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The greatest artist of the 20th century, Pablo Picasso, spoke for most artists when he proclaimed, “Everything you can imagine is real.”
   
Casino resorts embody that sentiment. They are supreme examples of art tailored for the common man with as much “wow factor” added as you can imagine.
   
The greatest art cliché is that it exists “for its own sake.” Some casino resorts employ art, host artists in residence, display art from private collections or even have galleries of fine arts. Art for its own sake is the least of their reasons.
   
For some casinos, “artifacts” equal art, as in the “Artifacts of the Titanic” the Luxor is hosting in tandem with “Bodies.” The exhibit recreates the spectacular opulence of the doomed “unsinkable” liner, and includes 250 artifacts recovered from the wreck.
   
Jim Gentleman, senior vice president, account management and strategy for SKG Marketing agency in Las Vegas, has worked with several casino clients who utilized public art, including the Aria, which, he says, has “a significant art collection, including commissioned pieces; and the Borgata, which features the blown glass sculptures of Dale Chihuly throughout the property.
   
“Some have utilized art to further define their brand and enhance the overall guest experience,” says Gentleman.
   
A good example is the Cosmopolitan Las Vegas, which he calls “a modern contemporary new take on the casino. They have done the same thing in art. They are the first casino to have an artist in residence.”
   
Two Cosmo slogans are applicable: “Art and Las Vegas—We Think Opposites Attract” and “Art for Guest’s Sake.” Guests can watch artists in residence through the intimate glass-walled P3 Studio. Recently this included Las Vegas-based David Sanchez Burr, who created Metasonic, described as a combination of “architecture, structure, sound and time.” He invited guests to “be a participant in both the creation of sound and the reorganizing of element and structures related to the citadel in this ongoing and growing experimental sound and interactive sculptural installation.”
   
Guests at P3 can dive right in and interact with the artists—who range from painters to photographers, designers to performance artists—“maybe even help create a masterpiece,” according to the casino.
   
The best time to visit the P3 Studio is evenings from Wednesdays through Sundays. Upcoming artists at P3 include Mark Brandvik in November and JK Russ in December.
   
The Cosmo, notes Gentleman, “doesn’t just put paintings on the walls; they take digital billboard signage and display work from contemporary artists—which is pretty unique in the casino world, but is consistent with their brand.”
    
Fine Galleries

The Bellagio was the first Las Vegas casino to open a fine arts gallery, in 1998. It pioneered fine art on the Strip.
   
The Venetian conducted a noble experiment when, for seven years, it partnered with the Guggenheim to present the Guggenheim Hermitage Museum. This included 10 major exhibitions. Some, such as Libby Lumpkin, executive director of the Las Vegas Art Museum, were not impressed. In 2008 she told the Las Vegas Sun, “Among cultural tourists there is an expectation of seeing exhibitions that organize new knowledge with the works of art. At Guggenheim, it was more like showcasing great paintings.”
   
In May 2008 the contract between gallery and casino ended and the Guggenheim returned to New York City.
   
The Venetian no longer has an art gallery, but does have an interactive exhibit celebrating one of the greatest artists and geniuses of all time in “Da Vinci: the Exhibition.” Purists might argue that this gives the Disneyland treatment to fine art in the same way the Luxor treats ancient Egyptian history. But the purists might be wrong. The same Italian artisans who interpreted the 15th century dialect translated from the mirror writing Da Vinci used in his famous notebooks helped create, often for the first time, 60 life-size machine inventions, artwork and anatomical studies. Guests learn how the models work by pulling and cranking them. This is art education, especially if you are aiming at young minds.
   
For the most part, that seems to be what the masses are willing to pay for, as opposed to fine arts galleries. With some notable exceptions.

Destination Art

Gentleman observes, “The combination of art and casino has had mixed results. The Guggenheim’s Hermitage Museum at the Venetian closed because it didn’t generate the hoped-for traffic. The Wynn gallery closed in 2009 and was replaced by a Rolex retail store. People don’t come to Las Vegas for the art. They come to be entertained. But a small segment, such as those who go to the Borgata, is looking for more than just entertainment. People who can pay $200 per night might have an appreciation for the arts. They are not just looking for entertainment, but enrichment.”
   
After Wynn’s fine art gallery experiment, he changed his approach, and now scatters artworks from his private collection throughout his properties. Wynn is known for attracting well-heeled casino visitors. His on-property artworks feed that strategy.
   
At the Las Vegas Wynn Convention Center corridor you will find Attempting to Calm a Titan and Mercury Ascending Azo by a young, emerging artist, David Guidera. Guests at valet entrances are greeted by bronze horse and shoe sculptures by Stephan Weiss. At the entrance to the Terrace Point Café, guests encounter a wooden chandelier by Gustav Eiffel (yes, that Eiffel). Next to the café is Full Fathom Five, by British painter Tim Bavington, who primarily paints in graphic stripes, each representing one musical note in a selected musical composition. Some are Wynn’s personal favorites, such as work of sculptor Viola Frey, whose detailed ceramic sculpture is a centerpiece in Terrace Pointe Café foyer.
   
Some casinos, rather than relying on dry artworks, aim toward museum-like exhibits, where vendors or operators rent space and present provocative or high-interest exhibits such as the Titanic artifacts.

Space Draw

Ira David Sternberg is president of IDS Creative Communications, Inc., a public relations and consulting firm, and host of  the radio show Talk About Las Vegas. He was vice president of communications and community relations for the Las Vegas Hilton for five years (2004-2009). Sternberg was director of public relations at the Tropicana from 1986 to 1997. He is associated with the operator for “The JFK Exhibition,” which opens November 22 at the Las Vegas Tropicana.
   
“The main consideration for any exhibit,” says Sternberg, “is whether it is compatible with the property and makes additional revenue.”
   
He adds, “From a business point of view a casino looks for an outside operator.” It will likely sell tickets for the exhibit, put it on its website, market it and even provide room packages, but will prefer to let the operator front the costs. “Bottom line is that it has to pay for itself. And it needs to have the potential to attract more than just t
he usual casino audience,” says Sternberg.
   
He notes that in the last decade, as a piece of the casino resort pie, gaming revenue is not as large as it once was, having been replaced in part by entertainment, fine dining and other attractions.
    
Space is often a factor in choosing an attraction. “At the Hilton we had the ‘Star Trek Experience,’ because we had the space and wondered what to use it for,” says Sternberg. “Sometimes you look for something that will work for a space. You don’t want a large space staying empty.
   
“Places like Wynn, the Borgata, Bellagio and Aria market to affluent, educated, sophisticated travelers who do appreciate art, who are looking for more than just entertainment,” says Gentleman. “That is a very small percentage of the overall visitors. It’s not like the masses will pay. These things tend to be investments. I don’t think the hotels get into purchasing high-priced art to get a return on investment. It’s to enhance the guest experience and differentiate them from other casinos.”

