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Casino design has always been all about aesthetics. In the old days, the aesthetics were simple: Dark reds, no natural light, nothing to distract customers from the games. Eventually, design evolved into creating various spaces where people can escape everyday life, whether gambling or not.
 

Of course, parallel to the evolution of casino design has been the evolution of technology—technology in the games themselves, and in the displays surrounding the games within the casino.
 

Technology has certainly given designers and architects unprecedented abilities to show clients their concepts, as computer modeling has replaced sketches and allowed designers to present virtual tours of the space they intend to create. “Everything is explored through 3D computer models now,” comments Rick Gardner, senior partner of architecture firm Hnedak Bobo Group. “It allows you to quickly organize plans, and provides a great communication tool between designers and operators.”

“The advent of computer-based design has transformed our industry,” adds Michael Prifti, managing principal of BLT Architects. “We can offer photo-realistic renderings, and real-time movement through a space. Through a web interface, we have the ability to let you, using your mouse pad, turn around, walk up stairs, go in an elevator—choose where you want to go.”

These virtual trips through spaces that do not yet physically exist provide perhaps the best advancement in designer/client communication during conceptual stages, but what about the concepts themselves? How has technology changed the way a casino floor is designed?

Not much in its most basic form. Gardner says that other than the casino cage placement—it is much less important since the advent of ticketing slots and self-payment kiosks—technology has not changed the overall layout. “In overall design and macro space planning, I don’t think design has fundamentally changed,” he says. “The relationship between slots and tables is the same—we want clear way-finding, we emphasize the perimeter, we have good relationships between food and gaming areas, and parking. On a broad level, it hasn’t change a lot.”

What has changed, though, is the environment that can be created within that broad space. Some of these changes can be attributed simply to advancements in the materials used to create the fine details of a casino property. For example, new, lighter materials can combine with energy-efficient lighting in some areas of a casino resort to enable use of top-quality elements in other areas, even without a top-luxury budget. “We’re constantly looking at and testing new materials that achieve the visual effect or technical requirements we need, that can also be built faster and/or for less money,” says Prifti. “The savings let you use materials elsewhere in the property that are richer.

“We can save money if the overall building is lighter. Exterior panels of carbon-reinforced cement can be used instead of steel. The panels can be extremely thin; they can be delivered by truck and installed quickly. That saving can be put into higher-end elements in the quality of the floor, the millwork, or the character of the lighting—things that customers will notice.”

Advanced technology outside the realm of architecture also can give designers more freedom in planning the casino room. Tom Hoskens, a principal in the architectural firm Cuningham Group, says video surveillance technology is a prime example. “I love the new surveillance cameras,” he says. “Because of advances in camera technology, we can now create higher ceilings, and we can create lighting effects that never were possible before. We can now put a ceiling up 40 feet, and the cameras are still able to read the cards. It gives us a freedom; it puts more tools in our toolbox.”

Lively Spaces
While the basic design of a casino floor has remained constant over the years, designers have had to adapt to the changing technology of what the operators will ultimately place in that space. Elements like video and computerized lighting must now be considered during the design phase.

“We still have basic axioms on how you lay out a gaming floor, but what technology has enabled us to do is to activate niche areas that before were somewhat dead,” says Hoskens. “It goes to the types of lighting we’re using—LED, inside and outside, with computer controls, and video monitors. Now, if someone wins a jackpot, I can let it be known throughout the casino. The excitement and feeding frenzy you formerly created around 20 machines can now be created throughout your casino.”

Formerly dead space can now be occupied by ever-changing displays of video, lights and other display features, Hoskens says, adding that video can be used to cross-sell various attractions in the casino.

Gardner agrees. “The biggest thing we’ve seen along the lines of the aesthetic elements of a casino floor is that video is very prevalent, not just in the sports bar but everywhere,” he says. “That video becomes a good tool for the operator in advertising events and promotions.”

Gardner notes that in the past, it would have been unthinkable to include such distractions as video of sporting events or promotions on a casino floor. “But we’ve become accustomed to a steady flow of stimulus—multi-tasking. Even those of us over 50 are accustomed to such technology, so it’s not a distraction anymore.”

The multitude of stimuli extends to the games themselves, which typically have their own video and light shows going. “The graphics on the slot products have become phenomenal,” says Hoskens. “We’ve got electronic ladies dealing blackjack in a bikini, and they look pretty darned good! Operators are able to place these around the casino to activate areas. I was in Australia, and noticed how horse-racing and keno games are used to take a dead corner and activate it with a huge screen. It’s gone a long way to revolutionizing how a floor can be designed.”

“With all the new video and lighting technology, the gaming floor has become very dynamic and kinetic,” says Gardner. “The operator can change the mood of the environment, and with video and lighting, all this activity has become an important part of the aesthetic. Because of that, the style of casinos is becoming more contemporary.”

The other effect of the changing technology in lighting, video and the displays surrounding the games themselves is that designers must plan for the dynamic nature of the visuals that will end up on the floor. In other words, slot floor designs must be flexible.

“For the casino operator, technology has become far more sophisticated,” notes Joel Bergman, chairman of architectural firm Bergman, Walls & Associates, Ltd. “The operator is able to track the play of customers more precisely. Feedback is instantaneous, so the operators are able to adjust the gaming floor. My job is to make sure they have the flexibility to do that.”

“We’re building more flexibility into the design of the floor,” says Prifti of BLT Architects. “Raised floor decks, cabling from copper to fiber. Table games remain in a fixed place, but slots will move continually up until the day you open. The floor layout must handle that ability to change the floor.”

The design challenges only stand to increase as the nature of games on the slot floor changes. Server-based gaming, community-style games and the arrival of the Xbox generation on the casino floor will inevitably lead to more changes in floor layout.

“The games will evolve,” says Hoskens. “Just look at what’s out there today. Who would ever have guessed that Star Trek would be a game? There is a lot more coming out. You’ll end up playing war games with your buddy at the next machine.”

“The games themselves are going to change to suit human tastes, to a degree not yet known,” says Prifti. “What will be the allure? If someone’s playing this game, what will the significant other be doing? What completely different thing is there that someone’s going to want to do? Xbox and PC games? What about online fantasy sports leagues? Some states allow sports betting—will fantasy sports betting come? The gaming floor will have to adapt to these changes.”

Energy and Comfort
In the end, what technology has not changed about casino design is that the end product must provide a good mix of collective energy and individual player comfort.

The collective energy certainly has been helped along by the new games, but Gardner says spacing of the games in the layout also has become a fine art. “There’s an interesting balance on the casino floor,” he says. “You want it to feel full—a crowded place creates its own energy. At the same time, personal space has increased. It’s a fine balance between energy and comfort.

“Twenty years ago, casino layouts were disorganized on purpose. Fundamentally, most designers now make sure there’s clear organization and path finding. You create landmarks with center bars and other architectural features so people don’t get lost.”

For Bergman, advanced technology is fine, as long as it doesn’t get in the way of that player comfort. “Some of our facilities take advantage of LED lighting and rapid-changing colors, but we’re very careful not to do it to distraction,” he says. “Design is still about people, and the relationship of people to the equipment. It’s not only about how we arrange and organize the gaming floor itself but all of the peripherals and margins around the gaming floor.”

Bergman also stresses the fact that technology has given designers additional tools doesn’t mean those tools always need to be used. The ability to make ceilings higher, for instance, is a matter of what the designer’s goal is for a particular space.

“Height is more about the mood we want to create,” says Bergman. “In some, a higher ceiling is desirable for aesthetic reasons, and in others, we keep it lower to create a comfy-cozy atmosphere for the players. The fact we can spot the number of hairs on an eyebrow with the cameras is not as important as making the player more comfortable.”

In the end, all the designers agree that advanced technology has simply afforded the tools to create designs more efficiently—the designs themselves still boil down to creating a space where customers want to be. In this respect, Bergman cautions casinos to use technology to augment the human touch, rather than to replace it.

“If we want the customer to feel comfortable in a space, it has less to do with technology than color and texture—combined with how the operator makes the player feel,” Bergman says.  “Technology is wonderful, but if it eliminates the personal contact an operator has with his customers, it won’t matter—because you’ll have an empty casino.”

Decades ago, few people in the gaming industry pondered the environmental consequences of drawing millions of people to gamble 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

As gaming grew beyond Nevada’s borders, technology evolved, and it became possible to design sophisticated, sustainable casinos that conserve energy and resources while entertaining the masses.

Architecture and interior design are an integral part of crafting green resorts; designers contribute their knowledge of renewable resources and energy efficiency to casino operators, who must then decide if their bottom line allows for sustainable practices. Many gaming operators have found that the return on investment for environmental consciousness is high enough to justify the initial expenditures. As the world’s consumers become more conscientious of protecting the earth and technology moves into the future, casino designers continue to present their visions of sustainable resorts.

