Plans by MGM Grand to close its lion habitat at the Strip hotel received praise Thursday by a high-profile animal rights group that also criticized the lions’ owner for wanting to put them on exhibit at his 7.5-acre ranch in the south Las Vegas Valley. MGM Lion Habitat Show Tickets and Reviews. More About MGM Lion Habitat; MGM Lion Habitat Is A Free Attraction, No Tickets Necessary; MGM Lion Habitat Performing At: MGM Grand Hotel and Casino; MGM Lion Habitat. Reviewed July 28, 1999 by Ted Newkirk. The free lion habitat at the MGM is now open daily from 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM. The Lion Habitat in the MGM Grand MGM Grand featured a glass-sided lion habitat inside the casino area, in which up to six lions were shown daily since 1999. A see-through tunnel ran through the habitat for close-up viewing, where the lions would frequently lounge on top of the glass, allowing visitors to walk under them.

Mgm Casino Lion Habitat Facts

The MGM Lion is one of the most enduring symbols of modern cinema. So it comes as no surprise that the MGM Grand Hotel pays tribute to the great beast by including a live exhibit inside, and a visit here is one of the most memorable things to do in Las Vegas. Started at the end of the last century, the MGM Lion Habitat is located at the south side of the casino, and even comes with a mission statement: To honor the lion and safeguard its preservation for future generations.

The MGM Lion Habitat is really just their home away from home. A handful of the cats are driven in each day from their main lodging, a giant ranch just outside Las Vegas. The cats are rotated throughout the week so that none of them have to make the trip each day.

The MGM Lion itself appears monstrous inside the casino. Though the cats have a tendency to sleep long hours throughout the day, there are occasional shows where the handlers feed and entice the lions to play. The feeding is fairly low-key, looking mostly like raw hamburger mixed with cat food, while their attempts to play are surprisingly clumsy for such regal animals. There are also periodic lectures about the lions meant to generate awareness about conservation, plus to educate listeners on some of the lesser known facts of the lives of the kings of the jungle. It might not be as exciting as winning a grand at the craps tables or going skydiving, but seeing the lions up close can make for quite an exhilarating time.

The MGM Lion Habitat is over three stories tall, and divides into three separate levels. The lions mainly congregate on the top two, where artificial rocks, a waterfall and native plants do their best to replicate the jungles of Africa. There is also an immense skylight that allows the lions to bask in the desert sun above the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas.

The lions usually appear with their handlers, or alone. They spend a lot of time sleeping, though, so it's best to visit the Lion Habitat when the cats are being fed or at play, which is usually when the handlers join the lions behind the plexiglass. One of the great features at the MGM Grand Hotel Las Vegas Nevada is the tunnel, also made of plexiglass, that traverses the second level of the habitat and allows visitors to get right up close to the animals. For whatever reason, the MGM lions always seem to enjoy lounging above the tunnel, so you can usually stand within a few inches of them. And even though the habitat is found in one of the most widely traveled casinos, not to mention being just a short walk away from the wildly popular New York New York, Luxor and Monte Carlo casinos, there is not often a huge crowed to see the lions.

The MGM Lion is, of course, a full-grown male, few of which spend much time inside the Lion Habitat. But if you are lucky, you may get to see one or two of the new lion cubs at play, which is far more exciting.

This Attraction is now closed.

The MGM Grand Hotel Lion Habitat was opened in July of 1999 and has proven to be one of Las Vegas’ most popular experiences, drawing more than 12,000 visitors a day. Situated inside the resort’s Strip entrance off Las Vegas Boulevard adjacent to its entertainment dome, the Habitat is a 5,000 square foot showcase of lofty simulated jungle complete with waterfalls, enclosed in 240 degrees of floor-to-ceiling protective glass that enables the public to view a variety of lions at play and leisure.

Handlers utilize only voice and hand signals to direct the lion’s movement. Members of the family of lions appear in sequence for periods of no more than six hours at a time before returning to their spacious, permanent homes on an 8 1/2-acre ranch outside of Las Vegas.

Mgm Casino Lion Habitat Information

You can see the lions literally inches away and can stand beneath or above them in a see-through passageway that bisects the Habitat. They also are free to photograph the lions at will.