Every so often, you’ll hear scholarly discussions of form versus function, style over substance, and the clash of art and commerce—as if these are mutually exclusive concepts.

Once a year, in the pages of Casino Style, it’s our pleasure to delve into the design side of gaming—what some may call the superficial part, the “wrapping” that conceals the essential working parts.

But the more I think about it, the more I believe that, if placed on a scale, style and substance (or form and function, or even art and commerce) would have roughly equal values.

Consider the work of the architects, designers and manufacturers in these pages. These resorts and the spaces inside them—and even the furnishings and fixtures inside the spaces—are pleasing to the eye, and often very beautiful. In part, we love to look at them because of their symmetry, the underlying mathematical balance behind all artistic patterns.

In these structures and spaces, form and function, like clasped hands, make for a stronger whole. Just as the nuts-and-bolts foundation supports the tower that underlies the pleasing edifice, all are part of the same equation, and all are indispensable.

Take our cover story on the new Seminole Hard Rock resort in Hollywood, Florida. The hotel’s guitar-shaped design evokes the kind of response elicited by provocative art: It’s amazing. It’s audacious. It’s impossible to overlook.

The newly expanded Sycuan resort in San Diego County generates a completely different reaction: relaxation, anticipation, and the expectation of elegance and comfort specific to its Southern California locale.

Also in these pages: the latest dining and restaurant trends from Paul Heretakis; the value of working with a purchasing agent from Carl Long; and amenities that boost the buzz of a resort from Bryan Wyman. You’ll hear how entertainment has changed—and how it’s stayed the same—and learn why themed events in the gaming resort deepen loyalty.

One of my favorite parts of Casino Style is Building Excitement, in which we take a look at new or newly refurbished resorts around the world, inside and out. A special report on expansions in the tribal gaming sector demonstrates the growing significance of this industry, which supports whole nations of people.

That’s a lot of substance in this edition of Style. We hope you enjoy it.