For most people, winning in Vegas usually has something to do with blackjack or slot machines. But with last week’s opening of “SCORE!,” a permanent interactive sports exhibit at Luxor Hotel and Casino, it now means achieving the best college football combine test scores or handling a hockey stick like an NHL pro.
The theme for “SCORE!” is “Be the Legend.” And that’s not just hyperbole to get you to the 10,000-square-feet attraction. That’s literally what John Brenkus, exhibition producer and host of the popular TV show Sports Science, intends with hands-on exhibits like MLB-quality pitching tests and NASCAR-themed pit-stop challenges. Experiences are enhanced by an interactive app that allows you to sign with a virtual agent and see what it would be like to have personalized uniforms, get a signing bonus and see yourself on a magazine cover.
Of course, if you’re more of a spectator than an actual participant, there’s plenty for you to cheer about here, too. Thanks to 300 pieces of memorabilia (think Heisman trophies and championship rings) stretched over eight sports galleries — everything from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway is represented — there’s something for all fans. Also on display is the late Jock Smith’s impressive private collection of 200 game-worn uniforms, including those from icons like Wayne Gretzky, Magic Johnson and Mia Hamm.
Though boxing and sports betting will always be MVPs in Vegas, with the opening of “SCORE!,” there’s a new game in town.