Green Standards
As environmental sustainability has pervaded the public consciousness, consumers are expecting businesses to reduce their carbon footprints. The hospitality industry is no exception.

Founded in 1998, the U.S. Green Building Council created the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification process as a professional standard for energy efficiency and environmental design. Potential LEED candidates are awarded points in seven categories: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, innovation in design and regional priority. The regional category was created for projects to earn points by addressing important environmental issues in their areas. LEED-certified projects can earn the base certification, or silver, gold or platinum standings.

Persuading casino operators to upgrade their existing buildings according to LEED standards, or to build new resorts with green materials, is the job of architects, who must present a range of options from which developers can choose. Design firm Cuningham Group, which counts the Cherokee Indians’ Harrah’s Hotel and Casino in North Carolina and the Red Hawk Casino in California as two of its green projects, offers no-cost, low-cost, moderate-cost and expensive-cost sustainable design choices to its clients.

“From an interior standpoint, a lot of times it’s explaining what the return on investment might be on switching from a non-green product to a green product,” says Michele Espeland, head of interiors at Cuningham Group. “A lot of times, square-foot costs get misconstrued when you look at a certain material versus another material, and one is and one isn’t renewable or with recycled content, but there’s always an ROI involved in that. We have to be educated on how to explain that and get them to understand that it’s not just the initial cost.”

Sustainable materials are often associated with high costs, but Jon Sparer, principal of YWS Architects, says the 30 percent premiums that were once quoted to casino clients are no longer applicable. Costs have declined in recent years, and as LEED standards become more common, Sparer thinks building codes are going to evolve to reflect sustainable methods.

Casino design projects are eligible for LEED certification, though buildings that allow smoking indoors—as casinos in many jurisdictions, including Nevada, do—cannot obtain LEED certification. Casinos that are designed according to LEED standards, such as Las Vegas Sands’ Palazzo and MGM Mirage’s Aria Resort & Casino at CityCenter, have obtained certification for their hotels, but not their gaming floors.

“It’s a prerequisite for LEED certification that you can’t have smoking in the building,” Sparer says. “Anywhere where you can have smoking in casinos, that’s the biggest hurdle with the clients, with the owners of casinos. They know if they can’t have smoking in their casino, it’s a huge hit on the bottom line. If they’re allowed to have smoking in a casino, they’re absolutely going to demand that we design a building with smoking, which of course knocks you off for LEED certification.”

Aria garnered LEED gold certification despite its smoker-friendly gaming floor due to a separate ventilation system that filters smoky air and a displacement floor system that pushes air up instead of cooling from the ceiling down. These technological innovations are the tip of the iceberg for CityCenter, the gaming world’s leading green resort.

CityCenter’s Sustainability
It began with the Palazzo’s opening on the Las Vegas Strip in April 2008. Certified LEED silver by the U.S. Green Building Council, the resort was the largest green building in the world. The Palazzo incorporated solar-powered swimming pools, energy-efficient irrigation and a structure made of largely recycled steel. The resort was on the forefront of sustainable architecture.

Then CityCenter opened in December 2009 and changed the game of sustainable design. Never before had such an expansive project been designed to have a minimal effect on the environment.

Executive architect Gensler, a firm that has a reputation for its commitment to environmental sustainability, oversaw the design of CityCenter, and when the meta-resort opened, it garnered gold LEED certifications for Aria Resort & Casino, Vdara Hotel & Spa, Mandarin Oriental, the Crystals retail complex and the two Veer Towers. The Harmon Hotel is also expected to pursue LEED certification when it opens.

CityCenter’s architects combined a variety of design techniques to lessen the resort’s carbon footprint. From installing low-flow showerheads and sourcing wood from Forest Stewardship Council-approved forests to constructing a natural gas plant on-site and designing slot machine bases as air conditioning units, techniques both standard and groundbreaking were deployed in an effort to make the project less detrimental to the environment.

In a rare move for the city that destroys historical relics to make way for the future, CityCenter also incorporated 80 percent of the materials from the imploded Boardwalk Hotel into its structure, or arranged to have them reused in other places.

“This is a collection of buildings that will change the way we look at buildings,” S. Richard Fedrizzi, CEO and founder of the U.S. Green Building Council, said in a statement when the LEED certifications were announced. “We honestly believe these buildings will change the world. CityCenter was developed with a sense of purpose and quality and will inspire those around the world.”

It remains to be seen if CityCenter has changed the world, but its commitment to sustainable architecture presents a large-scale model for future resorts to follow.

Cut Costs, Save Environment
Two main areas where architectural input is crucial in designing sustainable casino resorts are lighting and heating/cooling. Casinos run up incredible energy costs in these two areas, and designers can provide innovative and energy-efficient alternatives to standard lighting and heating/cooling practices.

While CityCenter has set the bar with its displacement floor system, which cools from the ground up rather than from the ceiling down, where cool air is wasted, designers have presented ways for casino operators to heat and cool their resorts more efficiently.

“Mechanical systems are oftentimes replaced to improve the indoor air quality,” says Cuningham Group principal architect John Culligan. “Most casinos basically bring in 100 percent outside air. It only cycles through once and then it’s exhausted out. That’s tremendously inefficient, so what happens is you use an energy recovery wheel, so that as the hot or cool air comes back through the system, the energy is absorbed in the wheel, and that helps preheat or pre-cool the air coming into the facility, so that it proves a much better indoor air quality in an energy-efficient manner.”

YWS Architects’ Sparer prefers contemporary architecture, with exposed finishes and expansive glass windows, but says it is challenging to design for both aesthetic and sustainable functions.

“You get really limited on the area of vision glass you can have in the hotel room,” Sparer says. “Where we’d like to have just walls of glass, especially when a room would have a good view, you just can’t do that with an LEED-certified building because of the energy that you lose through the glass. That’s a big challenge.”

CityCenter spared no cost for combining energy efficiency and aesthetic appeal; according to the Wall Street Journal, MGM Mirage allowed designer Helmut Jahn to use a ceramic coating to block heat from the sun on the glass windows of the condominiums at Veer Towers. The coating was an expensive option, but Jahn preferred that to other heat-blocking alternatives, and MGM obliged.

Natural light’s infusion of heat during summer months can increase energy costs, as can the wrong type of artificial lighting. Casinos once used incandescent bulbs, which evolved to fluorescent bulbs, and the latest trend is LED lighting.

“Lighting is a very big piece,” Sparer says. “We’ve really seen the advent of LED lights take over, especially in the casinos, which is terrific. They’re low-energy; they produce very little heat or no heat. The electrical systems get smaller because of the amount of electricity the LED lights take to run. The problem is they’re much more expensive going in. The engineering departments in the casinos absolutely love the LED lights because their life is 100 times more than the typical incandescent light. They’ve accepted it more because it’s a maintenance rather than an LEED component, but secondarily they’re saving a lot of money on their electric bills.”

Aside from LED bulbs, architects are designing lighting schemes that are more efficient while also satisfying the casino customer.

“In the Harrah’s Cherokee hotel, we implemented a one-off button, so when you’re leaving the room, you can just push this button and it’ll turn every light in the room off,” Espeland says. “That’s really beneficial to this room, because it’s a very highly designed room. The lighting is complicated; there’s accent lighting, art lighting, ambient lighting. They like that because they can set the mood depending on the time of day that the guest is arriving, so when the guest is leaving, they don’t have to run around the room and try to find all the switches, just one button when they leave and they can just turn everything off.”

Designing Spaces
When designing a resort, architects must consider the surrounding environment. Cuningham Group has experience designing regional casinos, and Culligan says the firm starts with three basic principles: site, shelter and comfort.

“There are differences in regions, but when you start with a project and you start with a site, we want to minimize the building footprint, maximize open space,” he says. “On that particular project—Harrah’s Cherokee—we did an awful lot, because it was a very tight site with mountains surrounding it and a creek running through it. It was a long, linear site.

“Storm water management was a huge element of sustainability because we needed to reduce water runoff and downstream erosion of the existing creek and beyond. As part of that, we specified pervious concrete and brick for the road system. The benefits of that, obviously, are that the water percolates through it rather than running off on asphalt. Basically that will recharge the ground water through infiltration.”

The exterior of the Harrah’s Cherokee property also reflects Cuningham Group’s commitment to innovative sustainable design.

