MGM continues its quest to attract younger crowds to its casinos, and its latest plan has just been announced. MGM Resorts are currently planning on converting its former Las Vegas nightclub, Luxor, into an arena dedicated to eSports. Esports is the term used to describe playing video games competitively, where players can win thousands of dollars.
MGM’s Esport Arena Plans
MGM has already put its plans for the eSport arena in motion. MGM has signed a deal with Allied Esports and Esports Arena, which will transform the closed nightclub into a dedicated 30 000-square foot arena.
The plan is that the new venue will feature multiple levels with a main competition stage. There will also be LED wall video screens, gaming stations, top of the range live video streaming equipment, a production studio that would be capable of producing TV content, and telescopic seating.
The general manager at Luxor, Niklas Rytterstrom, believes that eSports has a huge future and this arena will become a big selling point for the hotel when it is complete. Completion is expected to happen in June 2018, so it is still quite far away.
Rapid Recent Esports Growth
While many see video games simply as entertainment, the professional scene has grown tremendously in recent years. The eSports audience is expected to grow by a20% during 2017, with the global audience reaching nearly 260 million people. There’s big money in eSports as well, with the revenue generated expected to exceed $1 billion in 2017.
MGM hopes that the eSports arena will help attract younger players to the casino. As it stands today, casinos have noted that there is very little interest in slots and table games with people between the ages of 21 and 35 years old. The casino is hoping this will be enough to attract this demographic to the casino and introduce them to the world of gambling.
Esports are really taking off, with Madison Square gardens buying an eSports team.
