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Get ready to rumble, ride and race in Las Vegas

3rd March 2009 Print
Boxing Fans will be waving the British flag when Ricky ‘The Hitman’ Hatton takes on Manny ‘PacMan’ Pacquiao in Las Vegas in May, but boxing is not the only option for sports fans in this city. With a variety of world class events, ranging from big names in darts to NASCAR races, Las Vegas keeps sports fans entertained year round.

PLENTY OF BULLS
Punters will be shouting ‘One hundred and eight-eeee’ as the world’s top dart players aim for the bull’s-eye at the Las Vegas Dart Classic at Mandalay Bay (mandalaybay.com). Last year, Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor claimed the title with a win over James ‘The Machine’ Wade and this year’s event, from 1-5 July 2009, will showcase the sport’s larger-than-life personalities as they throw their way through the Championship.

Later in the year, bulls of a different kind take centre stage as the Professional Bull Riders Finals hit the Thomas and Mack Center from 30 October to 8 November 2009, followed by the National Rodeo Finals from 4 to 13 December 2009. Pack your cowboy hat and buff your boots for a yee-ha of a good time.

START YOUR ENGINES
The Las Vegas Motor Speedway hosts the 2009 NASCAR Weekend from 27 February to 1 March. The weekend fires up with qualifying on Friday 27 February, followed by the Sam’s Town 300 Nationwide series race on Saturday 28 February. The Shelby 427 Spring Cup Race, expected to draw around 150,000 race fans, draws the weekend to a close on Sunday 1 March.

THE ULTIMATE LEBOWSKI
Be bowled over by America’s passion for ten-pin bowling as almost 85,000 competitors polish their bowling balls and pull on their gloves for the 2009 US Bowling Congress Open Championship. The Cashman Center has been transformed into a 60 lane bowling alley to host the event which runs from 21 February to 23 July 2009.

For those who prefer the glitz and showmanship, Las Vegas can get the blood pumping with a number of special events. The Jamz Cheerleading and Dance 2009 National Championship (5 to 9 February 2009; 19 – 23 February 2009) and the Harlem Globetrotters (11 February 2009) visit the Orleans Arena (orleanscasino.com), while the Ultimate Fighting Championship hosts regular fights in Las Vegas.

AWAY FROM THE ARENA
Enjoy the Vegas sunshine with a round of golf; Las Vegas is home to more than 60 courses including some designed by golf legends such as Jack Nicklaus, Tom Weiskopf, Billy Casper, Arnold Palmer and Pete Dye. The championship course at the Mojave Resort Golf Club (mojaveresortgolfclub.com) in nearby Laughlin offers rolling terrain, forgiving fairways, water hazards, natural sand dunes and marshes to form the perfect blend of challenge and enjoyment.

On the Strip, the Bali Hai Golf Course (balihaigolfclub.com) is one of the top 40 resort courses in America and transports golfers to a tropical island paradise with seven acres of water hazards, 100,000 tropical planets and Augusta white sand and black volcanic rock outcroppings highlighting transition and out-of-play areas.

No matter what your sporting preference, you can place a bet on your favourite team at any one of Las Vegas’ world-class sports books. The SuperBook at the Las Vegas Hilton (lvhilton.com) is the largest in the world, while the Sports Pit at Harrah’s (harrahslasvegas.com) is a one-stop shop where sports book meets live gaming.

EAT, SLEEP AND BREATHE SPORTS
If hunger kicks in but you don’t want to miss a minute of the action, head to the ESPN Zone at New York-New York (nynyhotelcasino.com) where 165 televisions are placed throughout the restaurant – including the restrooms. The Sports Bar at The Mirage (mirage.com) overlooks the Race & Sports Book and is the ideal place to share excitement of major sporting events with friends and fellow fans.

Cheer on your favorite teams as you catch every pass, kick, and tackle on over 70 big-screen TVs at the Sportsbook Bar & Grill at The Palazzo (palazzolasvegas.com). Fans can also place bets at any five betting stations across from the Sportsbook.

Sporting energy carries over to entertainment options in Las Vegas. Marvel at the array of gymnasts, acrobats, dancers and Olympic calibre athletes performing in the six different Cirque du Soleil (cirquedusoleil.com) spectaculars. Enjoy Le Rêve at Wynn Las Vegas (wynnlasvegas.com) showcases breathtaking performances of aerial acrobatics and artistic athleticism in an intimate aqua theatre-in-the-round.

Your sports experience doesn’t have to end when you go to bed. Sports fans love The Palms’ (palms.com) Hardwood Suite, the only one in the world with an indoor basketball court, and Kingpin Suite, featuring two full sized bowling lanes. Or stay ringside with accommodation at MGM Grand (mgmgrand.com), the home to the Hatton – Pacquiao fight and many other big name boxing bouts.

For a full list of hotel accommodations, entertainment, dining and everything that Las Vegas has to offer sports fans, go to VisitLasVegas.co.uk.