The STRAT Hotel, Casino and Tower (formerly known as the Stratosphew), will be opening a Top Gun Las Vegas immersive entertainment experience in the summer of 2028. Not a lot of details are known yet, but there are several details out there that are very exciting. I mean I’m sure there are people who know more, but in the words of the movie, “It’s classified. I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.” We’ll litter several more Top Gun phrases throughout this article for fun too. Top Gun Las Vegas is to include rides, immersive storytelling and a sing-along bar all in tribute to the beloved films.

This isn’t a takeover of a former shopping space or conference area, but is mostly new construction on an undeveloped site at The STRAT. The outside of the building in the concept art looks like a giant airplane hanger and is very impressive. However, a hanger doesn’t scream Navy and you may find yourself saying, “Any Of You Boys See An Aircraft Carrier Around Here?” It appears one venue in The STRAT will be redeveloped into Top Gun’s Hard Deck bar and restaurant complete with live piano sing-alongs, “Goodness gracious! Great balls of fire!” Details on the rides are also a bit scarce, but “fighter jet simulators” with immersion, speed and visuals are at least one of the planned attractions.

The STRAT is often considered the northernmost resort on the Las Vegas Strip. It opened as Vegas World in 1979 and evolved to The Stratosphere with the iconic observation tower opening in 1995. The tower is 1,149 ft and is the tallest observation tower in the United States. This observation tower and its accompanying thrill rides drive a large percentage of the The STRAT’s business as visitors say, “Sorry, Goose, but it’s time to buzz the tower.” For years The STRAT was a bit by itself at the end of the strip, but a good deal of the new construction in the last decade has been on the northern end, so it could be well positioned moving forward.

The STRAT is already known for having some of the most thrilling rides in Las Vegas. If you’re a person who frequently says, “I feel the need, the need for speed,” you’ll already love visiting the STRAT. There are three thrill options at the top of the tower. There’s the Big Shot which is a tower ride which will launch you 160 feet above the observation deck level. Then there’s X-Scream which will teeter you off the edge of the tower to look 866 feet below. Finally, if you’re a person that is “Not Going To Be Happy Unless You’re Going Mach 2 With Your Hair On Fire” then the the Sky Jump decelerator ride will let you jump off the tower to the ground below. These rides could actually compliment the Top Gun experience quite well.

In addition to the rides the top of the tower also has a great indoor and outdoor 360 degree observation deck with the best views of the Las Vegas area. You can catch a drink at the bar or there is the Top of the World revolving restaurant if you want to catch a meal. If you haven’t “Lost that loving feeling”, you can even get married in the Chapel in the Clouds at the top of the tower!

Top Gun Las Vegas follows an emerging entertainment trend of themed immersive experiences. This is a nationwide trend, such as the Netflix Houses coming to Dallas and Philadelphia, but also fits exceptionally well in Las Vegas. A venue in a tourist area doesn’t have to worry as much about repeat business as “That is what I call a target-rich environment”. In many ways Las Vegas was early in this trend, even going as far back as the spectacular Star Trek Experience at the Las Vegas Hilton in the late 1990’s. Area 15 in Las Vegas followed this with the amazing Omega Mart and this is followed by the new Universal Horror Unleashed opening later this month. Top Gun Las Vegas looks to take the baton one step further, but will almost certainly not be the last. This doesn’t open until summer 2028 and entertainment technology will continue to advance (and there are also rumors of a Top Gun 3 floating out there), so it’ll be interesting to see what this all looks like in 3 years!