[2][3] In 2014, MGM announced plans to develop the site as an outdoor music venue in partnership with Cirque du Soleil and Ron Burkle's Yucaipa Companies.

[5] MGM hoped to position the grounds as a site for festivals, concerts, and sporting events (such as boxing, mixed martial arts, and soccer) as a complement to its other venues in the area.

[10] In October 2015, the MGM Resorts branding was dropped and the site was renamed to simply Las Vegas Festival Grounds.

[14][15] The Rock in Rio USA music festival was held at the venue in May 2015, headlined by No Doubt, Metallica, Taylor Swift, and Bruno Mars.

The festival was intended to be held biennially, but after disappointing ticket sales, plans for future editions of the event were quietly shelved.

[23] The Festival Grounds hosted the heavy equipment exhibition of the 2020 Conexpo-Con/Agg held at the Las Vegas Convention Center, due to the construction of expansions to the facility.