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Hnedak Bobo Group

Posted on April 28, 2010 by -

Within the past year, Hnedak Bobo Group has been ranked as one of the top 10 design firms by multiple hospitality design and management publications. HBG has also been named a Top five best firm to work for within the American architectural industry. The company is cementing its reputation as designers of dynamic casino resort destinations.

Established in 1979, HBG is a 125-person, multi-specialty firm that concentrates on architecture, interior design, building code specialties and project and development management. Services are delivered with a dedicated focus on the firm’s core business areas, 85 percent of which serve the national hospitality and entertainment marketplace.

HBG’s central location in Memphis is positioned at the nexus of both population and transportation centers in the United States. The proximity of a major national air carrier hub provides HBG’s design teams the ability to support clients throughout the country in four hours or less. In addition to a national reach, with projects spanning coast to coast, HBG has numerous gaming resort plans underway in Central America and the Caribbean.     

HBG’s casino resort designers bring passion and vision to each project, creating expressive entertaining spaces delivered within the unique context of client and guest needs. The company’s approach to hospitality and entertainment design comes not only from years of research and design experience, but also from its hands-on experience as hotel owners and operators.

As owners, HGB experiences design from a unique perspective, fostering a deeper understanding of the balance between operational efficiency, financial performance and design aesthetics. HBG’s keen operational insights provide its clients with distinctive design solutions that embrace functionality, marketability, financial success and, of course, innovative, guest-pleasing aesthetics.        

HBG currently has over $1 billion of destination resort projects in various stages of design and construction for both the commercial and Indian gaming industries. Within the Indian gaming market, HBG has worked with more than 25 of the most recognized Native American tribes. Several major projects will complete construction in 2008. These include Greektown Casino & Hotel in Detroit and the Potawatomi Casino expansion in Milwaukee.

As HBG looks toward the future, an increasing number of commercial and Indian gaming projects are providing abundant opportunities to produce truly captivating and compelling architectural design experiences. HBG looks forward to continuing to offer the best in design and operational sensibility to its roster of esteemed, visionary clients.

For more information, visit www.hbginc.com.

Friedmutter Group Architecture & Interior Design Studios

Posted on April 28, 2010 by -

Founded by Brad Friedmutter in 1992, the Friedmutter Group Architecture & Interior Design Studios is an award-winning design, architecture and master planning firm. Friedmutter Group has designed and assisted in successful hospitality, casino and entertainment projects in excess of billion.

Friedmutter Group offers high-quality, innovative design solutions to clients worldwide. From the core and shell architectural design to interior fit-out, Friedmutter Group’s U.S. offices in Las Vegas, New York City, Newport Beach, Atlantic City, South Beach and Biloxi, plus international offices in Dubai, UAE and Macau, China, are positioned to meet the needs of its growing client base.

Utilizing cutting-edge technology, Friedmutter Group’s 225 diverse, creative architects, designers and art directors provide impeccable services on domestic and international projects. Brad Friedmutter has personally assembled one of gaming’s most dynamic, respected and experienced senior design teams in the hospitality, resort, entertainment and retail design fields.

The company has won numerous industry accolades, including the 2006 Architectural Design Company of the Year award from the American Gaming Association and Reed Exhibitions. Friedmutter personally won the prestigious 2007 Sarno Lifetime Achievement Award for Casino Design.

Friedmutter Group’s exceptional range of talents has led to a high profile portfolio of projects, including hotels, casinos, entertainment complexes, convention facilities, spas, retail, and high-end hotel/condominium towers. The firm recognizes the importance of speed and efficiency in the design and construction process, and plans for the comfortable movement of large numbers of people into, through and out of venues.

Friedmutter Group’s notable recent projects include Station Casinos’ four-diamond award winning Green Valley Ranch Resort, the Red Rock Resort Casino and Spa and the groundbreaking Cosmopolitan Resort on the Las Vegas Strip.

The company is developing design and master plan concepts in locations worldwide. These include the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Hungary and Macau. Friedmutter Group provides consultant services relating to hospitality, casino issues and trends, to investment groups and finance companies around the world.

Friedmutter Group feels privileged to work with multiple prominent operators in the casino/hospitality industry, including Station Casinos, Harrah’s Entertainment, Cosmopolitan Resort, MGM Mirage Resorts, Dubai Properties, Trump Entertainment Resorts and Isle of Capri Casinos.

A sterling reputation and commitment to excellence has earned Friedmutter Group higher than a 90 percent rate of repeat business from clients. The company is delighted that clients enjoy an enviable rate of return on their projects.

For more information, visit www.FGLV.com.

Floss Barber, Inc.

Posted on April 28, 2010 by -

Headquartered in Philadelphia, award-winning Floss Barber, Inc. is a full-service interior design and space planning firm. For more than 20 years, Floss Barber, Inc. has successfully completed projects throughout the United States. Recognized in regional and national publications, Floss Barber, Inc. has been on Interior Design magazine’s list of giants since 1998.      

Company founder and CEO Floss Barber formed her company on a shoestring budget that included only a folding picnic table, an answering machine and a bicycle. With steadfast enthusiasm, Barber parlayed her passion, talent and vision into what is today a nationally recognized interior design firm.      

Barber believes that interiors should follow timeless principles of good design: form, function, balance and harmony. Integrating state-of-the-art techniques and technologies with sustainable concepts, Floss Barber, Inc. is committed to exploring the delicate balance of energy and aesthetics. The firm’s clear design philosophy, broad client base and systematic approach allow Floss Barber, Inc. to develop solutions that stimulate both visually and texturally.  

By fully representing the brand identity, vision and goals of the firm’s clients, Floss Barber, Inc. has created distinct destinations, honored by both professional and major industry publications.      

In 2007, the company took another step and melded the philosophy, talent and ambition of its founder with the expertise, drive and strategic mind of President Rebecca Udell. Together, Barber and Udell have developed a clear design philosophy within a uniquely disciplined firm of like-minded professionals.     

By fully representing the client’s brand identity, vision and goals, Floss Barber, Inc. is committed to design solutions, whether for a core business, new concept, paradigm shift or total cultural change. The firm continues to inspire acclaim for superior quality and excitement. Focusing on creative solutions to design dilemmas, Floss Barber, Inc. bridges the functional and aesthetic desire of its clients to create spaces on time and within budget. Seamlessly partnering with industry consultants, the company has developed interiors for both new construction and for renovation commissions as well.    

