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Indoor smoking was once a common and expected feature of casinos. But growing health concerns related to secondhand smoke and the all-time low smoking rate of only 11 percent suggest it is only a matter of time until casinos no longer allow indoor smoking.

In fact, lawmakers in New Jersey and Rhode Island are closer than ever to passing legislation that would close the casino smoking loophole to protect the health of workers and non-smoking guests.

As head of Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights (ANR), I lead our organization’s mission to protect everyone’s right to breathe nontoxic air in workplaces and public places, from offices and airplanes to restaurants, bars and casinos. ANR continues to shine a light on the tobacco industry’s interference with sound, life-saving public health measures, and has successfully protected 61 percent of the population with local or statewide smoke-free workplace, restaurant and bar laws.

Thanks to the organizing of hundreds of casino workers in Atlantic City and a growing number of states, the issue of casino smoking policies and worker health has gained national attention and is fueling a broad movement for more casinos to go smoke-free indoors.

When smoking was brought back into Atlantic City casinos in July 2021, those workers created Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects (CEASE), to mobilize their colleagues to fight for the right to a safe and healthy work environment. Since then, CEASE has expanded to include chapters in several states, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Kansas, with several more to come.

Their campaign has been incredibly successful in recruiting casino workers to join the movement and push lawmakers to finally consider legislation to close the casino smoking loophole.

Earlier this year, Atlantic City casino workers and a coalition of public health advocates gathered in Trenton to urge New Jersey lawmakers to end the outdated practice of indoor smoking in casinos. During hearings before multiple committees in the state legislature, workers shared harrowing stories of being forced to deal table games during pregnancy or chronic illnesses as guests blew smoke right in their faces.

Toxic Work Environment—Literally

The Rhode Island House Committee on Finance hosted a recent hearing that included testimony from workers about closing the casino smoking loophole. “I’m personally dealing with the effects of secondhand smoke and I’m currently out of work due to respiratory issues,” said Vanessa Baker, a table games supervisor at Bally’s Tiverton and member of CEASE Rhode Island. “Since indoor smoking was reinstated last year, every day when we walk into the casino, dealers know we’re being exposed to toxic cancer-causing chemicals in exchange for a paycheck, just to support our families.”

In addition to support from CEASE, legislation to close the loophole is supported by the United Auto Workers, the American Cancer Society, the American Lung Association, the American Heart Association, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

More and more, casinos nationwide are going smoke-free, including Park MGM on the Las Vegas Strip. More than 1,000 gaming properties across 38 states don’t permit smoking indoors, and 20 states have laws requiring commercial casinos to be smoke-free indoors.

To be clear, many in the industry are eager to engage in conversations about indoor smoking. The Indian Gaming Association has hosted multiple public discussions at its annual conference. The Navajo Nation passed legislation in 2021 that made its four casinos smoke-free indoors. Tribal casinos have been leaders in ending indoor smoking and protecting their employees from dangerous secondhand smoke; approximately 160 tribal casinos have adopted 100 percent smoke-free indoor air policies.

Too many, though, continue to employ the sky-is-falling scare tactics about jobs and revenues that contradict independent analysis of competitive casino markets where that just didn’t happen.

The latest data from Las Vegas-based C3 Gaming found that casinos without indoor smoking are outperforming their smoking counterparts.

“Data from multiple jurisdictions clearly indicates that banning smoking no longer causes a dramatic drop in gaming revenue,” the report states. “In fact, non-smoking properties appear to be performing better than their counterparts that continue to allow smoking.”

Further, the leading organization dealing with gambling addiction warns legislators that continuing to allow indoor smoking in casinos will only encourage gambling addiction. But passing bipartisan bills to close the casino smoking loophole would help to address this concern.

“Making casinos smoke-free is likely to reduce the incidence of problem gambling and improve public health,” said the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), in letters to members of the New Jersey Senate and General Assembly.

Taking Responsibility

The C3 report notes that another study, funded and frequently cited by the industry, admits that casinos don’t want smokers to take a break from gambling—a key principle of responsible gaming.

“Casinos throughout North America have made commitments to support responsible gambling initiatives,” according to the C3 report. “Virtually all operators have links to websites that provide additional information regarding playing responsibly. A recent study commissioned by the Casino Association of New Jersey projects gaming revenue losses based on smokers having to take breaks. What the authors of that report unwittingly acknowledge is that a casino that prohibits smoking risks losing gaming revenue, because a certain portion of players who smoke decide during their smoke break to walk away.

“In other words, they chose to play responsibly, and taking a periodic smoking break allowed them to do so. Their argument that a casino will make more money if smokers remain at their games is the antithesis of one of the principles of responsible gaming.”

Beyond the harmful impact that secondhand smoke has on casino guests and employees, the C3 report points out that allowing indoor smoking leads to increased costs and energy and water consumption related to the frequent maintenance and cleaning costs for carpets, table game felts, furniture upholstery and gaming devices.

Some casino executives have also claimed that state-of-the-art air filtration systems can offset the dangers of secondhand smoke. While these claims may be well-intended, the experts better suited to speak on these issues have examined the issue of indoor smoking and have come to very different conclusions.

