In honor of the most celebrated sign of the Chinese Zodiac, The Venetian and The Palazzo are commemorating the prosperous holiday in an over-the-top fashion. Beginning with a ceremonial dragon dance at 1 p.m. on Jan. 23, the Chinese New Year celebrations include lavish feng shui-inspired décor, auspicious dish offerings and festive cocktails.
DRAGON DANCE AND EYE PAINTING CEREMONY ON JAN. 23
Symbolizing good luck and prosperity for the upcoming year, the dragon dance is an important ritual of Chinese culture. On Monday, Jan. 23 at 1 p.m., a ceremonial dragon dance complete with firecrackers and eye painting ceremony will begin at The Venetian porte cochere, making its way through The Palazzo. The colorful spectacle will feature a parade of dancers and musicians dressed in elaborate costumes playing authentic music.
FIRE-BREATHING, 128-FOOT DRAGON TO MAKE THE PALAZZO ITS HOME
The Waterfall & Atrium Gardens of The Palazzo will host Las Vegas’ premier Chinese New Year attraction as a 128-foot hand-crafted, fire-breathing dragon is suspended above in the 65-foot-high space. Spanning the entire atrium, the one-of-a-kind, 8,000-pound dragon will be perched amidst the ground fountain and breathe fire from Jan. 23 through Feb. 5 at 1 and 5 p.m. (2 p.m. on Chinese New Year Day following the dragon dance).
Regarded as the mightiest of signs, the dragon symbolizes such traits as ambition, passion and success. Those who possess the sign of the Dragon are said to take risks, are unafraid of challenges and embody colorful personalities.
“During Chinese New Year, it is beneficial to visit the dragon for its blessing and protection. It is good luck to walk around the entire dragon three times in a clockwise motion to remove obstacles for 2012,” said Peter Lung, with World of Feng Shui, who consulted on the design of the dragon. “You should build friendships with those who possess the sign of the dragon for better luck and blessings in the New Year.”
The west garden will be complete with rocks, plants and metals representing earth elements while the east garden will embody water elements with live orange Koi fish and one black fish to represent Yin and Yang, the ancient Chinese philosophy of polar opposites being interconnected and interdependent.
“The dragon is the most powerful of the zodiac signs. We had to create something that Las Vegas would never forget,” said Dana Beatty, director of horticulture for The Venetian and The Palazzo. “From the number and location of our displays to the length and direction of the dragon, everything about the Waterfall & Atrium Gardens is feng shui-inspired, creating the perfect environment to bring wealth and prosperity in 2012.”
A secret friend to the dragon, a rooster will sit to the west of the ground fountain. The two zodiacs are compatible with one another and together bring harmony, wealth and lucky relationships.
The gardens and entrances to both The Venetian and The Palazzo will be adorned with fresh bamboo, citrus trees and 15-foot floral arrangements of tangerines, bromeliads and orchids. Nine traditional I-Ching coins, representing an abundance of wealth, will surround the dragon and Lalique statues of The Palazzo. Six-foot-tall, hand-loomed brocade silk and jade gold and red lanterns will be suspended from the atrium ceilings signifying the lives of those around to always be bright.
The larger-than-life dragon took more than 60 designers, conceptualists, welders and painters from across the globe more than a year to create and will take nearly 10 days to construct onsite.
CELEBRATE CHINESE NEW YEAR WITH AUSPICIOUS DISHES AND FESTIVE COCKTAILS
During Chinese New Year, guests can enjoy auspicious dishes at The Palazzo’s Zine Noodles Dim Sum, ranked as one of the top 10 Chinese restaurants in the U.S. by Chinese Restaurant News.
Celebrated chef Simon To has created limited-time signature dishes including Live Lobster with golden garlic and spicy salt – the word “lobster” resembles that of “dragon” in Chinese, representing positive energy; Firecracker Manila Clams, infused with Chinese white wine, fish paste and spicy roasted pepper – representing hidden treasures, the dish brings wealth into the coming year; and Buddha Feast Creation, sautéed seasonal vegetables with ginger juice – meaning “a whole, good, healthy family for the entire year.”
