Take a Sneak Peek at Mandalay Bay’s New Tailgate Beach Club

^{There's something so relaxing about a pool deck with a luxury hotel tower looming overhead. Tailgate Beach Club delivers that view with screens to watch the games. (Photo: Vanessa Alves Johnson / Casinos.com)}

LAS VEGAS – Tailgate Beach Club at Mandalay Bay is looking ready to go, with plans to open on May 1. When you walk into the new and renovated pool club, the transformation is impressive. 

The blue and coral color palette, along with the added greenery, really helps bring the dayclub to life and feel brand new. Clique Hospitality brings guests to a Palm Springs-style setting right on the south end of the Strip with the updated venue.

From first impressions alone, the space is primed and ready to host exciting sports watch parties and events. Casinos.com got an early look during a media preview event, and the final product exceeds expectations from the initial concept.

Dayclub Built Around the Action

From the beginning, Clique Hospitality made it clear that Tailgate Beach Club was designed to be a dayclub for enjoying sporting events. Seeing the venue in person, with its giant screens and immersive sound system, makes that mission feel real in a way that renderings simply couldn't convey.

Tailgate features so many TVs, and sightlines are engineered so that nearly every part of the venue has a clear view of the games, whether they're general admission or VIP.  Whether you're in the pool, posted up at the bar, settled into a cabana, or just lounging in a chair, there's always a screen in front of you. 

“We have about 125 feet of LED screens, and essentially you have a 360-degree view of the action everywhere around you,” said Clique Hospitality COO Craig O’Keefe. “Every cabana has its own TV. We have TVs at the bar, so no matter where you are in the venue, you’re never missing the game.”

The sound design here is impressive enough to easily catch a passerby’s attention and draw them into the club. The audio from the games is loud and immersive, creating an atmosphere that feels like a live watch party, unlike what you see at most Las Vegas casinos. 

The stage at Tailgate Beach Club has a much larger screen than it did at Daylight. (Photo: Vanessa Alves-Johnson / Casinos.com)

It's great to see that what was visually promised in the initial renderings has translated well into real life. Clique's team focused on targeted upgrades rather than fully gutting the place: new LED screens, improved lighting and plumbing, new cabanas and bungalows alongside the stage, and PlayStation 5 consoles spread throughout.

Clique intentionally decided not to compete head-on with DJ-focused pool clubs. O'Keefe pointed to Omnia Dayclub at Caesars Palace, which is opening on the same weekend, as an example. 

“They’re going to open another pool that’s going to have even more talent there,” he said. “There’s already so much of that on the Strip. If someone wants to see big DJs, they can. For us, it was about asking what we can provide that’s different and where we fit in the market.”

Rather than going after the same crowd, Tailgate is seeing music as just one part of their programming mix. The goal is to offer an accessible environment that can work for the sports fanatic, the reality TV fan, or even a casual group looking for a great pool party at Mandalay Bay.

Betting Lines, Beer Pong & PS5s

Tailgate Beach Club will also be integrating sports betting into the experience to really help ‘bring the fun back,’ according to O'Keefe.

Through a partnership with BetMGM, guests can sign up for an account without having to leave the club, eliminating the pain point of having to visit a sportsbook to sign up.

“This space will be the first place in the city where you don’t have to go into the sportsbook to start a new account,” O’Keefe said. “You can do it right from your chair or your cabana. For people like myself who like to bet, that convenience makes a big difference.”

Beyond just using the BetMGM app, there are plans to introduce a live betting kiosk on-site where guests can place wagers in cash. Betting lines will be displayed on the screens to help people stay engaged with both the game and the odds.

The venue also features beer pong tables, foosball, and ping pong open for all guests to play on game days. It feels just like going to a friend's house to watch a game while also having various elements of a Vegas production. VIP guests in cabanas will also have access to PlayStation 5 consoles and can watch the games from their seat with a clear sightline to the large screen on the stage. 

On top of that, fan cams, chug cams, and t-shirt cannons are all part of the plan to keep the crowd connected and the energy up. O'Keefe said all these components are designed to help people enjoy the poolside sports experience without leaving the Strip.

“Everything in Vegas feels so transactional now,” he elaborated. “For us, it’s about getting back to what this business is really supposed to be. We’re eating, drinking, listening to music, and spending time together. That’s what people are here for, and we want to make sure they leave feeling like they had a great experience.”

What to Expect When Tailgate Opens

All the varied programming will play a big role in shaping Tailgate's identity this summer. The club officially opens its doors on May 1 with a Golden Knights watch party starting at 7 p.m., followed by Kentucky Derby events that weekend. 

The venue's grand opening celebration is set for May 16, with Snoop Dogg headlining the first major event of the summer season.

From there, the focus is on sports: NFL games, NBA and NHL playoffs, and the upcoming FIFA World Cup. The latter will be held in the United States for the first time in 32 years and represents a massive opportunity for the venue right out of the gate. On top of that, Clique plans to host watch parties for pop culture and reality TV events at Tailgate down the line.

Tailgate's food menu is all about elevated game-day essentials. The sliders are an early favorite of mine. (Photo: Vanessa Alves Johnson / Casinos.com)

The food didn't disappoint either. During the media preview, we got to try several of their menu highlights. The mini Philly cheesesteaks, sliders, and fish tacos were elevated game-day snacks that hold their own against what you'd find at any serious sportsbook or restaurant on the Strip.

The venue is open Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. until the final whistle of the day's games, and it's designed to be accessible at multiple price points. General admission starts at $25 for a lounge chair, while bottle service and cabanas are available for those looking to go bigger. The proximity to Allegiant Stadium and Mandalay Bay's convention space also make it a natural fit for group events and convention gatherings.

The great thing about Tailgate is that it’s catering to the sports daylife market that didn't necessarily exist in that part of the strip beforehand. Rather than trying to replicate the traditional day club model that saturates the Strip, Tailgate seems set up to deliver exactly what it promised, not to copy another concept.

“We wanted this to be approachable and accessible, not just for locals but for out-of-town guests as well,” O’Keefe said. “Las Vegas is becoming a real sports mecca, and this is a way for us to be part of that.”