Engineering professionals from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), a technical society that develops standards for indoor environmental quality, have also provided expert analysis to lawmakers and industry executives on the issue of casinos handling secondhand smoke.

In a recent letter to the Rhode Island House Committee on Finance, ASHRAE wrote, “(Ventilation systems) are not effective against secondhand smoke” and “can reduce only odor and discomfort, but cannot eliminate exposure. There is no currently available or reasonably anticipated ventilation or air-cleaning system that can adequately control or significantly reduce the health risks of (environmental tobacco smoke) to an acceptable level.”

The Future is Smoke-Free

A recent study on secondhand smoke by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Office on Smoking and Health examined air quality in Las Vegas casinos. The report, titled “What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Your Lungs,” evaluated particulate matter—an indicator for secondhand smoke—in casinos that are smoke-free indoors, and compared the results to casinos that allow smoking. They affirmed that unsafe levels of secondhand smoke were still present in the areas of the casinos where smoking was otherwise prohibited, and that prohibiting smoking throughout the entirety of a casino is the only way to prevent the harms of secondhand smoke.

Some in the gaming industry insist on catering to a shrinking population (only one in nine adults report to be smokers), while forcing their workers to choose between their health and a paycheck. But times have changed, and the status quo is neither acceptable nor a wise business decision. Casinos that do not allow indoor smoking generate more revenue than their smoke-filled competitors and the majority of people prefer a smoke-free environment.

Earlier this year, Rivers Casino Portsmouth, the first permanent casino to open in Virginia, met with sharp criticism from guests and employees for allowing smoking across the gaming floor. After a week of bad press and negative feedback, it adjusted its policies to limit smoking to a specific section of the casino. While this is ultimately not the best solution for addressing health concerns, it illustrates the public’s strong preference for smoke-free casinos.

Operating smoke-free indoors does not force casinos to abandon guests who smoke. As casinos consider post-pandemic upgrades or expansions, opting for outdoor smoking patios, where no employees would have to work, would be a better investment than ventilation systems that are ineffective against secondhand smoke.

Rather than fighting for the right to expose their workers to secondhand smoke, casinos would be better off exploring options that improve working conditions for frontline workers and create a positive gaming environment for their guests. Casino workers, public health advocates and experts across many industries agree that going smoke-free indoors makes the most sense and can contribute to the long-term success of the industry.

The video wall at Choctaw Casino & Resort changes with the hours of the day, deepening from daylight to dusk to nightfall, and also changing with the seasons.

The attraction called the Link features a setting of flora, fauna and fantasy, including true-to-life woodland creatures who casually come and go from the glen, drawing viewers into their digital world. Animals and other features rise unexpectedly, leaving visitors with a sense of wonder and an eagerness to see more.

Conceptualized as a “living” attraction, the Link takes digital entertainment to the nth degree, technology-wise. Since its launch in 2020 at the Durant, Oklahoma tribal resort, it has become a stand-alone destination, the latest iteration of attractions like the fountains at the Bellagio in Las Vegas.

“The Link serves as the resort’s digital response to other well-known gaming industry art installations,” says Dave Kubajak, senior vice president of sales for JCM Global, which designed and installed the attraction in collaboration with Meld Strategy and Creative. “It also serves as a bridge between the two large gaming floors.”

Signs of the Times

For decades, Times Square in New York City showed the world how to use video walls to make a statement, in the form of giant billboards. Who wasn’t mesmerized to see the Marlboro Man blowing smoke into the air from above, or the Camel man doing the same? OK, maybe that was a bad look. But it was an innovative one.

Today’s video walls—bigger, splashier and more interactive than ever—also took a cue from a humble concept: TV screens at sports bars and sportsbooks.

Just a few years ago, sportsbooks were a rarity outside Las Vegas. But sports bars were a thing, and they usually featured an array of televisions plastered around the room, almost all showcasing a different game. They were, in fact, rudimentary video walls, with a pulse on the future.

In 2018, after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the federal law prohibiting sports betting, Atlantic City casinos started adding sportsbooks. That’s when designers saw the potential of video walls and how they could evolve beyond a bank of TV screens. “As technology advanced, so did our design perspective in order to stay ahead of the latest trends,” says Michael Mangini, director of design for SOSH Architects.

Multimedia walls became more than just a way to broadcast a baseball or basketball game while customers imbibed a beer or three. They became a source of entertainment—not just in sportsbooks and sports bars, but in retail clothing boutiques, health care centers, corporate boardrooms, and any businesses that saw an opportunity to make a statement, and had the means to do so.

Video wall at Terre Haute Casino & Resort by R2Architects, to open in 2024

New Jersey-based R2Architects designed a video feature, now under construction, for Terre Haute Casino and Resort in Indiana. “You’ll see it in the center of the casino, a two-sided video wall,” says John P. Ruiz, who is principal of R2A, along with David J. Rudzenski. The wall involves huge circular screens inside and outside a bar on the casino floor, and features a 60-foot diameter video wall, up to eight feet tall, inboard and outboard.