Guests can also enjoy refreshing infusions including a Chamomile and Lychee Ice Tea, Green Tea with Rosemary, Chili and Lemon and the signature Dragon Cocktail created from vodka, ginger liqueur, lime, a spring of tarragon, lemongrass syrup and lemon rind. These refreshing libations will be served at each of bars and lounges at The Venetian and The Palazzo.
Share #ChineseNewYear wishes on Twitter with @PalazzoLasVegas and @VenetianVegas.
The Chinese New Year décor and specialty food & beverage offerings will be available through the end of February.
ABOUT THE PALAZZO LAS VEGAS
With more than 3,000 spacious suites, luxury shopping ,world-class dining and entertainment, the $1.9 billion, Silver LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)-certified Palazzo Las Vegas literally takes luxury to new heights. Ranked as one of the top 25 hotels in the U.S. and Canada in Travel + Leisure “World’s Best Awards” for two consecutive years, the AAA Five Diamond and Forbes Travel Guide Four Star-Award winning resort is highlighted by a flagship 85,000-square-foot Barneys New York. The Shoppes at The Palazzo feature more than 60 luxury boutiques, including 20 remarkable stores and couture brands making their Las Vegas debuts at The Palazzo including Chloé, Tory Burch, Christian Louboutin, Diane von Furstenberg, Van Cleef & Arpels, Catherine Malandrino and Anya Hindmarch. The all-suite resort offers plush and opulent suite accommodations ranging from a Luxury Suite at an unprecedented 720 square feet to the 8,000-square-foot Chairman suite with private terraces and plunge pools. The Palazzo also offers a variety of cuisines from a collection of award-winning chefs such as Carnevino by Mario Batali, CUT by Wolfgang Puck and Table 10 by Emeril Lagasse. Other unique offerings include the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, “Jersey Boys;” the chic dining and nightlife hotspot, LAVO; the world’s largest Canyon Ranch SpaClub; the ultimate sports bar, sportsbook and restaurant on the Strip, Lagasse’s Stadium; and Prestige at The Palazzo – an exclusive space designed to offer the sophisticated traveler an elevated level of services and amenities including private champagne check in, packing and unpacking services, exclusive bath and pillow menus, complimentary cocktail reception and more. Guests can earn points while they eat, sleep, shop and play with Grazie, the premiere loyalty program, which rewards guests with the ease and usability of just one card and one program. The Palazzo and its famed sister resort, The Venetian Las Vegas, are the first ever Alliance Resorts in the InterContinental Hotel Group global portfolio. For additional information, visit The Palazzo website at palazzolasvegas.com, follow on Twitter @palazzolasvegas and interact on Facebook at facebook.com/palazzolasvegas.
About The Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino
The Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino, the largest property in the country to receive AAA’s Five Diamond and the coveted Forbes Travel Guide Four Star awards, is one of the world’s most luxurious resort and convention destinations. Re-creating Venice’s legendary landmarks, the LEED® EB Gold (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)-certified resort offers unmatched service and quality for leisure and corporate guests. With suites ranging from a standard 650-square-foot Luxury Suite to the luxurious 10,000-square-foot Chairman Suite, the all-suite resort boasts more than 4,000 of Las Vegas’ most lavish suite accommodations. Located in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip, The Venetian features The Grand Canal Shoppes, an indoor streetscape complete with gondolas and singing gondoliers, the Canyon Ranch SpaClub, world-class gaming, exquisite restaurants, a wide variety of entertainment such as “Phantom-The Las Vegas Spectacular,” “Blue Man Group,” showroom headliners including David Spade, Rita Rudner, Tim Allen and Joan Rivers and extensive convention and corporate services. Guests can earn points while they eat, sleep, shop and play with Grazie, the premiere loyalty program, which rewards guests with the ease and usability of just one card and one program. The Venetian and its sister resort, The Palazzo Las Vegas, are the first ever Alliance Resorts in the InterContinental Hotel Group global portfolio. For additional information, visit venetian.com, follow on Twitter @venetianvegas and interact on Facebook at facebook.com/venetianlasvegas.
