55°F
weather icon Mostly Clear

Mandalay Bay Shark Reef Aquarium adding virtual reality theater

Mandalay Bay’s Shark Reef Aquarium is set to introduce a virtual reality theater, Ocean Explorer, in mid-March.

According to a February news release from the Aquarium, the a 36-seat motion-platform theater will offer two live-action films.

The first, “Swimming with Humpbacks,” follows mother humpback whales and their calves as they migrate during mating season. “Shark Dive” takes place at Tiger Beach, an underwater strip in the Bahamas full of hammerheads and tiger sharks.

“For years, our guests have been fascinated and intrigued by the beautiful living creatures that call Shark Reef home,” Adrienne Rowland, the acquarium’s director of animal care, said in the release. “Now, with this immersive and interactive experience, they can discover and appreciate our oceans and animals in a whole new way.”

Both films come from a partnership with LA-based immersive virtual reality company Immotion Group. The Shark Reef Aquarium will hold its largest theater to date.

“Not many people can say they swam within a few feet of a humpback whale or tiger shark in the wild,” Rod Findley, commercial director for Immotion Group, said in the release. “With our immersive VR technology, we’re offering guests that kind of bucket-list experience. We think our attraction, with its interactive pre-show and motion-platform theater, builds on what Shark Reef Aquarium already offers and adds another exciting dimension for visitors.”

Entry to the theater will be included with Shark Reef admission.

Contact Bailey Schulz at bschulz@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0233. Follow @bailey_schulz on Twitter.

Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook.
THE LATEST
What are the oldest casinos on the Las Vegas Strip?

The Tropicana closure will take out the third-oldest casino on the Strip, whose historic skyline has a tendency to look different every few decades.

When will the Strip see another new hotel-casino?

Experts weigh in on the lending and development outlook as more than 10,000 hotel rooms are in planning and construction phases this year.

 
Shuttered downtown Las Vegas casino up for sale

The historic property, which was closed in 2012, is listed by Logic Commercial Real Estate, which has sold a number of Tony Hsieh’s estate’s properties to its own owner.