It displays sporting events at multiple venues, “intermixed with property promotions and shows, in tandem with music video content as well,” says Ruiz. “Around the circumference on the ring you’re seeing a variety of different content.”

At All Costs

The investment level for video walls has “come down in 10 years, but is still expensive,” Ruiz adds. “A small four-by-10-foot wall could cost up to the $100,000 range. Larger ones have a $1 million budget. If you want higher clarity, you spend more money.”

Video walls have become an integral part of design, rather than an afterthought. And large-format videos that evoke emotion and feedback can be pretty spectacular. Take the famous Fremont Street Experience in Downtown Las Vegas, which was credited with bringing traffic back to the city that had left for the Strip. Or the video wall at Harrah’s Atlantic City, which covers the whole side of the 46-story building, and promotes upcoming concerts and other special events, and can be seen from miles away.

“There’s a true science to creating the right ratio of curated media content and pixel resolution to the distance in which the end-user is viewing it,” says Mangini. “We’re fortunate to work with some truly talented audio-visual and acoustical consultants that specialize in this area.”

If the space is more intimate and guests view the screens up close, finer resolution is essential. From a distance, less resolution is needed. Designers must also weigh lighting to create an immersive viewing experience. Consumers are increasingly sophisticated about digital entertainment, so when a property invests in a digital display, quality must be top of mind.

“We work with clients that don’t have budgets to accommodate huge video walls but still want an AV experience that we can creatively deliver,” Mangini says. “Though as technology becomes more affordable, we anticipate seeing more of the TVs currently being used in those venues replaced with video walls. There are no boundaries if your imagination, creativity and budget help guide the design decisions.”

 William Hill Sportsbook at Tropicana Atlantic City (Photo credit: Dinofa Photography)

SOSH designs include the Gallery at the Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, which features three massive custom direct-view LED video walls; and the William Hill Sportsbook at Tropicana, also in AC, which includes more than 1,654 square feet of 2.6 mm pixel pitched LED screens.

“Bigger is often better,” Mangini says, “and you can deliver more content with versatility, whether it’s one large Super Bowl party or basketball tournaments with 20 games being shown at once.”

Sound Decisions

On the auditory side, operators have the ability to control the content they want. “We often consider audio sound isolation when creating multiple viewing areas,” Mangini says. “This is where an invisible audio cone of sound isolation is established for a specific seating area.

“People outside this area cannot hear the audio well as opposed to the people inside the area of the invisible audio cone. We can establish multiple AV and audio zones where different groups can experience different games without interfering with one another.”

At the Desert Diamond West Valley Casino in Glendale, Arizona, JCM installed a broad range of digital signage, from the sports bar to the bingo room to the poker room.

“At the sports bar, guests enjoy the action on five giant LED video walls for the ultimate sports viewing party,” says Kubajak. “The poker room features 16 LCD displays suspended from the ceiling in unique pod configurations, giving players the ability to enjoy a game of poker without missing the action of any broadcasted sporting event.

“Additionally, in the bingo room, a 16.4-foot-by-11.4-foot LED video wall displays all the bingo fun, along with a variety of live programming for added entertainment.”

The R2A-designed video wall at Oak Grove Racing Gaming and Hotel in Oak Grove, Kentucky rises three feet above the casino floor behind a bar. A band plays from a stage behind the bartender, and the video wall lays behind the band.

“A lot of times customers want to outdo themselves and use digital signage as an opportunity to refresh and update the property,” Kubajak says. “For example, we recently installed our largest-ever sports ticker: a DSS FLEX LITE-S 1.9 mm ticker measuring 96 feet wide by nearly two feet high at Jack Thistledown Racino in Ohio.”

From Subtle to Spectacular

The casino floor at Resorts World Catskills features a dynamic installation with water that “bounces” off whatever it hits at the bottom of the screen. At the center of the video wall, a hydraulic door opens to a small stage and causes the water to “crash” into the door frame while it’s visible. It creates an incredible, relaxing experience for guests to enjoy while they sit in the bar area.

Another example of an extravagant outdoor display is at Grand Casino in Shawnee, Oklahoma, where JCM installed a 10-mm Mitsubishi NXL Series double-sided digital sign that measures nearly 40 feet wide and 20 feet tall on both sides. It’s mounted within an existing pylon sign frame structure at the property’s entrance and greets guests with a variety of messaging.

“The sportsbooks we originally designed five years ago are utilizing AV consultants to update their processing capabilities to deliver the best quality viewing experience for their customers,” says Kubajak.

Some operators prefer subtlety over spectacle, or want to strike a balance between the two. “It’s important to be considerate of the client and end user, what their expectations are and what you’re trying to achieve through design,” says Mangini. “Spectacular isn’t necessarily the right fit for a piano bar or intimate lounge setting, while a high-energy sports bar or outdoor arena necessitates more of a dramatic design approach.”

Whether reorganizing or designing something new, it’s necessary to not only appeal to the client but factor in the space and the budget. “In a small space, we’re mindful not to overload every wall and instead be focus-driven on what will create the best immersive experience,” says Mangini. “Each space and client has its own unique set of requirements in terms of what they’re trying to achieve.”

