Las Vegas is a city built on innovation. Founded in 1911, it needed less than a century to become the home of more than 2 million people and earn the title "Entertainment Capital of the World," attracting more than 40 million visitors annually.

Vegas is an international hub not only for entertainment, tourism and hospitality, but also for sports and retail, making it a perfect destination for a College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management Innovation Study Tour.

In May, 20 students, accompanied by HRSM faculty and staff, headed out west for a visit, meeting with industry leaders and exploring career possibilities as well as some of the latest developments in hospitality, tourism, sports, entertainment and retail. 

The first stop was the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, where School of Hotel and Tourism Management Professor Scott Smith led a panel discussion with Chief Operating Officer Brian Yost, VP of Public Relations and Communication Molly Castano and VP of Business Sales John Schreiber.

"It was great to learn more about the hospitality aspect that a city itself works to provide for all of its visitors, and if there’s any city to learn from, it's definitely Las Vegas," said student Abbey Hayes.

"Being able to sit in on that panel helped me learn a greater appreciation for hospitality as a master of sport and entertainment management student," added Danielle Lilley.

“I truly loved the piece of career advice given by Mr. Yost, who told us to not worry about our post-graduation careers as the job ladder is more like a jungle gym. You may have to go across to a different job in a different area before you can rise higher and that is okay,” Jessica DeRusso recalled.

“One of the most memorable moments was seeing the large welcome sign that read, 'Welcome University of South Carolina Hospitality Students.' It was such a thoughtful touch and a true reflection of Las Vegas’s commitment to hospitality. Even as a group of students on a tour, we felt genuinely valued, another reason the city has earned its reputation as a world leader in the hospitality industry,” SaraAnne Drake said.

Following the panel, the group stepped outside the Convention Center for a guided tour of the Vegas Loop, an underground transportation system using Tesla vehicles to shuttle passengers through tunnels. Launched in 2021, the innovative project is expanding to cover more and more of the city.

At the next stop, Circa Resorts, the group was greeted by familiar faces. Four HRSM alumni are now in management positions with Circa: Property Host Max Bass, Regulatory Compliance and Licensing Manager Piper Carter, Marketing Specialist Stephen Kelly and the newest addition, 2025 grad and now Marketing Coordinator Quinn Williams.

"It was amazing to see firsthand the opportunities that can be generated within the university," said student Jeremy Harper. 

Student Rachael Kelly agreed, adding, "I loved that we were able to start the first day by speaking with alumni, especially young alumni that can relate to the feeling of what the education is like at USC currently. They know the faculty, the relevant courses, and they can create a tour that they know we are able to get a lot out of. This was a huge win for me at Circa."

Up next was a visit to the William F. Harrah College of Hospitality at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, led by Dean and William Harrah Chair David Cárdenas, formerly an HRSM faculty member. UNLV, like USC, boasts one of the nation’s best hospitality management programs.

After a free evening for the students to sightsee and explore, the group gathered the next morning for another very warm welcome at the Wyndham Global Conference. In an auditorium of thousands of hotel executives, USC was recognized from the stage and the students, faculty and staff stood for a rousing ovation.

That afternoon, the group toured the enormous three-hotel complex of Resorts World and had a chance to ask questions of its executives.

“I enjoyed Resorts World and especially the panel of questions. I specifically enjoyed the security detail describing the measures they take to protect high profile visitors and gamblers. We use similar techniques during game day for football,” said sport and entertainment management student Conner Speronis.

"I was stunned by the size of Resorts World Las Vegas and shocked by how many cool sculptures and spaces fit inside of it. There was such an elegant feel to the resort and I enjoyed learning about how they have different hotels inside of one resort. The suite that we got to tour was definitely the coolest part of Resorts World, I had never seen anything like that. Who has a whole movie room in their hotel room? Learning about high-end hospitality like that was very interesting as I will probably never see a room so nice ever again. I am very grateful that so many people on their team were able to sit down with us for a panel and answer questions. I really enjoyed listening to their head of security speak about AI and how they can use it to their advantage in the resort," added student Taylor Burger.

