
Dreamscape Raises $850M to Launch New Casino REIT, Finance Rio Renovation
Real estate developer Dreamscape Companies, which owns the property assets of the Rio Hotel & Casino Las Vegas, raised $850 million, providing the New York-based firm the opportunity to increase its presence in the gaming and leisure industry.
The fresh capital will be used to launch Dreamscape Entertainment Properties, Inc., an experiential real estate investment trust (REIT) owning gaming, hospitality and entertainment assets, and Dreamscape Entertainment Integrated Resorts, Inc., an operator of those assets.
The two new platforms will focus on “high-barrier-to-entry markets with asymmetric growth potential,” according to the firm.
“As Dreamscape continues to evolve and expand, we knew the gaming and entertainment sector would be a natural fit and become a central part of our business,” said CEO and Founder Eric Birnbaum.
Dreamscape will also allot a portion of the new capital to finance renovations for the Rio. Caesars Entertainment continues to operate the hotel & casino resort after a $516.3 million sale-leaseback deal between the two companies in December 2019.
The property will remain open during renovations, with the company expected to take control in 2023.
The funding was managed by Wells Fargo, which led the debt syndicate, and Raymond James, which led the equity private placement.