Floss Barber, Inc. takes a team approach to assure an uninterrupted chain of contact, services and responsibility. A company principal leads each project, which also consists of a project manager, senior project designer and support staff of interior designers and/or architects. Floss Barber, Inc.’s affiliate architecture firm, Harman Deutsch Corporation, provides the architectural services required for each commission.    

For information, visit flossbarber.com.

Retail Q&A

Posted on April 28, 2010 by -

How do you develop the right “recipe” for retail in a casino environment?
Creating the mix for a successful casino-based retail project requires a bit of art and science. We’ve found that it should be guided by a development strategy, program and execution plan built on four main pillars:

  • Defining a clear set of goals (What positioning is the property trying to achieve? Who is the property trying to attract? Do you want to retain existing customers, gain new ones or both? What is the overall guest experience?)
  • Understanding the competitive landscape so you can differentiate the project and the property within your given market
  • Incorporating highly profitable uses
  • Creating a dynamic environment that has a sense of place; i.e., working with existing and planned spaces or sites to create vibrant “people places” that enhance or help define the guest experience


Explain how the retail mix at The Quarter, in the Tropicana in Atlantic City, was developed.
The project was contemplated as a mid-market development to appeal to existing Tropicana visitors as well as the sweet spot (middle market) or broadest range of Atlantic City visitors who also visit other properties in the market.

The overall guest experience takes a page out of Las Vegas by creating a themed interior streetscape that does not feel like a traditional mall. Since most visitors pass a number of traditional malls on their way to the Quarter, we tried to differentiate the property with a unique mix of national brand names, signatures, boutiques and entrepreneurial or created venues.

All the while, the project was designed as a spine that connects the parking garage to the anchor-the casino.  


Do you have to periodically swap out certain shops for the good of the whole?
Leases are typically executed on five, 10 or 15-year terms. It’s often beneficial to mix tenants with different terms. Also, it’s inevitable that some tenants will go out of business for a variety of reasons.

 

Why does retail work so well in the casino environment?
For the same reason mall developers attach multiplex movie theaters to malls as anchor attractions-because they generate foot traffic.

On average, a multiplex can attract 1.5 million people per year. Casinos in smaller, second tier U.S. markets like Dover, Delaware or Evansville, Indiana can generate 2 to 3 million visitors per year, which roughly equates to having a mall with two major cineplexes.

 

Is there ever a danger that retail can become the main attraction, to the detriment of the casino?
Retail needs to be master-planned into a gaming property. The owner or developer and the architectural team need to contemplate or plan the property and consider the guest experience from arrival through departure. Without such master planning, both retail and the casino can suffer.

Also, if the mix of retail does not support the existing or planned gaming demographic for the property, you can create a situation in which you draw two distinct demographics that may not mix well.  

 

How much extra revenue do casinos derive from the increased traffic generated by retail?
Retail, dining and entertainment in casinos do not have to be loss leaders. They should be developed as profitable real estate ventures in which the tenant pays a base rent, and often a percentage or overage rent if they’re extremely profitable and generating significant gross sales.

In addition to keeping patrons at a property longer, a successfully planned retail development at a gaming property can serve as a true destination and gross importer of visitors. 

Ed Vance & Associates

Posted on April 28, 2010 by -

Founded in November 2006 by President and CEO Ed Vance, AIA, NCARB, Ed Vance & Associates (EV&A) is a full-service hospitality and commercial architectural and interior design firm. With a strong desire to promote his true creative individuality, Vance followed his dream to be a designer rather than an executive.

Vance formed EV&A after stepping down from his position as president of a Las Vegas architectural firm that employed 200 people at five offices. This life-changing move has created the opportunity for him to remain personally involved in every project.

The Las Vegas company specializes in services for the hospitality, commercial and healthcare industries. EV&A’s first projects include the Wild Rose Casino, under construction in Iowa, the Las Vegas Convention Center expansion and the World Market Center Building 4.

The EV&A team has several other large scale projects in the design phase, including Moulin Rouge, Indian gaming projects around the United States and a large hotel/condo project in Las Vegas.

The 29 EV&A staff professionals follow their company’s principle of commitment to customer and business partner satisfaction. They use state-of-the-art technology to achieve EV&A’s company mission: “To be our client’s trusted advisor.”

The design teams gather specialists as needed to coordinate complex project teams of professionals, contractors and consultants. Every employee understands the necessity of meeting with clients and learning their individual business models. This connection develops an environment with solid relationships for increased efficiency. 

EV&A recently designed the newly completed first phase of the Meadows Bank in Las Vegas. The tenant improvement project is the bank’s first branch and corporate headquarters.

The bank’s design elements create the feeling of a meadow in the desert. The bank used “green” construction and has an earthy appearance with a contemporary flair. Recycled materials were used on the millwork and bamboo flooring in the lobby. The teller line was composed of reclaimed wood from wine barrels. These natural components were balanced with acrylic panels, granite countertops and a full glass entry, which reinforces a custom contemporary look.

Looking ahead, Vance aims to preserve the boutique nature of EV&A, hopefully limiting its growth to a maximum of 50 staff professionals. Based on his past experience managing a large organization, Vance adamantly believes that staying smaller will maintain the company’s culture while maintaining a large enough workforce to design and innovate some of the larger projects in the world.

For information visit www.edvanceassociates.com.

Guess Who’s Going Green?

Posted on April 28, 2010 by -

Although Las Vegas is often associated with excess and waste instead of conservation, the gaming and resort industry has pitched in to become part of the green effort.

In April, the Palazzo Las Vegas was named the biggest green building in the world, earning the Silver LEED Certification for energy conservation and a proclamation from Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons.

“From the beginning, we were determined to create Las Vegas’ first truly eco-friendly property,” said Sheldon G. Adelson, chairman and chief executive officer of the Sands Corporation. “We are extremely proud to have achieved it and to be recognized for it.”

Among the Palazzo’s energy-saving features: air conditioning that resets when guests leave the room; lighting occupancy sensors in service areas; an average 95 percent of recycled content in the building’s steel structure; and a 26 percent recycled rate for concrete.

“There is an increasing necessity to employ green construction principles,” Adelson declared. “We’re proud to be a leader in the evolution of environmentally-focused building practices, not only on the Las Vegas Strip but at our properties throughout the world.”

Additional green strategies that are now commonplace:

“Given the energy demands of Las Vegas, perhaps more than any other U.S. city, it has the most to gain from a sustainability focus,” says Tom Donnelly of ValleyCrest Landscape Development.

“We have no doubt that Las Vegas will emerge as a world leader in this science. In all of our operations we are finding more clients asking us to be green, build green and take different approaches to sustainability in their business models.

