tweets from Vital Vegas<\/a>, a fresh round of whispers was served up this week.<\/p>\nThe popular Las Vegas news blog is claiming the property is on the market and still seeking a buyer.<\/p>\n
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For some background, Rio opened in 1990 and was sold to Harrah\u2019s, which is now Caesars Entertainment<\/strong>, less than a decade later. Rio\u00a0rumors have persisted over the years, dating back to the early 2000s.<\/p>\nLast year, the rumor of the Rio sale popped up again, but it came with a twist: The all-suite hotel and casino, located just off the Las Vegas Strip,<\/strong> would be purchased and imploded to make way for a Major League Baseball<\/strong>\u00a0(MLB) stadium. That sale hasn\u2019t happened but the rumor of a potential sale continues.<\/p>\nDoes the Las Vegas pro sports craze mean MLB is coming?<\/span><\/h2>\nLast year was big for professional sports in Las Vegas, and perhaps that\u2019s why there is an onslaught of gossip about an MLB team.<\/p>\n
The Vegas Golden Knights<\/strong> brought Las Vegas into the national sports scene. They had a notably fantastic inaugural season in the National Hockey League (NHL)<\/strong> and made it to the Stanley Cup<\/strong>.<\/p>\nThe year 2018 also marked the first season of professional soccer and professional basketball in Las Vegas. The Lights Football Club<\/strong> played their first season for the United Soccer League<\/strong> at Cashman Field. Meanwhile, the Las Vegas Aces<\/strong> played their first WNBA<\/strong> season since moving from San Antonio. The Aces play their home games at\u00a0Mandalay Bay<\/strong>.<\/p>\nThis year, the Las Vegas Aviators<\/strong> will begin their first season as the Oakland A\u2019s<\/strong> AAA affiliate. The new team will play in a brand-new, 10,000-seat stadium appropriately named Las Vegas Ballpark\u00a0in the Summerlin community.<\/p>\nAlso this year, the Oakland Raiders<\/strong> will make their home in Las Vegas. The new stadium for the National Football League<\/strong> (NFL) team is under construction just off the Vegas Strip near Mandalay Bay.<\/p>\nWhile the talk about an MLB stadium continues, so do rumors about a National Basketball Association<\/strong> (NBA) team taking up roots in Las Vegas. MGM Resorts not only owns the Las Vegas Aces but it has multiple arenas in Las Vegas and multiple partnerships with the NBA.<\/p>\nRumors still swirl about an MLB stadium but it wouldn\u2019t be a surprise if Las Vegas got professional basketball first.<\/p>\n
Changing deal for Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino<\/span><\/h2>\nIf sold, the land could actually be used in multiple ways. With its existing bones, the hotel and casino wouldn\u2019t necessarily have to be imploded. The property could continue to exist with a little freshening up. Or, it could be torn down and the land\u00a0on the site could be used for an attraction or stadium.<\/p>\n
Additionally, the sale price might have come down since last year. Previously, Caesars Entertainment was looking for a billion dollars<\/strong> for the Rio casino, hotel and land. Rumor is that Caesars\u2019 Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), VICI Properties<\/strong>, could be a partner with a casino operator.<\/p>\nVICI would own the land while another company would own and operate what\u2019s on the land. If this sounds familiar, it\u2019s because VICI and Penn National Gaming<\/strong> (PNG) recently partnered to buy Greektown casino in Detroit \u2026 for a billion dollars<\/em>.<\/p>\nPNG paid $300,000 for the casino<\/strong> while VICI paid $700,000 for the land<\/strong>. Could the sale of Rio be another deal for this team?<\/p>\n