Know Where to Hold’em
Author: Zach Chouteau
April 2008
Features
Should your casino meeting destination be traditional or tribal?
Meeting planners considering taking a gamble on a casino locale for their next event will likely find that strategy a safe bet for a cost-effective and well-attended function. Las Vegas’ options for mixing business with pleasure are legend—and ever-expanding—and Nevada offers plenty more in nearby Laughlin and the Reno-Tahoe area. Meanwhile, Indian casinos from Santa Fe to Seattle are creating or improving meeting areas of their own, making the field potentially more competitive than ever.
Of course, with “location, location, location” being as crucial in the meetings business as in the real estate trade, planners will need to make one key decision in arranging the ideal gaming destination for their functions: They’ve got to know where to hold ’em.
TRADITIONAL GAMING DESTINATIONS
THE BRIGHT LIGHTS OF VEGAS
No one can seriously debate the merits of Las Vegas as a superb destination, with its countless world-class casinos and shows, electrifying nightclubs and burgeoning culinary scene. A hot topic among planners, however, is whether the city’s vibrant nature serves as a meeting draw or a distraction.
To Michael Goldsmith, director of convention sales for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, the city’s array of entertainment, dining and nightlife are all about attraction, not distraction. “Unlike other casino destinations, the options in Las Vegas are almost limitless,” he says. “Meetings in Las Vegas are typically better attended, and more business gets done because attendees know that the restaurants, shows and nightlife are still going to be there when they get done.”
While Goldsmith says that Vegas’ treasure trove of temptations makes it “a great destination for the meeting planner because they don’t have to schedule every minute of every day,” he adds that those seeking to coordinate special activities between meetings and at night will encounter a complete “can-do” attitude at the many casino resorts. “Most properties will offer tournaments, lessons or any other type of program a planner can think of,” he says. “Some properties offer live cooking demonstrations and hands-on lessons from their chefs. There are outdoor programs that can be developed or VIP dining and nightclub experiences. It is almost limitless what a group can plan.”
To Brandon Koenig, president of Meeting Solutions, it’s the potential for distraction that concerns him more than anything. “Some of our clients feel that there are too many outside stimulus in Vegas and their meeting will suffer.”
With that qualifier in mind, Koenig’s current plans for a Spring 2009 meeting are targeting the Vegas suburbs with less of a “bright lights, big city” atmosphere. “My client does not want to be on The Strip due to possible distractions,” he says. “However, with the new resorts out in Henderson, Lake Las Vegas and Summerlin, there is a location in Las Vegas to meet every client’s goal.”
That being said, Koenig adds that client feedback following Vegas events has been excellent, with attendees commenting on everything from the ease of flights into the city and the world-class hotels and entertainment of Vegas, to the “feel” and energy that “takes their meetings to a new level.”
He also says that, when it comes to the bottom line, Vegas meetings and events result in added attendance—obviously what clients are striving for and one of the main reasons Koenig often suggests Las Vegas.
The planner does add that with Vegas’ thriving popularity, it’s not really a place for bargain hunting these days. “On the contrary, with the demand for Vegas, we often run into higher pricing and limited availability,” he explains. “It used to be that I could book June-August for much less, due to the weather conditions. Now, it is lower—but not much.”
While Vegas is chock-full of properties offering excellent meeting space and amenities, it’s hard to match the flexibility of Las Vegas Meetings by Harrah’s Entertainment, a group of seven diverse properties that includes landmark resorts like Caesars Palace, Bally’s and Paris Las Vegas.
Of course, in ever-expanding and evolving Las Vegas, meeting planners are hard-pressed to stay updated with the many choices. “Who can keep up?” Koenig says. “It seems every time you turn around an older hotel is being blown up and a new mega-hotel complex is being built.”
For meeting planners researching a Vegas visit, however, there’s no better place to start planning than through the city’s CVA. “The best advice I can give a planner looking to come to Las Vegas is to use the resources of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority,” Goldsmith says. “While we may not have all the answers, we know the people who do and can get you set in the right direction for your event.”
