My aim wasn't to come across as against moving the WSOP to a new location somewhere on the strip. I would largely support it as for myself there would be tons of benefits. My post was more to the reality that for business reasons and the fact that poker players will go wherever the WSOP is in Vegas, there isn't a benefit for Caesar's to do it, at least that i can see.

It's interesting watching the One Drop where you have poker pros, who are out of their financial strata when it comes to million dollar buyins. Hellmuth speaks openly about selling 90% of his action, putting in 100k of his own. Then you have the hedge fund guys, businessmen, etc that are on a different level.

This guy is the brother in law of a hedge fund friend of mine, who decided on a whim "Meh, why not?".

https://www.barstoolsports.com/dmv/i...ment-on-a-whim

i'd say its funny how wrong they got this but it is barstool sports after all

rio has plenty of room for parking.

good lucky finding parking if they move it to the strip.

Serious question...how many people are actually DRIVING to play WSOP events? Most I saw were either staying on site or were taking a cab. This held true for the other properties as well...

But, beyond that, if a new convention complex were built, it would ALSO have parking in some nominal amount. There is TONS of space on the backside of the Strip that is nothing but vacant lots right now...and with the discussion about a new potential convention center on the backside of things like the Linq, Flamingo, Harrahs, that means plenty of space exists for parking (with the other possibility of underground parking as well).

This ^ Yes

Obviously you people never look in the Rio parking lot.

have you seen the rio parking lot during the weekends for the feature NL events? its packed to the rim.

A good amount of people wouldn't be driving to the WSOP if it was on the Strip though. I'm an example. I was in Vegas June 6-15 this year. I rented a car, and drove to Rio for WSOP events I played, because I was staying on the strip. If WSOP was on the strip, I would almost surely not have rented a car at all, and if I did, I would have just left it parked at my hotel and walked to WSOP.

When the new convention center gets built, don't you think that Caesar's management would certainly consider moving the series to the new convention center ?

It's in their best interests to keep the convention center busy considering they are dealing with "new costs".

It may be an unglamorous decision and seem like robbing Peter to pay Paul but the numbers may precipitate that very decision.

I'm all for it....

I'm with the people saying Caesars has no incentive to the strip. Think about Venetian this year, they stuffed the poker players in the back corner of their expo, presumably because the prime space was taken up by conventions bringing in way more money than poker.

Re: moving the WSOP... Locals love the Rio because of the parking. And some travelers like it because its relatively cheap to stay there or at the GC. I'm not sure what percentage of players fall into these categories, but its certainly non-insignificant.

I doubt moving would kill numbers or anything, and there may be a "walk-up" effect to offset any lost players if they managed the logistics properly. But I don't think they would be looking to make such a major change without a good reason. I don't get the impression the current location is suffering from a lack of space. Perhaps if they are able to sell the Rio, as they have been trying for a while, and manage to hold onto the WSOP, then a move would be much more likely. I have sort of soured on the WSOP in recent years (don't like the structures and rakes), but a change of scenery could inject some new life.

In the meantime, all signs point to the Venetian continuing to expand next year, and I think they can fit like 4 of the new Caesars convention space inside the Sands Convention space, so the sky is the limit.

The closest I came to having to look at it was when I got out of my cab for Day 2 of the Marathon. Hence the manner in which I couched my reply...

Here is how the deepstack pays in yellow with 1,000 players, then how it would pay if it was a bracelet event. (bracelet events are even more top heavy) and 3 flatter alternatives A, B, C. Which one do you all like the best? (the ratio is ratio between 1st and 2nd pay)

You guys are doing it wrong, if you can handle the 8 minute walk park in the Carnival lot, easy peasy.

At the Rio I can stay there and walk to the WSOP without going outside. Reason enough for me wanting it to stay at the Rio.

Assumedly, if it were somewhere else, then you would stay somewhere else and enjoy the same benefit. Unless, of course, they decide to hold the WSOP at the racetrack or something.

Wat? The last handful of posts are talking about a new convention center. I can't stay there, so it's Harrah's or flamingo, and I STILL have to walk outside to get to the convention center.

The proposed convention center will have access to both Harrah's and The Linq through a covered bridge.

Where it will likely be 105 degrees. I think I prefer the 70 of the Rio hallways.

Weighing in with my annual shout into the abyss:

They need to turn Bally's into the WSOP Hotel and Casino.

1) WSOP is arguably their 2nd most recognizable brand, while Bally's is played out and theme-less. One of the most prime pieces of real estate in the gambling universe deserves better.
2) Keep the main casino layout as is (NOT arguing to make it a poker-only casino), and build out their convention area (which has roughly the same sq footage as the current WSOP area @ Rio based on some dirty google map measuring) and the dead-ass downstairs area. Also there is an empty back lot for further build-out.
4) Turn that area in to a state of the art year-round poker destination. Hold circuit events there or add events whenever there's a competing deep-stack, etc.
3) Roughly similar number of rooms as Rio, and the attached Paris nearly doubles it. (Bally's rooms do need a makeover)
4) There is an attached parking garage

Probably never happen for a number of financial reasons, but if online poker became legal nation-wide and boomed again, it would be a no-brainer.

Bally's rooms have been recently renovated and are one of the best options available for price/quality/location.

Yeah, like Black Aces said, Ballys recently renovated one tower and renovated the other just a few years ago. I don't see any major construction in the works any time soon.

As for the general idea of a "year-round" poker destination, I have thought about this concept in the past, particularly as poker rooms started to dwindle in Vegas. If planned and executed correctly, I think there could be a venue outside of the traditional casino footprint somewhere in vegas. The problem poker rooms have is, there are certain times of the year when they need a ton of room and other times when they don't at all. In the casino environment, if a poker room gives up some space during the slow times, they usually don't get it back. A separate venue would have to achieve two things...

1) Some secondary revenue stream which can supplement poker during the slow periods

2) A modular setup that can be quickly expanded/contracted to accommodate the poker boom seasons like in summer and during various series stops.

If someone can come up with an idea that meets these criteria, and has the resources to implement is, I think it could be a profitable enterprise.

Just a crazy thought based on various posts.... once the football stadium is built, wouldn't it represent sort of a perfect place to hold the WSOP, assuming the logistics could be worked out? I assume it will be a dome, or at least have a retractable roof.

Think about it... it will already have built-in concessions and tons of infrastructure for electrical/security, etc. I don't really know what the parking situation will be, but surely it will have more parking than most of the casinos in town.

And unless LV gets a soccer team, I don't necessarily see there being an obvious use for the stadium in June/early July.

Anyhow, I think it would be awesome. Someone needs to think outside the box and make it happen

CET doesn't own the stadium and I doubt they want to rent it. Just the football field may not be enough space.

I'd rather just stay and play at the Rio.