What does Rio's new management need to offer in order to get more customers?

I'm always amazed by the destructive capability of incompetent management.

I'm a Caesars Diamond Elite member. Months ago I had reserved a suite at Rio for Christmas, $162 total for 5 nights, no resort fee due to my status. After the new management took over I called to verify I still had my reservation. They still honored my $162 under Caesars but there was NO waiver for resort fees despite my status (they offered no status match either). Come to find out the resort fee with tax is $44.22 per night! I was going to be charged $221 EXTRA for all that crap! Needless to say I cancelled the reservation and was able to find a better deal at a Caesars property on the strip with NO resort fees.

I remember staying at the Rio in 1996(I was 9) and thinking it was the most magical place ever. The hotel,the pool,the sky show was unreal. This is so sad to see it so disheveled.

I used to work there in 1997 while I was in college and I can tell you it was a happening place. It was always busy with 32 FB outlets. I even hung out there on my off days. Its very sad it has come to such a demises. 😔😔

I remember during its peak. The place was packed and wild. Their Seafood Buffet had a line a mile long, the Carnivale hourly show was a riot, and people actually won money. I hope the new owners can bring it back to glory.

I lived in Vegas back from '93 to '95. The Rio was a lot different back then. It was clean, well maintained, and the food was absolutely killer! All American Bar and Grill had an awesome Filet Mignon dinner, and the Beach Cafe had a Bailey's Chocolate Cream pie you would buy the entire pie to take home!

Such a tragedy! Back in 1996-98 I couldn't wait to go to The Rio. The vibe was excellent. The cocktail waitresses uniforms were so magnificent. The World Buffet the Carnival Show the shops everything was so lively. So sad to see the place in it's current condition.

Jacob, since you never got to experience it back in the day I thought I would share some of my experience. I stayed there once in the early 2000's when Harrah's owned it. The rooms were never elaborate but they kind of made up for that with being a good size. The original owner insisted on the fridges in every room. He wanted people to be able to go out and buy their own drinks and snacks and didn't want to make them feel nickeled and dimed to death. I actually saw him say basically that in a show about the place. They had some good shows there including a real good Vegas review show. The mardigras in the sky was cool. You could actually pay to be on one of the floats. The pool area was pretty good too. Off to one side there were 3 nice hot tubs that were on different tiers behind each other and one of the pools had a waterfall effect. The bar at the top of the hotel tower was the best view you could get of the strip and if you went up their before a certain time and left by that time there was no cover fee. The buffet was great too. When we stayed there we would go for a late breakfast around 9:45 and eat until about 10:30. Then it would close but if you were already in there you could stay. So we would have another cup of coffee or tea and then it would open for lunch and we would eat lunch. Unlike most of the crappy buffets they have now there was no timed stay. And all the talk about "It's off strip". I'll tell you what. You go to Circus Circus and I'll go to the Rio. Let's see who can walk to the Bellagio or Mandalay Bay first. Looser treats on the steak dinner at the high end restaurant. There was a shuttle between the Rio and Harrah's which pretty much put you in the best spot on the strip in a short amount of time. I want to tell you about one more feature that they added around 2004. Nobody talks about this but I will. Right off the casino floor they added a bar called "The Beach". It was just a big square space with beach sand on the floor, a couple of bars and great music. The bartenders were all bikini clad young women. Then right in front of the beach on the casino floor were table games staffed with.... you guessed it... Super hot bikini clad young women. Every table was packed with male players wagering their lives away. What a fun scene. I hope this new company restores this place to its former greatness.

The days of Rio having 2 buffets, the regular one and the renowned seafood buffet where the Kiss store is now, was the absolute highlight of its time. And like you mentioned, the show with the showgirls riding a Carnivale float in the sky... We still stay at the Rio because the suites are cheap, but the resort is a shell of its former self.

Here’s a little trivia. The Rio back in its heyday featured the very first nightclub within a casino, Club Rio. It was huge and I guess at the time no casino wanted the liability of a casino within but Rio took a chance and it was immensely successful. We would drive out from Southern CA just to go to that club and have the convenience of a hotel within stumbling distance. Prior to that, all nightclubs were off property and would have lines wrapping around the building. Fun times.