RENO AND TAHOE
Elsewhere in the state, planners have plenty of other options to consider. In Reno, the Silver Legacy Resort is a major player, with more than 1,700 rooms and 50,000 sq. ft. of meeting and convention space. National Sales Director Jeanne Corey says traditional casino resorts have many advantages. “Traditional casino cities provide a complete meeting and entertainment environment and are usually able to offer more to the meeting planner in terms of facilities, service, entertainment and dining experiences,” she says. Plus, “While there are some outstanding larger Indian casinos offering substantial meeting space and entertainment, they tend to be off the beaten path, requiring longer drive times from airports or major cities.” Corey also says that “being able to step outside of the hotel and walk to adjacent dining or entertainment is a big plus—the typical conventioneer does not like being confined to one hotel, regardless of how much it has to offer.”
Reno (and nearby Sparks) has been teaming with North Lake Tahoe to promote themselves as “America’s Adventure Place.” Mary Paoli, communications manager for the Reno-Sparks Convention & Visitors Authority, says that there’s plenty in the works that meeting planners will take an interest in. “Reno-Tahoe is in the midst of a true renaissance,” she says. “A number of hotel-casinos have recently undergone significant expansions and/or renovations. A great example of that is the Peppermill, which opened a new, 600-suite tower and a 62,000-square-foot ballroom in December. The Grand Sierra Resort recently invested millions to renovate its 200,000-square-foot convention space, and approximately $90 million in room and casino renovations. Additionally, the new Downtown Ballroom just opened, adding a beautiful banquet and meeting facility that complements the adjacent Reno Events Center and the National Bowling Stadium.”
Tahoe’s North Shore has been buzzing with progress as well. Among the news is the 172-room Ritz-Carlton Highlands opening in 2009 with substantial meeting space and a massive restoration of the Crystal Bay’s Cal Neva Resort.
On the more-populated South Shore, the big news includes the in-progress Chateau at Heavenly, slated to open in 2009 with a 50,000-square-foot conference center, and several key upgrades at Harrah’s, including dramatic improvements to the lobby and casino bars.
Also well worth noting is the recent completion of the MontBleu Resort & Casino’s phase one renovations (montbleuresort.com). The former Caesars Tahoe property now showcases more than 400 guest rooms, about 16,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, a superb steakhouse and extensive spa facility. Situated amid unspoiled forest within a stone’s throw of the lake, the views and setting are stunning as well.
THE ALLURE OF LAUGHLIN
Tucked into the corner of southernmost Nevada, Laughlin is a unique destination only about a 90-minute drive due south of Vegas, but light years removed in terms of personality and population. Unlike Vegas, the unincorporated township of about 9,000 residents is known as more of a low-key destination.
Meg McDaniel, a senior manager of regional sales with the Laughlin Visitors Bureau, spells out some of the features that make the town stand out. “In Laughlin, your group will feel like ‘the big fish in a little pond,’” she says. “Every group is important to Laughlin no matter what its size. We have nine hotels clustered along the banks of the Colorado River, featuring over 10,000 affordable rooms, 60 restaurants, full-service catering and free garage or valet parking. You can even host a meal function on a riverboat.”
McDaniel adds that, despite the town’s small population, it can be an extremely flexible host. “We can accommodate groups of 20 to 2,000. The Laughlin hotels are a great value and can produce a meeting for any budget,” she says. “There are also some unique venues like the Bridgeview and Starview Rooms at Riverside, which have spectacular views of the Colorado River. And the Sedona Suite at the Edgewater is perfect for a board meeting, or have your own private party on Casino Drive at the Tropicana Express’ Victory Plaza. The Del Rio Yacht, USS Riverside, Celebration and Fiesta Queen can also be chartered for private functions.”
McDaniel also mentions that groups have countless outdoor options, including kayaking on the river, driving sand rails through the desert, horseback trail riding and geo-caching. For something more relaxing, they can ride a riverboat cruise, go outlet shopping, hit five golf courses, enjoy a spa treatment or relax by a sparkling swimming pool, she says.
GOING NATIVE
TRIBAL CASINOS OF THE WEST
While Nevada’s countless casinos have long been in the public eye, Indian gaming destinations in the West are lesser-known entities due in part to their rural locations—often more off-the-beaten-path than their traditional counterparts.
