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rest of the casino and hotel. We will be exploring current trends that have proven to be successful in increasing guest satisfaction with room accommodations, and especially those that create the desire to come back again for more. MURPHY: One of the keys to our success has been the constant refreshing and reinventing of our existing facilities. Whether it is hotel rooms, restaurants or meeting facilities, we are regularly renovating the property in order to keep it new and exciting for our guests. In 2014, we unveiled a major multimilliondollar renovation of our 22,000-squarefoot hotel lobby, two restaurants and the addition of two new dining outlets. We saw immediate improvements in the performance of these renovated outlets. RIZZO: Management needs to be continually aware from customer feedback of upgrades and modifications that would increase revenues. This can be in the number and variety of food and beverage options as well the local and regional competition. Recently, we have seen a trend in adding and upgrading food court offerings and incorporating coffee, dessert and wine tasting to their venues.
HOSKINS: Hotels are not just rooms. Hotels are market differentiators, and it’s critical to use them to that end. Having the ability to vary the room choices within a resort for the clientele desired is the most advantageous. We work with our clients to understand these four fundamentals: 1. The ratio of rooms to slots. It’s important to size a hotel based on anticipated occupancy and market potential. 2. The need to differentiate your hotel from the competition. A solid market analysis will enable clients to make smart decisions about how they can fill a void in the marketplace and attract guests from the surrounding market or even become a destination magnet. 3. Position the hotel as a core component of the casino resort. An integrated resort works when all the building types complement one another and there is a core purpose and design intent unifying the resort. 4. Create hotel amenities to complement resort amenities.
ting away your clothes, washing up and having a snack. A design and amenities that satisfy you will likely do the same for your guests. KREFT: We have, from time to time, worked on properties that started out with just a casino. When this occurs, we meet with the team, which usually includes ownership, the architect/planner, general contractor and other operations-oriented team members, to discuss how the overall property will be “masterplanned” moving forward. All sorts of conditions need to be addressed early on when considering the addition of a hotel. The significance of a well-functioning porte-cochere (for guests, valet, bus drop, etc.) is as significant as the entry drive approach, access to the pool area within the hotel, its convenience to your hotel guests and the amenities at the pool area that make most sense for a particular property and its guest profile. We know that your guests’ first impression will be made as they arrive off the main thoroughfare into the casi-
STEELMAN: Every casino maximizes the amount of non-gaming revenue for every tandem used space. Simple techniques of advertising (specials, etc.) can increase revenue and attendance. The idea is to develop non-gaming attractions that enhance the casino gaming experience. If that occurs, the activities will be made for one another and the non-gaming and the gaming areas will all be energized with people and profits.
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What are some of the factors to consider when adding a hotel to a stand-alone casino?
EMERY: One of the biggest mistakes we see in the addition of hotels adjoining casinos is a lack of connection. Generally speaking, the entry sequence of the casino and hotel should have a “WOW” moment and allow the guests to make choices as to where to go. We always try to have a visual link between the hotel front desk and part of the gaming floor.
The Golden Nugget Atlantic City KELLY: The weakest model we see, and the one to avoid, is the hotel that was not planned. The hotel with no narrative—the hotel that is not marketed to a defined group of guests. Do that and you end up being nothing to anybody rather than something for everyone. As you evaluate options and make decisions, put yourself in your guest’s place. Imagine walking into your room, put-
no property. The entry drive would likely need to be upgraded to demonstrate a fresh, new property image. We are only one of several consultants that need to be included at a kick-off meeting to ensure that the site plan is maximizing the best aspects of a property and its marketing intent. MURPHY: From a tribal gaming per-
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