Outside the gaming realm, the trend of immersive art exhibits in media and AV are intended to be highly sensory and their popularity is sparking similar exhibits to pop up.

“Immersive is good and creates an opportunity to push the envelope of using technology as a way to create and enhance unique guest experiences, while also taking into consideration the end user and what the client wants to achieve,” says Mangini.

Million-dollar shows are always fun to design, especially when they’re focused and have a purpose, he adds. “Spectacular spaces can be impactful and memorable when they’re designed for the right environment.”

The resort pool has reached its utopia, perhaps best demonstrated by the Circa Stadium Swim, at the Circa resort in Downtown Las Vegas.

There, guests don’t simply loll by the pool. They slide into poolside boxes, water couches, daybeds and lower cabanas. They sip drinks, watch the big game and participate in fantasy-football parties. Massive 40-foot high-definition screens reach skyward, while six pools on three levels augment the luxury experience.

Welcome to the crossroads of luxury, decadence and affluence. Does anyone even want to go swimming anymore?

Stadium Swim is just one example of the surge in pool and spa construction at casino hotels. Besides exuding luxury, they make room for shared experiences. Beverages, saunas, salons and hot tubs are valued amenities, keeping guests happily on property.

Just Say ‘Ahh’

“Spas are an increasingly popular antidote for our stressful world,” says Emily Marshall, IIDA, interior design director and principal at HBG Design. “The more harried life becomes, the more guests are seeking a serene and rejuvenating spa experience.”

The modern spa retreat “is less about opulence, and more about wellness and the way a space makes the guest feel—with more authentic, contextual, holistic design features and smart technology integration that produces distinctiveness and differentiation for the resort.”

HBG Design has created pool and vitality pool environments that connect to the spa, to food-and-beverage venues and to other special events, Marshall says. “These pools are activated for entertainment, integrating dining and beverage service opportunities as separate revenue generators.”

Indoor Pool and Events Complex at Gun Lake

Event-connected pools include the rooftop pool environment at Four Winds South Bend Casino and the Indoor Pool and Events Complex at Gun Lake, now under construction.

“Spas are typically set apart from the gaming amenities as a space for guests to quiet the outside noise and reconnect with themselves,” says Landon Shockey, ASID, HBG’s lead interior designer and spa design specialist. “Successful spa design enchants and indulges all five senses, while emphasizing wellness and presenting experiences that nourish the soul.”

F&B offerings range from café-style light fare and healthy options to seasonal dishes that emphasize the healing benefits of ingredients. Knowing the customer demographic in the specific market often dictates how much of a driver food and beverage becomes in relation to the spa experience.

“We’re also seeing a trend in the design of larger VIP suites that accommodate spa services,” Shockey says. “These suites provide a secluded escape for couples and small groups to partake in extended spa services all within their own private space.”

Healing Springs

The 8,000-square-foot Astral Spa at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort offers a lush, contemporary take on the iconic Hot Springs bathhouse spa, Shockey says, “along with a relaxed nostalgic ambiance that frames each guest’s spa journey through a complete sensory wellness experience.”

Designed by HBG with the Arch Amenity Group and Design for Leisure, the attraction is the first major full-service spa to be designed and built in Arkansas’ famous “Spa City” in more than a century.

Marrying crisp modern lines with historic themes, the spa’s design

celebrates the history of Hot Springs and Oaklawn’s thoroughbred horse racing. It features a dedicated 1,925-square-foot women’s spa and a 1,500-square-foot men’s spa, each with distinctly tailored parlors, dressing room areas and aqua-thermal lounges featuring vintage-inspired needle showers that recall historic bathhouses.

Unique hot/cold wellness circuits in the women’s and men’s areas allow guests to “heat, cool, rest, repeat” in vapor rooms, infrared saunas, ice lounges, vitality pools and thermal loungers. “The infrared saunas are the first of their type in the region,” says Shockey.

At the new 317-key hotel, spa and conference and events expansion at Four Winds Casino in South Bend, Indiana, guests are greeted with a “seamlessly beautiful display of contemporary design,” says Paul Bell, AIA, HBG principal and project manager. That look “flows through every space, with a celebration of the Pokagon Tribe’s rich heritage and the natural elements of their native lands,” he adds. “One of the most important cultural elements in this celebration is the red cedar wood that’s prominently featured throughout the property.”

The 10,000-square-foot Cedar Spa, designed by HBG with Blu Spa Consultants, offers a variety of traditional and unique spa therapies in a tranquil, biophilic space designed to fully embrace relaxation, well-being and healing.

Up on the Roof

The soothing experience originates at the spa entrance on the main promenade of the hotel, highlighted by an illuminated ceiling feature appearing as sunlight shining through a canopy of red cedar trees.

Ornate copper ceiling elements allow pockets of light to peek through, creating dancing shadows around the spa entry. Multi-colored lighting introduces serene color palettes into the space.

