Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 28

Thread: Future WSOP home? Caesars to build large "Caesars Convention Center" on strip

  1. #1
    Owner Dan Druff's Avatar
    Reputation
    10110
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Posts
    54,626
    Blog Entries
    2
    Load Metric
    65618736

    Future WSOP home? Caesars to build large "Caesars Convention Center" on strip

    There have long been talks regarding Caesars selling the Rio, which is the redheaded stepchild of its Vegas properties. It's their only non-strip Vegas hotel, they've removed its entire Brazilian party theme, and they seem to have intentionally let the property fall into a state of disrepair.

    Its only real use to the company occurs 7 weeks per year, when the WSOP takes place.

    But if the Rio sells, where will Caesars hold the WSOP?

    It's a question I've long pondered, and has been discussed (without much conclusion) on radio.

    We may finally have our answer.

    Caesars has announced the construction of "Caesars Forum" -- a new convention center which is stupidly named due to the confusion it will obviously cause with the existing Caesars Forum Shops.

    (NOTE: As of 2018, this name was smartly changed to "Caesars Convention Center"!)

    But name aside, it seems to be a fairly large project.

    The company will invest $375 million in this conference center, slated to open in 2020. It will feature two gigantic 108,000 square foot ballrooms (billed the "largest pillar-free ballrooms in the world"), as well as two other ballrooms of approximately 40,000 square feet in size.

    The total is roughly equivalent to the space of five football fields -- clearly enough space for running the WSOP.

    It will be on the east side of the Las Vegas strip, apparently located near the LINQ shopping area and High Roller observation wheel.

    Three hotels will have direct connections to the convention center, via pedestrian bridge: Harrah's, The LINQ (formerly Imperial Palace), and Flamingo.

    It is also walking distance from the other Caesars Las Vegas properties (except the Rio): Caesars Palace, Bally's, Paris, Cromwell, and Planet Hollywood.

    A drawing of its location is shown below:




    Here is an article describing the project: https://www.smartmeetings.com/news/1...ference-center


    While Caesars has NOT announced that they plan to move the WSOP there, it seems that this space would be perfect for it. The giant ballrooms would be perfect for a large poker tournament. The facility will be modern and new, rather than the rundown, 1990s-looking Rio. Most importantly, players can stay in one of 8 nearby Caesars propeties, and still be able to walk to the tournament (even in the summer heat). This would alleviate some of the common complaints regarding the Rio, where players express disgust regarding being stuck away from the strip and staying at a substandard hotel.

    If the WSOP were to be housed at this new center, there would be eight different, walking-distance Caesars properties to choose to stay -- all with different room types, amenities, restaurants, and pricing.

    This seems like a natural move, but I'm guessing they aren't announcing it yet, because it hasn't been decided upon. Still, you have to imagine that's going to be the WSOP's ultimate destination, whether in 2020 or some year following that.

    Will be interesting to see how this plays out.

  2. #2

  3. #3
    Owner Dan Druff's Avatar
    Reputation
    10110
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Posts
    54,626
    Blog Entries
    2
    Load Metric
    65618736
    Funny how Vital Vegas is tweeting out these "rumors" as if they are bringing groundbreaking info about the WSOP moving there, when I posted this in December AND talked about it on radio.

    As usual, PFA is ahead of the curve with this sort of thing.

    I don't know where Vital Vegas got their info. Perhaps they just read this thread and made it up? Or perhaps they really did get a tip from someone working for Caesars.

    It is not surprising, though, that Caesars is denying it. The Rio has, at minimum, one year left hosting the WSOP. Caesars likely wouldn't want to announce this move for a few reasons:

    1) If it doesn't happen for some reason (such as deciding to use the space for conventions instead), people will be disappointed.

    2) There probably hasn't been an actual decision made yet -- only discussions.

    3) It might bring down WSOP attendance in 2019, if people believe it will be hosted in a more convenient and modern venue in 2020.


    If we do see such an announcement, I'm guessing it will be sometime AFTER the 2019 WSOP.

    If they are done with the building in time for the 2020 WSOP, they will likely bill the move as a celebration of the WSOP being 50 years old, though the 2020 series will technically be the 51st (since 1970 was the 1st).

  4. #4
    Gold Shizzmoney's Avatar
    Reputation
    457
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Posts
    2,451
    Blog Entries
    1
    Load Metric
    65618736
    Any less reason for more to go to that shithole the Rio, the better
    http://www.miraclecovers.com

    "Donk down, that’s what you say to someone after they have lost 28K straight?" - Phil Hellmuth, online

  5. #5
    Owner Dan Druff's Avatar
    Reputation
    10110
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Posts
    54,626
    Blog Entries
    2
    Load Metric
    65618736
    If this move does happen, Caesars will likely dump the Rio at a low price.