“We also created a half-acre green porte-cochere roof, which basically helps reduce the heat island effect—added heat on the site,” Culligan says. “It had kind of a low-growth, pre-planted sedum roof to help reduce runoff. From a design perspective, the structure—as with the rest of the roofs—they’re curved to reflect the Smoky Mountains that surround the property. As you’re coming in, you can see the grass roof on the porte-cochere that is supposed to reflect the rolling hills of the surrounding areas. That was an opportunity where the design and sustainable strategy worked very hand in hand, as they always do.”

Cuningham Group also designed the Isleta Pueblo’s Isleta Casino & Resort in Albuquerque, New Mexico—now known as Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Albuquerque—which presented its own set of unique challenges.

“We provided site walls around the property at Isleta to control the wind-swept sand to protect the buildings, doors, windows, mechanical equipment—which clogged very easily—the pool, the spa,” Culligan says.

Resorts around the world, from the mountain ranges of America to the shores of China, are recognizing the need for environmental consciousness in all aspects of business, including design. As more and more casino operators are choosing to upgrade their projects according to green standards, Sparer says the time may soon come when building codes will mandate sustainability and efficiency.

“I think the understanding, the sophistication and the awareness that everybody has now, just as an owner and as a consumer, as architects, as builders, I think it’s only going to get more and more responsible in the design and construction of all buildings, especially now that we see what’s happening in the Gulf Coast,” Sparer says. “We’re really hammered pretty strong as a people on what the environment is all about and that we all need to step up and do everything we can to protect it. 

“For the owners, when they see their electric bills go down and they see the life of lights getting longer, they see the maintenance costs go down for changing out LED lights, that’s their bottom line. That’s a big motivator for owners. The future of green design is going to be right in the building department, in the building codes. It’s going to be the way you have to design and you have to build because it’s going to be required. It’s a good thing.”

As any restaurant owner or operator will tell you, food and beverage is an extremely challenging and competitive industry, even during the best of times. A complex range of considerations must be mastered to create an exceptional dining and entertainment experience.

Food quality is, of course, one of the most important factors, but level of service, employee training programs, design aesthetic, revenue generation and the perceived value proposition for the patron are of equal significance. Particularly in today’s challenging economic environment—with the notable “trading down” effect in full force and discretionary consumers spending less and demanding more—the need for F&B properties to keep their product offerings fresh, current and distinguishing has never been greater.

For F&B operations specific to casino environments, there are other unique considerations. Amenities are a tool to drive customer traffic and provide both ancillary (non-gaming) and incremental (additional gaming) income. And research continues to indicate that food and beverage amenities rank among the most important criteria for potential patrons when finalizing their destination choice.

Your F&B offerings matter, and in this environment, they had better be cost-effective, exceptional and distinctive.

As we all know, it takes a lot more than a standout restaurant design to yield a successful operation. An award-winning design concept might drive traffic and interest, but if the quality of the overall experience doesn’t match up, the return on investment will never come. The most successful design solutions are those that are financially appropriate, complement the menu offerings and enhance the overall dining experience.

Today’s F&B market—particularly within casino environments—are still as much about the overall entertainment experience as they are about food. Although consumers are demanding more and spending less, the “eatertainment” age is still alive and well, with food, atmosphere, visual presence and design all supporting the overall impression. The key is to keep an eye on industry trends, and to stay current without over-spending on such elements as physical improvements.

Current renovation and improvement trends in the industry can provide ideas as to the “best bang for the buck” physical upgrades that your operation might want to consider.

Start With Research
Your first step in the design improvement process is market research. It is critical that you obtain and understand the data that will directly and indirectly impact your operations, including local and regional demographics and national industry trends. People are as passionate about food and wine as ever, and the overall target pool is broad.

The specific market parameters will play a huge role in what your offerings need to be, what the project looks like, and what it produces. Similarly, an increasing number of operators have outsourced to F&B advisory entities to help them conduct surveys and apply other research tools to better identify and understand the likes/dislikes and needs of their existing and potential client base.

This level of analysis can also help narrow decisions regarding level of service, branding or chain affiliation opportunities, specific decisions such as menu changes, and other key factors surrounding the goals of the property. Should the restaurant be themed or branded? What should menu specializations include? What level of design is appropriate? All of these questions can be answered with the right research.

So much of what restaurant managers and owners need to know about their restaurant is where they are and who they are. You can’t be all things to all people, but you are definitely one step ahead of your competition if you know who you are and what your client base demands. Investing in the right level of research can help you find the tipping point between your offerings and goals and the market potential and demand. If your new concept vision is organized and your goals match your customers, they will enjoy an unforgettable meal experience and you, as the owner, can deliver it to them for a profit.

Analysis To Decisions
Once you have collectively verified who you are and what you are providing, the focus shifts to delivering the product on budget. Your research should have clarified the number of seats that your facility should provide, how the property should be positioned, the focus of the menu offerings, brand or theme, and other differentiating strategies. All of these elements should be documented in your business plan and budget, and shared with your design and construction partners.

Your design and construction team is critical to the long-term success of your facility. The underlying theme of the property should be menu-centric, and the right design team will be able to demonstrate examples of how to translate these considerations into the built environment. Fees for designers and contractors are more competitive than they were just a few years ago, and operators are in a strong position to negotiate favorable contracts with excellent firms. Do your homework and seek out firms that had a hand in properties you like, and that can demonstrate both aesthetic and financial success.

A venue narrative is an excellent way for the operator and design team to begin to describe and visualize the desired end product. In fact, requiring a venue narrative from potential design teams is one option for helping identify the right partner to guide you through the process. It allows the operator to understand how the design team will develop and execute the concept, without requiring more extensive design services that many entities are hesitant to provide before the contract is executed.

Is Themed Design Dead?
Well, not exactly, but heavily themed properties are certainly less common than they were just a few years ago. Instead, the trend seems to have been pared down to those who execute theming best, and such inspirations as regional influences and (surprise! surprise!) the menu now drive design schemes. Not to mention that heavily themed spaces tend to be more expensive, which has led to a trend toward more streamlined, cost-effective solutions.

Regardless of whether a restaurant, bar or nightclub is themed or not, the “basics” always need to be the focus. And by basics, we mean those always-important physical attributes that help define a successful F&B operation—factors such as the entrance and first impression, lighting and acoustics, level of intimacy and a seating layout that is comfortable to both guests and employees.

The physical design of the space will set the tone for the experience, determining if the vibe is casual, calm and serene, or hip, contemporary and boisterous. And small physical components can make a huge difference. In many situations, design improvements can be made without more expensive, physical changes. Décor and tableware, menu upgrades and seating (re)arrangements can have a huge impact without extensive costs. The overall concept must promote operational efficiency, and in this regard, the seating layout is one of the most important physical considerations.

The floor plan must be fluid with proximity of key functions for employees, while still offering some level of privacy and intimacy for guests. The same of course holds true for the core of any food-based operation—the kitchen. Hire an external expert if you have to, but always prioritize the functionality and effectiveness of the kitchen area. The storage, food prep and equipment reorganizing projects you have been considering can have a big payoff in terms of productivity of your staff, so don’t rule them out. New solutions such as plug-and-play appliances and equipment on wheels mean that such upgrades are very possible at a reasonable price.

For F&B properties in or adjacent to a casino, some standard guidelines require that a typical 200-seat restaurant has in the range of 48 to 56 square feet per seat (average size between 9,600 to 11,200 square feet). Circulation and seating in a typical restaurant includes 28 square feet or 5,600 square feet for front-of-house operations and another 4,000 square feet for back-of-house operations.

When more dramatic physical changes are warranted, operators are often surprised to learn how comparatively cheap a lighting redesign can be, and how dramatic an impact a well-executed lighting scheme can have on a dining space. The same is true for flooring and other fixed upgrades, as well as the all-important acoustic quality and incorporation of such related elements as music. Total reconfiguration is another story, and when such extensive changes are made, it is important to get the right design and construction team on board.

Going Green
If there is one “theme” that is catching on as of late, it is the shift toward sustainable design in both F&B and casino design. As restaurants look to differentiate from the competition and provide added dining experiences for guests, they should consider utilizing “green” building materials comprised of renewable resources.

Green materials are more environmentally responsible because they are evaluated over the lifetime of the product rather than just from the perspective of initial procurement and use. Examples of green building materials include bamboo, cork and cellulose insulation. Other sustainable applications can include more efficient appliances, energy-efficient lighting, on-site water filtration systems to reduce bottled water needs (and waste), and even expanded or dedicated storage areas to accommodate frequent deliveries from local food sources.

Often, the initial construction costs associated with these materials is higher than conventional building supplies. However, the higher costs tend to be effectively mitigated by the lower operational costs associated with long-term utilization. For example, a recent study commissioned by California’s Sustainable Building Task Force concluded that a 2 percent increase in building costs associated to green materials can lead to 20 percent increase in the life cycle of the design element.