Floor-to-ceiling screening combines cedar planks mixed with copper blocking and color-changing lighting to create elegant wayfinding from the entry reception and retail area to the treatment corridors.

The unique layout of the spa allows each treatment area to be hidden from the next, granting each guest a private and personalized experience. Guests are guided through the river rock and stacked stone-lined main treatment corridor to reach their desired spa service.

“While some resorts incorporate the pool environment into the spa experience, Four Winds South Bend has made its new rooftop pool deck a central part of their F&B, events and entertainment offerings,” Bell says. The entire third-floor level is dedicated to high-end VIP and hospitality suites that accommodate smaller intimate events, catered parties and VIP receptions.

“Perched on the third-floor VIP and hospitality suite level adjacent to the hotel’s new Edgewater Café bar and restaurant, the pool environment, with its large pool deck, lounge seating and hot tub, becomes an extension of this entertaining space,” says Bell. “The café and the rooftop pool are interconnected through clerestory windows and retractable glass partition walls.”

HBG Design is currently leading the architectural and interior design for the $300 million Phase 5 expansion of Gun Lake Casino in Wayland, Michigan, just south of Grand Rapids.

The Spa Retreat, featuring a spa pool and fitness center, will be located on the lower level of the new hotel expansion, with a palette inspired by nature in the region. The spa pool will offer a relaxing retreat away from the excitement of the casino.

Pooling Resources

Casino operators “want guests to feel there’s something for everyone,” says David Nejelski, creative director and principal at TBE Architects. “Catering to parents, kids, singles and professionals can mean flexible spaces for multiple uses. A spacious pool deck can function as a nice spot to hang out as a family by day and shift to a private party deck for corporate or private events by night.”

Owners are taking advantage of the holistic whole-body trend by partnering with spa companies. The partner leases the space and both reap the benefits. “While one spouse is on the gaming floor, the other can take advantage of a facial treatment or soak in a hot tub,” Nejelski says. “Both parties are happy.”

Nejelski espouses two rules of thumb regarding pools and spas: one for places like Las Vegas, and the second for locals markets.

“For Las Vegas, the adage ‘If you build it, they will come’ isn’t new, but it’s always relevant. Your ideal client should be well thought out before designs are made. What’s their age? What are their aesthetic preferences? What’s trending for this clientele?

“Properties wanting to cater to a younger demographic can create layers of emotion with high energy as well as rejuvenating and invigorating experiences in the pool and spa areas.

“By having a firm grasp on your vision and a strong sense of direction, such details as visual art, mood and artistic lighting, color palette and scents and sounds can assist the owners to orchestrate a better guest experience so they will want to visit again and again.”

At locals resorts, the goal is to keep a property’s established community satisfied while expanding its market reach, says Nejelski. Attractions and amenities that involve the whole family will draw in guests from the surrounding areas and farther afield. Casino resorts that help create memories for adults and singles, families and kids will stand out.

While the main objective is to keep patrons on the gaming floor and increase the incremental drop, each time they leave to eat, sleep or spend time with family, there’s a risk they may not return. As a result, “owners are seeing the advantages of creating spaces for private events, personal rental spaces and exclusive high-limit features,” Nejelski says. “Providing unique individualized conveniences is at the forefront of design planning and property operations. The question becomes, ‘How can you give each guest the VIP treatment?’

“Specific design features include private poolside cabanas, reservable party pool decks and exclusive whirlpools. And don’t forget the views—whether it’s the city skyline or a mountain view, take advantage of it. It’s all part of creating memorable spaces and moments for guests.”

Spa at Prairie Band Casino Resort

TBE projects include a 70,000-square-foot expansion of the Prairie Band Casino & Resort in Mayetta, Kansas. It includes 74 beautiful new guest rooms and a therapeutic spa where patrons can soothe the spirit and indulge in a personal sensory experience.

“The spa features a palette of calming colors, accentuated by the soothing glow of 48 Himalayan salt tiles embedded in a wall of soft white and gray to infuse the space in calming energy,” says Nejelski. “As guests step into one of two plunge pools, they will undoubtedly reflect on the intricately carved wood relief on the opposing wall. Moving deeper into the spa area, guests looking to reduce stress will find an abundance of space to relax in the new 179-square-foot steam room.”

TBE is also putting its 50-plus years of experience to work on multiple nondisclosed projects throughout the country. These renovations and additions include health-and-wellness pool and spa areas to rejuvenate, restore and create memories for the entire family.

“From unique whirlpools with spacious views, to upscale party decks that will make the guest the talk of the town, poolside private cabanas that make them feel like royalty, an expansive holistic whole-body experience, and pool adventures the kids will beg to return to, the TBE design team is flourishing with ideas,” says Nejelski. “We take properties to the next level.”

Pools of the Present & Future

The pool at Encore, Wynn Las Vegas

Pools are going to continue to be a major draw in casino resorts,” says Andrew Kreft, executive senior principal and director of design for Lifescapes International.

“They offer so much more beyond the gaming floor. There are various uses for the pool, from the reveler to the sunbather, playful and relaxing.”