Bellagio Class

Gentleman calls the Bellagio a “classic brand,” and that extends to the artworks in its Gallery of Fine Art. It is home to museum-caliber exhibitions from prestigious collections including “Warhol Out West” from the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh; “Figuratively Speaking: A Survey of the Human Form” from Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego and the MGM Resorts collection; and most recently, “Painting Women: Works from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston,” among many others.
   
Beginning November 14, they will showcase “Fabergé Revealed” in partnership with the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. This will provide the rare opportunity to see over 200 works, including the famous gem-encrusted “eggs,” by the jeweler for the Romanov czars. It will also include enameled picture frames, gold cigarette cases, decorative boxes and jewel-encrusted brooches.
   
Tarissa Tiberti, executive director of the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art, explains, “Bellagio’s commitment to integrating art into the guest experience is also evident throughout the property, including a Robert Rauschenberg hanging behind the front desk and a Roy Lichtenstein tapestry in the dining room at Prime. Displayed in his namesake restaurant, Picasso, are original paintings and ceramics by the Spanish artist himself.”
   
She adds, “Since inception, Bellagio has been dedicated to providing an extensive fine art program for its guests, and was built with a foundation of culture in mind. With that comes great opportunity to expose both tourists and Las Vegas residents to incredible artworks and artists.”
   
They attract patrons who might not normally visit a casino. “With Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art (BGFA) being the premier cultural destination on the Las Vegas Strip, we find that a large majority of our patrons are tourists seeking a bit of culture during their trip to Las Vegas,” she says. “Residents tend to spend their free time away from the Strip, so BGFA provides a great reason to visit Bellagio to enjoy artworks by incredible artists, right in their backyard.”
   
Are such shows profitable? According to Tiberti, “All of the shows we have showcased at BGFA have been popular over the years, resonating with a wide range of visitors, both domestic and international.”
   
When the Bellagio stages a show, first priority “is to offer a range of art installations that not only interest true art aficionados, but also intrigue those simply looking for a deeper, educational Las Vegas experience,” she says.
   
Works are typically on display at BGFA for from six to eight months. They aim at a diverse audience, given Las Vegas’ ability to attract all kinds of people. “You always want to ensure you’re reaching a wide variety of people,” says Tiberti. “With that being said, painting is the art form that resonates the most with a general audience, specifically exhibits that showcase masterworks by key artists such as Picasso, Monet and Warhol.”

Modern Art

Gentleman expands the definition of “arts” element to the Hard Rock Hotel, which, strictly speaking, has no art exhibits, except in the sense that the entire casino is a collection of music memorabilia, photos and signed musical instruments. “I consider that art, as well,” he says. “In spite of the fact that it is specific to music, my point is that in many cases they have utilized art to define their brand and differentiate their experience.”
   
Sternberg agrees that reinforcing the casino’s brand is important. “You want it to be compatible, but if it can reinforce it it’s even better,” he says. “In the milieu of Las Vegas, an art exhibit takes on a different look than it would in New York City.”
   
Gentleman expects to see more casino hotels differentiating themselves. “As they do, we will see more of this art programming, not to generate revenue but to improve and enhance the guest experience. Today the Bellagio, Aria, Cosmopolitan, Wynn and Borgata are all to an extent in the art business.”
   
One reason is to attract millennials. “Younger generations of consumers have higher expectations for the companies they do business with. Beyond just providing a service beyond a meal or a place to game in. Millennials expect these companies to do more—not just responsible practices but things like art that enriches and educates. Providing art goes above and beyond and appeals to a younger generation who look not just at what they do but what they stand for.”

For the past decade, the competition among Las Vegas nightclubs on the Strip has been just as fierce as the World Series of Poker, Mr. Olympia or any Floyd Mayweather boxing match. It is a battle that includes world-famous DJs, packed dance floors, beautiful employees and A-list celebrities.
    
Despite all of the VIP passes, pretty people and bottle-popping associated with the Las Vegas nightclub industry, the foundation of the entire experience continues to be the particularly unique design of each venue.
   
“Often in the industry you have clients that come with idea after idea, but they do not have the budget,” says Mike Stewart, director of design for YWS Design and Architecture, which recently designed the wildly popular Hakkasan nightclub at MGM Grand. “In Las Vegas, when you start down the design path, you have to know what you want, from a specific look and feel to a design that helps generate revenue from patrons, as well.”
    
New & Unique

Creating a design that is comfortable to the millennial demographic is extremely important. Millennials expect a level of “newness” that needs to be reflected in the nightclub. That novelty factor is important because it leads to a more energized and excited customer, who then in turn is more apt to spend more money while visiting the venue.
   
“When people come to Las Vegas they want to be someone else altogether, and the nightclub experience and design is a very big part of that,” says Clemente Chicoria, lead designer at YWS Design and Architecture, who himself worked in the Las Vegas nightlife industry for five years.
   
This past May, Drai’s nightclub opened the latest iteration of the legendary brand at the new Cromwell hotel on the Strip. It is getting rave reviews for its design, which features wider walkways, a spacious dance floor and extended bar counter areas, which helps bartenders serve patrons faster, generating more revenue for the club.
   
“Our design is focused around the overall guest experience and flow,” says Ryan Michael Craig, managing partner and spokesman for Drai’s nightclub. “It is a 360-degree interactive party that showcases the best of what the city has to offer. We looked at our favorite features of the top six or seven clubs from around the world and adapted them to Vegas and our venue. You can see small perfect hints of the best venues when you are at Drai’s.”
   
The one key design feature that most of the popular Las Vegas nightclubs share is the inclusion of separate indoor and outdoor experiences for patrons. The indoor area fits the needs of dance enthusiasts and people who want to hold down the fort at the bar, while the outdoor area is often preferred by larger groups and smokers.
   
“I think having an outdoor area and even a pool is extremely relevant for the major nightclubs,” says Terrence Bligen, also known as DJ Direct, one of the most popular DJs on the Las Vegas Strip. “It puts the customers in a happier mood because they love to pop bottles at their table outdoors by water, which means more money for the club. When the crowd is happier the DJ gains confidence and will probably have a better performance that night.”

See & Be Seen

At Château nightclub at Paris Las Vegas Hotel and Casino, there is not a pool like Drai’s or XS nightclub at Encore, but they boast a rooftop nightclub level with over 40 VIP tables for bottle service, as well as an outdoor beer garden level with over 20 VIP tables, both of which are major factors in generating revenue. The rooftop level is under the Eiffel Tower that protrudes through the hotel and overlooks Las Vegas Boulevard and the Bellagio water show.
   
“In today’s highly competitive market, the ability to offer our guest an indoor and outdoor experience has been a key part of the success of our nightclub,” says Steve Kennedy, owner of Château nightclub. “With Las Vegas having great weather for at least nine months out of the year, the outdoor design of the club helps you retain guests who enjoy the open-air concert.”
   
The open-air concept is in full effect at Marquee Nightclub and Dayclub at Cosmopolitan, but they recently added a new twist to the outdoor experience with a “dome” feature over the outdoor dayclub, just in time for the winter months.
   
