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LAS VEGAS — The Las Vegas Strip is getting its first space dedicated to competitive gaming when the Luxor hotel-casino transforms its nightclub into a multi-level esports arena.
MGM Resorts International yesterday announced plans for the arena that will feature a competition stage, LED video wall, daily gaming stations, food and drink and a streaming and television-quality production studio. Work on the venue will begin in early June with the goal of opening in early 2018.
"We've closely watched the growth and excitement around esports, and we are always looking for new amenities for our Vegas customers," Niklas Rytterstrom, general manager of Luxor, said.
This will be the second esports arena in Sin City. The first one began hosting gamers in March in downtown Las Vegas. The arenas are part of a trend that the casino industry hopes will attract the millennial crowd.
The announcement from MGM comes on the heels of a report showing that a third of Las Vegas' nearly 43 million tourists last year were millennials - those between 18 to 35 - up from less than a quarter in 2015. Competitive gaming now draws tens of millions of spectators to online platforms and real-world venues, including New York City's Madison Square Garden, Los Angeles' Staples Center and Las Vegas' MGM Grand Garden Arena. Permanent esports venues are prevalent in Asia, but few public facilities are dedicated to competitive gaming in North America.
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