Rio (hotel and casino)

Rio
Rear of the Rio's Masquerade Tower in 2014
Address 3700 West Flamingo Road
Paradise, Nevada
89103
Opening dateJanuary 15, 1990; 34 years ago (1990-01-15)
ThemeBrazilian
No. of rooms2,520
Total gaming space117,330 sq ft (10,900 m2)
Permanent showsPenn & Teller
Chippendales
Tony n' Tina's Wedding (2002–09)
WOW - The Vegas Spectacular
Signature attractionsKISS by Monster Mini Golf
Notable restaurantsCanteen Food Hall
Guy Fieri's El Burro Borracho
Hash House a go go
KJ Dim Sum
Royal India
Smashburger
VooDoo
Casino typeLand-based
OwnerDreamscape Companies LLC
ArchitectMarnell Corrao Associates
Renovated in1993–1999, 2004–06, 2023-
Coordinates36°07′01″N 115°11′13″W / 36.117°N 115.187°W / 36.117; -115.187
Websiteriolasvegas.com

The Rio is a hotel and casino near the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, United States. It is owned and operated by Dreamscape Companies LLC. It includes a 117,330 sq ft (10,900 m2) casino[1] and 2,520 suites.[2] It features a Brazilian theme based on Rio Carnival.

The Rio opened on January 15, 1990, with a 44,000 sq ft (4,100 m2) casino and 424 suites. It was the first all-suite hotel in the Las Vegas Valley. It was owned by Anthony Marnell and built by Marnell Corrao Associates. The property struggled during its first two years because of its off-Strip location, but it would eventually thrive. The Rio's success prompted a number of hotel expansions in the 1990s. The hotel includes the three-wing Ipanema Tower, which stands at 20 stories. A 1997 renovation added Masquerade Village, a two-story retail and restaurant complex which also featured the Masquerade Show in the Sky. The 41-story Masquerade Tower was added as well.

In 1999, Marnell sold the Rio to Harrah's Entertainment for $766 million. The property suffered financially after the sale, in part because of new competition. It would lose its popularity in the years to follow, as Harrah's would eventually turn its focus to other Las Vegas properties that it owned. From 2005 to 2021, the Rio was the host site for the World Series of Poker. Portions of the hotel were closed in 2007 for county inspections, after it was discovered that renovations had been done a few years earlier without permitting. Numerous repairs had to be made after the inspections revealed flaws and fire safety hazards.

Harrah's was renamed Caesars Entertainment in 2010. The Rio was sold to Dreamscape owner and New York investor Eric Birnbaum in 2019, at a cost of $516 million. Caesars continued to operate the casino through a lease agreement extending to October 2023, after which Dreamscape took over. A two-phase renovation began in August 2023, and will update the entire property. Marnell was hired as architect for the renovation project, due to his prior experience with the resort.

The Rio has hosted numerous entertainers, including Danny Gans and Prince. Magicians Penn & Teller, as well as the male revue Chippendales, have entertained at the resort since 2001.

  1. ^ "Listing of Financial Statements Square Footage (2017 data)". Nevada Gaming Control Board. March 6, 2018. p. 8. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Revival was invoked but never defined (see the help page).