Advancements in technology include pool floors that rise above the water level to meet the adjacent paving surface, which extends the spa patio. There’s been an evolution of VIP experiences, with whole pool areas dedicated to exclusivity and an upscale feeling.

Resort pools are evolving to create unique and distinct areas that appeal to different age groups, activity levels and price points. And there’s a major focus on monetizing pool areas.

“Upscale offerings include paying for premium seating, chaise lounges on Baja ledges, prime locations and cabanas,” says Kreft. Most of these features require reservations and advance planning for the guest, he adds.

Amenities are the revenue driver. His company creates spaces where the casino resort can upcharge. Properties also want the pool area to be flexible for concerts, events, etc.

Pools can also cross-purpose with clubs (such as XS nightclub at Wynn Las Vegas) where the pool is an extension of the indoor environment. And small details are a big deal.

“You want to make sure the pool area gets decent amounts of sun all day, that it’s conveniently located for ease of guest access, and that it has enough seats for the number of guests,” says Kreft. “You also want to make sure the design has a good balance of water, plantings and other amenities, so it feels like a dynamic space and not a ‘parking lot’ for chaises.”

The pool at Resorts World Las Vegas

In this case, one size usually doesn’t fit all, he indicates. Every property is different.

“Are there views you’re trying to hide or views you want to showcase? These things guide us into dividing a pool up into many experiences which create interest for guests staying multiple days.”

Multiple days indeed. That gives guests multiple options, multiple amenities and multiple reasons to stay at the property.

Despite our many differences in appearance, size, beliefs and dietary preferences, we share a common desire to enjoy good food and quality dining experiences.

In the context of casinos, operators want to procure and provide the perfect blend of food and beverage options to complement their properties and brands; contractors and designers want to build them on a grand scale; and of course, patrons want to enjoy the actual results. The process of selecting and refining that blend is daunting, however. Perhaps the first and most common question operators and architects must ask is whether to invest in an original venue or one with an established brand or celebrity association.

The calculus is like evaluating professional athletes before a draft—an original offering may be seen as a risk with a higher upside potential, whereas a branded operation may have a higher floor but less growth potential.

There’s no one correct answer. A successful dining experience is dependent on service and execution, not a particular name or brand, and there is a litany of good and bad examples for each. Operators also differ in their particular preferences.

As commercial and tribal operators expand and renovate their brick-and-mortar holdings, the debate between branded versus original dining options has more voices and considerations than ever.

Bolstered by Big Names

Opening a new restaurant, in a casino or elsewhere, carries a lot of risk, perhaps more than any other type of development. Thus, branded venues most often represent the safer option because of their consistency. An established platform checks a lot of boxes, which is enticing for operators focused on providing swift returns on investment. They also come with their own costs—mainly in the form of licensing fees—but the expansion of numerous franchises and chefs around the country would indicate that those costs are more than feasible.

In recent years, there has been “continued interest in incorporating established F&B brands into the casino resort environment,” says Dike Bacon, principal at HBG Design. The concept of co-branding with high-profile chefs and companies is “gaining more traction with casinos as a means to broader market appeal and greater name recognition from an expanding customer base.

“For a while it seemed like expensive branding fees were deterring the introduction of new branded venues into the casino resort,” Bacon continues. “But integrated branding appears to have made a comeback on an even grander scale and commitment.”

One example of a brand that’s made extensive inroads in the casino space is Rock & Brews (R&B), a brew-pub chain backed by Rock & Roll Hall of Famers and KISS frontmen Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. According to R&B CEO Adam Goldberg, the company, formed in 2010, already boasts a total of 23 locations throughout the U.S., partly thanks to the popularity of the associated artists.

“Having the celebrity stamp of approval means our brand is proven and successful,” Goldberg notes. “With our extensive years in the hospitality industry, we are operators first. Casinos can benefit from our operational expertise, from menus to playlists to art packages and built-in marketing opportunities with other rock stars.”

Alexandra Milkovich, senior interior designer for HBG who helped design the R&B Casino and Restaurant in Braman, Oklahoma, echoes this point. “Having a celebrity name attached to a property is, of course, a great marketing tool for a casino owner,” she says, adding that celebrities and franchises “have a large following of people who want to be part of the next big ‘thing’ in the industry.”

John P. Ruiz, Principal, R2Architects

Of course, the celebrity name in a lot of cases is tied to a specific chef, long a popular choice among operators and ultimately, their patrons. These venues often do a good job of maintaining a somewhat consistent standard of service while also catering to the unique aspects of each property and its geographic location. Food is a universal language, and a chef with a following can attract new demographics, some of whom wouldn’t have ventured to a casino otherwise.

Chef-sponsored restaurants can also present unique challenges, but there are still plenty of opportunities to be had if the process is done right, notes John P. Ruiz, principal at R2Architects.

According to Ruiz, the success of celebrity chef-branded venues starts with all parties involved sitting down and negotiating the details, down to the menu items and design elements, to ensure limited friction throughout the construction process and afterwards as well.

Usually, Ruiz says, “the bigger the reputation the chef has, the more knowledge and experience they have,” which allows them to “go into a deal like this because they tend to be very busy people.”

