ls . ▁The ▁stat ues ▁were ▁made ▁of ▁bronze - fin ished ▁fi berg lass ▁and ▁accompanied ▁the ▁l ion ▁statue , ▁along ▁with ▁LED ▁screens ▁and ▁water ▁f ount ains . ▁Work ▁on ▁the ▁statue ▁and ▁accomp any ing ▁f ount ains ▁was ▁expected ▁to ▁be ▁finished ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁The ▁resort ' s ▁ ▁conference ▁center ▁opened ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁The ▁conference ▁center , ▁a ▁pool , ▁and ▁a ▁sp a ▁were ▁constructed ▁on ▁ 1 5 ▁acres ▁of ▁land ▁previously ▁occupied ▁by ▁a ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁theme ▁park ▁and ▁a ▁par king ▁lot . ▁▁▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁in ▁an ▁attempt ▁to ▁appeal ▁to ▁a ▁more ▁" m ature " ▁client ele , ▁the ▁hotel ▁under w ent ▁a ▁major ▁renov ation , ▁and ▁almost ▁all ▁traces ▁of ▁the ▁O z ▁theme ▁were ▁removed . ▁The ▁theme ▁is ▁now ▁more ▁of ▁the ▁Art ▁Dec o ▁era ▁of ▁classic ▁Hollywood , ▁and ▁the ▁hotel ▁started ▁b illing ▁itself ▁as ▁The ▁City ▁of ▁Entertainment . ▁More ▁recently , ▁the ▁resort ▁has ▁used ▁the ▁phrase ▁" Max imum ▁Veg as ", ▁referring ▁to ▁the ▁vast ▁amount ▁of ▁activities ▁M GM ▁Grand ▁offers ▁its ▁guests . ▁ ▁On ▁April ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁M GM ▁opened ▁a ▁new ▁satellite ▁registration / hot el ▁check - in ▁center ▁at ▁Mc Car ran ▁International ▁Airport . ▁This ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁of ▁its ▁kind ▁opened ▁by ▁a