What this means for casinos and F&B amenities with redesign or redevelopment plans is that the up-front costs of utilizing green materials is likely to pay off 10 times over. Additionally, as an increasing number of the customers understand, respect and expect sustainable practices, green construction can even be implemented into the marketing plan to drive more business and generate higher revenues.

Volume and Durability
As previously mentioned, casino food and beverage customers are “trading down” for more casual dining experiences. It follows that as this trend continues, the casual and mid-scale restaurants will need to emphasize higher customer traffic volumes to maintain overall revenue goals. Such strategies, while likely necessary, will inherently increase the wear and tear on the design materials and test the durability of the products currently used in the restaurant, specifically on such elements as seat cushions and coverings, banister edges, wall corners and carpeting.

As casinos look to build, redesign and refurbish the restaurants, it will be important to seek out materials with higher durability levels so that redesign investment yields some longevity. Casinos in general—and the F&B operations within them—are simply not seeing the same return on investment for major changes, so the focus continues to be on smaller improvements that yield a notable difference. The small incremental costs associated with utilizing more durable products will produce returns by not having to constantly repair and replace fledgling materials. Additionally, more durable products, in most cases, are of higher quality and will present a more polished design experience for the customer.

Technologies and Systems
In addition to basic front-of-house considerations such as the first impression at the entrance and the seating layout, there are other technologies and systems to factor into renovation and upgrade projects. Point-of-sale systems, procurement and warehousing needs, beverage delivery systems, audio/visual enhancements, security and observation systems, and specialty F&B equipment are just a few of the technical components that can bring significant ROI to the operation when upgraded.

In addition, for casino-specific environments, management should evaluate opportunities to tie into the overall property marketing strategies. Some of the trends that are finding success throughout the country include food/wine-pairing tastings, and themed food and entertainment events that provide the perfect opportunity for the property’s F&B facilities to showcase their offerings and drive traffic to the overall resort.

Joint participation is beneficial because it allows the F&B property to take advantage of the database mining and player club strategies of the main casino. Incorporating designated areas within your facility to allow for such high-profile function integration is a smart and cost-effective strategy if the space allows.

Consumers are “trading down” but keeping expectations high. And F&B operators need to follow suit. Massive expansions and high-dollar renovations are not as common as they were just a few years ago, but that doesn’t mean that targeted improvements with dramatic impacts can’t be achieved for very reasonable budgets.

Make your next improvement project a wise investment by focusing on notable upgrades to the basics of your facility, and making decisions that are financially appropriate for the economic conditions.

Two years ago, many people hoped the recession, as it impacted casino design and construction, would be short and shallow. It has proven to be the opposite, long and deep—and painful. But the end is in sight, at least in the view of more than a dozen architects, designers and major participants intimately involved in the field.

There is some light at the end of the tunnel, so for this year’s Q&A in Casino Design magazine, we’ve focused on how each company will take advantage of the recovery. Whether it’s construction in Asia, expansion in Indian Country or simple renovations in existing casino resorts, this group is taking advantage of every opportunity to put their best foot forward.
 

Like the slot manufacturers, which are waiting patiently for the “replacement cycle” to kick in, architects and designers know that casino resorts cannot remain static for much longer. Fresh design and innovative products are the only things that existing casinos will have to combat the increasingly competitive landscape in almost all jurisdictions. New construction is rare, but not entirely out of the question. They’re ready for that eventuality as well.
 

But the one thing they all have in common is a burgeoning creative sense, tempered with sensitivity for the budgeting and operational processes.

So sit back and absorb the wisdom and opinions offered.

The participants, listed in alphabetical order:

• George Bergman, President, Bergman, Walls & Associates, Ltd. (GB)
• Don Brinkerhoff, Chairman, Lifescapes International (DB)
• Brian Fagerstrom, President, WorthGroup Architects (BFA)
• Ann Fleming, Owner and Principal, Cleo Design (AF)
• Brad Friedmutter, Founder and Chairman, Friedmutter Group (BRF)
• Rick Gardner, Principal, Hnedak Bobo Group (RG)
• D. Kirk Harman, President, The Harmon Group (KH)
• Paul Heretakis, Vice President, WESTAR Architects (PH)
• Tom Hoskens, Principal, Cuningham Group Architecture (TH)
• John Platon, Senior Vice President, KHS&S (JP)
• Barry Thalden, Principal, Thalden Boyd Emery (BT)
• Edward Vance, President, Vance & Associates (EV)

Have you seen any signs that the difficult economic environment we’ve been experiencing in the past few years has been easing? If so, what are the signals you’ve noticed?

GB: There are signs of some easing in Las Vegas and certain other domestic markets. Clearly, Macau and Singapore have had significant increases in gaming revenues. This trends positive with the general recovery of the financial markets across the United States and with the exception of recent developments in Europe and across the world.

DB: Yes, we have seen signs of a resurgence of interest in landscaping for new casinos in the U.S.—East, Southeast and California. There has been a substantial increase in requests for proposals; gaming companies are hiring design directors or authorizing their existing in-house design personnel to start preparing proposals for new work. We typically get involved early, as do building architects and planners, when our clients want to have projects ready and open within one to three years. I guess you can say that the designers are the bellwether for upcoming work.

BFA: Really, since the end of 2009, we have most definitely experienced an increase in new projects and activity in the solicitation of design services for gaming projects in Native American gaming. We are also seeing an increase in the “buzz” and activity in commercial gaming in various regional pockets where ownership of properties is changing.

AF: There have been definite indications that there is more “movement” in the design and development community. Whereas in the past year only a couple requests for proposals per month were received, we have seen in the past months a greater volume of interest with RFPs arriving weekly.

BFR: Owners and operators are issuing significantly more requests for proposals for everything from small renovations to major expansions and ground-up projects. Many indicate design and construction start dates during the third and fourth quarters of this year.

RG: Walk into many casinos in the secondary gaming and entertainment markets and you’ll find plenty of customers. Overall spend is down, but traffic in many of these locations has remained reasonably strong. The general challenge is classic: to keep the customer coming back and grow his/her spend with fresh new products, amenities, experiences and promotions. New cap-ex investments in this economy have to be very strategic and responsive to current conditions, and yet still be properly integrated into a long-term facility growth plan—which is a tall order.

KH: In the U.S. there has been a slight improvement in RFP activity in Indian gaming and in states that have recently approved casinos. Both types of projects are moving slowly. The states that have approved casinos are facing opposition from elements of the public. In some cases the casinos have become a political football, resulting in delays.

PH: We are certainly seeing the signs of greater activity. Expectations of ROIs based upon the new economy are finally being accepted, and that is creating more opportunities. All of the cost-saving methods have been implemented; the only way to increase profits is by upgrading facilities or creating new projects. The circle of life in the business world will always continue even as government tries to derail it.

TH: The positive signals are coming from all sides—operators, management groups, even the financial sectors. We are seeing more opportunities for renovation and expansion of projects nationally and internationally. Clients are interested in staying ahead of the competition, and they are eager to see the latest design trends that will engage their guests. We are continuously working with our clients in these tight economic times by showing them the importance of pre-design services for effective planning and programming decisions. For example, our client Palace Casino Resort in Biloxi is taking advantage of the low construction costs and expanding their gaming, entertainment, restaurant and dining amenities in order to provide their guests a more intimate, service-based experience.

JP: We are beginning to see small signs of recovery in some market sectors, but very little recovery in the gaming markets so far with the exception of Oklahoma. Most of the current design and construction activity has been the result of government stimulus. Future gaming expansion, we believe, will be in states such as Iowa, Ohio and Massachusetts, which are looking to gaming to help bolster state budgets and deliver new jobs. Given the current room supplies of traditional gaming markets such as Las Vegas and Atlantic City, we don’t expect to see significant activity in these markets for the next five years or more.

BT: The recession is definitely over. We experienced a slowdown in the summer of 2009 as most of our projects completed construction. Beginning last fall, we saw the light at the end of the tunnel as the first new projects of the economic recovery began to surface. The first of these was Wildhorse Casino Resort expansion in Pendleton, Oregon, for which we were fortunate to be selected. This year has started out explosively, as we have been swamped with a record number of requests for proposals and, fortunately for us, we are frequently the architect of choice.

Both tribes and commercial casino companies have seen their revenues begin to increase after leveling off in the second half of 2009. The key to the future will be in well-conceived expansions with realistic expectations and potential for substantial returns on investment. But, project financing is still difficult and will continue to be the bottleneck for project development.

EV: Yes. The signals have been in the financing arena, and they have been surprisingly noticeable over the past 60 days. For example, one of our projects in Mississippi had but one lending source interested all of last year. Then in March three new sources (one equity and two debt) came out of nowhere and they are now fighting over the opportunity to make our client most happy.