🏨Very nice video as usual, Jacob. I've never been to Rio. In Vegas we just stuck to the Strip. It looks like it was a cool & hopping place, carnival like with those tracks on the ceiling back in it's hey day. I like the look of the casino floor & shops upstairs with views of the casino below. Very unique. Too bad like other themed hotels that are gone that they've decided to move on from the Rio Carnival theme.

The curtain above the shower is to prevent rising hot air (from the shower's hot water) to go up and out of the shower. When hot air leaves up top - the cold air comes in from the bottom and causes the shower curtains to move towards the person's body -which gets in the way.

I'm 75 and the wife and I have spent many nights at the Rio. The Seafood Buffet was fabulous as well as the regular buffet. The show in the sky were awesome and something to see. One memory was blackjack at 3AM and the only other sound in the casino was the "Wheel of Fortune" slots screaming at top volume to walk us us. Saw Penn and Teller at least 3 times and loved the place. Sorry it has gone to heck with Caesars. Hopefully, it will be restored but it is Vegas and out with the old and in with the new...

I know it’s difficult but don’t give up on the Rio yet. Now that DreamScape has taken over they’re bringing back the amazing man that built and owned this hotel when it was the best place ever. Yep Marnell is going to be the GM and wants to bring it back to what it once was including bringing show in the sky back. I still have some faith 🤞. When you gonna do a review on the best place period in Vegas???! South Point

Jacob, I left a story about this dump of a resort a few months ago in your comment section. Our stay was several years ago, it was a bruta dark room, dirty, furniture in bad shape, when u flushed the toilet it came up through the vanity sink, gross, when I called the front desk they said, oh it's the old plumbing, casino was a dump too, in 2008 it was good, clean, had some good places to eat no more. It deserves to be imploded or a complete restoration, even Penn and Teller can't magically make this horrible resort better

So terribly sad. The Rio was always one of my favorites to visit. I loved the Fantasy in the Sky show above the casino floor. Its buffet was (to my mind) the best in Vegas. The hotel's vibe was hip and cool. Those days are clearly gone. This hotel and casino looks today like a an old Vegas Show Girl past her prime but still trying to get up on stage in front of an audience.

It is a real shame that the casino companies have robbed Vegas of the over the top extravagance and excitement of a trip to Vegas. They have squeezed every nickel of profit and this is robbing things like the free shows like the Pirate show at Treasure island, the Volcano will be gone, the RIO used to put on a great show in the sky, but all of these have gone away because the owners don't want to provide a great experience or value for the customer. The paid parking on the strip is also ridiculous, in most cases even if you are staying at a property they are making you pay to park. Rio has been on a down hill slide for years. I stayed there in 2016 and the up escalator near the Smash Burger was out of service the entire week... then I returned in 2018 and it was still out of service. That's right for over 2 years they still had not fixed the damn escalator. I really hope that the new owners will make it what it once was and worth going to again, but I have little hope.

As others have commented, back in the early 2000s The Rio Hotel and Casino was known for their World Carnival buffet which was once touted as the largest in the world. It wasn't until the explosion of Texas Hold Em Poker on television that the casino became associated with the WSOP. But for every one I knew that went to Vegas, you HAD to stop in to try the buffet before leaving. During that time, the buffet's aesthetic was to appear like a normal mall food court where each section looked like it's own restaurant. For example, the Pizza/Italian place was called "Luigis'" and looked like an old school Italian restaurant. The Mexican food place was the same, as with the Chinese food stand. Except unlike a food court, you just took what you wanted from the serving trays and headed onto the next stand. In the mid 2000s they changed this look and went for a more modern style, which IMO, killed it's appeal. Instead of individual styles looking like their own restaurant, they went with a fluid and boring standard buffet serving sections with the good old sneeze guard. I did catch quit a few necklaces from the Rio Carnival performers in those days.

