At a Glance
- Atari’s Las Vegas video-game-themed hotel is officially dead
- Phoenix location still promoted with 2028 opening target
- Original 2020 plan included up to seven U.S. cities
- Why it matters: Fans waiting six years for physical hotels may wait two more with no guarantee
Atari’s plan to build retro-gaming hotels across America has collapsed in Las Vegas, the second city where concrete announcements were made. While a Phoenix project retains promotional material, the company’s silence on financing leaves the entire concept in limbo.
Las Vegas Project Terminated
The Las Vegas Sun reports that the long-promised Strip-side Atari hotel has been formally shelved. An Atari spokesperson told the paper the company “explored developing a location in Las Vegas” in 2020 and 2021 but “the deal didn’t come to fruition.”
- Announced: January 2020, weeks before Covid-19 shutdowns
- Site goal: minimum 5 acres on the Strip
- Room count target: about 400
- Signature feature: large Atari logo on façade
The last optimistic signal came in early 2024, when the Las Vegas Review-Journal quoted executives insisting the idea “wasn’t dead yet.” They promised details by late 2024. None arrived.
Phoenix Location Still Marketed
Attention has shifted to Phoenix, where Atari and developer True North Studio released fresh renderings in December 2025. A 90,000-square-foot, 72-room hotel is pitched for Central Avenue and Roosevelt Street, with a grand-opening goal of Q4 2028.
The room count is deliberate: Atari was founded in 1972.
Promotional materials include:
- A YouTube teaser trailer
- Website timeline stretching to 2028
- Repeated calls for investors
Local NBC affiliate 12 News covered the December announcement, yet no ground has broken and Atari has not disclosed funding sources.
Original Roll-Out Mapped Seven Cities
When the concept debuted in January 2020, developers floated locations in:
- Austin, Texas
- Chicago, Illinois
- Denver, Colorado
- Phoenix, Arizona
- San Francisco, California
- San Jose, California
- Seattle, Washington
Six years on, only Phoenix retains public-facing plans.
Investor Pitch Amid Delays
The same YouTube video that showcases neon-pixel artwork also acknowledges the need for outside money, describing the venture as “an invitation for investors to join us.” No construction contracts, financing timelines, or operator agreements have been announced since the December renderings surfaced.
Website copy at AtariHotels.com continues to promise:
- “playable hotel for gamers”
- Esports lounges
- Retro arcade halls
- Atari-branded suites
Yet every listed milestone, from groundbreaking to staffing, sits in the future, with the pandemic cited internally for earlier stalls.
Key Takeaways
- Las Vegas cancellation marks the second public failure after a similar 2021 retreat in Austin
- Phoenix remains the last public hope, but six years of unbuilt projects overshadow the new 2028 target
- Atari’s emphasis on investor recruitment, rather than secured funding, signals continued uncertainty
Even if the Phoenix hotel proceeds, travelers face at least another three-year wait for a room key that was originally promised for 2022.
