Caesars Entertainment will soon demolish the Rio, home to the WSOP since 2005, and replace it with a Major League Baseball stadium, according to popular Las Vegas entertainment blog, and occasional casino industry insider, Vital Vegas. The predictions were made on Twitter, but provided no evidence or attribution for the source of the rumor, so not surprisingly plenty of doubters dismissed the possibility.
Still, the prediction from a source that supposedly has inside info on the Las Vegas entertainment caused quite a stir Wednesday on social media. What are the odds of this coming to fruition? Slim, most likely. But plenty of speculators believe the notion makes several other questionable casino moves make sense.
There's been a spike in investor interest in parcels around Rio. The speculation part: If an MLB ballpark plan is in the works, it's an "Aha" moment for why Stations has invested so much in Palms when it can't possibly recoup the investment—unless they know something we don't.
— Vital Vegas (@VitalVegas) October 8, 2018
We'll up the ante on our Rio sale rumor with another juicy tidbit: As we've shared, could very well be a land play. New rumor suggests Rio could be demolished, site to be developed as (wait for it) Major League Baseball ballpark.
— Vital Vegas (@VitalVegas) October 8, 2018
Major League Baseball in the middle of the desert, to some, seems like a crazy idea. But maybe these bloggers are on to something.
Growing Sports Town
This isn’t the first time rumors spread of an MLB team coming to Sin City. In July, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said on the “Dan Patrick Show” that Las Vegas “is a viable expansion alternative.”
The continually growing desert city has been on MLB’s radar for possible expansion since the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights came to town in 2017. Manfred is impressed with how quickly locals fell in love with the new hockey team.
A $1.9 billion football stadium is currently under construction near the Strip. The Oakland Raiders come to town in 2020. As population grows in Clark County, Nevada (43,000 residents per year since 2015), the area becomes more attractive to professional sports leagues.
A baseball stadium in Las Vegas would require a retractable roof. With temps often exceeding 110 degrees during the summer, fans might choose an entertainment alternative if forced to sit outside.
It’s not cheap to build a stadium with a retractable roof. Marlins Park, home to the Miami Marlins, was built in 2012 for $515 million. After funding most of the cost for a nearly $2 billion football stadium, one has to wonder if Clark County could even come up with the money for another expensive project.
New Home for WSOP?
Many poker players would be ecstatic to see the Rio demolished. Or, at the very least, the WSOP moved to another location.
Poker players often complain that the Rio is “worn down” and “dingy.” Well, if Vital Vegas’ prediction is correct, the poker community, at least the vocal members on social media, will get their wish of seeing the place cleaned up.
Caesars Entertainment has yet to comment on the rumor. The casino giant hasn’t announced any plans to sell the Rio or demolish the building. Until that happens, Vital Vegas is merely speculating.
But the improbability isn’t an impossibility. Look no further than the Raiders and Golden Knights. Many locals predicted NHL and NFL franchises would never come to town.
Still, until Caesars sells off the property and a wealthy investor announces interest in bringing a baseball team to town, Vital Vegas is just stirring the pot.
