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According to yet uncomfirmed sources on PokerAti, Harrah’s Entertainment has sold the Rio and it is “almost 100 percent unofficially semi-confirmed” that they found a new home for the 2011 WSOP.
Rio, the casino that had been bought and sold more times than any other casino in Las Vegas (if we believe rumors, that is) has once again been up for grabs, and will probably not be the venue that accommodates the 2011 WSOP.
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No more World Series at the Rio?
According to LasVegasMichael’s investigations, the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas has been taken. Of course, this is all just “word on the street”, without any confirmation from Harrah’s.
The identity of the buyer is unclear, but rumors had it back in April that Starwood Capital Group LLC and Colony Capital LLC were also among the companies bidding for the resort, valuing the Rio at about $500 million.
The same sources already have “safe bets” on where the 2011 WSOP would be organized. All agree that it will move to the Strip, and most say that the new home will be Planet Hollywood (some argue that Caesars Palace will be the casino of choice).
Planet Hollywood - a likely venue
Talking about Caesars, other information leaked out yesterday on 2+2 and Twitter, stating that Jim Pedulla, Caesars Palace poker room manager has been fired and escorted off the property. The separation is said to have been involuntary, and there is no information yet regarding where Pedulla would end up.
With Harrah’s now owning seven consequent properties in a row on the Strip (Harrah’s, Imperial Palace, Flamingo, Bill’s Gambling Hall, Bally’s, Paris and Planet Hollywood), accommodation and lack of space will surely not cause any problems at the 2011 WSOP.