“We always look for the ‘wow’ factor,” says Noah Tepperberg, TAO Group partner, which operates Marquee. “We believe that guests need to say ‘wow’ at some point during the night, and it is one of those ‘wow’ moments that creates the ‘must see’ buzz around our venues.”

Lights & Sound

Along with multimillion-dollar DJs from across the globe, including everywhere from Scotland to Sweden to San Francisco and everywhere in between, the other element that has put the spotlight on Las Vegas’ nightlife industry are the multimillion-dollar lighting systems that can be found at all of the popular clubs.
   
At XS, more than 10,000 individual light sources illuminate the club, as the club’s design is inspired by the sexy curves of a human body. The illuminated outdoor pool is a favorite during the summer and blends in with the club’s rich colors of gold, black, bronze and brown.
   
Château offers a $3 million lighting and sound system equipped with a high-definition LED screen that engulfs the DJ booth. Not to be outdone, Drai’s has over 7000 square feet of LED lighting in a circular design, similar to what can be found at an NBA arena.
   
“The No. 1 use of technology at these nightclubs is lighting,” says Chicoria. “The integration of light and sound envelops the senses and makes the guests want to stay longer to enjoy the experience. That is always a good thing.”
   
At Marquee, the contrast between indoor and outdoor club experience is unified by a dynamic lighting display that craves almost as much attention as its world-famous DJs or stunningly beautiful cocktail waitresses and staff.
   
“I think our attention to technology is part of what separates TAO Group from our competitors,” says Tepperberg. “We thrive on bringing the latest LED, lighting and sound technology to our clubs. A good example of this is the drawbridge LED wall we put into Marquee when we opened four years ago. At the time, not one other club on the Las Vegas Strip had installed a live concert-scale LED wall. Now everyone has one like Marquee’s.”
   
The sophisticated light systems help transform the nightclubs into multi-purpose venues, whether it be for concerts, promotional parties hosted by conference and convention clients or internal corporate events. This also means more revenue for the venues, especially during traditional slow times during the week and during daytime.
   
“The nightclub business in Las Vegas is very saturated,” says Kennedy. “You must find something to set you apart from all the other venues.”

A Matter of Music

Over the past five years, electronic dance music (EDM) has been the preferred music format at the popular Las Vegas nightclubs. EDM has its roots in techno dance and house music made popular in Europe during the late
1980s, and domestically in the Chicago and New York City nightclub scenes in the late 1980s and early 1990s. However, this latest chapter of EDM in the United States took a stronghold about a decade ago with rave parties that catered to a younger demographic, usually from 16 to 20 years old.
    
Now that this generation of partygoers has gotten older, the transition from top 40 and hip-hop music to EDM at the Las Vegas nightclubs was inevitable.
    
Why the transition? Whereas many popular top-40 dance and hip-hop songs are broken down into multiple beat patterns, EDM often builds up into a chorus of one solid beat pattern, which is easier to follow and has made the dance floor a much more inclusive area for all to enjoy. This explains the nightclub admission lines in Las Vegas that can be as long as a quarter mile. This too, obviously, means more revenue for the clubs.
    
“EDM has always been a popular music format, and it really blew up four years ago when the DJ war started in Las Vegas,” says Craig. “Like everything in the city, the popular music format cycle is bound to change every three to four years, so our belief is that the overall guest experience is key, and we believe that the DJ is only one of many aspects of the club which make it successful. Rather than take already-established talent, our goal is to take new and up-and-coming talent and grow them into superstars.”
   
Despite the perpetual cycle of music trends in Las Vegas, it doesn’t appear that the EDM craze is going anywhere anytime soon.
   
“Marquee was the first club in Las Vegas specifically designed for the EDM genre,” says Tepperberg. “We used to put the most emphasis on the table locations and design the rooms from the orientation of the experience of the table guest, but now we start with the DJ booth and orientate the clubs’ flow and sightlines around the booth.” The connection between the guests, DJ and dance floor is key to maximizing the EDM experience, but was not nearly as important when top-40 dance and hip-hop ruled the Las Vegas nightclub scene.
   
“I believe that when you walk into a nightclub, the first thing you should see is the DJ and the layout of the venue,” says Bligen. “The design I love to see while playing at a nightclub is being able to view the outside skyline from the DJ booth. Whether I am looking at other casinos, other buildings or just simply the skyline, it gives me a natural high to perform even better. It gives me the impression that all of my hard work has finally paid off and I need to give the crowd the best performance possible.”

Details of the Design

The design of each venue is completely different, although several have similar features. One nightclub that stands out is Hakkasan, because its roots are as a popular restaurant in London, years before it became a popular Las Vegas attraction.
   
Hakkasan features the use of real materials like glass, stone and wood, where many nightclubs use faux material and rely on dark paint because of the lack of light during operating hours. Stewart says this is common in the nightclub industry and calls it a “big risk” that detriments the quality of the venue.
   
“The overall brand aesthetic creates more of a sense of mystery and comfort because of the origination of the Hakkasan brand,” says Chicoria. “It was built around the openness of a food-and-beverage concept. You can see that with several small and midsize venues and one large venue. We worked closely with Angel Management Group to create multiple levels of VIP table experiences so that patrons can have different environments and strive for a bigger and better VIP experience each time they returned to Hakkasan.”
   
The ability to design a nightclub with return trips in mind is key to maximize the profitability of these venues. It is well-documented that millennials have the shortest attention spans of any adult generation by far.
   
“I think people do not pay enough attention to the nightclub’s design with their first view when they walk in,” says Bligen. “As a DJ I adapt to all designs, but if the design is similar to XS, Tryst (at Wynn) or Drai’s, I have a bit more motivation to be creative.”
    
Nice Niches

At Drai’s they feature over 150 VIP tables, two levels, four bars and even fireworks, to the amazement of their guests. They recruited the city’s top bartenders to help design the back of the house and listened carefully to customer suggestions for the front of the club. Once again, efficient bartenders and floor design help add to the club’s bottom line.
    
“Our overall design allows guests to access every part of the club,” says Craig. “The oversized walkways and flow allow for all guests to experience the entire venue while they are here. We have done our best to eliminate the ‘bottlenecks’ that most other venues encounter.”
    
At Tryst, an open-air dance floor extends to a 90-foot waterfall that cascades into a private lagoon. This has not only made it popular for nightlife, but also for corporate events. Almost like football/baseball stadiums in the 1970s and 1980s, the versatility of these nightclubs to host a wide array of groups while serving them as quickly as possible is what will give them staying power long after the EDM craze is over.
    
“A club must have flow, without dead ends, and it should also have layers so it looks busier during slower times and is able to expand when the crowds swell,” says Tepperberg. “Our bar design is extremely functional; bars are the one thing we build for function and efficiency as our starting point. Aesthetics are our second priority.”
   