    They're only keeping it around right now for the convention/WSOP space.

  6. #6
    Platinum ftpjesus's Avatar
    Reputation
    587
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Mesa AZ
    Posts
    4,079
    Load Metric
    65618736
    Quote Originally Posted by Dan Druff View Post
    If this move does happen, Caesars will likely dump the Rio at a low price.

    They're only keeping it around right now for the convention/WSOP space.
    Given the most recent occurrence at the Rio.. Maybe some rich mogul type from the African American community could purchase it, rehab it some and then rebrand it as a South Central LA theme or maybe Bloods and Crips Casino ... They could offer unique percs like onsite gun lockers for the gangbangers to lock up their firearms even.. They could rebrand the Penn and Teller Theater as a new massive Hip Hop only club.. I mean hell Vegas loves to have certain places designed to cater to certain clientele.. One specifically for the Hip Hop Gangsta community might just be a winner and draw in some more of that drug dealer money into Vegas.. As long as they arent openly laundering the money no issues (besides we all know the king of washing money is Shelly Adelson and the Venetian)

  7. #7
    Gold
    Reputation
    37
    Join Date
    May 2016
    Posts
    1,935
    Load Metric
    65618736
    Quote Originally Posted by ftpjesus View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Dan Druff View Post
    If this move does happen, Caesars will likely dump the Rio at a low price.

    They're only keeping it around right now for the convention/WSOP space.
    Given the most recent occurrence at the Rio.. Maybe some rich mogul type from the African American community could purchase it, rehab it some and then rebrand it as a South Central LA theme or maybe Bloods and Crips Casino ... They could offer unique percs like onsite gun lockers for the gangbangers to lock up their firearms even.. They could rebrand the Penn and Teller Theater as a new massive Hip Hop only club.. I mean hell Vegas loves to have certain places designed to cater to certain clientele.. One specifically for the Hip Hop Gangsta community might just be a winner and draw in some more of that drug dealer money into Vegas.. As long as they arent openly laundering the money no issues (besides we all know the king of washing money is Shelly Adelson and the Venetian)
    Refurbish it with a Compton theme and re-name it “Gangsta’s Paradise”. #profit

  8. #8
    Diamond TheXFactor's Avatar
    Reputation
    1199
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Posts
    6,934
    Load Metric
    65618736

    Question

    Quote Originally Posted by Dan Druff View Post
    There have long been talks regarding Caesars selling the Rio
    There are only two "interested" parties that wanted to buy the Rio.

    Station Casinos that bought the Palms instead and the owner of Treasure Island (T.I.) Donald Trump partner & supporter Phil Ruffin.

    Both passed on buying that shithole the Rio for approximately $500 million.



     
    Comments
      
      FRANKRIZZO: lol at morerake.cp,sighn

  9. #9
    Owner Dan Druff's Avatar
    Reputation
    10110
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Posts
    54,626
    Blog Entries
    2
    Load Metric
    65618736
    Artist's renderings:










    Note that these are from 2017, before the name change from "Caesars Forum" to "Caesars Convention Center".

  10. #10
    Plutonium Sanlmar's Avatar
    Reputation
    4291
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Posts
    21,087
    Load Metric
    65618736
    You really should merge this with GBCP’s LOL Evil Empire Stupidity thread.

    Convention centers generate economic activity around them. They don't generally make much money themselves. There is a reason they are generally public institutions not private.

    Running a convention center is extremely tricky business. The public convention centers have the usual issues with unions and scale. There are private companies that manage public convention centers for municipalities. If you think Caesars has any prayer of succeeding in running a convention center you are a confirmed meth casualty.

    Convention Center new construction and expansion nationwide far outstrips demand. Lol, good thing there are no other convention center projects happening in Vegas right now.

    This is the same kind of doomed to bankruptcy, pie in the sky revenue model that Caesars is famous for.

    I have formulated a very back to school theory about successful casinos. It allows the slow and infirm to follow easily. They always have a charismatic visionary behind them. They are not faceless public corporations. I don’t have time to hold further remedial casino class right now.

    Caesars is determined to commit economic suicide. We should let them.

    Speaking of casino blunders. I had a very interesting meeting with Encore Boston. Random factoid: Guess how much room maids (cleaners) make. $20/hr to start. Lol, I asked for an application. You have no idea.