Michael McNutt, meetings and events manager for the Falmouth Institute, a Virginia-based training and consulting firm that conducts training seminars and conferences for Native American government entities, has booked programs at Vegas casinos as well as Indian properties in such places as Southern California, Washington State and Arizona. “The majority of the reviews are very positive and appreciative for holding the program at an Indian location,” McNutt says. “The only negatives typically come from issues with distance from the local airports, but several of our properties and the city in general have assisted us with affordable transportation options.”
For meeting planners considering booking a function at an Indian gaming location, there are more properties than ever in the West with top-notch meeting spaces and amenities. Here’s an overview of some of the best.
CALIFORNIA
While the Golden State has so many Indian properties that you could practically call it the “tribal belt,” only a few have substantial meeting areas for planners to consider. Prime examples are the Pala Casino-Spa Resort in Northern San Diego County and the Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula (in Riverside County).
Pala Casino has more than 500 guest rooms, more than half-a-dozen dining options and over 30,000 sq. ft. of flexible meeting space—not to mention a comprehensive casino with thousands of slots, card games (like blackjack and Texas Hold ’em) and even craps and roulette. Pechanga, meanwhile, has 40,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, including a 22,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom, and a massive gaming area of its own (188,000 sq. ft.!).
THE SOUTHWEST
For planners really wanting to get away from it all, there’s the Hon-Dah Resort Casino & Conference Center in Pinetop, Ariz., about 100 miles east of Phoenix, owned and operated by the White Mountain Apache Tribe. The low-key retreat has a flexible conference area that can be used as one large space of just over 8,000 sq. ft. or broken down into several smaller rooms, plus a smallish casino.
A more popular Arizona choice is the Radisson Fort McDowell Resort & Casino, part of the Yavapai Nation in Fountain Hills. Located just outside of Scottsdale, the polished property has a large casino and 25,000 sq. ft. of meeting space that can be divided among 15 separate rooms.
In New Mexico, top choices include the Inn of the Mountain Gods in Mescalero, and the Sandia Resort & Casino in Albuquerque.
Sandia is an impressive property featuring more than 50,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and a full-service casino that has all the expected gaming options as well as carnival-style games to add to the fun. At the foot of the stunning Sandia Mountains, the resort also showcases an excellent spa, several superb dining choices and much more.
While the Inn of the Mountain Gods offers Vegas-style gaming—as well as 40,000 sq. ft. of top-notch meeting space—Director of Sales Doug Kacena likes to focus instead on the resort’s multifaceted nature. “Many meeting planners view the casino as another activity for their attendees during a convention, but not necessarily the reason why they come here,” he says.
Among the other draws at the inn are an 18-hole championship golf course, live nightclub entertainment, plus horseback riding, paddle boats, canoes, kayaks, lake trout fishing and sporting clays—all on-property.
Kacena adds that the property can offer the most flexibility and competitive pricing during low season (November through February), and Sundays through Thursdays the rest of the year.
THE NORTHWEST
Like the Golden State, Oregon and Washington contain a plethora of tribal casinos, but only a few currently provide serious meeting facilities. One of Oregon’s most compelling choices is the Mill Casino, on the state’s gorgeous Pacific coast in Coos Bay. The property has more than 14,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and diverse gaming fun at their casino.
“One of the advantages of a stand-alone property like ours is that they tend to promote cohesiveness among meeting participants,” points out Ray Doering, communications coordinator for the Mill Casino. At locations like Vegas and Reno, “participants often disperse throughout the city,” he adds. “That can limit much of the informal communications that are the main reason these types of meetings are held. We can work with meeting planners to coordinate group activities that truly involve the group.”
Those activities can include group beach excursions to the Oregon Dunes State Park, whale watching, touring a myrtlewood factory or teeing off at one of the several golf courses in the area.
Other Oregon casinos worth consideration include the Chinook Winds Casino in Lincoln City on the coast, plus Seven Feathers Resort & Casino and Wildhorse Resort & Casino in Pendleton, in the state’s northern region.
