Casinos aren’t the first thing you think about when considering a healthy option. Yet, there has been a surge in interest by guests in “well” rooms, which promote a healthy stay. And they seem to be a hit.
MGM introduced 42 Stay Well rooms in 2012 on the 14th floor (really the 13th floor!) of the main tower. For an extra $30 a night, guests could rent rooms with amenities such as air purifiers; vitamin C-infused showers—which are designed to neutralize chlorine for healthier skin and hair—and circadian lighting systems, which mimic natural light, aiding the body’s internal clock by regulating melatonin production. Other elements include an all-natural mattress, a dawn simulator alarm clock that slowly floods the room with golden light, and a “light therapy” mirror.
The rooms proved to be so popular that the entire 14th floor was converted to Stay Well rooms, a total of 171 rooms, which also includes a common Stay Well Lounge.
Health guru Deepak Chopra, who created the Stay Well concept along with the Delos Company and the Cleveland Clinic, has expanded the concept to include meeting rooms at MGM Grand. Meeting areas include self-cleaning surfaces and a cleaning protocol using hypoallergenic products and tools to neutralize bacteria, acoustic elements that reduce noise from outside the room, ergonomic furniture intended to provide optimal comfort and to prevent stress or injury, a strategically placed hydration station and healthy menu options.
MGM’s approach to selling these rooms has been fresh and innovative, something that every hotelier must keep in mind in these times of Airbnb and Homeaway online services that allow people to rent private rooms, homes and apartments. Hotel rooms not only have to be a bargain, but they have to be unique, as well.
Take the La Reserva Hotel in Paris, which hired Kurt Lagerfeld to design the Chocolate Room, where everything you see is sculpted from chocolate. Also in Paris, how about the James Bond Suite at the Hotel Seven (not 007), a unique mix of futuristic chic with vintage design? Or how about the 1950s Suite at the Victoria Mansion Hotel in Los Alamos, California, complete with a Cadillac bed and car-hood bathroom sink?
In the casino world several years ago, the famous El Cortez was planning on refurbishing its hotel rooms, and conducted a “Design-a-Suite” contest. Four Nevada-licensed design firms were commisioned to create a 600-square-foot suite for $20,000. Urban Design Studio’s “Big Sleep” suite, with a mob theme, won—not surprising, given that the El Cortez was Bugsy Siegel’s first hotel in Las Vegas.
So, it takes imagination to get your occupancy rate up, but it also takes technology these days. And it all has to do with revenue management. This is one of the most critical but least understood aspects of any hotel operation.
Everyone wants to maximize your room revenue, but how about getting the highest possible profit from your best customers, over and above the room rate? In a casino, this can be a double-edged sword. Do you charge the highest possible room rate or do you comp an extra night for a customer who is known to spend lavishly at your spa, retail or food and beverage outlets?
Are your departments talking to one another about all your guests? Are you managing your inventory in a rational manner when you know certain players or groups are coming in?
Are you using revenue management to drive your marketing decisions? And how does your revenue management system interact with OTAs (online travel agents, like Expedia, Hotels.com or Travelocity)?
Keeping your hotel full and creating the most revenue per room is important, but it’s far more complicated in a casino resort than it is in a straight hotel. Not only does it take imagination and unique concepts to fill your hotel rooms, but you also have to be comfortable with the technology that can help you make decisions that benefit both the top and the bottom lines.
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Design Impacts Experience
Ambiance has become an indispensable part of dining out. Design plays a critical role in each of the three pillars of the customer experience—food, service and atmosphere. Done right, design complements other key elements, such as great cuisine, and helps establish the immersion that customers crave in a dining experience.
Todd English P.U.B.
At Todd English P.U.B., a modern interpretation of traditional pub fare located at the midpoint between Aria and high-end Crystals mall in Las Vegas, the role of design in guest experience and operations stands out.
Whereas the reputation of a four-time James Beard Award-winning celebrity chef undoubtedly is a driver of traffic to the restaurant, the design in many cases pulls customers in and brings them back.
