Designby
Tribal casinos renovate and reinvent for magnified appeal
BY DAVE BONTEMPO
T
Evolution
THE NEEDLE OF FINANCE HAS MOVED .
Optimism sprouts from rising new gaming structures . Born from the world of architectural plans , optimistic chatter and concrete pours , they denote tribal expectation for growth .
Slowly , the industry walks further away from the Great Recession . Steadily , tribal entities ponder aggressive , not defensive postures . Should they expand or merely refresh the property to attract more attention ? Where do the concepts of restaurants and entertainment venues fit ? Where and how should tribal themes be expressed ?
This question range is far more attractive than “ How should jobs be saved ?” Yes , some larger companies battle massive debt , but gaming in general has a launched a comeback .
A tentative , but widening grin dots gaming ’ s multibillion-dollar terrain .
A CHIEF ASSET
THE TRIBAL MARKET REMAINS BULLISH , ACCORDING TO CHIEF BOYD , CEO and principal of Oklahoma-based Thalden Boyd Emery ( TBE ) Architects . Boyd recalls several financial cycles in more than 50 years of design experience , and likes the one he sees now .
“ Many tribes are coming in , basically improving their projects and facilities ,” he says . “ We have got a few things going most of the time . You ’ ll see a situation in which the
42 CASINO DESIGN 2015