Hang around Las Vegas long enough and you’ll figure it out: Every hotel or casino seems to have its own distinctive smell.
I first noticed it when the SLS opened in 2014. I “covered” the grand opening — a free-for-all celebration of food and drinks throughout the property — and always thought back to that night whenever I returned and caught a whiff of the casino’s unique aroma. In the years since, the property has changed hands, undergone renovations, and reverted back to its original Sahara name. And yes, the scent has changed too. It’s a much better resort now — but I kinda miss the SLS. I think the smell has something to do with it.
The concept of pumping scents throughout casinos dates back to 1996 when the Monte Carlo became the first commercial building in the United States approved to diffuse an odor among visitors without their consent. That sounds a bit sinister, but the pomegranate and sage combo proved to be a winner.
The practice spread quickly. When the Venetian opened in 1999, a scent named Seduction was used, modeled after then-owner Sheldon Adelson’s cologne. A few years later, the resort switched to a woodsy burnt orange recipe that was more on-brand for its Italian theme.
If some scents seem familiar, you’re not imagining things. MGM Resorts uses Asian Garden as its standard scent — an ambient, floral smell with notes of vanilla and linens to produce a comfortable, cozy, at-home feel. However, the same scent might smell one way at the Aria and another at the MGM Grand — based on the surroundings and environmental influences. (This is one of the reasons you can’t copyright a smell.)
The Bellagio is an MGM property that breaks the pattern, opting for its own strong cedar-citrus scent in the casino and a lighter, floral, cucumber-melon blend for its VIP check-in area and spa.
I reached out to Air Aroma, one of the leading companies in the world for environmental scenting. The business develops diffusers that are connected to an HVAC system, mixing compressed cold air with fragrance molecules for a dry mist that provides even coverage with refills serviced once or twice a year.
While casinos are often the last refuge for smokers, the scents aren’t about masking cigarettes. They’re about improving the feel and tone of an environment. Research shows that gambling increased by more than 40% when certain scents were added and people are 100 times more likely to remember a scent than something seen, heard, or touched.
So maybe that’s why I was so fond of the SLS. Funny enough, the scent was originally designed for the Central Church megachurch in Henderson — an amber fragrance with touches of frankincense and myrrh (of course!) — but repurposed for the then-new resort.
In a similar twist of fate, a scent named Allure Noir was originally produced for Magic Mike Live at the old Hard Rock, but the Cromwell adopted it, believing the masculine scent of bourbon, leather, dark wood, tobacco, and florals fit the image of the boutique hotel.
I learned some of these fun facts by talking with the CEO of Aroma Retail, a company with its own extensive history of scenting casinos and other businesses — which now sells those same formulas to the public, either online or at the company’s Smelly Bar near the Strip by Valley View and Russell. I may need to pay a visit and take a virtual tour of Las Vegas, one sniff at a time. The SLS may be gone, but I’m tempted to bring that scent — and the feeling of opening night — back home with me.
