LAS VEGAS (CelebrityAccess) Esports Arena Las Vegas, the first of what will likely be several eSports rooms in the city, launched inside the Luxor Resort & Casino March 26.
The 30,000-square foot room is the former LAX nightclub, a change that was recently noted by Inc. magazine as a milestone.
“If you told someone five years ago that a major Las Vegas resort would replace its nightclub with anything, that person would think you were nuts,” the magazine wrote. “In 2014 alone, XS nightclub at the Encore brought in $105 million in revenue.”
Yet, MGM Resorts was convinced to convert LAX into something other than another nightclub. Allied Esports International CEO Jud Hannigan told Inc. the Luxor location will drive interest and participation in the company’s events at other arenas from North America and Europe to China.
The room features a TV-quality production studio with 24 cameras, a two-story, 50-foot LED TV wall, a vintage video game cocktail bar and five luxury VIP lounges, according to Building Design & Construction. It will also feature telescopic seating and a “gamer-inspired menu” by Chef Jose Andres.
The public can enter for free when a ticketed event isn’t taking place, and it has more than 100 gaming stations that can be used with a $25 all-day gaming pass. The first floor features complimentary vintage games like Pac-Man and Street Fighter. There is also a VR gaming space and a VR treadmill pad and – we’ve reached this point – a History of Gaming exhibit, equipped with a 360-degree video wall.
Esports Arena is expected to announce between 10 and 15 new dedicated arena locations in North America, according to BDC.
