MGM Resorts in talks to develop ‘Rock in Rio’ site in Las Vegas

MGM GrandMusic festivals have become all the rage these days and MGM Resorts is looking to get in on the action. In an announcement made yesterday, MGM Resorts is part of a group that’s planning to build a 33-acre open-air music venue on the Las Vegas Strip to host a four-day Rock in Rio USA festival.

The development, appropriately named “City of Rock”, is expected to rise between the Circus Circus Resort and Sahara Avenue. The events ground will feature five stages, themed streets featuring sights, sounds and foods of Brazil, the U.S. and the United Kingdom, plus thrill rides and a host of retail and other dining options. Once completed, it will serve as the home of the Rock in Rio USA festival, tipped to become one of the largest concert events in the world once it opens on May 2015.

Rock in Rio founder Roberto Medina is also part of the group. Rock in Rio was first held in 1985 and has grown to become a must-attend event for music aficionados all over the world. It’s gotten so big that last year’s event saw 600,000 tickets sell out in a ridiculous four hours and featured a cadre of some of the biggest names in the industry, including Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, and the Boss himself, Bruce Springsteen.

Organizers anticipate the annual event will draw as many as 300,000 people. It also gives MGM Resorts a promotional leg on the competition just by being involved in bringing the festival to US soil and will help draw hordes of new visitors to Sin City.