?! I don’t have to throw my glass-​bottled drink away before coming in?!? You have a plastic cup for me to put my drink in?! Wow… the airport security could learn a few things from you guys! Helpful, friendly, happy people is all I’ve encountered. These people have been schooled in customer service and it shows!
MGM Grand Garden Arena is the host with the most– in comparison to all the other concert venues. In my eyes, they can do no wrong. This place is has raised the bar!

I’ve been here a few times with my most recent visit seeing Lady Gaga in concert. We sat in section 203 row E and the seats weren’t bad. We were able to see the whole stage. Even when the people in front of us stood up, we remained sitting as we could still see both the stage and the two huge monitors. We did stand up during some parts of her performance.
The only thing that was disappointing was that there were no drink holders so we were stuck holding our beers the whole time. And speaking of beer, we paid $ 8.00 for a beer, and the lines to the concession stands moved pretty quickly