    Steve Wynn was a genius in his time. Now old and blind - he lost his fastball, his wife and most of his fortune. Fucking guy thought it was still TI 1993. Boston will mark a sad sad final chapter.
    Last edited by Sanlmar; 05-02-2019 at 11:15 PM.

  11. #11
    Platinum
    Reputation
    631
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Posts
    4,892
    Load Metric
    65618736
    caesars invested something like $120M into a convention center at harrah's AC that opened sometime in 2016 if memory serves...guessing they were hoping to get a part of the massive AC convention business (sarcasm) and smooth out the off-season in the region which is everything outside of memorial day to labor day...

    Name:  Capture99.PNG
Views: 2097
Size:  95.6 KB

    seems to be working out for them...………………………..oh...………..


  12. #12
    Plutonium Sanlmar's Avatar
    Reputation
    4291
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Posts
    21,087
    Load Metric
    65618736
    I keep feeding you layups GBCP. You know how easy this is for me?

    I may end up with the PFA record for assists.

  13. #13
    Plutonium Sanlmar's Avatar
    Reputation
    4291
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Posts
    21,087
    Load Metric
    65618736
    Tellafriend can speak more to the hotel jets & whale suites in Vegas than me.

    Weren’t the Pallazzo Suites in the Rio? These were Caesars failed attempt to attract the ultra high rollers. Again, not a clue.

    Do you have any stories about Caesars hosts GBCP? Financially didn’t you guys have to account for giving shit away?

    Wow, now that I think about it, that’s a potentially pretty cool topic. The free planes, trips, rebates on gambling losses, “show-up” payments. Finally, the multimillion dollar mega-suites at the cool places like the Bellagio - all FREE.

    The accounting would be interesting.

    As it turns out and as high roller suites run - the Caesars suites look like they were built with fixtures sourced from Home Depot.



    I used to have a thread about implosions in Vegas. 100% I’m there for the Rio’s demolition.
    Last edited by Sanlmar; 05-03-2019 at 10:35 AM.

  14. #14
    Platinum
    Reputation
    631
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Posts
    4,892
    Load Metric
    65618736
    Quote Originally Posted by Sanlmar View Post
    I keep feeding you layups GBCP. You know how easy this is for me?

    I may end up with the PFA record for assists.
    you need the title 'wayne gretzky of PFA'...literally it's so fucking easy to do with these idiots...

    as far as hosts goes, not really...my boss was a fucking mong so maybe he had more interaction with that side of the business and never brought me in, but I rarely got any sorta interaction with the marketing folks...like hey you ran 'x' event, let's see the numbers so I can P&L this bitch...I do remember our VP of finance for the boardwalk side of the business get miffed from time to time that the marketing team wasn't more forthcoming with information for us...

    so if I had to take an educated guess on all that shit, it probably happened in AC, but very, very, very, very rarely...if memory serves we did have a guy come in to caesars AC and absolutely beat the shit outta us in February (think it mighta been 2014), took us for like $6-7M in a trip and then he turned around and lost most (if not all and then some) of it back in caesars in vegas...so basically net neutral/win for the company overall, but in basically the slowest time of the year for an AC property to get whacked for that kinda money HURTS LIKE A MOTHERFUCKER...there's no fucking offset for that...ain't enough grannies in the world pissing away $100 in the penny slots on a Thursday in February that's gonna make up for $6-7M up your ass...my details might be a bit off because this was like 5 years ago and I've tried to purge that shit from my existence...

    EDIT: you've looked at the gaming numbers I've been posting in the fail thread...they can't afford to spend that kinda money on high rollers in AC (not that many/any would want to come to AC anyway and if they do they're going to Borgata which is a much superior property) with gaming revenue numbers still in decline...yeah these guys might bring in gaming revenue, but I don't think they want to chance spending all that money and not getting enough play on it...

    EDIT2: quick, funny story...end of 2015, which was right as my time at that shithole was about to be over...assistant GM wanted to get new limos for harrah's...he basically wanted to get them so him and all the "cool kids" (C-levels/PE guys) would have new toys to run around in when they came to AC...he wanted me to justify them financially...I basically told him in nicer words than I wanted to that he was out of his fucking mind...he wanted me to justify this on the basis that if we got new limos for harrah's we'd be able to take business from Borgata...I shit you fucking not...yeah high end gamblers are really gonna stop playing at Borgata because of these nice new limos so they can stay at some shit room at harrahs with less eye candy all around...$500K for fancy new rides for the few times a year the mong corporate idiots and PE fucktards came into the region...told my boss I wasn't doing it, he got pissed at me and finally told this AGM that he needed to come up with a better justification than stealing business from Borgata...he eventually got it pushed through based on lower maintenance costs and fuel efficiency (I shit you not)...and I had to model it out...I told him that if I was putting that in a model he had to basically show that savings to corporate when they came a-knockin' a year later...I got the yeah, yeah, yeah on it...wanted to punch that faggot right in his bald ass head...after I did that model I REAAAAAAAAAALLLY stopped giving two fucks about my job at that shithole...

