The Luxor Las Vegas is converting one of its nightclubs into an eSports gaming arena. MGM Resorts International, owner of the Luxor, said it wants to offer its customers "something really different".
In fact, Luxor says that the LAX nightclub has performed well, but the eSports gaming area is needed to draw new customers. Luxor is partnering with Chinese-based Allied Esports, the world leader in electronic sports gaming venues, to build the new venue.
Niklas Rytterstrom, general manager of Luxor, said of the new addition, "We've closely watched the growth and excitement around e-sports, and we are always looking for new amenities for our Vegas customers."
Jud Hannigan on Luxor eSports Arena
Jud Hannigan, the CEO of Allied Esports International, said that the Luxor eSports arena is going to be the Madison Square Garden or Wembley Stadium of eSports entertainment.
Mr. Hannigan said, "We have very ambitious expansion plans over the next two years, and when we realized that a location at Luxor was possible, we jumped at the opportunity to develop our flagship here. "Just as Yankee Stadium, Madison Square Garden and Wembley Stadium are considered their sports' most aspirational venues by players and fans alike, Esports Arena Las Vegas will be the iconic destination in esports and complement the city's incredible appeal, attracting video gaming competitors and fans from around the world."
The renowned architectural firm, YWS Design & Architecture, is redesigning the LAX nightclub to accommodate the eSports gaming crowd. When completed, the Luxor will house an electronic sports competition stage, daily gaming stations, and state-of-the-art LED video wall. The gaming area will have streaming and television-quality production studios, along with the kind of telescopic seating found in modern movie theaters. The gaming area also will have "a robust food and beverage offering".
Las Vegas Gaming for Millennials
It is a growing trend in Las Vegas to offer virtual gaming options for millennials. The Downtown Grand offers an e-sports gaming arena, though the Luxor is the first casino on the Las Vegas Strip to offer such gaming. Other gaming operators are experimenting with new gaming options to attract millennials, though.
MGM Grand's Golfstream Experience
The MGM Grand recently added Golfstream, a virtual golf experience. William Hill USA's Nevada sportsbooks are dabbling with virtual sports by Inspired Gaming, and are promising a full rollout sometime in 2017.
Downtown Las Vegas's Esports Studio
The Luxor's move is predicated on the Downtown Las Vegas's installation of an e-gaming studio in March 2017. Gaming options increasingly need to appeal to millennial visitors, because they represent a vital part of the gaming public.
Last year, 43 million tourists visited Las Vegas. A full one-third of that number were millennials, the name for the generation which came of age after the year 2000. That comprises customers between the age of 18 and 35. Millennials are the largest generation ever in US history, and they represent the future for casino operations. Building their brand loyalty is notoriously difficult, but essential to the financial well-being of Vegas Strip casinos.
What Is Electronic Sports?
Electronic sports or e-sports is a growing hobby for millennials. E-sports is the name for competitive video games, online games, and computer games. An electronic sports tour now exists, while audiences of esports enthusiasts watch competitions in Madison Square Garden in New York City, Staples Center in Los Angeles, and the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
E-sports is a major spectator sport online, as viewers watch competitions on Twitch and YouTube. The live streams look like televised sports, with play-by-play announcers, studio analysts, and large live crowds. YouTube channels involving eSports gather huge numbers of followers, while the gambling on eSports is big business outside the United States.
Wangyu eSports Arena
Permanent e-Sports venues dot the landscape in Asia, but few locations in North America exist. Las Vegas casinos like Luxor and The D-Las Vegas are filling the void, hoping to catch the next big wave in American gaming.
The Luxor's eSports arena is set to hold 1,000 people at a time. Two separate gaming areas are offered. One is for people ages 21 and older, while the other is for players 16-and-up.
About Allied ESports
Allied Esports is the provider of gaming content for Luxor. Allied Esports has a corporate deal with MGM Resorts International. The company was founded in 2016 as a joint venture of the largest sports, eSports, and entertainment companies in China (Ourgame International) and the largest Internet cafe chain in China (KongZhong, Ourpalm, and iRena).
Allied Esports opened its first eSports property, Wangyu eSports Arena, in downtown Beijing in the fall of 2015. Luxor and MGM Resorts touted the partnership with Allied eSports as a coup.
Niklas Rytterstrom said, "Our company is the leader in the entertainment industry and recognizes the exciting growth in esports. With this partnership, we will introduce a new experience to the market, once again elevating the city's vast entertainment offerings."
