ShareThe Bellagio Casino, Las Vegas, has renamed the famous Bobby’s Room to Legends Room. This is a change that many poker players will see as something almost sacrilegious. No doubt many players will refuse to use the new name.
The assumed reason for the renaming of the most famous room in poker is Bobby’s Baldwin’s new position as CEO of a rival casino. Baldwin took up the role at The Drew Las Vegas in November 2019 after a long stint as Chief Customer Development Officer of MGM Resorts and CEO and President of CityCenter.
It is surprising that Bobby Baldwin’s standing in the poker industry didn’t garner more respect than this. He has seen and done it all in his years as a professional poker player and casino executive. To tear his name from the wall in the room where all the world’s best meet up to play shows a lack of respect.
Bobby’s Room is where the likes of Phil Ivey, Gus Hansen, and Dan Jungleman Cates go to battle. Stakes in excess of $1,000-$2,000 are seen every week. Recently there was a $2,500-$5,000 big bet mixed game being played on a regular basis.
A Part of Poker Folklore
Before the poker boom started in 2003, the regular get together in Bobby’s Room was known as The Big Game. Stakes such as $4,000/$8,000 were the order of the day with swings of more than $1 million in a night not uncommon.Bobby’s Room was also the venue for the challenge match against billionaire banker Andy Beal. Even the best poker players in the world didn’t have the bankroll to challenge a billionaire so they pooled their resources and each took a turn in the hot seat.
Names such as Doyle Brunson, Chip Reese, Jennifer Harman, Johnny Chan, Barry Greenstein and Phil Ivey all played stakes up to $100,000/$200,000 with swings in excess of $15 million.
This is the end of an era.