How important is Asia for gaming development? With the opening of the two Singapore integrated resorts, do you believe their success or failure will determine whether other countries in the region legalize gambling in the same way?

GB: Asia is very important for gaming development as we go forward in the second decade of the new millennium. The opening of the two mega-resorts in Singapore has changed the face of Asian gaming. Clearly, a new benchmark has been raised for Asian gaming. We believe that the Asian market is only beginning to be tapped.

Many other countries in the region are currently legalizing casino gaming. As this article is being written, grand resorts and neighborhood casinos are being designed throughout the region. BWA is fortunate to have several such projects on its boards.

DB: We have several completed projects in Macau, with client interest for us to get started on a new project in Asia. With the Asian passion for gambling, and the financial climate being right, I am sure there will be additional gaming opportunities throughout Asia. Look toward Japan, too.

BFA: More than ever before, casino operators have come to realize that the competitive marketplace coupled with the recession over the past few years has created an urgency to stay relevant to customers. Competitive differentiation is critical to maintain appeal while at the same time, new trends and offerings must be considered to draw new customers and keep loyal players.

AF: The design of the Asian gaming facilities by U.S.-based Las Vegas firms has proved that a well-oiled machine can bring the experience of an industry far from its Las Vegas roots, transplant and thrive. Neighboring countries immediately see the benefits for employment and a generation of wealth.

BFR: There is very high confidence among many Asian governments and businesses for continued economic growth and development. Gaming is now accepted in many countries around the world as a viable and beneficial business enterprise, and Asia is a vast area with a very high level of the consumer base that enjoys frequent gaming. It is no surprise that the Asian gaming market continues to expand, with many locations throughout the region developing new destination-type facilities. The Philippines, Vietnam and other constituencies will likely continue development, regardless of success or failure in Singapore. Planning in many of the Macau properties, previously put on hold, is starting again with renewed commitment from owners.

With that said, the answer is surely that Asia is critically important for gaming development. Because 100 percent of Friedmutter Group projects are gaming/entertainment/resort facilities, we can share our expertise worldwide, just as American gaming companies such as Harrah’s Entertainment, Wynn Resorts and Sands are doing.

RG: International gaming expansion is likely the next frontier, and could be the primary source of significant growth opportunity for our industry for many years to come. But there are challenges ahead—the limitations and constraints of politics and culture may hamper many international markets from coming anywhere close to reaching their true potential.

PH: We have had an office in Macau for the past two years, so we are doing very well in China as well as Southeast Asia. Asia and especially China will be the center of all financial growth for the next decades. Just look at all of the American companies that are rapidly expanding there. If you don’t have work and a presence in Asia then you have sadly mistaken the future. This is not to say that it is easy and money is everywhere. There are no magic beans, but there is certainly more opportunity there.

TH: Other countries are actively pursuing gaming because they see the vast potential extending to other sectors of their economy. Smart decision-makers know the value of creating an integrated resort that caters to their clientele and they are embracing the coming wave of resorts that combine leisure travel experience with gaming and other entertainment amenities.

JP: We believe Asia is very important for gaming development. We’re currently completing work at Resorts World Sentosa and Marina Bay Sands and have made substantial investment in opening offices in Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau and Bangkok to take advantage of what we believe is significant growth opportunities throughout the Pacific Rim. If Resorts World and Marina Bay Sands continue to draw the crowds they have to date, I believe other countries will follow suit. Macau has already surpassed Las Vegas in gaming revenue and the region just hit record revenues in May.

EV: There are more than 10 countries in Asia with legalized gaming already, and we believe that trend will continue as long as China’s ever-growing number of millionaires and billionaires keep streaming into places like Macau; it will keep the region flush with cash. Casino gambling revenue in Macau alone almost doubled in May and is certainly setting the trend for all of Asia, but there are still a lot of problems to be solved. And to solve them, you are going to have to be creative. In the end, no one knows what cards Asia will be dealt over the next 10 years in terms of gaming, but I’m quite sure that as that market matures it will ultimately affect how we do business here.

Do casino operators understand the importance of keeping their properties fresh, by conducting periodic renovations (for example, re-theming restaurants, redesigning areas of the facility and more)?

GB: Most casino and resort operators understand the importance of keeping their properties fresh and presentable. Unfortunately, some just simply do not have the financial wherewithal to do so. That of course is a double-edged sword. As the properties visually diminish, their desirability diminishes and attendance decreases even more. Ultimately, they become second- and third-tier properties and become even more difficult to bring back to competitive advantage.

DB: Always, casino operators are historically upgrading their properties. Recently, we completed the landscape design for Surrender, the new beach club at Encore. This project was completed about 16 months after the initial opening of Encore. Good operators recognize great opportunities for their customers’ enjoyment and make decisions promptly for improvements or additions. In this case, the major design effort was led by Roger Thomas at Wynn Design and Development and we assisted him and his team on the softscape portion primarily.

AF: Most of the casino operators have been venturing from beyond their own walls and have tried to keep their finger on the pulse of what works and what does not in this very competitive industry. They have been quick to accommodate the guests’ expectations with remodels and at the very least temporary venues to keep the draw of a crowd.

BFR: Casino operators and owners are acutely aware of the importance of keeping their properties fresh and current. Because so many renovation projects were put on hold during the last couple of years, perhaps now more than ever, owners are interested in a variety of solutions within their properties including renovations, re-theming and redesign. By providing cost-effective, innovative designs, we are seeing renovation projects on the upswing. In fact, we have recently completed several restaurant renovation projects within existing properties, and smaller-scale casino expansion developments.

RG: Fortunately for the design profession, existing facilities will lose their luster both physically and psychologically. Aggressive, competitive operators love to leverage new product—and need to continually do so to compete in their respective markets. By giving their player development and marketing departments new fuel to energize existing customers and reach out to gain new market share, operators can do more than just survive an economic downturn like we’ve been experiencing—they can thrive in one, and get well-positioned for the economic upswing.

KH: I recently asked a building official in Las Vegas if he has seen much renovation activity. He said, “Only if we cite them for a violation.” Atlantic City is pretty much standing still. Casinos in the Eastern states have reconfigured gaming floors but have not done major renovations or expansions. Even in Pennsylvania, where table games were recently approved, rearrangement of the existing casino is the approach for adding these games.

PH: Most of the operators are talking about new projects again. The projects will be smaller and phased more over time, but progress must be made. The cost of the projects will be related to the new returns on those investments.

TH: We find there is a solid advantage for a property to carefully plan and execute a phased renovation project. Casino renovations and expansions require a balancing act between renovating as large an area as possible and many smaller areas. If you renovate a large area all at once, which is the fastest way to complete a project, it can reduce revenue significantly. Alternatively, renovating a series of smaller areas keeps them operational and continuing to produce revenue, and avoids a longer construction phase. Ultimately, it is important to establish an acceptable balance between the size of the renovation area and the anticipated revenue earned, or in some cases the anticipated revenue lost during construction.

BT: While there may not be any new mega-resorts built, we anticipate that there will be many smaller projects as operators recognize that their properties need new venues to talk about and they continue to need fresh new looks in various areas. There will also be changes made on the casino floors in an effort to increase revenues by creatively encouraging customers to stay and play longer, and be exposed to newer slot machines offerings. There should also be a recognition that it’s better to start planning and design in the slow times to open in the good times than vice versa.

JP: I believe they know exactly what needs to be done to keep their properties competitive. But it continues to come down to economics. Operators won’t approve large budgets for renovation unless they expect to see a return on their investment. And operators are still trying to protect their bottom line.

EV: Nearly all casino operators understand the importance of keeping their properties fresh. However, very few have the good fortune of being in a financial position to do what they know they must to keep or capture what market share exists today. Unfortunately, many of our existing clients have adopted the mantra “fix only what’s broken.” We believe that this is creating a huge pent-up demand for massive renovations when the economy finally turns.

As in commercial casino development, there seems to be a lull in Indian casino design and construction as well, with the possible exception of Oklahoma. Do you see this continuing because of the uncertainty of obtaining financing? Or, will new off-reservation casinos and other tribal developments pick up the pace?

GB: Financing is still critical for all gaming, both Native American and non-Indian. There is some tribal funding available from several affluent tribes. There is limited development taking place in the U.S. overall. Part of the problem as we view it is that there is a saturation of casino gaming coupled with a severe lack of financing for gaming projects in the currently tight financing market.

DB: We should be starting on a new Indian gaming casino in June, but we also have seen an uptick in requests domestically for Indian gaming opportunities. We have noticed that the operators are having more paid and unpaid design competitions for their properties, compared to when the gaming industry was more active. Architects were hired without necessarily providing “free” or “subsidized” designs in order to get projects.

