According to reports in the Las Vegas Sun, MGM Resorts and Cirque Du Soleil are teaming up to build a 33-acre venue, which will be used to host Rock in Rio Las Vegas.
With a capacity of 80,000, the open-air venue is set for construction, and the Rock In Rio festival will be held there in May 2015. The festival is expected to be held every other year, with four days of Rock In Rio in 2015, and an expansion to six days in 2017.
Rock In Rio was founded in 1985, by Roberto Medina, and has hosted over a billion fans in the nearly-30 years of its existence. The lineup for the 2014 Rock In Rio festival includes The Rolling Stones, Lorde, Pretty Lights, Justin Timberlake, Gary Clark Jr., and more.
Commenting about the Rock in Rio Las Vegas expansion, Medino said:
“Our first Rock in Rio USA will be unlike any festival anyone has ever experienced on the biggest stage in the world in the heart of Las Vegas. We are thrilled to welcome these entertainment giants as part of our USA family. It is a testament to our 30-year history and outstanding reputation.”
The arena will be built up for the festival, but can also be stripped down to host sporting events. Ultimately, the goal is to increase the infrastructure for large-scale MGM-hosted events, while simultaneously increasing tourism revenue for Las Vegas. The festival is also cautious about stepping on the toes of Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC), emphasizing that it will feature live music and live performances (as opposed to EDM).
The building alone will cost upwards of $20 million, though those involved believe the project to be an appropriate celebration of the Rock In Rio 30th anniversary. It’s certainly audacious, but I’m sure it will be a successful undertaking when everything is said and done.
-David Melamed (@DMelamz)