The Excalibur Hotel and Casino is on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. When it opened in 1990 it was the largest hotel in the world, at over 70 acres with 4,000 rooms.
The Excalibur, named for the mythical sword of King Arthur, uses the Arthurian theme in several ways. Its facade is a stylized image of a castle. Until 2007, a wizard-like figure representing Merlin looked out from a high turret and a mechanical dragon lurked in the moat. Since 2006, however, most of the medieval themed statues and scenery have been phased out as part of a four-year renovation and modernization project.
The Excalibur hosts the "Tournament of Kings," a medieval jousting tournament performed with 12 breeds of horses and 32 cast members in a 925-seat amphitheater called King Arthur's Arena. The show includes a banquet feast served by a costumed serf or wench and is meant to be eaten without utensils.