For Hakkasan, its transition from the old two-story Studio 54 nightclub building that covered 25,000 square feet to its home as a five-story, 80,000-square-foot restaurant and nightlife venue pinpoints the three letters most important to nightlife in operates—not VIP, but ROI, for return on investment.
   
“The transition from the old big-box Las Vegas nightclubs of 10 to 15 years ago to now is that they learn to put everything in front of the customer for a direct return,” says Chicoria. “We should not make them chase it in isolated corners of the club. You can still have fun with it and make first-time guests feel like they are in an exploratory mode with creative design concepts and features.”

Facing the Future

Despite the intense competition, the VIPs behind the Las Vegas nightclub industry not only embrace the challenge from their peers, but look forward to future enhancements and new venues and features that will force them to keep improving.
   
“I think clubs will start using more water elements like pools and hot tubs,” says Tepperberg. “I also believe you will start to see clubs become more eco-friendly and use more LEED-certified materials.”
   
The competition will not only be for nightclub guests, but for the valuable corporate and convention dollar as well.
   
“Each nightclub comes up with a cool new concept, and I believe the next few years will be focused on performance-driven design for more of a concert-type experience,” says Craig. “It is always exciting to see what is coming nex
t.”

Welcome to the labyrinth. Tribal gaming presents numerous post-recession options, along roads that must be traveled carefully. While some contain potholes, others offer paths to prosperity.
   
Tribes are taking it all in. Many properties catch their breath and weigh, for the first time in several years, some interesting choices. One, should they realize modest profits in order to improve infrastructure and education facilities for members? Or two, is it better to risk those dollars via expansion to seek a larger profit in coming years?
   
Those who expand may do so modestly, rather than launch full-fledged projects. Most Oklahoma casinos enjoy this luxury, for instance, because they are small and relatively inexpensive to operate. Yet even in this locally dominated landscape lies one of the largest casinos in the world. Each property must carefully consider its options.
   
Viewpoints vary by region and corporate strength. Larger tribes have expanded into the world of diversification, which brings money back to them via different businesses; some are connected to gaming, some are not.
   
The Cherokee Nation has charged into the forefront of the outlet shop era and the Chickasaw Nation, which flourishes with 18 casinos, also owns racetracks and a chocolate factory.         
   
Oklahoma, Texas and the surrounding area sport a healthy outlook. The East Coast does not. Connecticut gaming powerhouses Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun don’t have the luxury of cost-conscious expansion. Saddled with deep debt and pressured to protect market share against neighboring Massachusetts, which will soon have three casinos and a slot parlor in the heart of their sending area, they don’t have the option to wait. They must spend, even while debt hampers the amount they can leverage. The plight of these properties—which once combined to create the fourth largest gaming market in the world—shows how severely top companies can be damaged in a down climate.
   
Each property must know itself, and its competition, in order to thrive. Designers and architects know where the tribes are coming from, and have a large playbook to offer them.

Oklahoma Enjoys Its Neighbors

Thalden Boyd Emery principal Chief Boyd has more than 50 years experience in this realm, and has worked with more than 100 tribal outfits.
  
“That just shows I’m an old Indian,” he laughs.
   
Boyd, based in Tulsa, has observed and participated in numerous realms of tribal gaming. He is pleasantly surprised that the saturation point projected for gambling in casino-stuffed Oklahoma has not occurred.
   
“Every time I think Indian gaming is going to slow down, it continues to grow,” he says. “One of the things that blows my mind, when you look at this statistically, is that there are 39 tribes in Oklahoma, somewhere between 130 and 140 casinos and a population for the state of 3 million people. But our gaming revenues, from a couple years back, were $3 billion, and they are growing.
   
“What we see happening, as crazy as it seems, is that a lot of gaming income is originating from adjoining states. The great thing for Oklahoma is not having competition from Texas, Arkansas and Missouri. That’s been a major advantage.”
   
Residents of Dallas in northern Texas therefore make significant contributions to Oklahoma’s bottom line. Casinos in that area have a vested, or perhaps “reinvested” interest to build impressive properties and amenities for the Texas patrons.
   
Most Oklahoma tribes, however, thrive via the neighborhood philosophy.
   
“Indian gaming, for the most part, is represented by local casinos,” Boyd says. “All money made in that area is spent in that area. So even if some funds are distributed to members, etc., the local economy, by and large, receives a boon.”
   
Boyd sees more casinos enhancing their properties rather than launching expensive projects. Their budgets are more constrained than in past years. A design project may entail meeting one current need and anticipating another in the near future, but not rebuilding an entire property.
   
“A lot of the work we are doing now concerns revamping and upgrading casinos,” he says. “After a casino has been going five or six years or so, you need to give it some new life, get it back into action. Much of what we look at concerns the amenities a property does not have.
   
“Are there enough parking garages and food court venues to satisfy the market? And what is the best fit?
   
“It amazes me, for example, how many Indians want to play golf. They just love it. But the return on that investment would be substantially smaller than other amenities they could put together to generate income for their bottom line. Parking garages are excellent additions, as are hotel rooms. We walk our clients through what levels of returns they could expect with the different approaches they would use with their amenities.”
   
Boyd is happy that several tribes, including his native Cherokee, have taken the lead in diversifying. And he offers some non-design-related advice.
   
“You have to get some of that Chickasaw Chocolate,” he laughs. “It is really good.”
   
The Chickasaw Nation purchased its own company in 2000 and now has a 34,600-square-foot chocolate factory in Davis, Oklahoma.

Helping WinStar Win

It would be inaccurate to paint everyone with the same figurative architectural brush, according to Dike Bacon, principal for Memphis, Tennessee-based Hnedak Bobo Group. The company has extensive contracts throughout Indian Country and in non-native establishments. It has seen that one plan size never fits all.
   
“Competitive pressures vary widely across the U.S.,” Bacon says. “Some markets are saturated and ultra-competitive with both Indian and commercial casinos on top of each other. Other markets can be fairly robust with just a few tribal facilities that may or may not even compete for the same customer.”
    
Oklahoma is one of the most interesting markets he observes. Like Boyd, Bacon is impressed with the state’s gaming credentials.
     
“There are casinos everywhere in Oklahoma, yet Indian gaming revenues have grown more than three times faster than national revenues,” he says. “Oklahoma is almost a $4 billion industry. More than a dozen new or expanded facilities opened in 2013, and 2014 has shaped up to be another banner year for expansion and revenue growth.”
   
As for the Chickasaw Nation, it’s raining more than chocolate. It operates WinStar, the world’s largest casino measured by gaming space. Hnedak Bobo works closely with this property.
   
WinStar evaluated its gaming position from two perspectives, Bacon indicates. One was how it stacked up against other casinos. Two was how the casino industry itself matches up against other forms of entertainment. It lies just five miles from the Texas border.
   
