World Series of Poker spokesman Seth Palansky explains that the big, TV broadcast-ready poker room that debuted at Caesars Palace back in 2006 is no more, having been cannibalized to become part of Omnia nightclub, a sign of changing times and priorities, perhaps. (Our Stiffs & Georges correspondent David McKee was given a tour of the then-spacious facility several years ago and remembers that the clear implication at the time was that Caesars would become home to the World Series of Poker.)
Besides, Palansky points out, the WSOP needs more than a room: It requires an entire convention center, which the Rio provides: 300,000-square-feet worth. "So the Rio is the perfect spot. It’s been at the Rio for 11 years and hopefully [will be for] that many more in the future," he says.
Palansky went on to explain some of the reasons why a convention center is needed as WSOP HQ. The Rio has to build a dedicated cage for check-in, a surveillance room, an accounting office, payout office, dealer rooms, a media center, and a food court. "Basically, we take over the entire convention center," Palansky says. The Rio, being off-Strip, provides easy parking for local players and free shuttles to those who are staying on the Strip. "It’s just been a great location."
As for Caesars' poker room, by 2014 it was in such dire straits visitation-wise that there was talk of it closing permanently; instead, however, the room was down-sized and relocated to be next to the Race and Sports Book, on the opposite side from the old room, where it debuted last summer with other improvements, including dropping its rake from $5 to a $4 max.
