MGM Grand announces first skill-based sports tournament in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS - Golfstream, the world's first indoor laser golf course and private suite, and MGM Grand Hotel & Casino Las Vegas, announced today they will be hosting the first skill-based sports tournament-for-cash on a Las Vegas casino floor at the resort's new interactive lounge, LEVEL UP.

As part of MGM's brand new "place to play" concept, LEVEL UP introduces cutting-edge, interactive, skill-based entertainment geared toward the next generation of gamers, as well as existing players seeking innovation. Adding to the experience, Golfstream, a member of the Nevada eSports Alliance, and MGM Grand will launch skill-based tournaments that can be played on the world's most famous golf holes with moving greens and laser guidance, while also offering interactive putting and other mini-games for players of all skill levels.

"We have created a fun, social atmosphere at LEVEL UP that gives the next generation of gamers the entertainment experience they have come to expect from MGM Grand," said Scott Sibella, President and COO of MGM Grand. "Our partners at Golfstream have developed a skill-based game using the industry's leading technology, one that is certain to attract golf fans and sports enthusiasts to their future tournaments."

The skill-based sports tournaments mark the first time players in Las Vegas will have the opportunity to compete for cash and prizes using their golf skills, rather than relying on luck. Kicking off in conjunction with the highly anticipated men's college basketball semifinal tournament games this weekend, the Golfstream Suite will use its moving greens, laser guidance on the greens, and VR golf simulators to initially offer three different types of tournaments: a 30-second timed Putting Challenge, a Closest to the Pin Challenge and a Longest Drive Challenge. Each tournament begins with up to 50 players and includes three rounds. The four players with the highest scores at the end of the first round will advance to the semi-finals, and the top two will compete for the grand prize.

Darren Dummit, Co-Founder and CEO of Golfstream, said, "We are excited to be at the forefront of this new era where technological advances and interactive, skill-based activities are changing the Las Vegas landscape. Pulling a lever on a slot machine is terrific, but rolling in a putt on the casino floor for cash and prizes is something truly unique that we're all excited to bring to Las Vegas. Contests like this have been a staple at golf courses around the world, we've just added some really cool technology to improve the experience and bring it indoors next to Hakkasan and the MGM Grand Race and Sports Book."