Circa’s Stadium Swim serves up a Roland Garros watch party unlike any other

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An amphitheater made up of six glittering pools on a luxury hotel rooftop and a 143-foot television screen showing nothing but sports all day, every day, year-round: It’s a sports viewing experience unlike any other, one that can only be found in Las Vegas.

And in just over a week, that giant screen will be tuned into Tennis Channel’s coverage of Roland Garros as tennis takes over Circa Resort & Casino’s Stadium Swim.

Located in downtown Las Vegas’ iconic Fremont Street, Stadium Swim is the brainchild of brothers Derek and Greg Stevens, who own several hotel-casinos. A sports fan who also enjoys the city’s pool scene, Derek Stevens was frustrated when he couldn’t find a spot that combined his two passions—so they built their own.

“We didn’t build [Stadium Swim] to be the best pool in Las Vegas,” he told Thrillist. “We built it to be the best outdoor aquatheater in the country.”

Circa Resort & Casino opened in October 2020, and features all the typical Sin City trappings, including a two-level casino and a three-story sportsbook. But Stadium Swim is by far the main attraction, thanks to its Instagram-worthy views plus all the luxury touches like multiple swim-up bars and poolside boxes.

Stadium Swim is open all 365 days a year from 8 a.m. until 11 p.m., with a DJ on hand to keep the good vibes going. Guests can purchase a general admission ticket for all-day access to the pool, or reserve a daybed, cabana, or water couch for ultimate comfort.

“In addition to having the world's largest sportsbook on the property, the goal was to have a pool that could interact with the pool experience—the DJ, the day drinking and all that—but also be an awesome watch party for major sporting events,” Mike Palm, VP of Operations at Circa, tells Baseline.

Tennis is already a regular fixture on the screens at Stadium Swim—they’re currently tuned into the BNL Internazionali d’Italia—as the sport’s long calendar played across various time zones ensures it slots in nicely with other international events.

This week, for example, pool guests have been enjoying a sports fan's dream lineup with ATP and WTA tennis in the morning, UEFA Champions League soccer in the afternoon and NBA basketball in the evenings. That means during the Grand Slam fortnight, guests will see almost uninterrupted action from Tennis Channel’s coverage of Roland Garros.

“That's perfect timing,” says Palm. “This week, the tennis is starting at around 4 a.m. Pacific time. I was just in the sportsbook, and we had three different tennis matches going on.

“We've always got the Tennis Channel on in the book, as well as at Stadium Swim. … Because of the way it fits into the schedule, organically it just becomes a focal point for the venue.”

Of course, it wouldn’t be the complete Las Vegas experience without a bit of gambling—and Circa has fans covered.

“For the folks that are at the pool at the official French Open watch party, they have a few options,” Palm says. There are several kiosks located under the big screen at Stadium Swim where fans can place a wager, or they can head over to the three-story Circa Sports—the largest sportsbook in the world—and relax in plush stadium seating as they make their picks.

But why leave the comfort of the temperature-controlled pools? Most guests place their wagers right from the sportsbook’s mobile app and keep the party going.

“That's what 80 percent of people do now. We have 500 people in the book and thousands at Stadium Swim, still the majority of people are betting on their phones because it's so convenient.

“You never have to leave your chaise lounge or your cabana.”

Tennis Channel’s coverage of Roland Garros will offer live television matches throughout the day, with live and on-demand matches on streaming platform Tennis Channel Plus and T2, a free ad-supported television network.

Roland Garros begins with the qualifying event on May 22, and main-draw action kicks off on May 28.