Dougall Design

Posted on April 28, 2010 by -

It may not be the largest design firm out there-currently it has 25 employees-but Dougall Design Associates, Inc. packs a strong punch because of its fun, flair and focus. With 15 years of design experience, principal Terry Dougall founded the company in 1988. The design veteran quickly grew the company’s reputation and raised its profile; in 1990, just two years after opening, he was already working on big projects, among them the Forum Shops at Caesars and a series of renovations at the Stardust Resort and Casino.    

During the mid-’90s, the company experienced an explosion of growth. Dougall was commissioned to create three Sam’s Town casinos in 1994. By 1996, he designed the Monte Carlo Resort & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip, followed shortly with a third renovation and expansion of the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. In 1997, the company hit the casino jackpot when it was selected to design the highly-coveted big-name projects in casino design: The Venetian and Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino-work ranging from $800 million to $1.3 billion.
Those two projects established Dougall as a top player in the casino design arena, a status that continues to this day. Recently completed high-profile projects like the acclaimed Borgata in Atlantic City and THE Hotel at Mandalay Bay, as well as the company’s current projects, MGM Macau and Boyd Gaming’s $4 billion Echelon Place, show that Dougall and his team aren’t about to slow down anytime soon.

For information visit www.dougalldesign.com.

Cuningham Group

Posted on April 28, 2010 by -

Cuningham Group transcends tradition with architecture, interior design, urban design and planning services for a diverse mix of client and project types, with a significant focus on gaming, casino and entertainment destinations.

“The future of casino resorts lies in the design of ‘experience architecture’ and the use of architectural storytelling to create unique environments. As in the Vegas of today, the resorts of the new millennium will be multidimensional experiences, where each guest becomes part of the action,” says Tom Hoskens, AIA, principal of Cuningham Group.

Cuningham Group’s client-centered, collaborative approach incorporates trend-setting architecture and environmental responsiveness to create projects that weave seamlessly into the urban fabric. While design excellence through collaboration is always the goal, the development of green solutions for the clients and the planet is also a priority. The company believes each project should be designed for the betterment of the community and society as a whole, where sustainability and green design are a natural extension of Cuningham Group’s core ideologies.

Throughout its 17-year history designing gaming and resort destinations, Cuningham Group’s stature in the industry has continued to grow. Multiple gaming industry awards and repeat work from clients have come from the firm’s successes in designing creative and profitable gaming resort environments.

Major project openings this year include the new Hotel and Convention Center at the Isleta Casino & Resort in New Mexico, the Creek Nation Casino in Oklahoma and the Red Hawk Casino in California.

Cuningham Group’s portfolio of completed projects represents a full array of casinos, hotels, theaters, convention centers, restaurants, retail venues, parking structures and support facilities that comprise gaming and resort destinations. These include the Harrah’s Cherokee Great Smoky Mountain Casino Resort, Soaring Eagle Casino Resort, Palace Casino Resort and seven casino resorts for Grand Casinos/Lakes Entertainment, to name a few.

Extensive experience allows Cuningham Group to offer clients the professional design expertise essential for creating environments that attract guests, increase profitability and encourage repeat visits.

Founded in 1968, the firm is consistently recognized as a leader in the field of architecture, and has grown to over 200 employees. The company operates offices in Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Biloxi, Bakersfield, Madrid and Seoul.  

Cuningham Group’s gaming, hospitality and entertainment projects can be found in Europe, Asia and throughout the United States, including projects in California, Nevada, Oklahoma, New Mexico, North Carolina, Mississippi, Minnesota and Michigan.

For more information, visit www.cuningham.com.

Cope Linder Architects

Posted on April 28, 2010 by -

Cope Linder Architects believes that design should inspire people, affecting the senses beyond the visual. Since 1966, the Philadelphia-based design firm has created engaging spaces that enrich the relationship between people and places, always guided by the principle that great design must be enduring, useful and beautiful.

A dedicated, experienced staff of 50 professionals represents the disciplines of architecture, landscape architecture, interior design, and master planning. The company designs a variety of building types including gaming, hospitality, corporate office, multi-family residential, retail, institutional and mixed-use.

Cope Linder employs a thorough understanding of complex building programs in all these sectors, utilizing best practices that create an enduring, useful and beautiful design for each engagement.

Every project is viewed as an opportunity to exceed the client’s expectations. This is accomplished through innovative design, the use of appropriate technology and a balanced sense of economic reality, while responding to the specific context of the site and program with environmentally sensitive solutions. 

Completed Cope Linder gaming projects include Borgata in Atlantic City, Caesars Atlantic City, Dover Downs Hotel & Slots in Delaware and Pompano Park Raceway in Pompano Beach, Florida. Gaming industry clients include Boyd Gaming, Harrah’s Entertainment, Centaur Gaming, HSP Gaming, IsleCorp, MGM/Mirage and Dover Downs, among others. Cope Linder has also successfully completed hotel projects representing Sheraton, Hampton Inn and Hilton flagged properties.

Current casino commissions include the expansion of Borgata, and its new “Water Club”, with JV partner BLTA, Valley View Downs in western Pennsylvania, SugarHouse Casino in Philadelphia and others.

Cope Linder believes that appropriate design solutions will provide long-term value to its clients. As much of the firm’s work is accessible to the public on a daily basis, Cope Linder diligently works to create buildings, spaces and experiences that are timeless, inspiring, evocative and memorable.

For more information, visit www.cope-linder.com.

BLT Architects

Posted on April 28, 2010 by -

BLT Architects has a legacy of distinction in design, planning and project services that spans nearly half a century.

Michael Prifti, Eric Rahe, Michael Ytterberg and their fellow principals lead the 130-person architectural and interior design company, ranked as one of the Top 500 Design Firms in a recent issue of Engineering News Record.

The firm specializes in resort/hospitality, multi-family residential, higher education and corporate projects. BLT has earned industry acclaim for its commitment to design, project delivery, cost awareness and team management.

The hallmark of BLT’s service is a collaborative approach with clients, working to achieve and exceed their project and strategic goals through dynamic and meaningful architectural expression. Each project team is custom tailored to a client’s specific program, schedule and budget to ensure astounding success.

BLT has a wealth of experience designing large-scale hospitality and resort projects, and possesses exceptional abilities in managing and coordinating these complex, time-sensitive projects. The firm has contributed to the design and development of several successful destination casino resorts including the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, its subsequent 350,000-square-foot expansion and the Water Club at Borgata.