It was obvious at a single look why the next stop belonged on the Innovation Tour. Sphere, a $2.3 billion arena which opened in 2023, has drawn worldwide attention for its unusual shape and its amazing technological innovations. 

"It was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced — the structure and futuristic design made me feel like I had stepped into another world. The Sphere was breathtaking, innovative, and unforgettable," said Lauren Frasier-Jeffries.

"We headed over to Aura the Robot, who I have previously seen online as an artificial intelligence robot who is learning from humans. I asked her how the Gamecocks would perform in the upcoming football season, and she responded saying predicting sports could be difficult and how she found it interesting that humans were so obsessed with it," said DeRusso. 

The group’s Sphere experience included a chance to watch director Darren Aronofsky's 4D docu-film Postcard from Earth, created specifically for Sphere’s 160,000 square-foot video screen.

“The show reaffirmed my love of the earth and why I am majoring in tourism management. It made me even more grateful for the ability to travel the world and the beautiful places I have seen,” said Sydney Lynch.

 The tour’s final day featured two more tours led by HRSM alumni. Fontainebleau Executive Director of People and Talent Acquisition Sara Piper welcomed the group to one of the most luxurious high-end hotels in Vegas.

“We had the opportunity to talk to a panel after our tour, and it was interesting to hear each of their journeys through the hotel’s construction process, as the hotel is relatively new and many of them were among the first 100 employees onboard. When asked how they stay competitive and about their concerns regarding the potential success of the hotel, their response was ‘None of us came here to fail.’ I believe this sentiment is evident in the incredible attention to detail, service, marketing, events, facilities, design, and the commitment of the employees,” student Liv Ragonese recalled.

“The best part of this industry panel was all the great advice the executives gave us. Being a student that has not decided my career path yet, it was very refreshing to hear them all say, do not be set on what you want to do and be flexible in your career path. Find something you love to do and pursue your dreams with hard work and dedication,” added Jeremy Harper.

"I was most impressed by their commitment to sustainability by trying to limit as much electricity as they can, and how all trash is sorted through for asset recovery and to make sure every item is disposed of correctly. With this system, they were able to recover $300,000 just this year. It was noticeable how each member communicated with each other in a friendly and family-oriented way, they truly seemed like a team. The swag bag was beautifully put together as well, and I am incredibly grateful for the hospitality shown from Fontainebleau," DeRusso said.

The final stop included a chance to step into the octagon, as Ultimate Fighting Championship Director, Partnership Marketing, Global Partnerships Marianne Ballou (an HRSM alumna and Alumni Society Board member) welcomed the group to the UFC Performance Institute.

"Marianne was phenomenal. She was so generous with her time, and so eager to support us through career advice and offering to help us find a job in the Las Vegas area. Her openness and enthusiasm was something I'll never forget," Drake said.

"I have always been super interested in UFC and boxing and this completely opened a new door for me and my career. Marianne was such an awesome tour guide and answered so many questions and inquiries for us," Burger added.

"Marianne could not have been nicer and more helpful. She took the time to speak with each of us and she was thrilled to see fellow Gamecocks. Even as a tourism major, I found all of the information we got at UFC to be extremely interesting and I loved getting to hear about Marianne’s job in global partnerships. When we left she gave us all a hug and reminded us that we are always welcome to reach out," Lynch said.

The Las Vegas trip was the latest trip in HRSM’s expanding Innovation Study Tour program. The students who experienced it unanimously declared it a success.

Master of Sport and Entertainment Management student Jakhi Brown summed it up. "This tour exceeded my expectations in every way imaginable. Having the opportunity to learn about the city's branding strategies, exploring luxury hospitality with cutting-edge technology, helps me understand how the city can intersect aspects of retail, hospitality and entertainment to create a competitive market that rivals any major city in the world. Every visit motivated me to pursue a career in Vegas at any of these places because of their innovative service and leadership qualities which all of our tour guides and panelists had. I know that this opportunity does not come around often, so I would like to extend my thank you and gratitude to Dean Sagas, University of South Carolina, and to all of my fellow classmates and the supporting staff and faculty members who helped make this possible.”