MGM Grand made headlines in June 2000 when it acquired Mirage Resorts. With the deal, six big Las Vegas properties — Bellagio, The MGM Grand, The Mirage, Treasure Island, New York New York Hotel and Casino, and the Golden Nugget — came under a single management umbrella. You have to wonder whether Terry Lanni, the company's chairman, realized that, along with thousands and thousands of hotel rooms and untold blackjack tables and slot machines, he would also be breathing life into a very special Las Vegas property with the decidedly down-market address of 3665 South Industrial. There, in a 50,000-square-foot space that was once a dance club called the Palladium, is the amazing Mirage Events.

Actually, the place has been around for four years, but it wasn't until the Big Deal that Cheryl G. Fish, vice president, and Rene Hosea, director of sales and events, were able to start realizing the full potential of their nightclub-turned-workshop.

Lots of production companies are out there, but Mirage Events is the only one we know of that dedicates itself to serving a particular group of hotels.

A walk through Mirage Events with Cheryl and Rene will get the juices of any event manager flowing. If you can think of an outlandish prop for a event, it is probably parked somewhere in the building. And if you can't think of one, their crew of designers, artists, carpenters, metalworkers, and jacks-of-all-trades probably can. They can give you computer support, scenic design, prop fabrication, graphic arts services, carpentry, metal sculpture, and literally truckloads of flowers for your event.

And, as Hosea points out, they know their seven properties well. If you want a giant wrought-iron bird cage (yes, they built one for a wedding), they can tell you how tall it can be without scraping the ceiling of the main ballroom at Bellagio. They'll also explain that it will be made in two pieces to fit through the doors — something Hosea admits they found out the hard way.

So, if you want to Rock Vegas at Mirage, Treasure Island, Bellagio, or the Golden Nugget, give Cheryl and Rene a call at (702) 792-7798. They'll be happy to crunch some numbers for you.