“WinStar certainly competes with other tribal facilities in Oklahoma but in many regards their primary competition is for the ‘attention’ of a savvy customer that has virtually unlimited entertain
ment options in one of the largest metropolitan areas in the country—Dallas/Ft. Worth,” Bacon says. “Chickasaw spent a lot of time doing sophisticated research, in-depth customer surveys, and analyzing player data to find ways to expand their non-gaming options. This will drive new, more affluent traffic, and create marketing and promotion opportunities in the DFW metro area. Interestingly, Chickasaw’s customers now come from all over the state of Texas.”
   
Two new hotels have been added to the WinStar property—an 18-story, 340,000-square-foot, 500-room hotel tower and a 15-story, 297,000-square-foot, 500-room hotel tower. Both were designed by Hnedak Bobo Group and connect to an existing 12-story, 400-room hotel in a “Y” configuration.
   
This creative positioning allows each hotel to share a centralized reception and amenity core, including a grand new hotel lobby, a VIP registration hotel rotunda bar, a 200-seat, 24-hour cafe/dining venue and a new landscaped pool environment, Bacon asserts.
   
A strong industry trend the last few years is the addition of true multi-use or flex space. In addition to the new hotel towers, WinStar has added a new nightclub called “Mist.” The space is a multi-functional, work-to-play venue. During the day it can be set up for business meetings and banquets and then at night it transforms into an atmospheric nightclub.

Cherokee Expansion

Cuningham Group, based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has ascended along with tribal gaming since the 1980s.
   
One of its premier partners has been the Cherokee Nation, for which it has worked major areas of expansion in recent years. A project in the neighborhood of $650 million, Harrah’s Cherokee in North Carolina obtained numerous awards, and a mid-range property set for 2015 completion looks to expand the tribe’s market.
   
Smaller projects also are viable.
   
“We see a trend, especially in longstanding markets, that the operators must reinvent themselves because they are no longer the only casino in town,” says Sam Olbekson, the director of Native American planning and design for Cuningham Group. “As they face competition they never had, a number of them are seeing revenues go down. They need more amenities to recapture the customers they have been losing. They are willing to tug, push and pull in the effort to get people back.
   
“What’s important is to help them build on the success that is already there. Not all tribes will have a conference center, and a rural tribal casino may not have the amenities of a Las Vegas casino. But all of them have something unique to build upon.”
   
It can be a river, ski trail, mountain range or home for seasonal activities like hunting and fishing. This presents a built-in advantage for any property expanding in these areas.
   
Mid-range projects are also popular. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is building the new Valley River Casino and Hotel on an 85-acre tract of tribal land in western North Carolina. This is about an hour from Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort and two hours from Chattanooga, Knoxville and Atlanta.
   
The $110 million project includes 60,000 square feet of gaming space and a 300-room hotel. It is expected to add 900 jobs.
   
“What’s interesting is that the facilities are in one sense competing with each other because they are so close in proximity, and in another sense they are trying to expand their overall market,” Olbekson says. “Again, you build upon something unique to the property.
   
“The ‘wow’ factor in the design emphasis was in the entry area. You will have a great hall and a casino attached to a hotel. The hotel is 30 feet above the casino, so you will have this great visual experience of descending down from the hotel 30 feet into the game floor. As you are leaving the hotel going into the casino, you get a great bird’s-eye view of the long hall, the lighting, the wood ceilings, etc.”
   
Olbekson says a property can subtly diversify its presentation to customers. In the big picture, it does not cost much to see the financial light—by projecting the real one.
    
“If you are there for five hours, you will slowly see the lighting change throughout the property,” he says. “It is almost imperceptible, yet it gives you something that changes through different times of the day. One wall may reflect sunrise, the others will show sunset, the upper areas and the ceiling may have the colors of dusk.”
   
This presentation is effective, but inexpensive, he says.

Non-Gaming A Major Draw

The Cherokee Nation can build more than casinos. Cherokee Nation Businesses is the tribally owned holding company of Cherokee Nation, the largest Indian nation in the U.S. The nation and its businesses employ 9,000 people and have a $1.3 billion impact on the state of Oklahoma alone. CNB owns companies in a variety of industries including gaming hospitality, personnel services, distribution, manufacturing, telecommunications, IT and environmental services. Two significant announcements occurred in early September.
    
Cherokee Nation Businesses will lease property west of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa to Woodmont Outlets, which will invest $80 million into premium outlet shops. The outlets are projected to offer more than 300,000 square feet of leasable space, and will focus on premium and upscale shops for about 100 retailers.
    
The development is projected to create 1,000 permanent jobs and hundreds of jobs during construction. Once complete, it is expected to generate $120 million in sales annually and attract an additional 2 million visitors to the area per year.  
    
Approximately 70,000 cars per day pass by Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa, which already attracts more than 2 million visitors per year and boasts a 90 percent occupancy rate for overnight guests, Cherokee officials say.
    
CNB is also planning to develop an entertainment and dining area called “The District.” The District will directly connect the shopping area to the casino. The project will be completed in 2016.

Expand or Contract?

Debt be damned. Connecticut powerhouses Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun may be more than $3 billion in combined debt, but they must respond to competition looming in neighboring Massachusetts. Mohegan recently tried unsuccessfully to win a gaming license in Everett, losing out to Wynn Resorts. Penn National will open its slots parlor in Plainridge next year. MGM has won a license to open a resort casino in Springfield.
   
For Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun, doing nothing may be the largest gamble. Slot machine revenue has declined by one third since 2006. Each property is adding whatever possible to its lineup.
   
Foxwoods continues building the $115 million Tanger Outlet Mall, which broke ground late in 2013. Because of construction delays, it will not open for the 2014 holiday season as hoped, but is expected to open in May 2015, just in time for the summer campaign.
   
The new mall will be located between Foxwoods Resort Casino’s Grand Pequot Tower and the MGM Grand at Foxwoods. It will encompass 300,000 square feet and feature more than 80 leading brand-name upscale fash
ion outlet discount stores.
   
The project is expected to create an estimated 400 jobs during construction and approximately 900 full- and part-time retail jobs upon completion.
   
Mohegan Sun already features abundant shopping and a major sports arena that hosts everything from professional basketball to major championship fights. Add indoor lacrosse, now that the Mohegans have acquired the Philadelphia Wings.
   
The Wings have become the New England Black Wolves’ and play their home opener January 2 in the same arena that houses the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun. Lacrosse games are expected to attract 9,500 fans. The combination looks formidable: a vibrant, fast-paced game with upbeat music and no down time meets a 24-hour gaming mecca. How do you spell Score?
   
The Mohegans, who operate three resort casinos out of their gaming division, made two previous 2014 announcements to invest in business outside their known realm.
   
Mohegan has acquired a wood pellet production plant in Ohio, with an agreement to buy a second plant in Indiana. The venture into the wood pellet production industry, called Northeast Wood Products, expects to sell more than 130,000 tons of wood-fiber pellets annually under the brand name ThermaGlow.
   
Mohegan Tribe’s other diversification plays are its franchise agreements to open at least 15 Arooga’s Grille House and Sports Bar locations and 16 Smashburger locations in New England over the next five years.
   