Vegas is done with paid parking, resort fees, $11 draft beers, $17 well drinks, expensive food and places to eat.. opposite of what it used to be pre 2000's.

Current owners need to do something ASAP if they ever want crowds to come back

Stayed at the Rio on its third day of original operation…It was amazing…Masquerade Tower opened it got even more amazing…and we never stayed anywhere else for years. It’s downfall ultimately came when Caesar’s took it over…it completely hit the skids…so happy it’s getting the love and attention it needs…the Copacabana Dinner Show was one of best Vegas shows ever and I rode in the Show In The Sky several times. I even auditioned once to be the “voice” of the Rio…And I miss RIO RITA

I so remember "Masquerade Show in the Sky". It was a very colorful and magical experience. Those dancers on stage were absolutely awesome to watch. The Rio hit rock bottom way back in 2011. It just didn't have the same atmosphere as previous years. The other hotels in the strip have seen better days (namely The Luxor, Excalibur, and New York, New York.

We visited in the early ‘90s, when RIO had the best buffet in town. The 1st time we ever had sushi.. sad to see it fall in hard times

Great video, Jacob! You do a terrific job! I am 70 and visited Vegas on a yearly basis from the mid 1980s to the late 90s. While I never stayed at the Rio (I started at the Flamingo and later usually stayed at MGM). Anyway, I remember the sky show (I did get handed beads once), did gamble some there, and absolutely loved their old buffet! It was amazing and fantastic for the price and I will miss it. I don't go to Vegas anymore, but always watch your videos to keep me up on all the things happening there. I have wonderful memories but got way out of touch until I stumbled upon your videos. Please keep up the great work - always informative. And your video was the first I heard of the big hack at MGM and Ceasars! Nice work!

This place was alot of fun back in the 90s/early 00's, we used to go there for the carnival world buffet as it was my favorite (next to Excalibur), I definitely miss locals with the Ceasers card getting half off dinner buffets :( There was also a big arcade too in the 90s, later on I went to the free concerts they had at voodoo beach around 2008-2010 when Hoobastank and Gin Blossoms played there. Parade in the sky was really cool where they had blaring music, lights, dancers all over that stage, through the slot machines, people riding the floats up above throwing beads down to people which was really cool, thankful to catch that show before it shut down shortly after. Also went to see Penn & Teller there once, great show! Alot of friends and family have stayed there due to their cheap rates, great times here, hope Dreamscape will fix it up and bring it back its glory days!

When I was a young adult I lived in the western us and my mother and me used to go to Las Vegas and stay at the rio. We loved it and the buffet was the best! This was back before the Downton area was covered and you could walk around and see all the pawn shops there

I totally agree with the title: "The Rio Hotel is a DUMP and Should Be Imploded!" My spouse and I had stayed their 5 months ago and the room was absolutely horrible!!!! The carpet was stained and ripped. The couch also had stains and what appears to be dried blood. The bathroom had black mould. When I had brought these issues to the lobby reception, and requested a room change; her comment was: "Well the building is old sir". I told her a building can be old, but at least be clean. Mind you, our room was a paid upgrade. The upgrade was to a dump!!! We were then put in a room that smelled like smoke. I have asthma and had difficulty breathing. Again another room change. DAMN IT! I have stayed at the Rio many times, but this was the last. THIS PLACE NEEDS TO BE TORN DOWN!! Management do not care!!!!

Very sad to see. I remember a great experience in 2004 - Beautiful strip view tower room (larger than the one in the video) was $29 per night, no resort fees at the time. Both buffets were open, Tilted Kilt was there, Voodoo Lounge & the nightclub (All-American) downstairs. Best part was that there were 3 shuttles (Caesars, Ballys, and Harrahs) running until at least 1am. Sorry to see it so rundown.

Crazy childhood memories there, hopefully property can find its way again. Loving the content!