The establishment’s open floor plan, high pressed-tin ceilings, white subway tile and beautiful marble center encourage a sense of community and help the venue establish a fun energy that it successfully replicates, night after night. Customers come specifically to have a good time; it’s what they’re thinking about as they walk through the front door. Their perception is that it is not as expensive as other dining options in the area. T.E.P.’s elegant-but-not-intimidating environment works great for one of the establishment’s most coveted customer targets: affluent male tourists, who want to watch a sporting event.
The design of Todd English P.U.B. adds to the high-energy, social environment sought out by management and customers alike. The kitchen is open, which brings staff into the lively environment and further opens an already open space. The bar and dining areas feel like separated spaces, as they perhaps should, yet the sought-after experience is diluted in neither. The proximity of the kitchen to the dining area also speeds up food service, which results in the restaurant being able to turn more tables each night. Todd English P.U.B. is able to increase revenue-per-chair in part due to its design.
Patrons asked to describe Todd English P.U.B. in one word, interestingly, often use adjectives related to the restaurant’s design—“cool,” “elegant,” “happy,” “lively” and “fun.” In fact, the role of design in choice goes well beyond their periphery. It is also at their consciousness.
When Todd English P.U.B. customers were asked to rank the importance of architecture and design in choosing a restaurant on scale of 1 (not important) to 10 (very important), their average ranking was an 8.3. Though not enough to draw a quantifiable conclusion, it is a fascinating insight.
Hakkasan
Innovative and brand-consistent design plays a central role in creating an ambiance at Hakkasan, which has been described as “sexy,” “sleek” and “upbeat.” While the modern Chinese restaurant enjoys broad success, it does particularly well with high-income locals, international travelers, domestic tourists and club-goers.
White marble and dark oak adorn a central dining area, which masterfully creates spaces that are simultaneously private and open. The kitchen, run by Michelin-starred Chef Ho Chee Boon and his team of dim sum chefs, extends the Chinoisere-chic to the back of house in a way that is different from the dining room but still consistent with the broader space. Positioning of the kitchen, the main dining area and the private VIP dining room on the second floor represents design choices driven equally by form and function.
The subtle design details within Hakkasan reward those who pay close attention. The dark wood and white, cloudy marble used throughout the restaurant are very similar to that used in traditional Chinese-style furniture for centuries. In China, it would be common to see these materials in traditional homes throughout the country.
Hakkasan is able to apply these old-fashioned elements and transform them into something elegant, modern and chic. With a fresher design, the dark wood and cloudy marble transform into a distinctly modern Chinese composition. This attention to detail no doubt adds to the restaurant’s appeal in the minds of consumers, while also extending the experience beyond the physical confines of the restaurant into the very story of the place—all of which serves as a tremendous influencer on choice, buzz and loyalty.
Understanding the hospitality side of the restaurant equation, Hakkasan follows up its impressive design with impeccable service. With stylish lighting, jasmine scent hanging delicately in the air, ambient music, great food and a brand synonymous worldwide with seductive excellence, guests can’t help but leave the restaurant having accomplished their mission to have a special dining experience.
With more than 20 comments per night from guests, Hakkasan knows that its design is a central element to the story it wants to tell its customers. Further, with about 30
people per day venturing off the MGM Grand casino floor to look inside, Hakkasan also knows that design influences a
consumer’s desire to experience that story firsthand.
Hakkasan’s design isn’t just praised in staff comments, online reviews and word-of-mouth among satisfied guests. It also wins awards, such as the G2E 2013 Casino Design Award for Best Interior Design for a Casino, Resort, Restaurant or Nightclub.
Todd English’s OlivES
Todd English’s Olives benefits not only from the name of its celebrity chef, but also from its prime location and smart design. Situated within the retail corridor of Bellagio, directly adjacent to the valet entrance off the Las Vegas Strip, the restaurant, and its patio in particular, flaunt the establishment’s unfair advantage of overlooking the Fountains at Bellagio—an obvious driver of traffic.
