Rio Las Vegas is reclaiming its mojo with a series of renovations

Saturday, February 17, 2024 10:13 AM
  • Rob Kachelriess, Las Vegas Weekly

No, your eyes aren’t deceiving you. The Rio Hotel & Casino is looking a bit different these days—even from a distance. The property is actively testing new programmable LED lighting, which has given the colorful exterior a fresh look, along with a recent paint job and the pending arrival of upgraded marquees.

It’s more than a touch-up. Dreamscape bought the Rio from Caesars Entertainment in 2019, but didn’t take over operations until late 2023. Now untethered, the new owners are enthusiastically re-energizing a resort that’s been around since 1990.

“We’re purposely trying to go about our business humbly and quietly to get this asset back to its rightful place within Las Vegas, and how it was viewed in its heyday,” says Dreamscape founder and CEO Eric Birnbaum.