In Washington, one good option for planners is the Quinault Beach Resort & Casino in Ocean Shores. Hosting a complete conference center and meeting facility, the property additionally showcases a day spa, fine dining and 150 high-ceilinged guest rooms, each with fireplace. Another possibility is the Suquamish Clearwater Casino Resort, just a few miles northwest of Seattle.
ELSEWHERE IN THE WEST
Other Western states, such as Montana, Utah and Wyoming, have a limited casino presence, but meeting planners will discover a few attractive options in Colorado and Idaho. A top choice in Idaho is the Coeur D’Alene Casino Resort, complete with a 13,500-square-foot conference center and an attractive casino with numerous gaming options.
As for Colorado, the Sky Ute Casino in Ignacio has more than 13,000 sq. ft. of meeting space as well. While the lodgings are currently limited to 35 guest rooms, a massive overhaul is in the works that will bring that figure to 150 by early 2009.
Regardless of where planners end up booking a casino event, the odds are that attendees will appreciate being in a vibrant setting amidst plenty of excitement. It’s a safe bet that attendance will rise—and you might even end up drawing a full house.
INDIAN CASINOS: THE VOICE OF EXPERIENCE
Heidi Buss is the president of St. Paul-based Buss Productions, which focuses on the planning of events and educational programs for tribal entities, corporations and nonprofit organizations. She has visited more than 33 Indian casinos and worked with 21 of them, and was gracious in sharing her opinions and expertise with Smart Meetings.
What do you think makes western Indian casinos a good choice for meeting planners? How do they differ from a typical Las Vegas casino resort?
Native American-owned casino and hotels tend to be a bit smaller than Las Vegas Casino resorts.
They also are not on a strip and are spread out for miles, sometimes over 50 miles, so when you are at an Indian casino resort you have a resort feel—usually with a golf course attached and other amenities—but you are not on a big strip with a lot of traffic or noise.
Are there any western Indian Casinos that you've had particularly good experiences with?
Radisson Fort McDowell, due to its surroundings. The staff is very customer-driven and friendly. From check-in to check-out, their number one priority is customer service. The hotel/convention center is separate from the casino, so if you do not want to go into the casino, you do not have to. Plus, they have two cows who love to visit. Little Creek Casino and Resort in Shelton, Wash., is tribally owned; again, the hotel and convention area are separated from the casino. Once you walk into the property, you get a sense of history and culture from the tribe. Sandia Resort in New Mexico, again tribally run, and again the rooms are appointed to show the culture of the tribe, with a perfect layout of meeting space. The same can be said for Radisson Fort McDowell’s meeting space—the perfect layout.
How does the atmosphere/ambience differ between Indian casinos and other casinos?
An Indian casino resort wants you to learn a little about their culture, so each casino/resort handles it differently and uses it for ambience. Usually the rooms are appointed in a way to bring you tranquility and comfort. At Radisson Fort McDowell, they incorporate the Apache weavings into the hotel and the theme. At Little Creek in Shelton, Wash., their art is in every room—when you walk the hallways you see old photographs, and fish (artwork) is everywhere. Radisson Fort McDowell also encourages groups to book at their Wild West thing to see how Arizona was in the 1800s. Laguna Pueblo is on Route 66, so they use that for their theme and ambience; it is a great trip into nostalgia.
Are there any trends you've noticed recently at Indian casinos, either with group events or gaming fun?
Bowling. Indians love to bowl, so a lot of Indian casino resorts are putting in bowling alleys, especially in New Mexico and [throughout] the West. These are great because they offer another amenity and family activity, as well as a great group activity for a meeting planner. A lot of people wince when you say bowling, but everybody does it and has a great time. Add “night bowling” like at Santa Ana, and it’s really fun.
In general, what do you think meeting planners should know about Indian Casinos that they might not already know?
Meeting planners need to know these casinos/resorts are run by efficient, competent people who love to show off their property and their tribal culture. The properties are willing to put special packages together, from a blackjack tournament to a special tribal meal or a golf and spa packet. I think you see more flexibility in that area than you would ever see in Vegas, plus you get a true resort feeling without the crowds.