Guy Fieri opens Guy’s Bar-B-Que Joint in Atlantic City

Working with celebrities is never easy, especially for complex operations like casinos and restaurants. Ruiz chuckles when recounting deals from years past that “just imploded” over the most trivial disagreements—“these things happen.” Among other projects, R2A has collaborated with Guy Fieri, the spiky-haired Mayor of FlavorTown himself, on three sponsored eateries: Guy’s Sammich Joint at Harrah’s Atlantic City, Guy’s Bar-B-Que Joint at Wild West Atlantic City, and Guy Fieri’s Philly Kitchen & Bar at Harrah’s Philadelphia.

Letting Grass Roots Rise

Despite all the benefits that brand recognition may have for F&B offerings in casinos, rinse-and-repeat franchises can lack certain non-quantifiable elements that ground-up venues can create; simply put, there’s no soul, no creativity.

Choosing to open an original venue may not bring the same immediate returns as a big-box chain, but if executed correctly, the upside can be higher, and the best designers and contractors can fully showcase their talents free from pre-packaged presentations.

“When you’re doing your own venue, you’re free of all those parameters that exist with a branded venue,” says Elena Gonova, senior associate, interior design at Cuningham Group Architecture. “If you can create a unique experience, that’s an amazing opportunity. It’s looking at context, it’s looking at the market, it’s looking at the clientele and what’s missing.”

Choosing the ground-up approach means shouldering more of the responsibility, and operators must also have a sense of what their particular patrons want. Branded options come with a “pre-set expectation for design and quality of space,” says Gonova, whereas the best original ideas are often the result of “identifying what’s needed, the niche (operators) want to fill” for their location.

Cuningham Principal and Director of New York Gregory Houck adds that the market itself plays a big role when it comes to the F&B process. Large urban markets like the Las Vegas Strip tend to elicit high-class, one-off experiences that chains simply may not be able to match.

“A lot of times, urban centers around the country may be the business center or the downtown of a city,” says Houck. “A lot of times that’s not the right place for a branded, more cookie-cutter type restaurant, even if it’s really high-end. There are certain situations where you really want a brand that’s unique to the market. And that can become a draw if it’s a one-of-a-kind type thing.”

The Stillaguamish Tribe’s Angel of the Winds casino in Washington state, a Cuningham project, features the luxurious Whiskey Prime steakhouse, a stunning example of a well-executed, ground-up venue.

Whiskey Prime, Angel of the Winds Casino

Of course, that’s not to say that smaller, regional casinos should completely shy away from creating their own identity as well. After all, most of the biggest chains in the U.S. began in some of the smallest towns, as hometown favorites.

For Austin Gerber, senior associate at SOSH Architects, there’s nothing wrong with the grass-roots approach. “We do like to see some of our local neighborhood restaurants become featured names within these larger casino venues, and it’s always nice to be able to support them and encourage them to grow into a brand themselves.”

Gerber also notes that some casinos may not even have the choice to go with a branded venue due to various constraints. Before the process even starts, there has to be a “test fit” to see if a space “even complies to meet specific size requirements that a brand may have.”

Original venues, of course, have no such restrictions, which can be seen as both an opportunity and a challenge. Celebrity chefs may be difficult to work with in some situations, but seeing an idea through from start to finish takes just as much if not more collaboration between parties.

“When it’s a one-off, it’s our responsibility to kind of help guide and create that brand with the client versus being handed the brand,” says SOSH Interior Design Studio Manager Arley Sochocky. “I’d say that a one-off development of a brand for somebody tends to be a little more challenging versus already having a brand identity that’s tried and true in other locations.

Il Verdi, Tropicana Atlantic City

A prime example of this collaboration and execution from SOSH is the award-winning Il Verdi, a gourmet Italian restaurant located inside Tropicana Atlantic City, complete with custom finishes, fixtures and furniture.

Location, Location

Of all the factors that influence the F&B decision-making process, two are perhaps most important: the location of the venue within the casino and the size of the casino itself. Often, these details will help the process shake out—or, as R2A’s Ruiz puts it, “you can start to peel the layers off the onion.”

“It really varies,” he says. “And what I mean by that is the size of the property—does it have three to five outlets, or does the property have 15 to 20 or 25 or more food-and-beverage outlets? How large is the property? That’s where these things start.”

Renovations and expansions of existing spaces are more common than brand-new builds, which means that casinos often have a predetermined space in which to fit a venue, and there are do’s and don’ts that correspond to that scenario.

As Cuningham’s Houck says, “One of the bigger questions is, what do you want to fill if it’s a large casino? It’s kind of like 101—you don’t put a Mexican place next to another Mexican place. So there is a sense of looking at what’s needed.”

Additionally, changes in patron preferences can make certain concepts outdated, and renovating can allow operators to “remain responsive to changing market conditions and new branding opportunities and to refresh a property’s offerings,” says HBG’s Milkovich.