Its sad what has become of the Rio. I remember when the RIO had the World Series of Poker in the early 2000's and you could walk around and see poker legends like Doyle Brunson hanging around the casino when the WSOP was going. The RIO Seafood Buffet used to be one of the best buffets in Vegas! Now, it just looks old and dilapidated and in need of a major facelift. I hope the new owners can bring back to where it used to be.

Great hotel & casino in its day and had a great exterior and interior decor. The Rio set the standard on what a buffet should be. Absolutely amazing. That said, I am clueless why anyone would stay, play or eat at the Rio! At least until is is completely renovated. $11 beers and $17 dollars for a cocktails…absolutely mindboggling then again after going to Vegas for over 40 years and had an amazing time every time I want I say with sadness I will never go back again. The entire town’s only drive is to suck every dollar from you while providing almost nothing in return! Forget the days of free drinks, great food at low prices and very reasonable hotel rates and $2, $5 craps, blackjack, etc. Now drink prices are outrageous, food overpriced and for the most part not that great. $20 minimum blackjack and craps and most decent to nice hotel rooms are $350.00 a night on the weekends, plus “resort fees”, taxes, parking fees all of which add about 50% of the room costs. NO WAY! But I remember fondly of my many visits.

Hi Jacob! I used to stay at the Rio in the heyday. It was an awesome place and boy do I miss that seafood buffet. I once got a comp with the stay to the Parade in the Sky. I took my mom there for her birthday and she was thrilled and I had to dress up like a dork. So now that mom is gone, it’s a fond memory and I survived the costume as we really couldn’t be seen from the ground that well. One stay, I was in the Ipanema Tower overlooking Masquerade Tower. They were building an addition to VooDoo. There was a SkyCrane helicopter lifting giant pieces of a staircase up to the top and the crew was welding it in place up there. You could see the sparks and activity as it was set in place by the chopper. Wow! It was such a blast staying there. I’ve seen numerous reports on the decline. I hope the remodel helps, it deserves to live on. Joe

We used to eat at All American Grille every trip back in early 2000s. The voodoo lounge and restaurant was fantastic as well. The masquerade in the sky was Hopping!! I remember the popping lil tunes they would play when they sent the sky thing around. Dancers popping up on podiums. Those were the days.

I miss their buffet. Their buffet was the first one I ever ate in Vegas. It used to be fantastic

We used to always go to the Rio back in the 90s. The parade in the sky was fun and they threw out not only beads by also coupons for a free buffet. The Carnival World buffet was good and my boys loved it. My husband and I always went to the seafood buffet. We drove by it last weekend when we were in town to see Pink. We were sad to see the condition of the exterior.

I remember RIO had one of the best buffets in Vegas. I remember that with a RIO book coupon, the buffet was about 25 dollars per person. Great deal. Never happen again😢

I remember when the floats were in use. And the sound booth that was there was used to control the floats and music in sync to them. I miss those days! It was alot of fun.

The Rio was once a very nice place. It doesn't seem that long ago when they had the Carnival in the Sky. I remember they would have free shows about every half hour. There would be shows on the grand staircase and the entire place was alive and fresh. The buffet was one of best in town along with the best seafood all you can eat buffet. Every room was a suite and always maintained. It was a fantastic place. So what happened to it? Why did they let it fall into such a bad state? How are the other hotels on that side of the strip doing?

Thanks for the update Jacob, stay safe 👍🏼

Thanks Jacob! I def remember when Rio was the place to be. I remember when the cocktail servers and dealers would all of a sudden jump on the tables and start dances when a certain song came on. It was crazy wild. But looking at it now, just depresses me! Thanks bruh appreciate your videos!

Another well produced content as always . Thank you Jacob ! ❤

The casino may be run down, but one of the reasons I still stay at the Rio is the size and cleanliness of the rooms. Furnishings might be old but bedding is clean, bathroom clean, carpets clean. Last time I checked in there were empty computer check in kiosks nearer the tower elevators so I skipped the line entirely. It's generally a quiet place to stay. I also like how it's easy to get to from the freeway, skipping the strip, and easy to drive to Chinatown for good eats.