Comfort is the goal at Olives, where staffers field compliments and “where can I get that?” comments about the restaurant’s design elements on a daily basis. Warm colors, dark hues and subtle, upbeat music add to the character and charm of an alluring dining room that guests describe as “sexy” and “inviting.”
The restaurant is segregated into multiple different experiences within the same space: bar, dining room and patio all have different energies to them. These separate-yet-integrated elements are as much a testament to their function as they are their form. Their segregation also drives key operational efficiencies, as staff can streamline service toward individual spaces and guest satisfaction.
Tables at Olives are square, not round, adding to the focus on a comfortable experience. Also, guests are seated in rather close proximity, which encourages a social element that resonates throughout the restaurant. This juxtaposition also adds to a more “intimate” and “romantic” feel, which are among the most popular descriptors articulated by guests.
Patrons asked to describe Olives in one word commonly use adjectives related to the restaurant’s design. Customers use words like “comfortable,” “rich,” “elegant,” “relaxing” and “dreamy” as labels they would use to describe the venue to a friend.
As was th
e case with Todd English P.U.B., guests at Olives used similar words to describe their motivators for choosing a restaurant venue as well.
When asked to rank the importance of architecture and design in choosing a restaurant on scale of 1 (not important) to 10 (very important), these patrons ranked it very high, at a 9.1. This correlation between consumer spend and the importance of design as a key influencer in choosing one venue over another was consistently greater, the more a consumer anticipated spending.
For upscale venues targeting high-income guests, design is not only a key element—it is an essential one in defining not only the consumer experience, but also the consumer’s evaluation prior to making any food-based decision.
Unique and Functional
Welcome to the world of Cleo—unique and highly functional hospitality design.
Rather than simply reading how great the firm is, Cleo suggests that viewing the collection of images that represent the company’s work is more descriptive than any clever words. Please look them over at cleo-design.com.
However, if the written word is preferred, read on. Cleo’s strength is in the world of hospitality, producing welcoming and comfortable guest rooms and public spaces to involve and entertain guests—including fabulous bars, provocative lounges, inviting restaurants, cool spas and elaborate theater spaces. Cleo’s casino spaces are designed with the unique technical requirements of gaming environments. But the firm’s success lies in the ability to create an intriguing visual world, no matter the scale, that guarantees increased revenue and return visits.
Coast to coast, continent to continent, Cleo has instituted its vision across the U.S., Australia, China and India. In the U.S., current projects are ongoing in California, Florida, Kansas, Maryland and in Cleo’s own hometown, Las Vegas, Nevada.
Founders and designers Ann Fleming and Ken Kulas both were raised in Las Vegas and still live there. Where else could they begin to learn to create spectacular interior designs than in a Las Vegas grammar school?
Even with that beginning, Fleming and Kulas could not do it without the ton—literally more than 2,000 pounds—of staff who make Cleo strong and beautiful. Each individual brings specific passions and skills to the engine room, eager to see what is on, and over, the horizon.
For more information, visit cleo-design.com.
Beautiful Places, Balanced World
Cuningham Group Architecture Inc. exists to create beautiful places for a balanced world. Simple and eloquent, the statement embodies Cuningham Group’s passion for design and its impact on clients, communities and the world.
Founded in 1968, the full-service design firm provides architecture, interior design and planning services for a diverse mix of client and project types, with significant focus over the last 20-plus years on gaming and entertainment. Bolstered by a staff of 268 in Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Biloxi, Denver, San Diego, Phoenix, Seoul and Beijing, Cuningham Group provides the resources necessary to explore new ways of solving clients’ problems with dynamic and innovative design solutions that add value and advance the art of entertainment design.
The firm’s world-class portfolio—covering the spectrum from small and delicate spaces to complex and expansive projects—includes casinos, hotels, theaters, convention centers, restaurants, retail venues, master plans and support facilities for gaming and resort destinations throughout the U.S. and around the world.
Cuningham Group consistently ranks among top firms and has been honored with more than 140 industry and market awards. Notably, the firm was ranked among the “Top 5 Entertainment Firms” by Engineering News Record in 2014. Such success can be attributed to visionary clients who understand the value of great design.