Casinos big and small are like mini-ecosystems, constantly trying to find the best flow, the best integration of amenities and gaming. As such, companies will vary in their brands and tastes (no pun intended), and architects and designers will work to keep pace with those changes.

“Different clients and different properties have different techniques or theories behind it,” SOSH’s Sochocky explains. “Some clients we work with actually like their top restaurant all the way at the back of a casino, so they can draw people through the casino floor to get to it. Some of our clients like it at the front door… Their gaming floor also has a lot to do with it. It does become a little bit of a game of real estate.”

Regardless of the type of venue, it’s clear that the true beneficiaries are the patrons, the ones who get to fully enjoy the experiences that operators, designers and architects work so hard to create. A truly successful venue is one that can satisfy its target audience, again and again and again.

There is a contingent of Las Vegas natives who contend that the town was run better when the mob was in control. That, of course, discounts the money laundering, the skimming, the loan sharking and yes, the murders, but they seem to have a nostalgic sense about the “old” Las Vegas. So let’s ignore the bad stuff and focus on what represents old Vegas. Well, the Sands, the Frontier, the Stardust, the Desert Inn, the Dunes and dozens of other old-time Vegas casinos are all gone, so what’s left?

For those who want to slake their nostalgic jones, head Downtown and visit El Cortez, one of the original Vegas casinos (with apologies to the Golden Gate at the foot of Fremont Street), and the longest continuously operating Nevada casino.

El Cortez was built by a group led by one of the original Vegas entrepreneurs, J. Kell Houssels, for $245,000 in 1942, only a decade after gaming became legal in Nevada. Despite the fact it was on the same Fremont Street as the Golden Gate, it was considered too far from the town center to become a success. But it bucked the trend and became a big success, so Houssels sold the property to a group of mobsters led by Meyer Lansky and Bugsy Siegel in 1945 for $600,000. When Siegel was close to opening his spectacular Flamingo on what would become the Las Vegas Strip, Houssels bought El Cortez back from the mob a year later for $766,000, with the stipulation that they’d never bother Houssels again.

Jackie Gaughan owned El Cortez for more than 50 years

In 1963, the “King of Downtown” Jackie Gaughan added El Cortez to his stable of properties, buying it from Houssels for $4.5 million. Over the years, Gaughan added a hotel tower and the former Ogden House, which was renovated into 64 suites, giving the property a total of 364 rooms and suites.

In 2008, Gaughan sold the property to his longtime partner, Kenny Epstein, who began working for Gaughan in 1975. He recounts his initial meeting with Gaughan during a visit to the Tahoe Biltmore in Northern Nevada, owned at the time by Gaughan.

“My father wanted me to meet Mr. Gaughan,” explains Epstein, “and he called him a ‘triple threat.’ I knew what that meant in football but my father explained what it meant in business. He said, ‘He’s smart, he’s a go-getter and he’s on the square. That’s a triple threat.’ So what more can you say about Jackie?”

For Epstein, being “on the square” was important. In 1975 many Vegas casinos were owned by the mob and its associates, and Epstein, like Houssels, wanted nothing to do with that.

After Gaughan sold to Epstein he continued to live at the hotel in a penthouse suite, spending his days playing poker in the hotel’s poker room, until he passed away in 2014. His suite is now available to guests, and it’s a step back in time, furnished in the ’40s style, the heyday of El Cortez.

Current owner Kenny Epstein (l.) and CEO Mike Nolan have run El Cortez for almost two decades

Epstein and his partners have sunk more than $50 million into the property since ’08, and made several substantial changes, including renovating every hotel room on the property.

Another was to reduce the number of restaurants from two (the Flame steakhouse and a coffee shop) to one. While that bucks the trend of more and more F&B outlets in today’s casinos, Epstein explains the logic.

“I had a fellow come to me once and he told me that we were ignoring our history,” Epstein says. “He said that he could design a restaurant with a Bugsy Seigel theme and it would be a smash hit. And he was right. Our Seigel’s 1941 restaurant does very well and has pictures of Bugsy, Virginia Hill and others from that period.”

El Cortez is one of the most honored casinos in Las Vegas, winning many categories in the “Best of Vegas” series published in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, including best comps, best players club, highest-paying slots, best tables and more.

A category that makes Epstein smile, however, is one that recognizes his employees, because as historic as El Cortez is, the secret of its success is the hospitality offered by employees. The reason is simple, says Epstein.

“It’s just a family business, and we care about these people,” he says. “Everybody cares about their customers, but when you can get your employees to really care about their customers, that’s what makes it so special.”

El Cortez offers some vintage video poker games that still accept coins

Mike Nolan, the CEO of El Cortez, says it all starts with Epstein.

“It wouldn’t happen without him,” he laughs. “He’s always talking to people in the elevators, asking them where they’re from and how they’re enjoying their stay. When they get home they write to tell us how thrilled they were to have met Kenny.

“Sometimes they even call him to make reservations! It’s that personal camaraderie that all the employees try to replicate.”

No, visiting the El Cortez won’t transfer you back to the days when the mob ruled Vegas, but it will allow you to experience the personal service, great food and good gamble that you might have found in those days.