There have been rumors floating for months that a one-time WSOP site could become the future home on Major League Baseball. And recently, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said that the Oakland Athletics relocating to Las Vegas is looking more and more like a reality. And while building a new baseball stadium on the south Strip where the Tropicana is located… or perhaps at the north end at the Las Vegas Festival grounds, a new possible location has emerged.
The Rio Casino, which once served as the official WSOP site from 2005-2021, holds a significant place in poker history. It has been witness to many iconic moments, from Doyle Brunson’s triumphant win of his 10th WSOP bracelet in 2005 and Daniel Negreanu’s heartbreaking loss on a bad beat in the 2015 Main Event, just short of the final table. But could the land where the Rio sits become a baseball stadium destined for new memories?
There is a potential obstacle to this idea, and that would be the Dreamscape company. They purchased the Rio from Caesars Entertainment back in 2019, and it’s been reported that they are planning an $850 million renovation for the Rio. But recently, a spokesperson for Dreamscape confirmed that the company is open to the idea of selling the land to the Oakland baseball team, opening up another door through which professional baseball could come to Sin City.
“The company has been engaged in a dialogue about a portion of the excess land at the Rio as a potential MLB ballpark for the past several years. The company remains open to this idea,” said a spokesperson for the Dreamscape company in reference to the former WSOP site. And it’s important to remember that while the Rio is owned by Dreamscape, it is still being operated by Caesars Entertainment.
It’s important to note that if baseball does indeed make its way to Las Vegas, it won’t happen in the next year… or even the next two years. The construction of a brand new stadium takes time… even for a town like Vegas. Plus, there’s the matter of who is gonna pay for the thing. Still, the potential for a new chapter in the history of the Rio and Las Vegas sports is an exciting prospect for both poker and baseball enthusiasts alike.