     
    Comments
      
      Sanlmar: Love the stories
    Last edited by GambleBotsChafedPenis; 05-03-2019 at 10:55 AM.

  15. #15
    Platinum Jayjami's Avatar
    Reputation
    879
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    South Lake Tahoe
    Posts
    3,164
    Load Metric
    65618736
    Quote Originally Posted by Sanlmar View Post
    Tellafriend can speak more to the hotel jets & whale suites in Vegas than me.

    Weren’t the Pallazzo Suites in the Rio? These were Caesars failed attempt to attract the ultra high rollers. Again, not a clue.

    Do you have any stories about Caesars hosts GBCP? Financially didn’t you guys have to account for giving shit away?

    Wow, now that I think about it, that’s a potentially pretty cool topic. The free planes, trips, rebates on gambling losses, “show-up” payments. Finally, the multimillion dollar mega-suites at the cool places like the Bellagio - all FREE.

    The accounting would be interesting.

    As it turns out and as high roller suites run - the Caesars suites look like they were built with fixtures sourced from Home Depot.



    I used to have a thread about implosions in Vegas. 100% I’m there for the Rio’s demolition.
    Lol, that’s the Palazzo behind the Venetian. That’s a standard room there. The Rio Palazzo suites are right off the Convention center parking lot, by the pool. Never been in them myself. Maybe Druff could spring for one so we could have a PFA meet and greet at this year’s WSOP?

     
    Comments
      
      Sanlmar: I suffer from Palazzo confusion obv

  16. #16
    Plutonium Sanlmar's Avatar
    Reputation
    4291
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Posts
    21,087
    Load Metric
    65618736
    I guess this is Rio’s Palazzo



    Get your own Dramamine

    I never had the motivation to go over to the wrong side of the tracks.

  17. #17
    Diamond Tellafriend's Avatar
    Reputation
    1581
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Posts
    7,078
    Load Metric
    65618736
    Quote Originally Posted by Sanlmar View Post
    Tellafriend can speak more to the hotel jets & whale suites in Vegas than me.
    I've toyed with writing a novella; have that many stories.

     
    Comments
      
      GambleBotsChafedPenis: Would Read Rep

  18. #18
    Diamond Tellafriend's Avatar
    Reputation
    1581
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Posts
    7,078
    Load Metric
    65618736
    Quote Originally Posted by Sanlmar View Post
    Tellafriend can speak more to the hotel jets & whale suites in Vegas than me.

    Weren’t the Pallazzo Suites in the Rio? These were Caesars failed attempt to attract the ultra high rollers. Again, not a clue.

    Do you have any stories about Caesars hosts GBCP? Financially didn’t you guys have to account for giving shit away?

    Wow, now that I think about it, that’s a potentially pretty cool topic. The free planes, trips, rebates on gambling losses, “show-up” payments. Finally, the multimillion dollar mega-suites at the cool places like the Bellagio - all FREE.

    The accounting would be interesting.

    As it turns out and as high roller suites run - the Caesars suites look like they were built with fixtures sourced from Home Depot.



    I used to have a thread about implosions in Vegas. 100% I’m there for the Rio’s demolition.
    Quote Originally Posted by Jayjami View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Sanlmar View Post
    Tellafriend can speak more to the hotel jets & whale suites in Vegas than me.

    Weren’t the Pallazzo Suites in the Rio? These were Caesars failed attempt to attract the ultra high rollers. Again, not a clue.

    Do you have any stories about Caesars hosts GBCP? Financially didn’t you guys have to account for giving shit away?

    Wow, now that I think about it, that’s a potentially pretty cool topic. The free planes, trips, rebates on gambling losses, “show-up” payments. Finally, the multimillion dollar mega-suites at the cool places like the Bellagio - all FREE.

    The accounting would be interesting.

    As it turns out and as high roller suites run - the Caesars suites look like they were built with fixtures sourced from Home Depot.



