The Online draft room is already open and drafts are filling up regularly, while our venues are booked for the East Coast and Las Vegas already!!! Play Ball!!!Okay, here's the deal on Las Vegas. As I stated earlier, Park MGM, Bellagio, Caesar's, every hotel on the Strip that I contacted was already booked in March for March 18-24, 2026. There is a city-wide convention that week and convention space is impossible to find on the Strip. I flew out to Las Vegas in May to meet with multiple sales reps and there just was nothing available to fit our needs on the Strip.
I did find perfect space at the Rio and jumped at the chance to host our entire week of Live Events there. We actually first hosted NFBC Live Events at the Rio in 2004 and 2005, so 23 years later we've come full circle.
In fact, we have the same Brasilia Ballroom space that we had in 2004 and 2005. This ballroom is exactly what we need for the NFBC as it is 20,000 square feet with nine separate ballrooms of at least 2,000 square feet each. It's very similar to the space we had at the Mirage and at the Bellagio with the Bellagio Ballroom or Grand Ballroom. On Saturday morning for the NFBC Main Events, we can fit 9 separate leagues in that open ballroom and they have a raised stage for our Stage of Champions/Hall of Fame presentation.
We have that entire space Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and then on Monday-Tuesday (March 23rd and 24th), we have two big ballrooms next door that we can use each day. The Convention space is ideal, which is the good news.
The Rio itself has also undergone a big overhaul in the last two years since Hyatt bought the property. They put $380 million into the redevelopment, with much of it going into the Ipanema Tower guest rooms. Our entire room block is in the redeveloped Ipanema Tower, so please book with us and get in that tower. The Masquerade Tower (57 floors) has NOT been redeveloped yet and everyone tells me that you want to stay in the Ipanema Tower. You are guaranteed a stay in that tower through our room block.
If you are a World of Hyatt Rewards member, please give them your number/card to receive points while at the Rio.
Here is the NFBC Room Block link:
https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/group-booking/LASDH/G-NF26
Here are the nightly room rates (not counting the $55 resort fee):
Monday, March 16th - $129
Tuesday, March 17th - $129
Wednesday, March 18th - $129
Thursday, March 19th - $129 (First Day of March Madness, which is a great price)
Friday, March 20th - $229
Saturday, March 21st - $229
Sunday, March 22nd - $129
Monday, March 23rd - $129
Tuesday, March 24th - $129
Wednesday, March 25th - $129
Thursday, March 26th - $129
If you find better rates online or are comped, please reach out to me and let me know. We have a big amount of guaranteed room nights per day and we'll see if the Rio will include those nights as part of our room block or even match them within our room block. Thanks for any help there.
The one drawback of the Rio Convention Center space is that it's a loooooong walk to Brasilia Ballroom. Staying at the hotel makes the walk easier as you come out of the Guest elevator, turn left and then walk past Penn & Teller Theater, past the Convention Center rotunda and down to the Brasilia Ballroom. From the front entrance it's even longer. But it's a good 7-8 minute walk from the Guest elevator. The Convention space is exactly what we need for the individual drafts/auctions and for Saturday's big Main Event, but you'll get your exercise getting there!!!
As for the Rio itself, again it's much improved from a few years ago. The sportsbook is completely remodeled with a nice deli/restaurant to the side. The Lapa Lounge is a great center bar that I'm positive NFBC members will take over at night!!! The old Rio buffet has been turned into five quick-eat restaurants, while there are other nice restaurants within the hotel. And again, the sportsbook is completely remodeled from a few years ago. Voodoo Lounge on the 57th floor is a great nightclub with one of the best views of the Strip in Las Vegas.
I stayed in the Ipanema Tower when I stayed there in May and my room was very nice. Everyone can stay wherever they want over that weekend, but we do need some help with room nights, so consider staying at the Rio if possible. It will help us and it will make finding the Brasilia Ballroom easier for you each day. Trust me on that (my knees are talking now!!!).
Anyway, check out the room block link. Legally, all Las Vegas hotels now must make the resort fee part of the nightly room charge so that nobody is fooled by that stupid tax anymore. But the $129 per night charge for all weekdays is a good price for the First and Second Weekend of March Madness, so hopefully you'll consider staying with us at the Rio. It will help our cause if you do.
Oh, and we will have a Friday Night Party right at the Rio in a private suite like we had last year at the Aria. Stay tuned for more details on that party and how many people we can hold that night. Should be fun and similar to the setup of last year.
Thanks all and email me at [email protected] if you have any questions. Who knows what will happen in 2027 as the owners and players seem to be headed toward a lockout, so enjoy baseball, NFBC Live Events and me as your host (!!!) while you can. We'll do it up right in 2026 and then cross our fingers that we'll have Live Events in 2027. See ya there and thanks all.