BFA: Even Oklahoma is now experiencing some decline in growth. So, very few markets and properties remain immune to the “lull.” Together with the recent financial crisis, regulatory and legislative issues at the federal and state levels and increasing competitive pressures of neighboring Native American gaming properties that are in close proximity to each other, Indian gaming certainly has had its own share of challenges and obstacles. What seems to be happening now is a resurgence of design and construction projects that had to go into a type of “revamp” in order to find and obtain smaller amounts of financing. Project scopes have been, in some cases, “right-sized” and most certainly downsized.

Also, those projects that have been vying wholly on financing, without strong collateral or self-funding sources, have basically continued to be dormant. Only a few cases here and there where private equity sources have stepped in, and are located in the strongest of locations demographically, are new greenfield opportunities arising.

AF: On the contrary to thoughts of a quiet Indian gaming world, we have witnessed most of the activity in casino development has been with the Native American tribal community. Notably, the process is more laborious in gathering criteria and developing scenarios for their place within the competition of regional casinos. Much more time is spent on the development of guests’ needs and anticipating future trends.

BFR: Casino design and development in Native American casinos is definitely on the rise. Those tribal enterprises with established facilities and positive cash flow are able to obtain financing and are moving forward with planning and development. This is clearly evident in the increased number of RFPs that are being issued.

RG: The Indian gaming market sector has remained very strong for HBG. Green-field facilities are not being built at the frenetic pace of five to eight years ago; however, amenity additions and facility expansions (including large hotels) remain quite active. The credit markets have eased to some degree and we’re seeing the compelling participation of private equity fueling new growth in select markets.

KH: Our tribal clients are seeing the same financing problems as our non-tribal clients. Financing remains hard to come by. When tribes look to off–reservation development, they seem to be in the same situation as any other developer.

TH: We are not experiencing a lull, and it has been quite the opposite. The pace is very active for both new construction and renovation. We are working with Native American clients across the country on projects including gaming floors, hotel towers, event centers, and a variety of restaurants, retail and entertainment amenities, all of which are a combination of new construction and renovation. Our clients are fully cognizant of their increasingly powerful position in the marketplace. Their goal is to effectively compete in a crowded marketplace by offering quality entertainment value to their guests. Based on the diversity of our experience in the entertainment marketplace, we are able to help our clients distinguish their properties with a range of amenities that complement their brand.

JP: There will always be select properties that continue to expand simply because their unique location makes them less vulnerable to the economy than other casinos. On a broad scale, however, I see short-term opportunities limited to states that are hoping to partner with Indian tribes to bolster tax revenues. I don’t expect to see widespread Indian gaming expansion until the job market improves and consumers feel comfortable about spending money on entertainment and gambling.

BT: It is clear that Indian and other “locals” casinos will lead the way in the recovery of the gaming industry. The lull in Indian casino design and construction is over, and we see that many of the tribes are pursuing expansion projects with the anticipation of financing being available. With revenues beginning to increase, properties are looking at expanding; however, we don’t see many opportunities for new casinos, and with a possible rare exception, we do not expect to see the BIA approve only off-reservation casinos, even with the change in administration in Washington.

Oklahoma has certainly been unique in avoiding the recession. Gaming numbers have continued to increase and construction has continued, and Thalden-Boyd-Emery Architects has been in the center of it from our office in Tulsa. The new hotel at the Cherokee Casino in West Siloam, Oklahoma opened this growth with a new 2,700-seat performance theater at the Hard Rock Casino Resort in Tulsa, which will open in August.

EV: We are seeing activity in Kansas, Washington, Oklahoma, Alabama, Missouri and Mississippi, and not all of it is tribal. The interesting thing is that many of these new projects have Las Vegas-based financing partners in the gaming industry who are eager and willing to fund these projects, especially if they are oligopolies in nature.

Give us at least one of the innovative ideas that you’ve seen architecture and design companies using to do things differently that benefit the companies and their gaming clients.

GB: We have done two things to improve our viability in the architectural world. One, we have opened two offices in Asia: an office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and an office in Manila, the Philippines. In addition, Brad Schulz has joined BWA as vice president of business development.

DB: We have implemented several initiatives at Lifescapes International. First, due to our volume of work in Las Vegas (more than  23 projects on the Las Vegas Strip alone), many of our Asian clients who come to visit Las Vegas have inquired about the “firm who designed the landscapes at Bellagio, Wynn, Paris or Caesars Palace, MGM Grand Mansions or Red Rock,” and have hired us to do non-gaming projects (residential, mixed-use and commercial) because they liked the casino garden settings.

We have been a diversified landscape design firm for 50 years, and as a result, while we had made adjustments to staff, we are hiring again to accommodate our growth offshore. Also, because of this same volume of casino design work, gaming operators are contacting us again as they have confidence in our ability to design what is needed for their properties.

BFA: Over the past few years since the recession really kicked in, WorthGroup Architects has focused with absolute commitment and passion to providing foremost service to our existing clients. I’m talking service that is downright exceptional and unexpected. We offer new methodologies and technologies to plan, design and serve our clients in ways that make their own processes efficient and more effective. We are similarly focused on providing strategic thinking for short- and long-term phasing of properties as amenities come on line and the markets and financing become available.

AF: More emphasis on a clarification of the client’s needs and expectations early in the process is crucial. An outline as to the design approach, timeline to develop the design, anticipated budgets, the development of construction and vendor alliances, along with many other programming criteria, are presented to an owner to create strong assuredness of a project’s success well in advance of groundbreaking.

BFR: Our firm is structured to service the gaming and hospitality industry, and we continue to provide our clients with value-added, innovative and responsive design and communication. Our focus continues to be 100 percent gaming/hospitality/resort design and development.

RG: We are creatively building upon our success as hotel developer/owners. As a 30-year hospitality design firm, we’re leveraging our brand development and ownership experience to devise affordable alternative investment paths for our clients. In effect, we’re implementing innovative and value-oriented applications, while also using new proprietary technology to help us deliver enhanced levels of service and built product quality. That’s what it’s all about these days.

KH: As in past downturns, we have used this time to regroup, improve and update our standards and train our people on the latest technology. We are in a position to leverage this preparation for the benefit of our architect and owner clients as the economy turns around.

PH: We have expanded our company to branding, marketing and many other services that the casinos traditionally had in-house departments to handle. As they have reduced staffs and looked for out-sourced services, we have managed to fill those voids. This has made our firm relevant going into the future. Just being an architect is not enough.

TH: We work with our clients to show them how to maximize their investments in design and construction through an integrated approach to sustainable design. Our design approach utilizes a Project GREENcard, which we created in-house to track sustainable design decisions and LEED principles on all of our projects. This checklist is used to communicate and help deliver ecologically, economically and socially sustainable targets, options and benefits.

JP: KHS&S has been very aggressive in positioning ourselves for the recovery both in the U.S. and internationally. First, in the last 18 months we have opened more than eight offices in the U.S., Canada, the Middle East and throughout Asia to be near future growth markets. We are also using technology to define what the construction job site of the future will look like. For instance, we recently partnered with the country’s largest manufacturer of factory-built bathrooms, becoming their exclusive distributor/installer. Using this lean manufacturing approach has the potential to reduce the schedule by as much as two months and add revenue by helping to deliver earlier occupancy.

BT: 3D Building Information Modeling is the wave of the future in architecture. Fortunately, our firm pursued this technical innovation seven years ago, and now we have the advantage of developing computer-generated building models on all of our projects. Our firm has actually positioned itself for growth, and among other things, last year we added a new partner, Brett Ewing, who for 22 years has been a part of creating the architecture of the Las Vegas Strip.

EV: During the recession, we took time to cultivate big-picture thinking. It positioned us for a positive response when the economy finally turns around. One of the best things we’ve done is to strategically align ourselves with partners in the industries where we work. Specifically, gaming companies, program managers, contractors and even other architects. These allegiances or loose partnerships have gotten us into markets all over the world, including Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Mississippi and as far away as Aruba, West Africa and Palau. Best of all, we bid against no one. As long as the team gets the work, we get the job. What you’ll find is the shared marketing efforts and contacts of a larger group create a gestalt that you will never produce alone.

George Bergman is president of Bergman, Walls & Associates, Ltd. He is a graduate of the University of California at Santa Barbara and UNLV School of Architecture. In addition, he holds a master’s degree in economics from Soka University in Tokyo, Japan. He has established offices in Vietnam and the Philippines, and is scouting an office location in China. Bergman has been project architect for such creations as the mega-suites at Caesars Augustus Tower, the Pure and LAX nightclubs and the Resorts Atlantic City high-rise addition, as well as numerous food and beverage venues such as Rhumbar, T&T Mexican Cantina, Payard, Casa Fuente, Christian Audigier and 808 Noodle Bar.