Currently, BLT is the executive architect and architect of record for Revel Entertainment’s beachfront casino entertainment resort in Atlantic City. The firm’s affiliate, BLT Architects NV LLC, is providing overall master planning and architectural design for Boyd Gaming’s Echelon, the resort and casino on the Las Vegas Strip.

BLT’s hospitality design experience includes architectural and interior design of guest rooms, food service, retail, conference and fitness centers. Projects range from boutique hotels, extended stay and suites-type operations to full-service business and convention hotels.

Headquartered in Philadelphia, the firm has offices in Las Vegas and Atlantic City. For more information, visit www.blta.com.

What Ho, Macau?

Posted on April 28, 2010 by -

A Chinese territory with a Portuguese history and a communist government has become the center of a distinctly capitalist enterprise.

xSince 2004, when the $240 million Sands Casino opened in Macau, the once-down-at-the-heels gambling enclave, an hour by ferry from Hong Kong, has become a Holy Grail for gamblers. In just a few years, the former Portuguese colony has overtaken Las Vegas as the world’s premiere gambling destination, earning more in first quarter 2008 than Vegas and Atlantic City combined.

Yet the overall aesthetic of casinos on this Chinese peninsula could not be described as fully Asian or even vaguely Pan-Asian, particularly when it comes to those built by U.S.-based operators. If anything, the glitzy, $1.8 billion Venetian Macau, to date the world’s largest casino, could have been picked up and dropped in from Las Vegas, or Disneyland for that matter. It is truly the sister property of the Las Vegas Venetian: a gilt-edged approximation of Venice complete with gondolas and a Grand Canal.

For Philip Payne, formerly  the design director for the Las Vegas Sands Corp. (Macau’s first American developer and operator of both the Sands and Venetian Macao), the comparisons between Macau and Las Vegas are inevitable.

“Some of the resorts could be transplants from Vegas-for example, the Venetian (Sands) Cotai and Wynn Macau,” and there’s a very simple reason, Payne says. In the case of the Sands, the aesthetic was driven “more by the necessity for speed and economics” than a painstaking marketing plan.

A short-lived shotgun marriage between the Sands and licensed investor Galaxy Entertainment-among the first concessionaires in line when the Ho monopoly ended-had dissolved by 2002. With a timetable in place and all systems go, Sands forged ahead on its own, and remarkably, went from blueprint to grand opening in less than two years.

Despite the frenetic pace, designers “paid special attention to what would be successfully receptive to the Asian/Chinese clientele,” Payne says; design architect Paul Steelman says 98 percent of focus group participants approved the property’s ultra-modern, un-themed architecture.

The result, says Payne: “a very international, iconic type of structure unlike anything in Las Vegas” with a landmark gilded circular tower, adjoined by a boxy gaming facility that Steelman famously described as the world’s first “stadium-style casino.”    

At 1 million square feet with an eye-popping six-story crystal chandelier, the Sands Macau takes the bigger-is-better mentality to an extreme, and the idea has paid off so far. Opening day in 2004 was mayhem. Ten thousand people charged the entryway in the first hour of opening; the property won back its $260 million investment in a year.

For its second project, the Sands Corp. decided not to reinvent the wheel, in part for financial reasons.

“The planning and design of the Venetian Las Vegas and the casting of the Venetian’s signature elements were already paid for,” says Payne. “There were economic advantages-and the saving of an enormous amount of time-by replicating the Venetian in Las Vegas.”

Wynn Macau-with a curved tower that instantly recalls Wynn Las Vegas-took the same approach.

“While the podium structures of Wynn Macau are project-specific, the high rise is a half-size replica of Wynn Las Vegas,” Payne observes. “The Butler Ashworth architectural plans required very little modification for the Macau high rise. Both saved considerable time and money for the operator and have worked very successfully.”

Paul Heretakis of Westar Architects says Vegas-based designers naturally lean toward elements and functional requirements that have succeeded in Sin City. And while some Asian casinos still rely on “a heavy dose of glitz and fantasia,” the emergent look reflects the kind of modernism found in Hong Kong and Shanghai: “No theming, just high quality materials used in a sophisticated and elegant manner.”

Payne agrees. “Minimalist design goes down very well in Hong Kong commercial development, but in my experience a sense of opulence and luxury is very important to the Chinese clientele in Macau.”

A general shift away from the bombastic themes of casinos like the Luxor and Excalibur in Las Vegas should be particularly important in emerging destinations. Consider Vietnam, where phases one and two of the $4.5 billion Ho Tram Strip are under way.

A project of Asian Coast Development, Ho Tram’s stated theme-if it can indeed be called a theme-is “environmental preservation and conservation highlighting the lush natural beauty of the area while showcasing Vietnamese and Asian culture.” The wow factor will be evident in two five-star hotels, a luxury spa, a Vegas-style casino, an 18-hole Greg Norman golf course and a Cirque du Soleil theater.

Back in China, bigger-is-better is rivaled by what Philip Payne calls “higher-is-better. It’s very satisfactory to look down on one’s commercial neighbor-the Galaxy Star World and Grand Lisboa in Macau are perfect expressions of this.”

If Macau’s newest casinos lack a “sense of place,” Payne attributes it to “the overwhelming preponderance of Chinese punters. It appears that they do not want Chinese interpretations, but completely embrace ‘all things American.'”

The exception might be the slot machines, which remain a hard sell among Asian gamblers. While slots account for more than 60 percent of gaming revenue in Las Vegas, it pulls in just 4 percent of the take in Macau. Though U.S. operators are confident they can acclimate Asian players to slots in time, that may be one gamble they stand to lose-and one Asian cultural preference that does not give way to Vegas sensibilities.

Exotic Wood

Posted on April 28, 2010 by -

PRODUCT: Zebrawood
MANUFACTURER/DESIGNER: J.A. Casillas

 

J.A. Casillas, a premier custom furniture manufacturer specializing in the hospitality industry, has been introducing its clients to the striking beauty of a wood it calls “Zebrawood.” So named for the grain or “figure” that is reminiscent of the striping of a zebra, Zebrawood comes from the trees of one of several species, but most commonly Microberlinia.

Despite prominent installations in luxury automobiles like Mercedes-Benz, many dedicated wood workers and furniture manufacturers have been unaware of Zebrawood’s existence as a decorative exotic wood. Perhaps it is because, as is common in many premium products, what makes it special is also what makes it difficult to perfect. The dramatic graining is accompanied by an extremely coarse texture. This rough surface keeps all but the highly skilled from using the wood regularly in either custom furniture, trim, inlays, banding or marquetry.