The show in the sky WAS magical. It was cool to be playing slots, enjoying a drink and time with your spouse and out of no where, this overhead train would appear and you’d get a live show. There were multiple types of music in different cars so you didn’t get burned out hearing the same thing all night. It was a lot of fun, so sad this has gone down hill.

I was there last night to get our new players card and see what is happening. There is also a small arcade kind of close to the kiss mini golf. Not many slots to play, while they are switching over. I think I have video footage of the parade in the sky. My mom and daughters were In the parade throwing beads. Thanks Jacob!

Very nice review. We use to stay at the Rio whenever we came in for trade shows back in the 90's. It was a really fun place. I remember the big suite style rooms and they had a great seafood buffet there that was always busy. It had a very up beat younger crowd energy to it. To see it in its current state is amazing. I remember watching a documentary on that place back around 2000. They were showing the whole operation and food services. I think they said they had like 5000 employees back then. Times have changed.

This is just sad. I hate when corporations do this during their transition to new owners. It’s like they just don’t care. Its such a massive property so to let it go like this is terrible. Voodoo lounge was a fantastic bar! One of the first I’d gone to in Vegas.

I spent years with Ceasars there. Back in the day, I'd sit at the Mardi-Gras bar, play video poker and watch the over head shows. The small stages with Dancers and singers (the severs rotated to them) were very entertaining. The Carnival World Buffet was the beast of buffets...the best. I really miss those days. The Sportsbook was massive and Good Ol' Vinnie worked there. Those who know, he was a solid cat! It was a great venue for the the WSOP when it started as well although the tables and chairs were old and worn. I will wait for the whole upgrade to be completed, swing over there and either level-match or earn up to stay at the new place. Thanks for the vid.

Imagine how festive and crowded it was back in the day. It’s sad to see it so empty

Before moving to vegas, we stayed at the Rio a few times. The large comfortable rooms are a definite plus, and the views of the strip are great. After moving here, we visited for the buffet and shows. Hope the new owners can get the energy back.

The Rio was fantastic. The best buffet in Vegas, casino had an excellent excellent party vibe, Voodoo Lounge was killer. The show in the sky was very unique. Many good memories there, hopefully Dreamscape can bring it back from the dump.

Around 2012 it had a great buffet for locals. Then they doubled the prices and we haven't been back.

by the way, Jacob, you are a local celebrity in Las Vegas. People here, love your videos, because you aren't afraid to show the REAL Las Vegas. I have seen just about every video you have made regarding Las Vegas/Henderson. I live in Henderson, and personally appreciate your videos. Thank you!

I wonder if you noticed the scraggly little bit of toilet paper in the bathroom. Unless they have more hidden somplace, you might have a problem. Unfortunately, replacing the buffet with a food court does not sound promising, as food courts ususlly consist of a bunch of fast food chains like McDonalds, etc. all grouped in a big room.

Jacob My very first trip to Vegas was in early 2003. Our company had us stay at Caesar's Palace. That was when Harrah's had the shuttle over to the Rio. Also, the Travel Channel would have a big run on Vegas shows during January and February. On one show they featured the International Buffett at the Rio. So, I took my wife their and was floored by it's size, variety and quality!! The meal was comped by the pit boss over the blackjack table. Also the ceiling Mardi Gras show was very cool for a first timer. A few years ago, my son wanted me to take him over there. What a huge disappointment! There were very few people there (it is a large casino), and no buffett or ceiling show. He was hugely disappointed and I just felt bad for what had been, and how it had fallen apart!

I watched every single one of your videos your quality cannot be matched by anyone else hands down. Would love to see more hotel room tour videos!

damn when I was younger and used to go to vegas several times a year I remember if you were staying at rio or on the strip you always had to go to their buffet as it was the best for the money you paid. sucks to see it go and how bad it's turned and hopefully it comes back better.

definitely one of the dated/antiquated casinos, i would describe it as seedy, known for it's cheap rooms that some locals like to stay in and party, scrap the place out, then burn it to the ground, then develop something updated where it once stood

It is a disgrace that they allowed Rio Hotel and Casino to become such a shameful state it is in. Do not know how many times it was sold but, Caesars has to be the culprit because they could have renovated the rooms and brought it up to par. Getting rid of the Show in the Sky and overhead floats was a big mistake too. It brought energy and something different to the Rio. And of course, the buffet and Seafood buffets which was the best during its best days. The new owners if they had any sense would rebuild it better.