PARTICIPANTS:

Don Brinkerhoff, as chairman and CEO, guides Lifescapes International’s award-winning landscape architectural design team on virtually all projects worldwide. He received his profession’s highest honor when he became a fellow in 1998 of the American Society of Landscape Architects. His industry contributions include landscape terminology (“softscape,” “hardscape”) and cobblestone-patterned concrete paving (now an industry standard). Brinkerhoff received the American Gaming Association’s Sarno Award in 2006.

Julie Brinkerhoff-Jacobs, moderator, is president and CFO of Lifescapes International. She has been with the firm since January 1982 and is responsible for sales, marketing, financial management and strategic planning. She is also a seasoned author and speaker on design and marketing related topics for the real estate industry (resort, residential, commercial/ mixed use and entertainment sectors). She was also responsible for creating the concept direction for a residential project, the Monet Collection, which won local, regional and national awards from MIRM, MAME (NAHB) in 1990. Brinkerhoff-Jacobs is also involved on the advisory board for G2E Institute and G2E Expo and the Urban Land Institute.

Brian Fagerstrom, AIA, is the president of WorthGroup Architects, a leading and award-winning design firm focused on commercial and Native American gaming, hospitality and entertainment work. Fagerstrom offers more than 20 years experience with an extensive background leading teams in substantial projects. Most recently, he led the firm’s work on the recently opened and highly acclaimed Choctaw Casino Resort in Durant, Oklahoma; and the award-winning and unique historic casino property of French Lick Resort and Casino in Indiana, which has received numerous awards since opening, including the “Best Architectural Re-design for a Casino and Resort” from Casino Design Awards. Fagerstrom received his bachelor of architecture and bachelor of science in environmental design from North Dakota State University.

Brad Friedmutter, AIA, is founder and CEO of Friedmutter Group and a graduate of Cooper Union School of Architecture. In the hospitality industry for more than 35 years, Friedmutter worked as vice president of design and construction for Steve Wynn and Mirage Resorts, Inc., and as vice president of design and construction for Bally’s Inc. Friedmutter Group was incorporated in 1992 and provides architecture, themed design, master planning, interior design and branding services for hospitality and gaming projects throughout the United States.

Ann Fleming is the owner and principal of Las Vegas-based Cleo Design. Fleming is a Nevada registered interior designer with 10 years of design experience in the hospitality and gaming industry. She received her bachelor of science in architecture with emphasis in interior design from the University of Nevada Las Vegas in 1993. Fleming is a member of the American Society of Interior Designers and has been certified by the National Council of Interior Design Qualifications. Prior to forming Cleo Design, Fleming and partner Ken Kulas were senior design professionals for Mirage Resorts. For more than eight years, they played a major role in virtually every design project of Mirage Resorts.

Rick Gardner is a principal with the Hnedak Bobo Group. A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Gardner is a project architect with the firm, with more than 25 years professional experience in the architecture industry. During his career, he has been involved in the design and development of numerous award-winning projects, and is selected regularly by HBG to oversee projects for the gaming/entertainment market.

D. Kirk Harman is president and managing principal of the Harman Group. Harman leads the operation of the company which he co-founded in 1984 as Cagley Harman & Associates. The Harman Group provides full structural engineering services for a variety of building types including gaming, hospitality and entertainment. The firm also has an in-house parking design team, providing full-service planning and design for parking structures. Recent projects of note include the 5.5 million-square-foot Revel Casino Resort and the 42-story Chairman Tower at Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City.

Paul Heretakis, RA, vice president of WESTAR Architects, has more than 15 years of experience overseeing hospitality design and mixed-use master planning projects throughout the world. WESTAR Architects is a key player in the hospitality design field and has worked with some of the largest gaming companies in the industry—Las Vegas Sands, MGM Mirage, Harrah’s Entertainment, Penn National Gaming, Trump Entertainment and others. His portfolio includes more than 1,000 casino, restaurant, retail and hotel projects.

Tom Hoskens, a principal with the Cuningham Group, has more than 30 years of experience in architecture with an emphasis on casinos, hotels and entertainment. He was principal-in-charge for $3 billion worth of destination resort design in the last four years alone. Hoskens’ commitment to client satisfaction includes highly responsive architectural and engineering teams. “Each team responds directly to the client to help drive clarity of communication and accuracy of information,” he says, ensuring large-scale, complex projects are completed on time and within budget.

John Platon, senior vice president of KHS&S, is responsible for securing profitable new projects and for identifying and developing opportunities for joint ventures and other business relationships that further KHS&S’ strategic goals for growth and expansion. Since joining KHS&S in 2001, Platon has played an integral role in KHS&S’ international expansion, has been instrumental in domestic expansion to numerous states and has helped secure some of the company’s largest and most prestigious projects, including the $800 million Red Rock Casino Resort. Educated in architecture at Long Beach State University in California and having more than 30 years of professional construction experience, Platon has worked in all facets of the construction process.

Barry Thalden, AIA, THALSA, is a partner with Thalden Boyd Ewing. He has more than 37 years of experience as an architect and an artist, and specializes in the design of hotels and casinos. Based in the Las Vegas office, Thalden works with many of the major casino and hotel owners. He has worked with outstanding companies both in gaming and in hotels and resorts, including Hyatt, Marriot, MGM Mirage, Holiday Inns Worldwide, Radisson, Caesars, Harrah’s, Entertainment Players International, Hilton and Donald Trump. He has been moderator and keynote speaker at national conventions held throughout North America, as well as the author of articles published in the gaming and resort industry’s leading magazines.

Edward A. Vance, AIA, is president and design principal of EV&A Architects, a specialty design firm serving hospitality, commercial and health care projects. In November 2006, Vance opened his firm EV&A Architects to better serve his client base and the profession. Located in Las Vegas, Nevada, his firm is currently staffed with more than 30 professionals uniquely qualified to serve the gaming, health care and hospitality markets. For more than 25 years, Vance has served his clients, his community and the profession of architecture. His work has led to numerous design awards and significant commissions with major hospitality, commercial and health care clients. Vance is a registered architect in 14 states, and is NCARB-certified. He earned his bachelor of arts and bachelor of architecture degrees from North Dakota State University.

Once upon a time, swimming pools at casino resorts were wet, chlorine-scented places to cool off before you toweled dry and headed for the real entertainment.

Today’s casino resort swimming pools are red hot. You don’t just go there to cool off but to dance to the hottest tunes, mingle with hot, young singles and even hotter celebrities, and lose yourself in a torrid, but comfortable, tropical paradise, often with four-star cuisine.

They have names like the Encore Beach Club, Tao Beach, Bare at the Mirage, the Liquid Pool Lounge at City Center and the Rehab Pool Party.

Even in cold climates, it’s important for a casino resort to have a fabulous pool. From the heat of Las Vegas to the long nights of Finland (or Atlantic City), pools are an attraction in their own right. Pools have also become a multi-use attraction, often transforming into after-hours nightclubs.

Multi-Use Options
The newest is Steve Wynn’s Encore Beach Club and Surrender Nightclub, which opened at the end of May. The two-story cabanas and bungalows were added where the porte cochere was when the resort opened in 2008.

According to nightlife impresario and operating partner Sean Christie, it was built to operate 24/7, and to be a nightclub from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.

Surrender—a small, intimate club—opens onto the 60,000-square-foot Encore Beach Club. The cabanas and bungalows have balconies and terraces, private bathrooms and showers.

“It’s not quite a hotel room, but it’s as close as you can be, sitting on top of the pool,” says Christie. “We have spared no expense to make it the best bungalow and cabana by far.”

Guests enter a lush oasis featuring 40-foot palms bordering three-tiered pools. The deck in the center is like a small post-modernist Greek temple, dotted with chaise lounges, couches and day beds. For more privacy, 26 cabanas are equipped with refrigerators and flat-screen TVs. Eight two-story bungalows offer views of the Las Vegas Strip.

As you enter Surrender, you are greeted with spices for the eyes, including a handmade, sculpted snake—with an apple in its mouth as a light source—on the back bar. Sculpted statues called “divers” jump off the walls. It has a high ceiling and features light shows.

“It’s a high-end club,” says Christie. “More an intimate nightclub than an ultra-lounge. There is more nightclub-style seating, and you can dance on every bank in the space.”

He calls the beach club a “category changer.”

“I’ve been to all of them,” he laughs. “None compare to what we’ve built. It would be like comparing Wynn to other products. And that’s no surprise, because Steve Wynn designed and built this one, as well.”