Diversification adds one more strength to the fiber of tribal gaming, which—with the help of key design and architectural firms—is settling in for a long stay.

In Casino Design’s annual Q&A with expert architects, designers, builders and developers, this year the subject is the reuse of older buildings, and what constitutes a successful renovation. We started with this premise:
    
“It’s quite clear that any particular casino design has a shelf life appropriate to the time and place when and where it was built. How do you keep your offerings fresh and your property intriguing to customers?”
    
These questions were put to the experts once again this year by Julie Brinkerhoff-Jacobs, the president of Lifescapes International.

1. Short of tearing the casino down and starting from scratch, how can you redesign and repurpose an existing casino? What are the appropriate steps to take?

Dike Bacon: Defining long-sterm vision is critical to establishing any kind of project clarity. We recommend starting outside in. This process starts by asking the hard questions in order to inform the dialogue. As an example, if the facility is not delivering consistent entertainment value across all offerings that is sustainable from a competitive advantage standpoint, what has to dramatically change, or maybe even completely go away, in order to achieve the desired business result?
    
Every aspect of the operation, including the sacred cows, has to be on the table. We’ve often been hired to help repair (from a design standpoint) what we call “repetitive addition syndrome.” These are typically historic knee-jerk facility improvement responses to short-term market challenges or opportunities that have no connection to a consistent thread of a larger vision. All of a sudden the place becomes a mish-mash of completely unrelated design aesthetics or levels of quality, and everything has to be ripped out or renovated in order to create a cohesive whole. With a defined vision and the right implementation plan, a facility can incrementally build into an informed and competitive end result.   

George Bergman: Every remodel project should be a “game-changer” designed to generate increased revenue over the prior use of the space and to encourage new guests to become repeat visitors. The most important early step is to work with the owner to evaluate the current earnings of each area of the property. Then we identify which spaces will offer the maximum return on investment based upon the renovation budget. The initial concept of the revitalized area is continuously updated throughout the design phases with consistent reviews and approvals by the owner.

Brett Ewing: The best first step is an analysis of your existing patrons coupled with a look at your potential customers. The spending habits of your current customers will help to tell you what you’re doing well (and how you might be able to capitalize on that success), while the potential pool of new customers is an indication of opportunities for change and improvement. Are you looking to market to a younger generation? Are you hoping to extend the geographic reach of your current operation? Are you wanting to increase weekday traffic with more business travelers? These are the kinds of questions to ask up front to help create a vision for how you see your property redesign evolving.
    
Next, check out your competition. What are they doing—or not doing—that can help you determine a clear understanding of what will differentiate you from other offerings? It’s important to understand how the market of competition has changed or what forces are being demanded by customers and not being met.
    
Once you’ve determined the customers you want, consider the programmatic elements it will take to attract them. This may vary widely from less impactful (the addition of a fine-dining restaurant) to more impactful (adding a hotel and convention space). Once that “wish list” program of redesigned or expanded elements is identified, you can move on to the business of establishing their associated budgets that will be used to gain approval from ownership before moving into a property master plan process.

Brad Friedmutter: The redesign or repurposing of an existing property starts with the property location’s surrounding economics, demographics and environment. The owner’s vision will certainly take into consideration the costs versus benefits of this major capital investment and proceed accordingly. If the property was initially developed based upon a well-thought-out master plan, the roadmap is largely in place. If this is the case, it then becomes a conversation about changes and upgrades in FF&E (furniture, fixtures and equipment).
    
If no prior master plan is in place, then this would be considered the “first step.” The physical opportunities and constraints of the building are studied, along with the “wish list” of the owner, to best determine the most appropriate approach to the redesign.

William Langmade: The first step in redesigning a casino is to understand who your client base is, and whether you want to keep them and maintain or increase participation or go after another segment of the market. From there, you must understand your financial assets and goals. How much will it cost versus a good, better, best scenario as to ROI on those dollars? At this point, you bring in the design team, gaming team, construction team and FF&E procurement agent to collaborate on design, budget and schedule.

Glen Maxwell: Have a clear vision of the desired goals and needs of the renovated space. Pick an experienced (complete) team early based on their qualifications and align their success with the success of the project. Avoid situations or arrangements that put the designer’s or developer’s goals at odds with the constructors. Have a dedicated, decisive and empowered leader to focus on the project. Set realistic budget and schedule expectations for the entire project, not just construction. Hold all team members equally accountable for their deliverables—internal and external. Maintain positive and regular communication at all times.

Nick Schoenfeldt: Technology has dramatically altered the gaming floor and the support thereof. The introduction of “ticket-in/ticket-out” has eliminated the need for multiple cashier cages. In an existing facility, this equates to making more floor space available for additional gaming or amenity support. While nothing is “simple” in a renovation or remodel, the most basic changes can create great impact. In a recent renovation, our design team redesigned the carpeting, wall finishes, column enclosures, decorative lighting and some simple ceiling details. This resulted in an entirely new, fresh and clean design style. The revenues on the property increased by 10 percent. Keeping the goals of the renovation in proper perspective is paramount to a successful project.

Paul Steelman: An architect needs to fix whatever is wrong with the property, from the site/district, to the gaming floor, to the hotel, to the tandem activities.

Thomas Sykes: Casino design is so intimately related to the reality of your market and the message of your brand that, ultimately, all casinos will be redesigned to reflect the market changes and refocusi
ng of brands to stay fresh and relevant in your patron’s eye. If a survey was done of all existing casino facilities, and budget was not an immediate factor, much of our current product would be under redesign and market refocus.
    
One of the key design parameters appears to be responsible and brand-reflective design of a relatively stable casino environment, allowing easy game and product replacement and relocation, with a perimeter of interactive retail, dining and entertainment features which can and will be changed out at predictable costs with active and fresh facades, engaging interiors and quality offerings within—good casino design within brand-reflective and market-focused amenities.

Dan Trust: Ownership should have a program. What is the goal to be achieved? What are the customers’ expectations? What are the clients’ financial objectives? The most creative owners have a “big idea.” The next step is to assemble the best consultant team to facilitate that vision and make it happen.

Tom Wucherer: The first step is research. It’s important to go beyond player’s club data and talk to your customers about their experiences with the property. You’ll also want to talk with consumers who are not yet patrons of your property. Customers and non-customers will willingly give you information about their experiences and preferences, and even tell you why they haven’t ventured into your property.
    
Employees are also an important group to consult. Their firsthand experience as to the functionality of a space is a significant asset, and worth taking the time to harvest. Thoroughly researching the property’s various consumers will provide direction, focus and valuable insight. In addition to consumer research, you’ll want to walk the property with key stakeholders and experts. Key stakeholders will offer insights pertaining to their vision, and architects and designers experienced in casino design can help shape the vision and eventually translate it to the built environment.

