3 days Ago By Miles Klee
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas — unless you complain about it on social media. That’s what a disappointed group of MrBeast fans did when they realized a Sin City event advertised under his brand wasn’t going to happen, and they were each out $1,000. Avid followers of the world’s most-subscribed YouTube star, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, forked over that sum for a three-night “MrBeast Experience” at the Las Vegas hotel casino Resorts World, expecting special games and a chance to win $10,000 from the creator, known for staging elaborate challenges and giving away huge sums of money.
Instead, as Sunday turned into Monday and then Tuesday, they mostly sat in their hotel rooms waiting for something to happen . Participants reported that they had only received some of MrBeast’s Feastables chocolate bars and T-shirts that were either extra-small or extra-large, and tempers flared among certain guests seen demanding answers from Resort Worlds employees. One woman who said she had come with her daughter even questioned whether Donaldson had signed off on the “experience.
” “Now I’m starting to think this is all fake,” she told Resorts World CEO Alex Dixon on the casino floor, surrounded by a group of fellow ticketholders. “Can you give me one little tiny signature saying he approved this?” He was unable to provide such a document on the spot. “That’s some bullshit,” the woman said.
Attendees also began to realize that they were paying well above the market rate for the hotel rooms they were staying in. (Had their stay been booked through the usual channels, it would have cost closer to $400 .) Dixon, who stepped into his executive role in January , offered food and beverage vouchers and said the hotel would waive fees for those who chose to check out early.
Amid the confusion, Resorts World took down the web page advertising that they had teamed up with MrBeast for an “exclusive hotel package,” and the URL now returns an error message. The original description promised “an exclusive MrBeast ‘mystery bag,’ which will be stocked with select MrBeast branded merchandise,” and that one “lucky guest” would receive a $10,000 voucher redeemable for cash at Resorts World. “Throughout the week, the property will host a variety of on-site activations designed to deliver an immersive and unforgettable experience for our guests.
” Participants said they were eventually informed that these environmental Easter eggs were not set up. Nor could they enjoy the “exclusive menu items” and “themed beverages” alluded to in a press release announcing the event. As of Tuesday, attendees were reporting that they had received full refunds .
While several guests complained that Donaldson or friends from his creative team should have been present for meet-and-greets and photos with fans, it’s not clear whether Resorts World had actually advertised such interactions. Either way, people who had had the impression that MrBeast would show up for the Vegas festivities were particularly unhappy during their stay. Responding to one fan who wrote on X that “nothing” was going on at the hotel, Donaldson offered a different kind of MrBeast surprise.
“This definitely isn’t the experience we hoped they’d deliver,” he replied . “My team’s already on it — I’d love to personally make it up to you and anyone else by inviting everybody affected to tour my actual studio! Can’t wait to meet you all and my team is reaching out to everyone.” A source close to MrBeast tells Rolling Stone that his brand had indeed been “licensed” for the Resorts World event, but that the experience “wasn’t up to MrBeast standards.
” They confirmed that Donaldson has personally reached out to those affected with the invite to fly them to his studio in North Carolina. “Mistakes happen, and this was definitely a mistake,” they said, without further elaborating on exactly what went wrong with the Vegas experience, calling it a “lesson” in how to manage such commercial partnerships in the future. Related Content Harry Styles Las Vegas Residency Plans Aren't Just False Rumors, They Were 'Never' Discussed at All Josh Groban Heads to Vegas for New Residency: Here's How to Find Tickets Online ‘Amplified’: Inside the Ultimate Immersive Experience of Rock History 'RuPaul's Drag Race Live!' Celebrates 1,000th Performance With Las Vegas Broadcast Even so, “MrBeast Experience at Resorts World” now enters the internet’s pantheon of events that went viral for failing to materialize as intended.
It may not rank with a disaster like Fyre Festival , when would-be concertgoers were stranded on a barren island in the Bahamas, or the riot that broke out in New York’s Union Square when streamer Kai Cenat tried to stage a PlayStation 5 giveaway, but it fits neatly alongside the failed Willy Wonka pop-up experience in Glasgow last year, and harkens back to the 2014 Tumblr convention DashCon, most memorable for its depressing attempt at a “ ball pit .” Trending Stories Trump Admin Deports Teen With No Criminal Record to El Salvador Prison: Report Gayle King Defends 'Expensive' 11-Minute Space Flight After 'Disrespectful' Backlash Zak Starkey Breaks Silence on Firing From the Who: 'I’m Surprised and Saddened' The Who Part Ways With Drummer Zak Starkey After Three Decades But so far, fans seem satisfied with the prospect of a MrBeast studio visit, and the fiasco of the past few days is unlikely to put a dent in his massive popularity. The bigger scandal for Donaldson remains the fallout from his Squid Game -like competition show, Beast Games , which led to a September class-action lawsuit against his production company and Amazon, the streamer for the series.
Five former contestants have alleged “unreasonable, unsafe, and unlawful” work conditions, saying that women faced sexual harassment, while the cast was “fed sporadically and sparsely.” Rolling Stone has reported an exclusive investigation into the “chaos” of living on the set for what became the largest reality show in history, with 2,000 people battling through extreme conditions for a $5 million prize. A principal shooting location for Beast Wars , as it happens, was Allegiant Stadium, right outside Las Vegas.
Donaldson may want to rethink his next venture in this town — any gambler knows you can only push your luck so far..
