( opposite pg .) Marquee Dayclub at The Cosmopolitan ; Encore Beach Club
( left ) Tribal casinos are getting onto the pool bandwagon , like Pechanga in Temecula , California ; Celebrities are a staple at pools in Las Vegas , like Sean “ Puffy ” Combs at Rehab and Sports Illustrated model Nina Agdal at Encore in the garden ,” says Kreft . The destination should be easily accessed , and the excitement teased as soon as a guest arrives on property . That goal can be harder to achieve when a pool is retrofitted onto an existing property .
“ The big challenge is not getting brought in early enough to deal with the planning aspects . If you can come in earlier , you can plan the pool so it ’ s more physically integrated to the resort — not off on a strip of land , where you have to take a covered walkway and a shuttle bus to get there ,” says Kreft . “ It doesn ’ t necessarily need to be in the middle of the resort , but it should weave itself in both mentally and physically ,” with landscaping and architectural elements serving as guideposts .
Separate points of entry and clusters of small and large gathering spaces make a pool area more multi-functional for “ cocktail parties , wedding events or any kind of group ,” he says . “ You can cover the pool ( perhaps using a translucent cover , lit from below ) to gain extra square footage for events and turn it into a physical dance floor . That works especially well for smaller pool areas or hotels that don ’ t have a lot of space inside . A pool is an open canvas .”
Kreft strongly recommends real landscaping , plantings and trees wherever possible . “ We never like to have anything artificial , exterior or interior , that you can touch and feel , unless you ’ re going for a unique abstract environment . Everything we do is theater ; this is about setting the scene .” Moreover , he warns , artificial greenery doesn ’ t hold up over time , especially under continuous exposure to the sun . “ It might look OK for a while , but may have to be replaced at some point ; the cost saving over time is questionable .”
POOLING RESOURCES
Patrick Murphy , president of Pechanga Development Corp ., acknowledges that the Pechanga Band of Indians “ sorely underestimated ” the importance of a first-class pool when it opened its Temecula , California resort in 2002 . “ That ’ s why a proper resort-style pool complex features so prominently in our expansion plans ,” he says . The Pechanga resort ’ s new pool complex “ will span four acres and feature
three pools and five hydrotherapy pools , including a familyfriendly pool and a lagoon-style pool .”
Resort pools , especially the extravagant fantasy spaces expected by many patrons today , can be expensive and laborintensive , says Paul Heretakis of Westar Architects . “ But they can also attract thousands of people to a property in an afternoon . They must offer music environments , food and beverage . The up-charge of specialty seating and cabanas is very important . Some pool areas are large enough to have outdoor evening concerts , which are a great alternate use that commands a paid admission . This type of designed area can really become a very large cash revenue resource if it has the correct offerings and is run well .”
Overlooking the power of the pool “ is a missed opportunity ,” says Kreft . “ These venues can be such greater moneymakers . And almost more importantly , they bring in an energy and electricity I don ’ t think you can get elsewhere . It is a congregation space . The challenge is recognizing how can you maximize and integrate it with any other offering you might have .”
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