DJs play music, and occasionally there will be live performances, as happened over the Memorial Day weekend premiere, when platinum star Ne-Yo, electronic music artist Kaskade and LMFAO all performed.

“It’s a very sexy crowd,” says Christie. They can be seen floating on day beds called “lily pads” in six inches of water. Each pad has a private safe. Loungers can order from a pool menu, or visit a beach shop stocked with everything from bikinis to suntan lotion. “We’ve really tried to have an all-encompassing space where you can live and stay, and have a first-rate pool party,” says Christie.

More Attractions, More Revenue
Hot and sexy it is, but like most new casino pools, the Encore has a hard-nosed raison d’etre: to make money by bringing more people to the property’s other attractions.

Christie notes that when you walk into the Encore’s pedestrian entrance, on your right is the classic American restaurant Society Café and on your left, Chef Marc Poidevin’s French-inspired Switch.

“During the summer the beach club will hold 2,400 and the nightclub has a capacity for 2,900, so think of the sheer volume. The location, in the retail area in the promenade between the Encore and the Wynn, is one of the driving forces of Encore,” says Christie, who projects attracting an additional 5,000–8,000 visitors.

“The customer we bring in is a great demographic, the 35-50 crowd. We are confident that will translate into more business for the rest of the casino. We are going to light up Encore!”

Increasing revenue was the idea when the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas reopened its popular Sunday Rehab “daylife” party April 18. The seventh-season premiere was attended by 4,000 partiers from all over the world, with entertainment headed by Wyclef Jean.

Robin Leach’s Vegas Deluxe blog called it “the biggest turnout for Rehab ever, thanks to season three of the Tru TV hit reality show Rehab: Party at the Hard Rock Hotel and the size of the hotel doubling since last summer.” The new season also unveiled the Skybar, which complements the pool party.

“We were the first to do a pool party and the first casino to open it to non-hotel guests,” says Phil Shalala, the resort’s chief marketing officer. “We saw our pool as a beautiful environment and an asset, and said we should make some money off it. It’s been an excellent revenue generator for us.”

The Rehab pool party is always held on Sunday. On Saturdays DJ pool parties take over. “We’ve got great music, the cabana element, and swim-up blackjack,” says Shalala. “We book high-level talent. We book celebrities. It becomes more of a daytime entertainment event rather than just a pool party with music. Paris Hilton was here last week. Vince Vaughn and Snoop Dog opened one year. We have a lot of different types of entertainment.”

The entertainment and music are all part of the winning formula, but most important is atmosphere, says Shalala.

“To open a pool with cabanas, chairs and nothing special about the environment won’t do. Here at our pool and cabana, we’ve got a sand-bottom beach pool, and we literally have beaches. A water slide runs through the pool. It’s an environment, an experience in itself. Design and architecture is exactly the key. The look and feel—the vibe.”

By any measure of success, Rehab is a hit. “We’ve seen growth in numbers and growth in revenue,” Shalala says. “Last year was the worst economy in the last 60 years. Rehab was up 30 percent. I don’t know anyone in this town who can say they were up 30 percent in anything. That’s how I measure success. Four weeks into the season and we continue to break records.”

Brand New
Jason Strauss, group owner and managing partner of the Venetian’s TAO Beach, measures success somewhat differently. “I don’t think of it as a way to create revenue,” he says. “The purpose is to create a brand extension for the nightclub and restaurant and create the ability to touch different people.”

TAO Beach, which opened three seasons ago, sits atop the TAO Asian Bistro and Nightclub. The weekly Sunday Sunset Sessions feature local, national and international house DJs. Saturday nights the beach club offer a dazzling pool light show, floating Chinese lanterns and 14-foot-tall fire columns.

TAO Beach’s lavish cabanas have HD plasma screen TVs, a galaxy of high-tech entertainment such as DVD Player/X Box 360 and full DVD/game library and iPod rentals along with low-tech luxuries like chilled towels and pampering by private masseuses. Asian-inspired day beds have mini-refrigerators.

All of this does increase occupancy for the TAO nightclub, agrees Strauss.

“We’re the only pool that is attached to a nightclub. We have a truly intimate space, and we went out of our way to create a unique environment.”

That includes  more than $400,000 spent for Balinese plants. The TAO kitchen offers five-star cuisine, including, says Strauss, “the world’s best sushi and Kobe, which is a whole different level—compared to our competitors who are serving hamburgers.”

On Fridays, TAO does local-driven events. Saturdays, celebrities host events, and on Sunday afternoons TAO Beach has partnered with Beatport, the world’s largest electronic music downloading website, to provide international house music.

TAO Beach is a work in progress. “This year we did a million-dollar renovation by building five new cabanas, a new DJ booth and new furniture,” says Strauss. “I don’t think we will ever be satisfied. Each season we will learn something and do more.

“You have to stay relevant. You can’t just build it. You have to elevate the game. The formula is staying relevant and in tune with the customers, and reacting to their feedback on how to be better,” he says.

The Pool Boy
Don Brinkerhoff, founder of Lifescapes International, Inc., a Newport Beach-based landscape architectural firm, may well have invented the strategy of using swimming pools as money-makers on casino properties. He started his business 50 years ago, and began doing casino projects 25 years ago. He has designed landscapes for about 50 properties, including more than a dozen along the Las Vegas Strip.

“We’ve been doing fantasy landscapes ever since we started,” says Brinkerhoff.

A “fantasy landscape” includes waterfalls and exotic elements not normally seen in daily life. “We got the job to do the Mirage, which was the first new hotel in Las Vegas in 16 years. Wynn, our guiding light for 25 years, wanted a Polynesia-style hotel. That indicated that the pool should be lagoon-shaped with palms.”

Coconut palms don’t grow in Las Vegas, so they imported Canary Island palms.

“I said it would be a good idea to add simple cabana structures, 12 feet by 12 feet. They became so popular so that in our latest job, Encore, there are many cabanas. They are very sophisticated and are virtually buildings.”

Today, says Brinkerhoff, you wouldn’t install a pool without cabanas.

“The whole idea is to set up fantasy places where you can dispense with your belief that you are really in Vegas. You could be in Caesar’s Forum or Paris. Each one takes on a character unique to that hotel,” he says.

Pool cabanas often rent for more than the hotel rooms. “All the hotels now see the pool areas as profit centers. They sell drinks and food. They rent chaises,” says Brinkerhoff.

Brinkerhoff’s daughter, Julie Brinkerhoff-Jacobs, president and CFO of Lifescapes, notes that pool areas have evolved into significant parts of the property. “The casino operator looks how to maximize return. They figure out ways to energize the pool at night. They convert spaces for evening entertainment. At Encore the pool is used for nightclub extension. At Red Rock Casino and Spa in Summerlin (which Lifescapes also worked on) the recreation area, the Backyard, features nine pools and incorporates the Cherry Nightclub cocktail lounge, the TBones Chophouse and over 25 private cabanas. They are looking to maximize the area around the pool’s edge.”

Desert and Ocean Scenes
Red Rock was envisioned by Friedmutter Group Architecture & Design Studios as a place for low water use—without looking like a desert. “We wanted to show that drought-tolerant doesn’t have to be weeds and cactus, and can be an appealing resort environment,” says Brinkerhoff-Jacobs. “The pool area is like an amphitheater. The pool is lower and circular, and the decks are also circular and built up. We used artificial turf along the edge. You don’t have to mow it or water it.”

The intention in all such pool areas is to escape the everyday world and enjoy a beautiful resort setting. “Each of our projects has had a different personality,” she says.

At Harrah’s Atlantic City they created a tropical environment by enclosing the pool area with a controlled climate.

“We enclosed the pool area in the Borgata Atlantic City for the same reason. The Borgata’s pool is essentially a hothouse. The intention is to create a tropical garden destination,” she says. Daytime use for non-hotel guests is the trend among many casinos.

“The idea is to attract people who may not be staying in the hotel but want to be in the hotel’s environment. What operators do by adding these special additions is to extend the opportunity to have more guests,” says Brinkerhoff. And more income.

The pool’s shape doesn’t matter, they say, but there should be shallow areas for floating chaise lounges, allowing freedom of movement and the opportunity for a different experience. Sometimes active casinos operate in the pool areas.

This is true of the Eclipse pool area in Harrah’s Rincon Casino in San Diego County. Here, during the summer, the young and the tan dance to the hottest DJ music, or play blackjack dealt by bikini-clad dealers. Harrah’s ropes off this area for special events, such as the 50th anniversary of Playboy magazine celebrated in June.

Red Rock uses its pool areas as flex space, using movable venues to, for example, bring in live music for an evening, or host a convention or private party, reverting back to normal use in the daytime.

“People will think up creative uses that haven’t occurred to us if you provide a creative venue for them,” says Brinkerhoff.