Harrah's Entertainment Inc. has announced that most of the 2005 World Series of Poker will be at the Rio Hotel-casino, with only the final two days being held at the Horseshoe.
The company has previously said that the Rio is its preferred venue, due to its size and the increasing volume of entrants each year, but this year bowed to pressure from Mayor Oscar Goodman who clearly felt that the WSOP would be good for the newly re-opened historic Horseshoe, and for the city. The Las Vegas City Council quickly approved an ownership and liquor license transfer for the Horseshoe in March.
In order to accommodate this year’s competitors, some 2000 in all, Harrah’s has had to split players into two groups, each playing on consecutive days. With a capacity of 1000, however, the casino’s resources are still stretched.
The decision will be seen as a compromise; a means of accommodating the ever-growing number of tournament hopefuls, while retaining the important association that Binion’s Horseshoe has had with the tournament since its inception thirty four years ago
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