Due to the extensive experience of the craftsmen at J.A. Casillas, designers can take full advantage of the Zebrawood in any project ranging from a suite of luxury room furniture to an entire hotel project.

For more information on Zebrawood or any other fine or exotic wood, visit the company’s
website at www.JACasillas.com.

Bergman Walls & Associations

Posted on April 28, 2010 by -

Bergman, Walls & Associates, Ltd. (BWA) was formed in 1994 as an architectural firm that specializes in architectural, master planning and design for resorts, casinos, hotels, resort condos, retail, dining and entertainment projects.

Both founding partners, Chairman Joel Bergman, AIA, and President/Chief Operating Officer Scott Walls, AIA, worked with Steve Wynn on projects such as the Mirage, Golden Nugget and Treasure Island, creating the Las Vegas “mega-resort” concept.

Headquartered in Las Vegas with an office in Los Angeles, BWA’s 115 employees include 15 registered architects. Along with partners Executive Vice President Joe Rothman, AIA, Vice President George Bergman, Leonard Bergman, AIA, Robert Fredrickson, AIA, Rene Rolin and Darrell Wood, AIA LEED AP in Las Vegas, plus Greg Lorusso, AIA LEED AP in Los Angeles, their group of experienced, energetic, diverse professionals represent the backbone of BWA. Their invaluable and visionary experience influences BWA’s approach to design for gaming and non-gaming facilities of all sizes.

Many iconic BWA projects define Las Vegas and the gaming industry. These include Paris Casino Resort, Caesars Palace Augustus Tower, Palace Towers and Octavius Tower, currently under construction; Trump International Hotel & Tower, the Residences at MGM Grand, L’auberge du Lac Hotel & Casino in Lake Charles, LA, and Majestic Star Casino in Pittsburgh.

BWA is the executive architect for Las Vegas’s newest project, the Fontainebleau Casino Resort. Currently under construction, the resort is designed for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certification.

Located on the former El Rancho and Algiers casinos’ 24.5 acre site, this development is an alliance between Fontainebleau and Turnberry. Fontainebleau will include a hotel, casino, spa, retail, dining, nightclubs, lounges and convention /conference venues.

Leading the pack in the hottest and latest retail and dining and entertainment venues, BWA’s hospitality experience includes the newly opened LAX nightclub, PURE nightclub and the Pussycat Dolls Lounge and Casino, plus signature restaurants such as Guy Savoy, Rao’s and Trader Vic’s.

BWA’s architectural expertise in Indian gaming spans the United States with projects at Mystic Lake Casino Hotel and Little Six Casino, Casino Snoqualmie, currently under construction, and the highly successful Barona Valley Ranch Resort Casino.

For more information, visit www.bwaltd.com.

Olympic Entertainment Group

Posted on April 28, 2010 by -

Based in Estonia, Olympic Entertainment Group is one of Europe’s fastest growing casino operators. Its first casino at the Tallinn Olympic Yachting Center opened in 1993. As the international company expands, representations of the underlying themes of that auspicious first effort-the sea and Greek mythology-have evolved and blended with others in the interiors of OEG’s ambitious projects.

After the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, OEG was formed as one of many small emerging gaming companies throughout Central and Eastern Europe. Unlike many pioneers, founder Armin Karu wanted to ensure that each OEG casino would be more than just a cash machine.

Karu believes the best way to retain a guest is to reinforce positive emotions during play and create good memories of the visit. To facilitate that goal, design is an important aspect of the OEG entertainment product.

That strategy has succeeded. Today, OEG has 127 gaming venues. Most are stand-alone slot casinos, but the company also operates 20 full service casinos, seven located in hotels, spread out across eight contiguous countries from the Baltic to the Black Sea. Operations will soon open in two more jurisdictions. The public company employs over 4,000 people, and is listed on both the Tallinn and Warsaw stock exchange.

Meelis Press Architects of Estonia oversees the design of the full and slot casinos. Named for lead architect Meelis Press, the firm’s portfolio includes diverse projects from the Radisson SAS Hotel & Business Centre City Plaza in Moldova to the Cartier Jewelry Store in Tallinn to the headquarters of Baltic ferry operator Tallink Group.

Meelis Press was responsible for the interiors of OEG’s Reval Park Hotel & Casino renovation in 2005. Elegant materials like pearl mosaic and matte gold were combined with light beige furniture, walls and ceilings.

“The basic idea behind the interior design of the Reval Park is for the client to feel as if he or she were in a luxurious living room,” said Press.

Press created fanciful interiors for some of the local OEG slot properties, including exotic tropical and pirate themes, and a French cabaret style for the Moulin Rouge casino.

Press handles all the OEG prestige casino designs, regardless of their location. The slot casinos outside Estonia employ the talents of local architects, designers and contractors. In all cases, the OEG management team, coordinated by Chief Development Officer Meelis Pielberg, works closely with the outside firms, setting the parameters for theme, floor plan and exterior elements.

New this year is the Olympic Casino in Bratislava, Slovakia. The casino is designed in a lounge style with abundant wood, mosaics and several large aquariums. The floor plan is similar to OEG’s other large casinos with a mix of tables and slots, and a centrally positioned bar and stage area. The casino holds the first new license issued by the Slovak government in 10 years.

OEG is currently in the hands of three men. Founder Armin Karu has been chairman of the board since 1993. He graduated from Finland’s Haaga Institute with a degree in international management in 1998, and earned his MBA in 2005. Karu is responsible for strategic management and the rapid expansion-oriented development plan of OEG.

Managing Director Mart Relve joined the company in 2007. A 1997 graduate of Tallinn Technical University with a degree in international business management, Relve was the former vice president of Estonian Air before joining OEG. He is in charge of management and day-to-day operations of the company.

Andri Avila has been a member of the management board since 2006. He joined OEG in 2001 as CFO. A 2000 graduate of Concordia International University in Estonia, Avila holds a degree in international business management. He previously worked in real estate and investment firms. Avila manages investor relations and financial and legal issues.

Speaking at a recent shareholders’ meeting, Karu said, “Our current vision-to operate in at least 10 Central and Eastern European countries in 2010-is about to be achieved. Therefore we need more ambitious targets. As a new direction, OEG will start developing hotel and entertainment resorts, and our new vision is to be a global casino and resort operator with a passion for service excellence.”

This goal is just one more element in the grand design of OEG. Learn more at www.olympic-casino.com or contact the company directly.

