LAS VEGAS, April 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Esports, the world's leading network of esports venues, and Esports Arena announced plans for a new dedicated esports venue to be developed at Luxor Hotel and Casino. The new Esports Arena Las Vegas, scheduled to open in early 2018, will become the first permanent esports venue on The Strip and will be the center of Allied Esports' growing global network of esports properties spanning North America, Europe and China.

Esports Arena Las Vegas will combine the best of interactive entertainment and Las Vegas nightlife, and become the global epicenter for esports experiences. With design and programming contributions from Allied Esports' enterprises around the world, its North American arm Esports Arena will take the lead in bringing the Las Vegas concept to life. Naming rights opportunities for Esports Arena Las Vegas are also being considered.

"We have very ambitious expansion plans over the next two years, and when we realized that a location at Luxor was possible, we jumped at the opportunity to develop our flagship here," said Jud Hannigan, CEO of Allied Esports International. "Just as Yankee Stadium, Madison Square Garden and Wembley Stadium are considered their sports' most aspirational venues by players and fans alike, Esports Arena Las Vegas will be the iconic destination in esports and complement the city's incredible appeal, attracting video gaming competitors and fans from around the world."

Esports Arena is working with Luxor and renowned design firm YWS Design & Architecture to transform the space currently occupied by a 30,000-square-foot nightclub into a multi-level arena complete with a competition stage, LED video wall, telescopic seating, daily gaming stations, a robust food and beverage offering, and state-of-the-art streaming and television-quality production studios. The arena will provide a ready-to-go championship destination for tournaments, leagues and high stakes match-ups in a setting designed to deliver an unparalleled fan experience.

Niklas Rytterstrom, general manager of Luxor, said, "Our company is the leader in the entertainment industry and recognizes the exciting growth in esports. With this partnership, we will introduce a new experience to the market, once again elevating the city's vast entertainment offerings."

The Esports Arena brand launched in Santa Ana, Calif. in 2015 with the opening of North America's first dedicated esports facility. Since then, the company has created both an online and offline social and competitive gaming experience that has attracted game developers, sponsors and hundreds of thousands of players and fans from the many game communities to events in Santa Ana, and reached millions of viewers around the world with its live online broadcasts and post-produced content. The first step in its North American expansion was the announcement of Esports Arena Oakland last year, which will be opening its doors in the coming months.

Tyler Endres, co-founder and COO of Esports Arena, said, "Esports Arena Las Vegas will be the ultimate esports environment that people from around the world will strive to experience first-hand. The operation and programming will be unique, as the rest of our locations are very much driven to engage and support local communities, while here in Las Vegas we are developing an approach that will also create excitement for the millions of visitors who come to the city every year."

Esports Arena's expansion plans are focused on creating a market-based ecosystem for the future of esports. The company is planning to announce 10-15 Esports Arena locations in North America over the next few years and is working to address some of the challenges that exist in esports today, including a professional path for aspiring amateurs, improving team-player relations, strengthening overall player health and financial stability, and limiting barriers of entry for sponsors.

For more information about Esports Arena Las Vegas and to view the Esports Arena Las Vegas renderings, visit esportsarena.com, follow @EsportsArena and like facebook.com/esportsarenausa.

About Allied Esports
Allied Esports is a joint venture of some of the largest esports, mind sports, sports and entertainment companies –  Ourgame International (SEHK: 6899) (owner of WPT Enterprises, Inc. and the World Poker Tour), KongZhong (Nasdaq: KZ) and iRena (NEEQ: 834358). The company's mission is to build a global competitive esports property designed to connect players and fans via a network of connected arenas and mobile esports trucks around the world which will serve as both battlegrounds and content generation hubs. The Allied Esports Property Network currently consists of Wangyu Esports in Beijing, Esports Arena in Santa Ana, Calif. and the Big Betty mobile esports truck and studio in Europe with upcoming properties announced in Shenzhen, China and Oakland, Calif and a mobile esports truck in North America.

About Luxor Hotel and Casino
One of the most iconic hotels on The Strip, the Luxor pyramid invites curiosity while its interior rewards visitors with equal parts excitement, mystery and intrigue. This 4,405-room resort features a wide variety of entertainment including the newly reimagined Blue Man Group, Criss Angel's MINDFREAK LIVE, the provocative adult revue FANTASY, and the hilarious comedy of Carrot Top. Luxor provides an unparalleled travel destination with world-class exhibits including BODIES…The Exhibition and Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition, a spa and salon, a wedding chapel, an inviting pool complex and delectable restaurants. Luxor also is connected to Mandalay Bay through The Shoppes at Mandalay Place – a collection of boutiques and restaurants. Luxor is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM).  For more information and reservations, visit luxor.com, call toll free at (877) 386-4658 or find us on Facebook and Twitter.

About Esports Arena
Esports Arena is North America's premier esports venue, community hub and production company. The first Esports Arena launched in 2015 and is located in downtown Orange County, Calif. The company is developing a facility in Oakland and other major markets as well as Esports Arena Drive, the company's mobile esports truck experience, which will be on the road in North America in 2017. Esports Arena's unique modular facility allows for small-to-large-scale, expertly produced esports and entertainment events. Esports Arena hosts daily video game competitions, produces unique content, and rents space/equipment to the esports/interactive entertainment industry.

Allied Esports Contact
Brian Fisher – brian@esportsallied.com

Esports Arena Contact
Brittany Rodriguez – brittany@esportsarena.com

MGM Resorts International Contact
Scott Ghertner – sghertner@mgmresorts.com 
702-692-6750

SOURCE Allied Esports