I've been in the construction industry since I came back home eight years ago and never did ANY work at the Rio... Till the last few months and now two rather big jobs! There's talk about other huge renovations but we'll see. In their defense, they now seem intent on bringing back some of the glory.

My wife & I stayed here a lot like 2003-2014. Even by 2003, they were hardly using the main room (Show in the Sky). Also - almost all the inner storefronts were closed down.

If they want to make Rio popular again, they have to bring back their popular buffets. Replacing it with a food court is a horrible decision. Everyone else is already doing food courts, which are not popular. There was nothing in the future improvements that makes me want to visit.

Thanks Jacob, it’s sad to see where it’s ended up, my first Vegas visit in 2003, and then twice a year til 2010, the Rio and specifically the VooDoo Lounge was a first night go-to, plus the casino floor had a great vibe with the overhead floats, plus from a distance (like from atop Mandalay, at what was Mix), you could see it so clearly. Really hoping Dreamscape can get it back 🤞 keep up the good work 👍

Thank you for the update! Years ago, I spent a few nights around Xmas with my then new wife. Very good memories of the "show in the sky", pool, shows, and the voodoo lounge. But as the saying goes, nothing is for ever.

I stayed at the Rio for a convention in 2014 and it was in a pretty sad state then. I can hardly believe anyone is choosing to stay there now. It's such a shame, because the Rio was really great in the late 90s / early 00s.

Looking forward to your follow-up lol. My Wife and are big fans of yours and RIO. We were offered the Mardi Gras suite upgrade one time which I pounced on! It has a steam room in the room as well as massage table, deep jacuzzi, full panoramic view, a second jacuzzi in the bathroom, walk in closest, bar, tons of footage… just sensational for an additional $40 per night. One of the most sensational 3 night stays in Vegas, when we were merely expecting a mediocre off-strip experience. Feel free to use our story, but absolutely DO stay in the Mardi Gras suite before your follow-up vid for a fuller research experience. We still have not experienced Palazzo at the Rio.

I bet if you took a picture with the kiss car, you’d see 55 dollar resort fees per picture you’ve talen

I've lived in Vegas for the last 23 years. The Rio used to be a great date night, but we have not been there in years. I hope the new management will breathe new life into the property.

I remember the Rio once had the best seafood buffet in Vegas. All you can eat lobster and crab legs. The voodoo lounge was great too.

I'm excited for what dreamscape can do with the RIO. Vegas definitely needs more casino operator competition. I love that area with the Palms and Gold Coast right there. China town an easy ride away.

I was unfortunate enough to stay at the Rio this past week 😢 I was checked into a really old dirty room at first and had to request a clean and updated room! After 3 try’s we were finally put into a clean ( newly renovated) room. It was a descent enough stay and the show “WOW” was nice, but not much else going on around there. I hope it gets a lot better soon. I could have used this video a couple weeks ago.

I visited the Rio years ago. I remember the Vegas costumed woman tossing beads as they traveled the ceiling track. The thick smell of smoke throughout the gaming area was awful . I never returned. Sad, because from the outside the property is impressive. Hopefully, things will change with new management.

Loved Video....used to Love the Rio. JACOB, We Love the background at End with the Prager u beat at end.Great video. Imma check it out, the Rio. ❤

Every KZfaq hotel room reviewer MUST, MUST bring a handheld UV flashlight. Turn out the room lights, turn on the UV and shine it on the sofas, chairs, drapes, carpets around the bed and especially around the toilet area. The various stains will light up more than Baghdad the fist night of the first Gulf War. Trust me on that.