    I used to have a thread about implosions in Vegas. 100% I’m there for the Rio’s demolition.
    Lol, that’s the Palazzo behind the Venetian. That’s a standard room there. The Rio Palazzo suites are right off the Convention center parking lot, by the pool. Never been in them myself. Maybe Druff could spring for one so we could have a PFA meet and greet at this year’s WSOP?
    Wikipedia

    The Rio opened on January 15, 1990, as a locals casino; it had been constructed and owned and operated by Marnell Corrao Associates. The opening acts were the Brazilian Group Sérgio Mendes '99 and Henrietta Alves of New Orleans, bringing the first two-piano act to Las Vegas, with various co-performers. A 20-story expansion tower was added to the current Ipanema Tower in 1993. Masquerade Village, a hotel tower and casino expansion including the Masquerade Show in the Sky, opened in 1997, at a cost of over $200 million. The Rio was purchased by Harrah's Entertainment in 1999 for $888 million. After the purchase, the Culinary Workers Union organized the Rio employees through card check recognition by enforcing the neutrality clause of the existing Harrah's contract on the new acquisition.[2]

  19. #19
    Plutonium Sanlmar's Avatar
    Reputation
    4291
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Posts
    21,087
    Load Metric
    65618736
    Quote Originally Posted by Tellafriend View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Sanlmar View Post
    Tellafriend can speak more to the hotel jets & whale suites in Vegas than me.
    I've toyed with writing a novella; have that many stories.
    In 2007 I lived at Foxwoods for about 6 months.

    Just prior to my stay I gave them a night of heavy action in the pits. They had never seen me before and rated me off that. They gave me a black card.

    So I had a lot of points and I was entitled to free rooms by virtue of the Black Card except for certain holidays and some weekends. For $25 of points I would go to the Spa every afternoon as I started my day. Work out, take a steam, sit in the sun and generally wake up.

    I would see one of the Foxwoods hosts there almost every day at the same time. He introduced himself. He clearly knew I was unusual in that I was there daily. He was always very pleasant but I stayed private as is my habit. I really had no clue what possibilities he represented.

    In retrospect, especially at the end of the go-go years, I coulda asked for nearly anything and probably have gotten it. We had a casual but distant friendship over the weeks. I have since been told that if you don’t ask you don’t get it.

    Gambling rebates are a classic example. If you don’t negotiate it you don’t get it.

    I was just playing poker. But still... Shows, golf, occasional high roller suite. I’m sure I could have gotten hooked up if I just asked.

    These days I just sports bet. The sports book manager or even the counter will give you passes to restaurants but that’s about it. Maybe a room occasionally. So that’s as close as I ever got to “the life” of the privileged player.

     
    Comments
      
      FRANKRIZZO: living at foxwoods for 6 months rep

  20. #20
    Platinum
    Reputation
    631
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Posts
    4,892
    Load Metric
    65618736
    Quote Originally Posted by Sanlmar View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Tellafriend View Post

    I've toyed with writing a novella; have that many stories.
    In 2007 I lived at Foxwoods for about 6 months.

    Just prior to my stay I gave them a night of heavy action in the pits. They had never seen me before and rated me off that. They gave me a black card.

    So I had a lot of points and I was entitled to free rooms by virtue of the Black Card except for certain holidays and some weekends. For $25 of points I would go to the Spa every afternoon as I started my day. Work out, take a steam, sit in the sun and generally wake up.

    I would see one of the Foxwoods hosts there almost every day at the same time. He introduced himself. He clearly knew I was unusual in that I was there daily. He was always very pleasant but I stayed private as is my habit. I really had no clue what possibilities he represented.

    In retrospect, especially at the end of the go-go years, I coulda asked for nearly anything and probably have gotten it. We had a casual but distant friendship over the weeks. I have since been told that if you don’t ask you don’t get it.

    Gambling rebates are a classic example. If you don’t negotiate it you don’t get it.

    I was just playing poker. But still... Shows, golf, occasional high roller suite. I’m sure I could have gotten hooked up if I just asked.


    These days I just sports bet. The sports book manager or even the counter will give you passes to restaurants but that’s about it. Maybe a room occasionally. So that’s as close as I ever got to “the life” of the privileged player.
    interesting...wonder how their business was back then...this was the start of AC going into the abyss...guess if you don't know that it's coming it might just seem like a few bumps in the road...don't know if foxwoods felt the PA effect or not...

    wonder what's gonna happen when encore opens...hoping the games are gonna be good...

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. Replies: 241
    Last Post: 03-08-2024, 10:50 AM
  2. Replies: 9
    Last Post: 05-10-2017, 09:55 PM
  3. Replies: 3
    Last Post: 04-28-2015, 01:14 PM
  4. Replies: 0
    Last Post: 12-07-2014, 05:06 PM
  5. Caesars fires all "Dealertainers" from blackjack games
    By Dan Druff in forum Flying Stupidity
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 09-09-2014, 10:45 PM