Operator News
US – GSD Group unveils futuristic Atari esports hotel set for Las Vegas
By Phil - 16 October 2020
GSD Group has hired world-renowned architecture and design firm Gensler and unveiled their vision for the highly anticipated pop culture and video game-inspired Atari Hotels with the first two hotels to open in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Phoenix, Arizona.
In addition, GSD Group has secured the rights to build future Atari Hotels opening in Austin, Chicago, Denver, San Francisco, San Jose, and Seattle. The newly announced Las Vegas location will bring an experience that has never existed in a market primed for evolution.
Announced earlier this year as an exclusive licensing agreement with Atari, the iconic entertainment brand behind seminal video games properties such as Asteroids, Centipede, and PONG, Atari Hotels will offer guests a wholly unique hospitality experience inspired by, and built with, classic and modern video game culture in mind.
Atari Hotels perfectly blends the past, present, and future of video games and entertainment for a destination that offers guests a one-of-a-kind hospitality experience, complete with state-of-the-art amenities for esports fans and content creators. Guests can enjoy the latest in video games, experience cutting-edge immersive entertainment, purchase exclusive Atari Hotels merchandise, and play the night away in retro-style gaming arcades. A speakeasy and fully equipped nightclub will be available for adult guests, as well as themed restaurants and bars. Atari Hotels delightfully plays with the themes of retro-futurism, pop culture, and nostalgia — offering fun for the whole family.
“Like Atari’s legacy in innovation, Atari Hotels is infusing synthetic reality into every aspect of the hotel, creating an immersive hospitality and gaming experience for our guests,” said Shelly Murphy, Managing Partner, GSD Group. “From our virtual interactive world to the physical locations, every element of Atari Hotels will offer a unique and authentic experience for everyone.”
“We are excited to join GSD Group on this journey to create a completely new kind of immersive experience with the debut of Atari Hotels,” says Tom Ito, Global Hospitality Director, Gensler. “We assembled a multi-disciplinary design team with experts from hospitality to branding, sports, and digital experience design to develop a dynamic brand that is unmatched in the hospitality industry.
“I have seen the vision that GSD Group has for Atari Hotels, and they are poised to shatter the perception of what hotels can be,” said Fred Chesnais, CEO of Atari. “Atari Hotels will create a world that caters to gamers of all ages and experience levels, giving them a place to call home — a groundbreaking experience that shares Atari’s legacy of innovation.”
At Atari Hotels, experiential interactive entertainment and stylized accommodations await guests, providing a unique experience prior to even checking in, and lasting far beyond check out. Featuring a multi-use, cutting-edge gaming arena, players and spectators will thrive in a world of video games like never before, blurring the lines between the nostalgic era and contemporary ever-evolving digital worlds. Unlike other hospitality destinations in the Las Vegas area, Atari Hotels will give guests the chance to explore and enjoy groundbreaking hospitality innovations, business opportunities, and a revolutionary variety of entertainment options. Retro enthusiasts, casual and hardcore gamers, content creators, and esports professionals will consider Atari Hotels as a unique place to call their home away from home.
Analyst firm Newzoo estimates that the world’s more than 2.5bn global video gamers will spend roughly $160bn in 2020 and anticipate the video game industry to grow to an impressive 2.7bn gamers generating over $200bn in revenue by the year 2023. Atari Hotels has committed to investing in on-site immersive entertainment and will feature trending and breakthrough advancements in virtual reality and augmented reality technology, ensuring it is uniquely and ideally poised to capitalise on this tremendous demand and thriving opportunity.