A shocking decline. Like other commenters, I also spent summers at the Rio in the early 2000s for WSOP and the Penn & Teller show. But even back in the day, the Rio was a bit of an odd property and suffered from being on the wrong side of the I-15 from the Strip. If you were okay with being on that side, there were better choices, like the Palms (nicer) or the Orleans (cheaper).

I remember being at the Rio when she was in full operation. The overhead parade was pretty impressive.

Great info, thanks for updating the Rio as it was once a fun place with a great Buffet...

I visited the Rio this year, July 2023, to see Penn and Teller. Only a quick walk through. But in that short time, it did strike me how poor the condition of the gaming tables were. The leather/vinyl padded surfaces were heavily worn, with rips and splits quite obviously apparent. And the carpet and other finishes looked quite worn. It was striking when compared to what I saw on the strip, and I wasn't staying on a particularly new or high end property (Harrods).

I remember 1998~ it was THE PLACE TO BE on Wednesday nights with The Boogie Knights playing at Club Rio & the prettiest cocktail waitresses on Earth~

I think you overlooked the really big news about the RIO....at least from a hotel perspective. Once MGM reciprocity with Hyatt ended, there was no major casino in Vegas to stay in that you could get your casino status as well as get hotel points\stay credits at. Effective October 1, the Rio is now affiliated with Hyatt and one can get those Hyatt stays for 2024 status. With room rates so low, I'll bet local folks will lock in their stays to get Hyatt's top tier status....I know I would. If I could grab a room for $8 (plus resort fee) 2-3 times a week for a mattress run I'd be set! Along those same lines, the Cosmo (was affiliated with Marriott) is now coming into the MGM fold and all MGM properties now qualify for Marriott stays. Since the goal is to lock in ones "Status for that year" as well as "Status for life", cheap room rates in Vegas is the sweet spot for that!

I liked this video. Thanks for showing us what's up

You can tell which casinos are loved by ownership and which ones aren’t. The corporatizing of Las Vegas has resulted in buying out your competitors to let them die. Rio is under new ownership and who knows what they have planned for it, corporations don’t care about what people want, just how to get your money. If it ends up being run by someone that cares about the customer the Rio has tremendous potential as being a fun place to be.

We went to Rio for several WSOP's, but always stayed at Gold Coast or Orleans. It was showing the cumulative effects of years of Caesars' neglect. Bad games, high prices, closed restaurants, latrine fixtures out of order, poker room marginal and then closed, stained worn carpets patched with duct tape--the usual. KZfaq videos showed a similar dismal scene in the guest suites. Noises in the HVAC, bad plumbing, broken furniture, and stains everywhere. Officially, Dreamscape is optimistic--but they've got their work cut out for them. Clearly it's going to take big bucks to remediate those years of neglect. But even more important is restoring the customer attraction of the place. If they clean it up and then turn it into just another "Strip" resort with the usual bad games, nuisance fees, and high prices, why should anyone bother going over from the strip for the same mediocrity they can get on-strip? I think they'd be well-advised to throw in some loss-leaders: bring back the Carnival World Buffet, the Show in the Sky, and the Poker Room. Even add a cheap hot dog cart like South Point. But loss-leaders have fallen from favor these days in the post-pandemic prosperity. "Go ahead and charge them--they'll pay it!" If Dreamscape spends tens or hundreds of millions restoring Rio and doesn't include some "draws" to get people to go there, they may wish they'd imploded it 🤠

OH MAN!! back in the day RIO was poppin! me and my sister went so much, we were constantly getting comped rooms...the whole vibe was amazing! we went a few weeks ago, mid September, and were severely disappointed! we got a cabana 2 days, and they only had one waitress covering the whole pool area, not only that, but what is normally a 21 and over area was full of kids, then the 2nd day, half our day was cut short due to a storm..we felt bad for the server, cause when we voiced some of our concerns, she was so sympathetic and told us since it was almost the end of their pool season, there was no accommodations...i mean, just because its the end of the season, doesn't mean the customer service stops...most the restaurants were closed, when we showered, the water didn't drain, and yes, we checked in on a monday and about an hour after we checked in, the line had stretched all the way back past the old buffet! we want to return there, but we'll have to wait and see what the new owners do with it....i REALLY hope they can make it a great place to go again!

