An esports arena is coming to Neonopolis in downtown Las Vegas. About 15,000 square feet of space that previously served as part of a movie theatre and a nightclub on the third floor of Neonopolis will be devoted to two esports gaming areas. One space will be used for an arena and another space would have dual purpose for holding matches and housing a studio for streaming.
Esports tournaments, wherein players play video games competitively for prize money, have been professionally broadcast from venues such as Madison Square Garden and Staples Center to streaming sites. The company behind the Las Vegas venue is Pro Gaming League Inc., which is in the process of merging with Toronto-based Stratton Capital Corp., which is acquiring the company’s outstanding shares.
Pro Gaming League is a digital esports-focused entertainment company. The brand operates ProGamingLeague.com, an esports platform that connects gamers to online competitions. In May, Pro Gaming League organized several esports events at the LvL Up Expo at Cashman Center.
The Halo World Championship is a much-anticipated event, with 12 teams competing and a prize pool of $1 million on offer. The weekend LAN tournament that will take place at the Las Vegas venue will be the second qualifier for the teams in North America. In March, the arena is set to host another event, this time for Madden NFL 17.
Interest in esports has grown over the past few years at a rapid pace, particularly in Las Vegas. Events such as the Evolution Championship Series, League of Legends events and a Counter-Strike tournament have taken place in Sin City in recent years.
Operators in Las Vegas as well as across the United States are considering alternatives to casino gaming to earn revenues. Esports is one way that gaming operators can provide new content or events that will be enticing to the millennial generation. The younger audience has a need to be stimulated further than standard casino gaming as the generation has grown up with laptops, smart phones and gaming consoles.
When speaking with the Associated Press, Seth Schorr, a board member of Millennial Esports, stated that Las Vegas needs to continue to reinvent themselves to stay relevant with the up-and-coming generation. The esports arena is one such option that could see great success in the city of gaming.