As leaders in gaming and entertainment design, Cuningham Group is on the cutting edge of imagining the “casinos of the future.” Gaming continues to move through uncharted territory as technology spreads its influence over social interactions and the games people play. Shifting demographics and the younger generation’s desire for experiences that are personal, mobile and social are the challenge—and ultimately, the opportunity—facing the future of games and the facilities that house them.
Backed by a client-centered, collaborative approach called “Every Building Tells a Story,” Cuningham Group challenges clients to embrace brick-and-mortar changes that reflect the evolving nature of gaming and its customer base.
Recent projects include the new 19-story hotel for Potawatomi Hotel & Casino in Milwaukee; the rebranding of Harrah’s Gulf Coast Casino in Biloxi; the renovation of John Ascuaga’s Nugget Casino in Sparks; and Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel in North Carolina opening in 2015. The firm also recently celebrated the groundbreaking of the $1.4 billion All Net Resort and Arena.
For more information, visit cuningham.com.
A Million Ways to Dazzle
Most chairs are designed to fill a space. Gasser chairs are designed to elevate it. For more than 68 years, Gasser has been designing, building and perfecting the art of commercial seating, using only the highest-quality materials. The purchase of a Gasser chair is an investment in style, innovation and durability that will be a better value over the long run. Artfully designed, beautifully executed and built to endure, Gasser chairs don’t merely perform, they dazzle.
Artisanship that runs deep in the fabric.
The beauty of a Gasser chair is more than skin deep. Look closer to discover that it runs through the entire company. From design to construction to customer service, it’s a forte that’s been 68 years in the making, and runs deep in the fabric of the company.
A Flair for Design
More than just standing out, Gasser chairs are designed to stand up to virtually anything that can be thrown at them. Made from only the highest-quality materials and built to last, Gasser chairs retain their panache long after others have fallen from grace.
Custom Solutions
A casino’s rooms come in all different shapes, colors and sizes, and so do Gasser seating solutions. Gasser is not one to provide cookie-cutter solutions to complex challenges. As customers’ imaginations soar, Gasser can custom-design something specifically to their needs.
Innovations from Listening
Many companies market themselves as industry leaders; Gasser Chair is one of the few that can back up that claim. From the company’s earliest days, product development and improvement have been the constant challenges. And, not surprisingly, it was simply listening to customers that provided the opportunity for many of Gasser’s successful innovations.
Gasser Chair Company is a family-owned business based in Youngstown, Ohio. The second and third generations of the Gasser family, teamed with some of the most skilled people in all aspects of the business, are guided by the founders’ original principles. The company proudly continues the tradition and philosophy of developing innovative solutions to customers’ seating requirements and skillfully manufacturing the finest quality seating. All of Gasser Chair’s products are designed and manufactured in Ohio, and the majority of the materials used are purchased locally, reducing Gasser’s footprint on the environment.
For more information, visit gasserchair.com.
Naturally Captivating Amenities
Established in 1958 with corporate headquarters in Newport Beach, California, Lifescapes International, Inc. is an internationally renowned landscape architectural design firm. Having provided landscape design for more than 15 casino resorts on the Las Vegas Strip, as well as an additional 80 casinos and resorts across the United States, Asia and Europe, Lifescapes International continues to create successful, dynamic destinations around the world.
For more than five decades, Lifescapes International has been a significant design influence for gaming-related properties, including Native American, commercial and riverboat gaming properties, as well as destination resorts, mixed-use developments, retail centers and entertainment-driven projects.
Lifescapes International completed designs for one of the Las Vegas Strip’s newest casino resort additions with the opening of Encore Beach Club in 2012. Previously, the company designed the landscape environments for Encore as well as Wynn Las Vegas for Wynn Resorts.
Currently, Lifescapes International is working on Wynn Palace on the Cotai Strip, the Pechanga expansion in California and the soon-to-open Golden Nugget casino in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Other opportunities are pending in New York and Massachusetts.