I was living in Vegas when RIO opened and there was a flood of Locals to work there because they were going to pay generously.They were innovative in how they treated guests&employees.

Would like to see the Rio renovated instead of destroyed. The casino floor still has great potential, the rooms are probably the largest regular rooms u will find in Vegas, it still has a good pool, great views of the Strip, and an expansive convention area. For it to succeed, I think bringing back live music on that stage, bring back some sort of version of the Sky Show, and investing in a well staffed security team and measures, would help it greatly. Keep its character, refresh the property, keep the free parking, and turn it back into a hot spot

The Rio was wonderful during the glory days. The show in the sky was fantastic. Our company did week long conventions several years there. It was also nice because of the shuttle to the strip every 30 minutes. The last time I stayed I was given one of the Honeymoon Suites. I was by myself, but was also a Diamond Member. The room was in bad shape and the ceiling in the hallway was coming down because of water damage. One thing that set them apart from other casinos, they had quite a few male cocktail servers working there.

I saw Prince there almost 2 decades ago. The seafood buffet was the best. Haven't stayed there since mid 00s. Sad demise. Played WSOP once and was shocked.

I stayed there in 2001 (I know, a lifetime ago)and it was awesome. The buildings looked sharp... Everything so much fun. That buffet was amazing! So sad it fell to disrepair. I wonder how it slipped that far?

I'm definitely staying at Rio next visit I love Penn and Teller and cats 🐈

i had been at rio during that flood weekend and the pool was closed due to the stormy weather 5 weeks ago in early september. i am quiet sure vodoo club was open at that time. one important thing was missing in this video, because if you want to leave rio to go to the strip, then you have to take the bridge with the homeless/addicted guys laying there on the floor, which is quiet uncomfortable at night and especially for a woman i would say it is a nogo.

Thanks Jacob!! Went there when they still had the floats in the sky. It was so fun to watch it! I’m glad I was able to. And they were so nice there. They let me go up to the VooDoo Lounge by myself just to see what it looked like. Where I asked the Palms if I could go up to see the Ghost Bar and they said I had to pay $20 dollars. I’m glad they are going to fix it up!! Thanks for the video

Saludos Jacob! Gracias por los videos que nos regalas,

Last time I was at Rio was 2016, it was meh… It always looks busy on the west side of the property, guess the restaurants there are pretty good. I look forward to the renovations, it has so much potential and the view from the strip is amazing.

Back in the day, the Rio was a must visit on any trip to Vegas. Great buffets. The Sky Show was fun. Plenty of slots. Went there last year because we wanted to try the on-site Chinese restaurant (which turned out not all that good) and was shocked at the condition of the casino. We’ve seen livelier places at noon in Beatty, NV.

Sad!!! I remember a trip there during it’s heydays. Nice floor shows and excellent buffet back then. Nice tour of the place! Thanks.

Rio used to be one of our (family) favorite hotels around 2007 to 2012. Used to have lots of guests with every bar and restaurant filled up. Also used to enjoy their indoor parades at night. We stayed there earlier this year because I got a room comp, and it was pretty sad. It was empty and felt gloomy. We went during summer and even the pools were empty. Mostlikely not going back even with the room comps.

It's surprising there are that many people checking in.

This is sad to see. I started working at the Rio in 1992, and left in 1997. I saw it grow from a not so popular property with 400 rooms, and 400 slots, to an insanely popular property with thousands of rooms and thousands of slots. Lots of memories.

Thanks for the great video Jacob. I stayed at the Rio 2 years in a row for the Star Trek convention, back in August of '16 & '17. I took a poor quality video of my brother doing the zip line. I was too chicken to do it. I remember the Voodoo Lounge being a cool space they used for convention events. I might still have a couple pictures of the inside. Look forward to seeing what the new owners do with it. My shower didn't have that "skirt" thing at the time btw. 😊