At a time when sports betting is primarily done from the palm of your hand, and with prediction markets making waves, it’s refreshing to see an old-school move.
Caesars Sports provided just that on Tuesday, with its new brick-and-mortar location inside The Resort at Summerlin, in the Las Vegas suburbs.
Caesars sportsbooks can be found up and down the Vegas Strip, along with a downtown location on Fremont Street, but this is the first time such a large operator has ventured away from the Vegas resort corridors.
Eric Hession, president of Caesars Digital, and Michelle McHugh, vice president and general manager of The Resort at Summerlin, discussed the partnership at Tuesday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Opportunity Knocks
Caesars Sports is best known for its legendary sportsbook at Caesars Palace, along with other Vegas Strip locations. But when the right partner came along, well away from the glitz of Las Vegas, Caesars was eager to branch out.
“I wouldn’t call it a shift in strategy," Hession said. "It was more just an opportunity. We’ve had discussions with other [properties]. When Rampart rebranded as The Resort at Summerlin, we really felt that was the way to go for Caesars.”
Indeed, it wasn’t just a rebranding of the already-existing sportsbook, but the entire property. Rampart Casino and the J.W. Marriott Las Vegas resort rebranded to The Resort at Summerlin in December, and the Caesars sportsbook was the next phase of that rebrand.
“They’ve done a fabulous job with the [entire] property and put a ton of capital into it. That’s part of why we did it,” Hession said, while noting Caesars has already made significant upgrades to the sportsbook, with more to come.
“It’s a sizable investment, more than six figures.”
Looking Local
The Las Vegas area has a multitude of locally operated sportsbooks. Hession said Caesars isn’t looking to directly compete with that market, but in this instance – and perhaps others down the road – the expansion made a lot of sense.
“It’s an augmented benefit for [the resort’s] customers,” he said. “And we have a lot of customers in Summerlin.”
The new location will make it easier for both resort patrons and local bettors to play at Caesars Sports. In Nevada, funding or withdrawing from an account requires a trip to the sportsbook, as remote funding/withdrawing isn’t allowed.
In Caesars’ case, that means a trip to the busy Strip corridor or downtown. But now there’s another option.
“The product we have and the convenience for customers will be great,” Hession said. “It’s certainly an acknowledgement that we’re invested in the local market. We want to be a part of it.”
It’s a value play for The Resort at Summerlin, as well. There’s potential to tap new hotel patrons who might wish to stay away from the hustle and bustle of the Strip, while also catering to local bettors in the popular residential region of Vegas.
McHugh said Caesars wasn’t the only operator that the resort had discussions with, but was by far the best.
“We were blown away with what Caesars put forward for us,” McHugh said. “We thought this was a really good option for our customers and for the residents of Summerlin.”
More Upgrades Coming
The sportsbook renovation already includes a new digital odds board. By the NCAA Tournament tipoff, there’ll be new seating, as well. And by football season, the bar adjacent to the book will have a new wraparound ticker/TV screen setup.
There are already 20 Caesars Sports kiosks, some in the sportsbook, and others around the casino floor. And of course, patrons can sign up for the Caesars mobile app, as well, and get a huge betting menu in the palm of their hand.
“There’ll be synergies that make it easier for customers to enjoy our product. That’s what we have here,” Hession said.
First Bet
Former Vegas Golden Knights standout Derek Engelland made the ceremonial first bet at the new Caesars book. He put $40 on the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders odds to go over 5.5 wins next season, at even money.
“You want to keep it local,” Engelland said, noting excitement around new coach Klint Kubiak and the Raiders holding the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft. “They’ll be wanting to get out of the gate [strong]. I think it’s a good bet.”
Far sooner than that, the new sportsbook will be buzzing with patrons and action, as March Madness gets into full swing in two weeks.
“It’s an exciting time, and it’s huge for Las Vegas during March Madness. So it’s a good time of year to have a ribbon-cutting,” Engelland said.
