Rio Rebound Hits Snag: 30 Manager-Level Staffers Laid Off

By Scott Roeben, on August 07 2024
5 min read 4 comments
Las Vegas Las Vegas Hotels

The comeback story of the off-Strip Rio has been building momentum in recent months, but has not been without challenges.

As Rio faces some business headwinds, the resort has laid off about 30 manager-level employees over the last couple of weeks and there have been a number of departures by top executives in the past few months.

This does not, however, appear to be “Fontainebleau Part Deux.” We’ve got all the details.

We are not going to put a “maracas” joke in this photo caption out of respect for the folks who lost their jobs. You’ll manage.

Fontainebleau made the wrong kind of headlines when a slew of high-ranking executives were fired or quit before and after the resort opened. The reason was reportedly chaos, internal conflicts and copious head-butting. (We should know, we reported it.)

The executive churn at Fontainebleau has quieted as cooler heads have prevailed, the resort got a seasoned President, Maurice Wooden, and also parted ways with a key contributor (a/k/a shit-stirrer) to the turmoil.

Rio’s recent manager lay-offs do not appear to stem from a toxic culture, but rather business reality and over-staffing.

We asked Rio about the 30 managers let go, and received this official response: “We proactively expanded our workforce while taking over operations from Caesars Entertainment in Q4 2023. As the resort undergoes extensive construction and remodeling, we now have a better understanding of the staffing levels Rio Las Vegas needs to provide guest service and operational efficiency. We deeply appreciate the unwavering commitment and diligence of all our team members and extend our heartfelt gratitude to those directly affected by the adjustments.”

First, let us say Rio’s transparency is rare and refreshing in Las Vegas, even with the requisite massaging of the message. Nobody likes laying people off and nobody wants their dirty laundry aired.

Second, we poked around for more drama, but could find none. We would cue the sad trombone, but it’s already in use for the people laid off.

Rio is basically dealing with the post-Caesars operations takeover and getting real about the resort’s current business levels.

Rio is going to have its job cut out for it for the foreseeable future, as the casino’s new owner and operator, Dreamscape, has to overcome several years of a declining public perception of the resort due to the neglect of its tenant. It made no sense for Caesars Entertainment to invest in the resort when it didn’t own it and was handing off operations to Dreamscape. Dreamscape bought Rio in 2019, but Caesars continued to operate it. The operations hand-over happened on Oct. 2, 2023.

It’s no coincidence the manager-level layoffs are happening in the summer, as seasonal slowness is no doubt playing a part in the disappointing business results. Typical summers are slow enough, but in recent weeks, Las Vegas has consistently hit temperatures comparable to that of the average pottery kiln.

Note: If you don’t like us making jokes in a story about layoffs, you are cordially invited to both: 1) STFU and 2) get your own damn blog.

Beyond the recent layoffs, it’s also worth noting Rio has lost a number of top executives since it took over the reins of the resort from Caesars.

Rio recently lost its president, Trevor Scherrer, who stepped down due to a medical issue. Patrick Miller is the new President and CEO.

Rio also lost its Chief Financial Officer, Janice Fitzpatrick. She left in Feb. 2024.

Also no longer at Rio is the Vice President of Finance, Jason Ansuini. He left Rio in May 2024 and is now Vice President of Analytics at Resorts World.

Patrick Hoefler stepped down from the position of Rio’s Vice President of Food & Beverage in June 2024.

Rio’s Vice President of Sales position has been vacant for several months following a departure.

We’ve heard several other high ranking executives have moved on as well since Dreamscape took over operations from Caesars Entertainment, but our LinkedIn search hand is cramping up, frankly. You get the picture.

From what we can tell, these executive departures were related to other opportunities, they weren’t pushed out or part of any cost-cutting initiative.

So, are these staffing reductions red flags or just necessary “adjustments” in the course of business?

If we knew, we would not be spilling tea in a stupid blog, we’d be owning and operating a Las Vegas casino. If we did, it would be smoke-free, no paper straws would be allowed and escorts would be welcome following a thorough screening process, if you get our drift.

Why smokeless? Look at the difference in the color of the refreshed ceiling tiles at Rio compared to the old ones after decades of smoke.

Why are casinos different from restaurants and planes? “They just are,” sayeth our obsequious lawmaking overlords.

In our opinion, Dreamscape has been making all the right moves with Rio. The loyalty club is one of the best in Vegas, although it doesn’t get as much attention as it should.

Rio recently opened Luckley Tavern, a restaurant taking over the All-American Grill space, and Lapa Lounge, formerly iBar in the hotel’s registration area. The new food court slays, as the kids say. Rio’s exterior looks amazing, and room renovations are ongoing.


Rio’s location is likely to continue to give Dreamscape headaches, and it’s going to take time for people to realize how far Rio has come in its recovery from the Dark Times.

Even Rio’s Wine Cellar is back (see below), and all the hotel room door locks have been changed (to address public concerns about thefts) and the pool complex has been completely overhauled.

Ask for Wine Cellar manager Hung Nguyen (pronounced “win”) and tell him we sent you. You might be kicked out, but it will make a great story.

No, the Carnival World Buffet and “Masquerade Show in the Sky” aren’t coming back, but nobody’s perfect.

Unfortunately, Rio’s eyes were bigger than its stomach on the staffing side. A similar situation occurred with Atomic Golf, a Top Golf-like attraction at The Strat, after it opened.

We trust Dreamscape is making its decisions thoughtfully and strategically, and the result will be a leaner, meaner operation that gives Rio the best chances of success.

Perhaps the best testament to how far Rio has come is we have started visiting again, and we tend to hate everything.

The Lapa Lounge has quickly become one of our favorite video poker bars in Las Vegas, and the food court (sorry, food hall) has several destination concepts (drooling at you, Tender Crush and Tony Luke’s).

Not to mention the carpeting is the most Las Vegas carpeting in the known universe.

To fully appreciate Rio’s carpeting, you’re going to need more eyes.

The road to its former glory hasn’t been pothole-free for Rio (lots of Las Vegas hotels suffer from the midweek blues), but we’re optimistic about the future, especially if an MLB or NBA team takes them up on their offer of 22 acres on the Rio site for $1 to build a stadium.

Give it a minute.