Lifescapes International’s senior principal leadership team consists of Chief Executive Officer/FASLA Don Brinkerhoff, President/Chief Financial Officer Julie Brinkerhoff-Jacobs, Executive Vice President/General Manager Daniel Trust, Executive Senior Principal/Director of Design-Horticulture Roger Voettiner and Executive Senior Principal/Director of Design Andrew Kreft. They all work in unison to create and manage the firm’s projects, with assistance from a team of highly qualified landscape architects, project designers and a strong administrative staff.
“The entertainment and resort operators, including astute executives within the gaming industry, have realized for many years that stand-alone gaming activities are simply not enough to keep customers fully engaged on their properties,” Brinkerhoff-Jacobs says. “We are now working on nightclubs, pool bars, beach clubs, retail and restaurant environments so our gaming clients have other captivating amenities for their customers to enjoy during their stay.”
For more information, visit lifescapesintl.com.
Thinking Differently
Aleader in the national gaming and hospitality design industry, Hnedak Bobo Group has cemented its reputation as a preferred designer of dynamic casino resort destinations and is ranked as one of the top 15 hospitality design firms in the country.
Since its founding 35 years ago, HBG has developed a reputation for design innovation and a market-driven perspective that focuses on optimizing brand presence and operational efficiency to aid clients in differentiating in today’s increasingly competitive market. A five-time G2E Casino Design Award winner, HBG finds success by connecting its passion for the gaming, entertainment and leisure markets with its clients’ bottom-line performance. The 200-plus design and industry awards the firm has received are a testament to HBG’s dedication to responsive design solutions that drive competitive advantage.
HBG is known for “thinking differently” about design. The firm brings a unique perspective through its experience as developers and owners of hospitality and mixed-use developments. The firm is one of few architecture firms working in U.S. gaming and hospitality design to own, operate and develop its own four-star hotel: a highly successful Westin hotel located within a thriving entertainment district.
HBG is uniquely positioned as one of the largest providers of professional services in the Indian gaming industry. The firm was named National Indian Gaming Association’s Associate Member of the Year in 2012, with client relationships representing some of the most recognized tribal business enterprises across the country.
Recently completed Indian gaming projects include the addition of 1,000 hotel rooms and a 119,000-square-foot casino expansion at WinStar World Casino in Oklahoma for the Chickasaw Nation; and the new 64,000-square-foot Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino in New York for the Seneca Nation.
HBG recently broke ground on the highly anticipated West Valley Resort in Sells, Arizona for the Tohono O’odham Nation and is presently providing planning and design services to properties owned and operated by Ho-Chunk Gaming, an economic enterprise of the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin. Also breaking ground this year is HBG’s new 400-room hotel and conference facility located on the grounds of Elvis Presley’s Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee.
For more information, visit hbginc.com.
Mission-Critical Gaming Surveillance
A recognized leader focusing exclusively on security and surveillance consulting, design and operations for more than 30 years, M. Malia & Associates provides casino gaming customers across the globe with the ideal combination of proven experience and technological innovation.
This provides MMA with a unique perspective on customers’ projects, as well as their long-term security needs and objectives. More specifically, it enables MMA to deliver in-depth analysis of system design from the user’s standpoint, with pragmatic recommendations on how the latest technologies and techniques can fulfill their needs. The process creates close bonds between MMA and its clients while delivering systems that achieve the highest level of operation and functionality—on time and without exceeding established budget parameters.
MMA also prides itself on maintaining the most current technological capabilities available. This includes a full video conferencing suite at its U.S. office, the latest versions of design software, web-based project management systems and more. The practice of using the latest technologies to deploy the most advanced system solutions ensures that every client receives the highest-quality system design and administration services, as well as operational consulting, training and other mission-critical support services.
MMA works closely with engineering and management firms as well as project owners to provide consulting on surveillance, security and alarm and access control systems for the world’s biggest names in gaming, as well as myriad other business categories. High-profile gaming clients include Wynn Resorts, MGM, Seminole Hard Rock International and many others. In addition, MMA provides consultation services for hospitality, commercial, arena and government customers.