2. Which areas of an existing casino, in your experience, often (or infrequently) require redesigning?  

Bacon: With the exception of the back of the house, there are very few areas of an existing facility that shouldn’t come under rigorous scrutiny. Anything that the customer readily sees and interacts with should be subject to improvement and overhaul. The internet has certainly changed how a critique is communicated to the public. Typically, the vast majority of renovations and improvements focus on upgrading non-gaming amenities, because that’s what sets a facility apart. An amenity mix of exclusive offerings that appeals to multi-generational customer profiles generates buzz and increased visitation.   

Bergman: Restaurants, bars, nightclubs, specialty gaming areas and guest rooms all require frequent updates to maintain guests’ attention. Whether this is accomplished by refreshing interior design elements or by completely replacing one venue with another, this must be done regularly. The casino floor must also be kept fresh, but requires less frequent and less dramatic revisions. Back-of-house areas require little in the way of renovation with the exception of technology updates and standard maintenance of the spaces and finishes.

Ewing: Restaurants are the most frequently redesigned parts of a casino resort. The scale of most restaurants makes changing them a more bottom-line-friendly approach to reviving what a property can offer guests. Similarly, refreshing hotel rooms is also a high priority for owners who want to remain relevant in the face of their competition. Changing furnishings and fixtures can instantly transform the overall feel of a hotel without significant (and more expensive) structural modifications.

Friedmutter: Typical areas for redesign include various portions of the casino itself, hotel guest rooms, restaurants, bars and lounges. Less frequent areas may include the conference and meeting facilities, pool areas and property exteriors, and parking options.

Maxwell: New gaming equipment is strategically relocated frequently to attract and retain customers. Large, intrusive construction renovations of main gaming venues are less common—usually incremental changes are adapted to minimize large-scale revenue stream disruptions. As certain gaming trends change, however, some specialized venues are repurposed. A recent example has been the declining trend of large poker rooms and the repurposing of these spaces for other gaming or entertainment venues.
    
Guest rooms are typically refreshed on a cycle of every five to seven years. “Puff-and-polish” upgrades are most common and quickest—carpeting, paint, wall covering and soft goods can make a dramatic difference in a guest’s experience. On a longer cycle, room renovations that involve bathroom upgrades, electrical modifications and layout configurations are more intrusive but are required to make large leaps in a dated design. Nightclubs especially go through dramatic changes in structure, equipment and acoustics. Being unique and current is the lifeblood of a successful club.

Steelman: High-limit gaming areas and attractions often need to be updated. In the future, the casino floor will be revised significantly to include new forms of unique gambling devices.

Sykes: The casino floor, ironically, is rarely in need of a full redesign. Changing out games to current product, refreshing signage, slot and table relocations and featuring new interactive amenities on the gaming floor account for most of the refreshing in the actual gaming area. In the case of the hotel product servicing a casino, the majority of the room, hallway and public areas servicing the patrons are often left too long without renovation and refreshing finishes.

Trust: Entertainment venues, nightclubs, day clubs, pool areas and food venues are constantly changing. These areas of the casino have become as important, and in some cases an even more important revenue generator than the gaming floor. The goal is to attract the customer and then keep them there for as long as possible. In order to do that you need to keep the amenities fresh and exciting.

Wucherer: Employee spaces should equally be addressed. Offering a well-kept and upgraded retreat for your employees is a subtle way of showing them that you care—happy employees are often contagious. I would also recommend reviewing the back of the house to eliminate deficiencies and/or conflicts.

3. Once a specific area has been identified, which key personnel/consultants are required to provide meaningful input and direction for a successful property improvement?

Friedmutter: The owner’s development and operations teams are key, along with knowledgeable consultants in the areas to be modified. For example, hotel room modifications often include updated audio/visual equipment; a variety of new in-room technologies; finishes with environmental, or “green” consideration; and new FF&E.

La
ngmade: The key personnel/consultants to bring in at the beginning of the design development include the gaming/operations team, marketing, design, construction and procurement. The operations/marketing team will give direction, and design can start laying out alternatives. The construction and procurement teams can start laying out schedules and budgets to assist design. All of these players are important at different times, but they all should be included in the beginning of the process.

Schoenfeldt: With a strong architectural design team made of architects and interior designers, the other design consultants should follow their lead. The main vision for the space is provided by the need and goals that the owner or client sets. It is important for all stakeholders on the client’s side to be able to comment. Only management can make the final decisions, but if the staff has input then the solution is better. The design team needs to realize that no decision is valid without the client.

Wucherer: The most important aspect of any successful property improvement is research. It’s important to know the wants and desires of your customers and employees—the only way you can truly know what they want is by taking the time to understand what they want, why they want it and the best way to deliver it. In addition to this, for any food and beverage space you should consult the chef, interior designer, lighting designer, graphic designer, food designer and architect. For any entertainment facility you should understand the anticipated entertainment and the level of customer involvement. It truly depends on the function of the space and what your customer is looking for, which ties this all back around to the importance of research in designing a space.

4. While the operation of a casino continues during a “repurposing” phase, how do operators and designers work together to keep revenue flowing during construction?

Bacon: Depending on the extent of the renovation, there is often no way of getting around significant impact to the customer experience. Beyond the proper phasing of the work and safety, the best thing to do is just make the customer a part of the construction process and build expectation for the new and enhanced facility. They then become stakeholders when they’re included in the communication streams.

Bergman: Phasing plans which are carefully worked out with the owner and the contractor will minimize cost and construction time and result in reduced inconvenience to guests. Well-planned phasing has led to increased visitation on many of our projects in anticipation of new venues opening.

Ewing: Proper phasing is the open-heart surgery of design. It’s critical to work with the GM, operations people and others like the CFO to work through the phasing issues of a project. Interestingly enough, construction need not be a negative if you market it correctly—people get curious and excited when they see construction and hoarding walls or sneak peeks into construction areas.             

Promotions during construction can help divert dollars and attention to other parts of a casino that may need an extra traffic boost from a reminder that things are still up and running.

Temporary locations are another possibility. We are currently renovating Little River Casino Resort in Manistee, Michigan. While the buffet shuts down for its major redesign, the property is temporarily setting the buffet up in the convention center. Guests won’t miss it, and they will have a completely refreshed buffet to enjoy when construction is complete.

Langmade: The key to minimizing revenue loss is: (1) pick the right time of the season to start demo and construction of the project; and (2) do not start the project until you have all construction materials, FF&E and gaming equipment in the warehouse or close by.  

Sykes: Renovations and repurposing of all sizes and scales demand an intimate relationship, a pas de deux of operator and designer. Each must understand and respect the demands, responsibilities and aspirations of the other, and each must keep in step with the other. Common vision, early planning, phased approach, tried and trusted consultants, respect for budget and schedule and daily updates are but a few of the steps to keep all in stride.

5. What are the elements of a successful redesign?

Ewing: A redesign is successful when you have created a memorable experience that people tell their friends about. It’s about creating a buzz that gets a targeted group of new clientele to come visit. We also go back to the importance of operational function. Make sure operators love the redesign as well. Take care of the employees during the process—they use the space the most. If the employees aren’t happy, the customers won’t be happy. That’s huge! Taking care of the employees is something we’ve been hearing a lot more of these days.