Olympic Entertainment Group AS, reg. code 10592898
Pronksi 19
10124 Tallinn
Tel: +372 667 1250
Fax: +372 667 1270
E-mail: info@oc.eu
Press inquiries: press@oc.eu

True Vision

Posted on April 28, 2010 by -

PRODUCT: 3-D Visualization
MANUFACTURER/DESIGNER: Virtual Sciences, inc.


When gaming resorts need renderings, video presentations or other visualizations of projects to present to investors or executives, one firm they have turned to increasingly of late is New Jersey-based Virtual Sciences.

Virtual Sciences specializes in 3D visualization-in renderings, animations, multimedia presentations, video productions, websites-of projects in the conceptual stage. The company produces digital output of images of the completed project in three dimensions, making any changes and alterations necessary to the images as projects progress.

Once developed, 3D visualizations can be used to generate various media elements throughout the life of a project. These assets support communication needs across various platforms, including printed materials, multimedia presentations, interactive web experiences, etc., as well as printed renderings in any size.

According to the company, using digital visualizations to create “virtual environments” can delineate a project’s merits more actively for investors or clients, with greater flexibility and at significantly lower price points than traditional renderings.

The company’s list of services includes photo-realistic renderings, theatrical animations, real-time simulations, digital camera matches, interactive multimedia tools and video productions.

For more information, call Virtual Sciences at 973-387-4000, or visit the company’s website at www.virtualsciences.net. 

Custom Environments

Posted on April 28, 2010 by -

PRODUCT: Themed Design
MANUFACTURER/DESIGNER: Cost of Wisconsin


One design firm that has specialized in creating unique spaces within gaming facilities is COST of Wisconsin. COST has been an industry leader in creation themed environments, winning numerous design awards over five decades of operation.

Typical areas of expertise include water features, faux trees, rockwork, decorative metals, specialty glass, accent/art pieces, theme façades, sculptures, decorative architectural finishes and custom aquariums. COST is versatile and experienced in utilizing various materials and methodologies in creating custom environments. Material use varies from concrete composites to glass/acrylics, epoxies, metals, wood, FRP, urethanes and many others.

These materials are often fused together to develop an entire theme concept or developed as focal points within a casino.  Column covers, gaming canopies, restaurant and gaming floor separations, restaurant and cash cage façades and decorative accent pieces such as water features or sculptural elements are all used to deliver the themed experience.

“Creating a unique casino experience separates one gaming facility from the next,” says Chris Foster, vice president of sales and marketing at COST. “As the gaming industry becomes more competitive every day, entertaining and interesting experiences stimulate repeat guest visits.”

For more information, contact COST at 888-567-2678, or visit the company’s website at www.costofwisconsin.com.

Lifescapes International, Inc.

Posted on April 28, 2010 by -

Established in 1958, Lifescapes International, Inc. is a leading privately held landscape architectural design firm. The Newport Beach, California, headquarters is home base for 50 employees.

Celebrating 50 years in business, Lifescapes is well known for creating dynamic “destinations” throughout the United States and overseas. Lifescapes offers cutting edge landscape architectural design services for casinos, resorts, mixed use, urban villages, high-rise and mid-rise luxury residential communities, apartments and private estates.

Within those types of properties, Lifescapes specializes in creating all inclusive projects, including the design of all softscape and hardscape elements for entrances, pools/spas, decorative fountains, paving, walkways, porte cocheres, retail areas, restaurants-everything but the physical buildings themselves. The firm is recognized for helping to establish the “theater” for projects, in conjunction with other design and development team members.

Co-founders Barbara and current CEO Don Brinkerhoff still remain extremely active. Don, a fellow of American Society of Landscape Architects (FASLA), leads the company, focusing on establishing a project’s conceptual design.

After graduating from the California Polytechnic in Southern California in 1952, Don used his education in ornamental horticulture while working for a variety of nurseries and landscape architectural firms. In 1958, he decided it was time to form his own company

Complementing these two dynamic industry leaders is a successful team of senior principals. President and CFO Julie Brinkerhoff-Jacobs, Executive Vice President Daniel Trust, Director of Field Services Roger Voettiner and Director of Design Andrew Kreft work in unison to create and manage the firm’s work. A team of highly qualified landscape architects, project designers and a strong administrative staff ably assist them.

Lifescapes’ first casino design project was the Cascades Hotel for Sun International in South Africa. The firm has completed 400 additional projects worldwide.

Domestically, Lifescapes’ innovative handiwork is visible along the Las Vegas Strip, which started with the Mirage in 1989. Other Las Vegas accomplishments include Treasure Island, Caesar’s Palace Garden of the Gods, Bellagio, Paris, the Venetian and its new Palazzo tower, MGM Grand Mansion, Green Valley Ranch, Wynn Las Vegas, Golden Nugget and Town Square shopping center.

In addition to creating beautiful landscape design to enhance buildings, Lifescapes’ work on the Las Vegas Beautification Project is four miles of landscaped median improvement of the Strip. The stretch is now designated the Nevada State Scenic Highway.

“I guess you can say we have had a significant impact on the look of the Strip,” says Don Brinkerhoff, “We have been entrusted by the Strip clientele to assist them with creating successful garden settings for over 20 years, and more are on the way.”

Elsewhere in the United States, Lifescapes has completed the Lumiere in St. Louis and the Borgata in Atlantic City, where Borgata’s new Water Tower hotel will open this summer. Lifescapes has set the landscape mood and design direction for 40 gaming and tribal gaming projects. These include Seven Feathers Casino, Agua Caliente Casino, Trump 29, Harrah’s Rincon Casino and Hotel, Barona, Pala Casino & Resort and the Spa Casino & Resort.

Designing for Indian tribes requires individual and specific attention. According to Brinkerhoff-Jacobs, “We are sometimes asked to include cultural heritage into design. An example would be the eagle sculpture from Seven Feathers Casino in Oregon, or using Palm Canyon as the inspiration at the Agua Caliente Casino. Tribal Councils make the decisions for Indian Country projects, as opposed to one or two gaming executives for non-tribal properties.”

A roster of future projects includes the Four Seasons Macao opening this summer and Wynn Resorts’ Encore debut in December. Looking ahead, Echelon in Las Vegas opens in 2010, as does Harrah’s Margaritaville in Biloxi, Mississippi. Lifescapes is also working on the Silverton Casino expansion, Durango Station and the Beach House, the Atlantic City project for Pinnacle Entertainment.

