In what is (optimistically) a post-pandemic world, resort customers are more eager than ever to dine out, hang out, and be entertained.
Based on activity along the Las Vegas Strip and at other gaming and entertainment complexes nationwide, that enthusiasm is especially evident in the wealth of new restaurants and entertainment venues coming online.
No longer is food a secondary experience at casino resorts, nor is menu the sole deciding factor. Restaurant design is an increasingly important factor in attracting patrons and getting them to play, stay and return to do it all again.
Additionally, entertainment options that draw in new and diverse guests beyond the game have become essential for properties as they assess ways to remain relevant and financially successful.
Bergman Walls & Associates (BWA) has played a critical role in many of these new dining and entertainment options. The Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace (with designer Tetsuo Aoyagi) features deluxe food stations and sleek finishes that are anything but old-school or cafeteria-style. USA Today has called it “one of Las Vegas’ best buffets.”
Mayfair Supper Club at the Bellagio
The new Mayfair Supper Club at the Bellagio (created with the Martin Brudnizki Design Studio) oozes old-school glamour and sophistication in a destination where patrons can dine and be seen.
And new food courts at TI (Treasure Island) and Circus Circus elevate fast-casual with dining spaces that encourage patrons to linger beyond the grab-and-go.
In record numbers, sports fans are heading to sportsbooks to watch and bet on their favorite teams. Two BWA projects, The Book and RE:MATCH sports betting lounges are anything but your dad’s sports bar. They bring new types and generations of customers for camaraderie over a shared love of sports, with stylized betting kiosks, large-screen TVs, virtual reality and interactive gaming, as well as food and drink service.
In addition to state-of-the-art sports betting options, The Book, Caesars Entertainment’s sports lounge at the LINQ Las Vegas, offers non-gaming entertainment like a wall of self-serve beer taps, a fast-casual food truck, fan caves and various seating configurations.
FlyOver Las Vegas
The family-friendly attraction FlyOver Las Vegas features pre-show areas that set the stage for immersing patrons into the multi-sensory journey ready to unfold before them. FlyOver’s BWA-designed Lost Cactus bar and lounge captures the spirit of the Western U.S. that is central to the experience.
In 2011, late BWA co-founder and chairman Joel Bergman told Global Gaming Business, “We no longer call ourselves gaming architects. All along, we’ve really been in the entertainment business.” His words ring especially true today, as the gaming and entertainment industries continue their comeback.
BWA Principal-in-Charge John Hinton could not agree more. “The pause caused by the pandemic provided the opportunity to reassess future facility plans and priorities, and of course, to plan to wow customers when they returned.
“BWA is pleased we’ve been able to help our clients deliver on special spaces that make patrons excited about going out again, and which symbolize that dining and entertainment are back and better than ever.”