With close to 300 casino construction projects at more than 150 different properties to date, MMA has the industry’s greatest experience and capabilities to complete mission-critical gaming surveillance projects.
For more information, visit mmalia.com.
Accuracy, Integrity and Buying Power
Purchasing Management International is the leading FF&E and OS&E purchasing company in the gaming industry. With extensive experience in large luxury gaming projects, working with the leading designers, architects and owners, PMI offers owners the accuracy, integrity and buying power necessary to successfully work on the most demanding gaming projects.
The company has purchased and installed more than $2 billion in hotel, resort and casino furnishings, operating equipment and systems worldwide. PMI’s services include FF&E and OS&E purchasing for renovation and new construction, operating supplies purchasing and advisory services for capital budgeting, inventories and due diligence for acquisitions and valuations.
In Las Vegas, PMI recently completed the renovations of the 800-room Bellagio Spa Tower, the 400-room Bellagio Suites Tower and the 1,100-room Tropicana. In the past, PMI has completed major works at Caesars Palace, Trump International, MGM Grand, Harrah’s, Treasure Island, Mirage, Hard Rock and Station Casinos’ Red Rock Resort. Outside of Las Vegas, PMI has worked on casinos from the East to West Coast including Revel, Borgata, Harrah’s Cherokee, Wind Creek Casino, Wild Horse Pass Casino and Sandia Casino. PMI expertly advises Indian gaming clients, tribal associations and native nations as part of their economic development activities.
PMI uses a unique purchasing management system to deliver the speed and accuracy required by gaming projects. PMI’s experienced staff is the best in the industry, and has deep vendor knowledge plus the creativity to keep projects moving forward under the pressure of a gaming project’s requirements. PMI’s system of checks and balances includes a separate expediting department to control the custom approval process, project deliveries and final delivery costs. Time and again, PMI saves clients money and time.
PMI’s mission is to provide a selected number of clients worldwide with its proven purchasing, renovation and technical expertise at the best quality and pricing obtainable in the industry.
For more information, visit pmiconnect.com.
Design that Rewards
SOSH Architects was founded in 1979 on the core conviction that quality design continually rewards the community, the client and the design team. The firm has steadily grown from a company of four partners to its current size of approximately 50 design professionals and support staff engaged in the execution of major master planning, architecture and interior design commissions worldwide.
The company philosophy drives a design process that values exploration, visualization and the contributions of multiple voices consistent with the belief that the best design solutions are the result of thoughtful collaboration.
SOSH’s principals—Thomas J. Sykes, William A. Salerno and Nory Hazaveh—continue the commitment of personal involvement in each project. With offices in Atlantic City and New York, SOSH Architects has established a worldwide reputation for master planning, architectural design, interior design and strong project delivery achievement.
For more than three decades, SOSH Architects has had the opportunity to work on an impressive array of hospitality design projects. From master planning to restaurant renovation, from new tower construction to resort expansions, SOSH has handled every aspect of hotel and casino design on multiple properties in the major urban markets of New York, Philadelphia and Atlantic City, as well as in California, Arizona, Nevada, Mississippi, Indiana, Louisiana, Connecticut, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia.
Gaming floors, hotel rooms, restaurants, nightclub and entertainment venues, ballrooms, retail stores, lounges, pool and spa retreats, administrative support space, food service facilities and day care centers all can be found on the same property, and each use brings with it a unique set of challenges and technical requirements.
Ongoing or recently completed projects include: Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park in Northfield, Ohio; Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort in D’Iberville, Mississippi; Seneca Resort and Casino in Niagara, New York; Parx Casino in Bensalem, Pennsylvania; Resorts World Bimini in the Bahamas; the Lobby Bar at Harrah’s Resort, Royal Swan Ballroom at Tropicana Casino and Resort, the Palace Court Buffet at Caesars, and the Borgata Baking Company at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
For more information, contact SOSH Architects in Atlantic City at 609-345-5222, or in New York at 212-246-2770; email sosh@sosharch.com or visit sosharch.com.