As the industry changes to reflect more sophisticated customer demands, additional creativity beyond the gaming halls has taken on greater importance. “The entertainment and resort operators, including astute executives within the gaming industry, have realized for many years that the stand-alone gaming activities are simply not enough to keep customers engaged on their properties for any extended length of time. We are working on vacation ownership, retail, wholly-owned condominiums and restaurant environments, providing our clients’ customers with numerous additional captivating and fun activities to enjoy during their stays,” says Brinkerhoff-Jacobs.

Lifescapes International, Inc. continues to create innovative garden settings for casino/destination resorts all over the world. The company’s work can be found in Louisiana, Mississippi, Illinois, Missouri, Oregon, California and Nevada, as well as in Canada, Greece and Asia.

For more information, contact Donald C. Brinkerhoff, CEO/Founder or Julie Brinkerhoff-Jacobs, President/CFO at 4930 Campus Drive, Newport Beach, California 92660; 949-476-8888 (office); 949-476-8854 (fax);
web site: www.lifescapesintl.com.

Navigating the Credit Crunch

Posted on April 28, 2010 by -

 “May you livein interesting times.” 
-Ancient Chinese proverb

The volatility of the financial markets has led to interesting times indeed for borrowers, investors and Wall Street. The good news is that a broader segment of the market is willing to take on risk, and we’re now seeing a number of financings proceed to closing.

In a credit crunch, lenders stop lending and credit becomes difficult to obtain. In the current crunch, the market discounted or sold off everything from weak, deeply indebted companies to over-extended lenders to over-leveraged consumers. Various surveys indicate that our economy is in a recession; however, economic data suggests that we’re not there quite yet.

Is Gaming Recession-proof?
The gaming industry, long considered recession-proof, has now shown unprecedented softness in nearly all markets across the United States, including southern Nevada. This consumer-led recession is causing lighter discretionary spending, which has a direct impact on gaming revenues. Overall, monthly reports indicate that most gaming markets are down 10 percent to 15 percent in a year-over-year comparison.
 

Impact on Capital Markets
As weaker macroeconomic conditions persist, softer credit fundamentals and constrained liquidity has pushed up default rates. Correspondingly, these risks have weighed heavily on the capital markets. Market performance has suffered as a result of highly leveraged capital structures and weak structural protections.

It didn’t happen overnight. Due to declining structural protections and other aggressive features of new deals brought to market in recent years, risk in the leveraged loan market had in fact been building for some time.

The abundance of loans originated to fund shareholder-oriented activities (like leveraged buyouts or LBOs and covenant-light and second-lien loans) was a part of this trend. The massive overhang of approximately $150 billion in the leveraged loan market has been met by anemic demand from investors. Thanks to the Federal Reserve, liquidity has returned to the market; Wall Street firms and investors have shown a willingness to take on risk, if slowly and at high return thresholds.

The secondary trading levels of debt securities (high yield bonds) for gaming-related borrowers have declined meaningfully, approximately 8 percent to 10 percent since early January. This technical market correction has resulted in a meaningful increase in the borrowing costs for all gaming operators, both commercial and Native American.
 

Deal Activity in the Gaming Industry
With continued weak demand in the leveraged loan market, Wall Street debt arrangers trying to close transactions have had their work cut out for them. Harrah’s Entertainment saw its deals flounder in the market as the massive debt used to finance the company’s going-private transaction couldn’t be sold by Street underwriters. Ultimately, large amounts of Harrah’s debt were sold at discounted levels; however, a meaningful part of this debt remains on Wall Street’s balance sheet. Yields on the Harrah’s bonds were priced at a discount to yield 13 percent.

According to Loan Pricing Corporation, there were a total of 10 of gaming financings valued at approximately $19.5 billion completed through April 2008. Given the complexion in the market, the only ones completed were those that had to be, because the opportunity costs of “not closing that merger” or “breaking ground on that casino development” were too high. The owners of those borrowers could bear the higher cost of financing because their overall returns exceeded the incremental borrowing costs resulting from the credit crunch.
 

Market Liquidity
In early 2008, credit market investor appetite for new financings was sparse. The most active players in the credit market during this period were hedge funds managers who funded transactions as club deals. The traditional high yield bond market was effectively unavailable to borrowers.

But a combination of the Federal Reserve’s continued easing, creative stimulus packages and wide investor yields have brought a broader base of investors off the sidelines to begin participating in deals.

We’re now seeing a slight opening in the high yield bond market to certain issuers, albeit at higher borrowing costs. Given the balance sheet issues of the commercial banks (LBO bridge loans, sub-prime and derivative write-downs) we continue to see minimal capital commitments from Wall Street banks related to gaming development financings. That, too, will change at a slow pace as banks shore up their balance sheets and raise capital for the next economic cycle.

 

Notable Gaming Financings 2008
Besides the Harrah’s LBO financing, the most notable gaming financings thus far in 2008 are the $340 million Firekeepers Development Authority (Native American casino development in Grand Rapids, Michigan) and the $720 million PITG Gaming (commercial casino development in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania).

Both transactions were “greenfield” financings that had little to no equity in the capital structure and no corporate backstop. The result is that both projects will likely get financed at higher borrowing costs.

  • Firekeeper’s $340 million 144A senior secured notes priced at 13.875 percent at a 96 discount. In what is believed to be the first Native American high yield bond financing in 2008, this transaction was met with solid interest and was meaningfully oversubscribed. Full House Resorts is the management company for this casino development.
  • PITG’s $720 million credit facility (which had not closed at press time) was split into $100 million revolver, $380 million first lien and $260 million second lien facilities. The sponsor of PITG is Don Barden, a Detroit businessman who won the license to operate a casino in downtown Pittsburgh in a highly competitive selection process.

 

While Barden had intended not to invest any equity in this financing, the debt markets forced him to provide a $35 million completion guarantee whose proceeds are being pledged from the sale of the Fitzgerald’s Las Vegas property, which Barden owned personally.

It should also be noted that credit market investors were extracting equity warrants in connection with the second lien tranche. Overall, this financing was a highly aggressive structure to be contemplated in the current market environment.
 


Access to the Capital Markets Going Forward
It is our expectation that the capital markets will become modestly more aggressive as we work our way through 2008. A moderate increase in investor liquidity will drive more aggressive structures and lower market pricing.

However, borrowers should not expect pricing to return to the pre-credit crunch levels of 2007. In our view, it could be several years before we see deal-pricing levels return to that level of aggressiveness.

In the near-term-or until there is a significant increase in market liquidity-borrowers should expect that hedge funds will continue to drive the pricing on financings, which means higher costs of capital, tighter covenant packages and more conservative capital structures.

