Or turn an underutilized back-of-house space adjacent to an existing kitchen into a cutting-edge , chef-driven fast-casual . Move poorly located and off-trend bars to higher-profile , more socially interactive locations or reposition and redesign retail outlets for maximum storefront and product exposure .
“ If gaming revenues stay relatively flat , the bottom-line impact of reinventing or discovering new non-gaming amenities that are properly positioned relationally inside an existing building envelope can be significant .”
An evolving trend in the regional gaming industry is the whole notion of not trending out , Bacon contends . This can be accomplished by capitalizing on the experiential travel economy in unique ways .
“ A classic problem is that virtually everything new or on trend at some point becomes stale and has to be reinvented ,” he says . “ The best success is often found by tailoring the new offerings to the local guest in an aspirationally classic way , while not delivering something unfamiliar or out of bounds .
Residually , this locavore-type product can be a draw and can often dramatically extend geographic reach .
“ This is the sort of thing an experiential traveler seeks out — a contextual , localized experience that can ’ t be found or easily replicated somewhere else . It ’ s actually the exact opposite of a replicated brand standard , and can be a great way to expand a customer base . Indian casinos , because they are often individual and authentic anyway , are tailormade for this .”
The Seneca Buffalo Creek casino expansion illustrates a property knowing what works . A $ 40 million expansion , modest but meaningful in today ’ s market , includes a two-story expansion project , a new high-limit game room , 360 additional slot machines and 10 game tables , bringing the total number of slot machines to 1,200 and game tables to 32 after construction .
The expansion also will create a new retail area and add a small performance stage for live entertainment at the Stixx Sports Bar . The existing Buffalo Savors Grill will be upgraded , and a second floor will house a new restaurant , the Western Door Steakhouse , which is one of the most popular restaurants at Seneca Gaming ’ s other New York casino properties . Construction will be complete in early 2017 .
GETTING TO YES
“ THERE SEEMS TO BE CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM AMONG TRIBES , ALONG with an understanding of their market and a desire to evolve their properties accordingly ,” says Mike Stewart , the global director of design for YWS Design & Architecture , with offices in Las Vegas and Singapore .
“ To that end , we are seeing master-planning of non-gaming additions such as retail , dining and entertainment expansions on the rise ,” he says . “ We are seeing a carefully thought-out approach to expansion rather than a ‘ build it and they will come ’ philosophy . We have a client who is cautious about executing on a hotel , restaurant and gaming expansion we ’ ve completed the design for , but at the same time , are starting to consider a large retail expansion for their property .”
Stewart believes cautious optimism slowly shifts the market . The shackles of the recession have come off . Properties want to re-grow market share , first by drilling down to its origin .
“ While loyalty programs provide a lot of information on their customers like age , income , location , etc ., they don ’ t offer qualitative data that dives into ‘ why ’ their customers make certain choices ,” Stewart indicates . “ The research we focus on requires conversation , focus groups , shopalongs , etc ., and furthermore , explores customer preferences , behaviors and desires . Using these findings , our designers can create spaces the desired customer is looking for .”
They have been plentiful . YWS completed a Midwest project that reaped dividends for its property and has launched another in the Southwest .
VIP Lounge at Confidential Casino Resort , Northern California
At Kansas Star , YWS helped the property , an integrated resort casino , achieve the widest possible appeal . Result ? A venue that enjoys 33 percent more of the market and contributed to a 22 percent jump in the stock value of Boyd Gaming , the company behind Kansas Star , company officials say . The leisure destination offers an array of dining and entertainment options , plus an events center , all strategically placed around a gaming floor .
Locally reclaimed wood and quarried stone bring in the beauty of the Kansas plains and create a rustic , relaxed Western environment . All artwork on display is from local artisans , helping fulfill a Kansas Star priority to support its local community .
At Sandia , a distinctively New Mexican resort transforms the Albuquerque hotspot into a major regional destination . Phase one of the casino expansion included a spa / pavilion building , expanded casino and 1,682-space parking garage . The resort is located in the sacred Sandia Mountains , and the design and expansion honors its natural surroundings by telling the story of the native Sandia Pueblo people , Stewart says . The phase-one size of the expansion was more than 700,000 square feet .
The recession may be over , but for designers of tribal casinos , the recent economic downturn has resulted in a more thoughtful , efficient design process . The “ wow ” is still there , but tribal clients these days are getting much more bang for their bucks .
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