Friedmutter: A successful redesign has many important elements. A few include realistic budgets and schedules, practical owner expectations and knowledgeable consultants. Practical issues such as known current conditions, property restraints, and utility, traffic and site considerations are critical, as well.

Schoenfeldt: In a redesign the most important thing is to make an impact. Any redesign should bring a fresh, new look to the facility. Even simple replacements should consider how to capitalize on newer design trends and statements. The use of color, texture and light can build upon parts of the existing while breathing in new life.

Steelman: To simply create a smile on every customer’s face.

6. Does budget strongly dictate what can be successfully achieved with repurposing a casino?

Bergman: Budget will always govern what can be achieved in any given project, but the successful allocation of that budget is where our professional expertise is tested. An experienced design team can work miracles for an owner with even a modest budget. It just takes creativity and vision.

Langmade: The capital budget is one important element in the repurposing process, but staying on budget is more important, as the allocation of capital is tied to a return on investment. If the budget is overspent, then you have negated the rationale for the redesign in the first place.
 
Maxwell: Having a realistic expectation on what the renovation scope will cost in the target space is vital. In renovation work, the existing infrastructure of the venue is costly to modify and usually does not contribute to the return on investment directly. Structural elements, main electrical feeds and/or mechanical trunk services are often in conflict with a desired renovation’s final design.             

Discovering these issues during construction can be devastating to a tight budget and schedule.  

Steelman: No, ideas do.  

Trust: Always. Budget is always important and best faced early in the process. We provide an opinion of probable cost as soon as there is an approved conceptual idea. This way there is a clear understanding by all parties of what level of the vision can be achieved.

Wucherer: Budget does impact, but it doesn’t necessarily have to dictate, what can be successfully achieved when repurposing a casino. It’s important to know what would be most beneficial to the casino to maximize the impact the redesign will have on your customers and employees. Casinos should have yearly budgets for maintenance and major changes. By allocating the budgets correctly, the facility can spread out the cost and budget impact on the casino over time.

7. How have you “redesigned and/or repurposed” your own company to respond to current market conditions and customer preferences, if at all?

Bacon: We are currently undergoing a leadership and ownership transition. Change is always a great opportunity to think differently and act differently. A number of years ago, we proactively established a sense of urgency and started planning for this event. Following the fundamental approach we use with our clients, we first defined a vision necessary to inform our decision-making. We then established a guiding coalition of senior leaders to articulate the vision to the firm at large and then lead the implementation.

One of the most compelling aspects of this evolution of our company is a renewed and strengthened effort to empower many others in the organization to act on the vision in ways that are unique to them individually and professionally. Our philosophy is that we’re all stakeholders in the future success of our enterprise, and we can’t afford not to take full advantage of the unique talents and contributions virtually every employee can make.

Bergman: Constantly! The cyclical nature of this industry requires that we anticipate what’s coming next and stay a step ahead of the curve. To that end, BWA has implemented key initiatives to support our core competencies. Specifically, we have invested heavily to reposition the firm, enhancing and expanding our architecture and interior design staffs. We are improving our infrastructure and technology, focusing on innovation and the processes necessary for elevating the firm’s design work-product significantly.
    
In 2009, we made the strategic decision to expand our footprint to Southeast Asia with the opening of an office in Vietnam, and within the past year we have initiated operations in Macau to serve clients in the region. Nimble response to the ever-changing design trends and consumer demands is the key to success in our business.

Ewing: We have created design-build partnerships to successfully renovate, remodel and repurpose casinos so that when we design we are able to keep it within the budget parameters the clients need. Clients appreciate the combination of great design and budget consciousness that a design-build situation can provide. Getting a contractor on board right away is always our recommendation.

Friedmutter: Our philosophy remains the same—committed to the success of our clients. We understand the ebb and flow of the casino business and respect the changing market conditions and needs of our clients.

Langmade: PMI has repurposed several areas of our company since the economic downturn. We looked at areas that would increase our efficiencies in reporting to our clients, obtaining bids, tracking shipments and streamlining our computer system. We looked at our staffing and concluded that we have it right and did not change our system of separate teams of project management, expediting, and job cost personnel overseen by an executive team. It costs us more money to operate this way, but we cannot do the large gaming projects we do without these teams separately focused on their missions.

Maxwell: With up-front collaboration and forensic research being so critical in renovation work, we have invested heavily in technology to aid site investigative services. Laser scanning and 3D modeling capabilities shorten our evaluation time and increase accuracy in verifying as-built conditions. Similarly, we have modified our preconstruction services to dedicate field personnel early to ensure a cohesive, vested team for the complete life of a renovation. Early in the preconstruction process, the key members of the construction project staff are incorporated. This practice has shown marked improvements in consistency in communication with clients and designers, and instills a higher level of confidence with owners as a project matures.

Schoenfeldt: We have retooled our workflow process at TBE Architects to respond to the changing environment in hospitality design today. In the past, most every design decision was reviewed by the entire staff. We were very consensus-based in our approach. Now the team reviews the design, just as a client will—in a presentation format. We have empowered smaller “SWAT teams” to design, detail and document our renovations. This has resulted in much faster turnaround for the owners and greater job satisfaction for our staff.

Schoenfeldt: We do it every day.

Sykes: At SOSH, we are recreating our future by reinvesting and celebrating in our core and senior staff. Roles in leadership, design, production, quality control, project administration and marketing are shared and new opportunities in ownership and firm direction are all in process. Our SOSH team is at our creative best, and we work smarter and in sync with one another within these challenging times.

Wucherer: YWS has responded to the changing market in a variety of ways. We’ve expanded globally with four offices in the heart of the world’s leisure destinations, including Las Vegas, Tulsa (Native American services hub), Singapore and Macau. We understand that leisure and entertainment seekers are looking for world-class experiences, so we added a market and consumer research division to better understand hospitality, gaming, retail, dining and entertainment consumers.
 
Our research division conducts ongoing qualitative and quantitative research to identify market trends and consumer preferences, which are then applied to our designs. We’ve built an interior design team to ensure that architecture and interiors work in tandem to deliver “wow”-worthy experiences, and we’ve expanded our services beyond design to help our clients with every step of the development process.

————————————————————————————–
2014 Panel of Experts

MODERATOR
Julie Brinkerhoff-Jacobs, President and CFO, Lifescapes International, Inc.

PARTICIPANTS
Dike Bacon, Principal and Business Development Leader, Hnedak Bobo Group (HBG), Inc.

George Bergman, Executive Vice President, Asia Operations, Bergman, Walls & Associates, Ltd.

Nick Schoenfeldt, Vice President, Thalden Boyd Emery Architects

Thomas J. Sykes, AIA, PP, Partner, SOSH Architects

Thomas A. Wucherer, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, NCARB, Principal, YWS