Given the choppiness of the market, we recommend that clients proceed carefully, get their ducks in a row on development plans and hire skilled financial advisors to help them navigate this period of uncertainty.

Remember, if you have a quality gaming development project, the market can and will finance a good project, albeit at higher borrowing costs when compared to those of the last few years.

Personal DJ

Posted on April 28, 2010 by -

PRODUCT: ‘Sound Lounge’
MANUFACTURER/DESIGNER: Réalisations Inc.

Montreal, Canada-based Réalisations Inc. has produced a groundbreaking audio and video system to create the eyecandy sound lounge & bar at Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The system’s central feature is the ability of customers to control their own audio/visual mix from the comfort of their booths.

Using interactive, multi-touch tables, guests can direct cameras around the lounge, create visuals and messaging that can be sent to other tables and create sound mixes of their own.

The sound lounge, located next to eyecandy’s dance floor, offers three sound stations that allow users to tap into their “inner DJ” by using their own iPod. During promotional nights at eyecandy, guests can bring their personal music mix to play from their sound station, allowing the DJ to access guests’ music and play it through the main sound system.

The lounge’s dance floor features three layers of images. The glass floor is fed with global low-resolution LED video input that plays continuously on the 70 LED tiles of the dance floor. This LED video content is echoed by a high-resolution overhead video projection that overlays vibrant imagery on dancers. The third layer is triggered by the dancers’ steps on the pressure-activated LED tiles.

“The eyecandy sound lounge & bar marks a new step in the evolution of the club experience,” says Roger Parent, founder and president of Réalisations Inc. “People are used to being able to control their personal environment in their homes. eyecandy gives people the same possibility, but one step further-it allows guests to create their own world in a public space.”

For more information, contact Réalisations at 514-842-3057, or visit the company’s website, www.realisations.net.

The Innovation Group of Companies

Posted on April 28, 2010 by -

The Innovation Group of Companies’ broad range of expertise and experience covers almost every aspect of the casino-resort economic development process: The Innovation Group to consult; Innovation Capital to finance and advise; Innovation Project Development to coordinate build-out; and Innovation Marketing to position.

The Innovation affiliates provide an array of related services that enable clients to maximize their strategic and implementation alternatives-from assessing markets and raising capital to oversight of construction and the development of PR strategies.   

The Innovation Group has always been committed to providing forward-thinking solutions for its clients. Now, when owners and operators move to execute upon our industry-preferred recommendations, they have the collective resources of The Innovation Group of Companies to bring the vision to reality. Working together or independently, Innovation affiliates offer a seamless and efficient transition to address advisory, management, financial, development and marketing needs.  

The Innovation Group of Companies has provided services throughout the Americas, Asia, Europe, Africa, the Caribbean, the Middle East and Canada. Domestically, our client list consists of leading operators like Boyd Gaming, Delaware North, Hard Rock Café International, Harrah’s Entertainment, Isle of Capri Casinos, Las Vegas Sands, MGM Mirage, Penn National Gaming, Trump Entertainment Resorts, Wynn Resorts and more than 100 Native American clients.  

Our affiliates have also worked directly with governmental and regulatory agencies providing strategic planning and advisory services to aid in structuring new gaming jurisdictions, establishing regulations, privatizing state-run operations, transaction and litigation support, expert witness testimony, and asset and portfolio management.    

The Innovation Group of Companies’ reputation for discretion and commitment to ethical practice are second to none.  We implement protective measures to ensure that our clients benefit from our global, national and regional market knowledge without ever compromising the intentions and proprietary information of individual clients.   

The professionals of The Innovation Group of Companies are flexible and responsive, keeping at the forefront of a rapidly changing business environment by continually upgrading the services we provide. When unique approaches are required, we know when and how to create and apply them to put strategies into action for our clients.

Casinos, hotels, food and beverage, convention centers, stadiums, racetracks, entertainment halls, golf courses, spas, RV parks, restaurants, retail facilities and more-our list of successful leisure developments grows longer and more diverse every year.   


The Innovation Group. For the past two decades, The Innovation Group has been recognized as the premier provider of consulting and management services for the gaming, hospitality, leisure and entertainment industries. The Innovation Group provides feasibility studies, market assessments and forecasts, economic impact studies, strategic and financial planning, and a variety of related operations and marketing advisory services.  

To date our reports have been the justification for more than $45 billion in investment decisions including public bond issues, private placements and bank institutions, as well as investor guaranteed credit enhancements.  

Contact: Stephen J. Szapor, Jr., president at 303-798-7711.


Innovation Capital. Since its inception in 2004, Innovation Capital has emerged as a leading middle market investment banking firm with a practice dedicated to the gaming, leisure and hospitality industries.

The firm provides expert merger and acquisition, corporate finance, restructuring and valuation advisory services for projects in the $20 million to $500 million value range. The firm has completed more than 20 transactions aggregating over $1.3 billion.  

The firm’s client list includes Snoqualmie Tribe in Washington, Jumer’s Casino in Rock Island, Illinois, Bedford Downs in Pennsylvania and Tropicana Entertainment in Evansville, Indiana. Member FINRA/SIPC.

Contact: Matt Sodl, president/managing director at 310-335-9333.


Innovation Project Development. Innovation Project Development is a multi-disciplined project management services company capable of providing consulting advice or total development oversight.

Functioning as an owner’s representative, Innovation Project Development can provide a project scope description and site concept, model and plan optimum sizing for maximum revenue, manage the work of design and construction firms to help owners make good gaming industry decisions and to get projects open and operating with tight adherence to schedules and budget.

The staff at Innovation Project Development has experience across the globe and is currently providing its services on such projects as the MGM Grand at Foxwoods and Akwesasne Mohawk Casino expansions.      

Contact: Bob Kelly, president at 228-248-0088.
 

Innovation Marketing. Innovation Marketing leverages the unparalleled consultancy, analysis and insight of The Innovation Group of Companies into effective marketing tactics.  

Services include advertising campaigns, public relations plans, direct marketing campaigns and more.  Working domestically with such high profile clients as Foxwoods Resort Casino, Tropicana and Sandia Resort & Casino, Innovation Marketing is also recognized for its expertise in translating cultural sensitivity within international tourism markets. 

Contact: Joe Witterschein, VP of marketing at 952-906-3831.
 

 
Aspen | Atlantic City | Biloxi | Colorado Springs
Costa Rica | Denver | Los Angeles | Minneapolis  New Orleans | Orlando

Steven M. Rittvo, Chairman | 970.927.1400
 
www.innovationgroupofcompanies.com