Some events are designed less to pull in new guests — who are , after all , an unknown quantity — than to delight loyal players . “ Quality counts ,” says Musicaro . During Rockabilly , for example , which books up a year in advance , the casino “ carves away about 100 rooms for high-end players . We fill up almost 2,000 rooms ,” says Musicaro , “ and we don ’ t want to grow it anymore because we ’ re at capacity .”
Among attendees — including many from Europe , China , Japan and Korea — the drink of choice is none other than Pabst Blue Ribbon .
Adding a personal touch , in addition to eblasts and evites , many guests are personally invited by their favorite hosts , Musicaro says . “ They pick up the phone and make the reservations . They make sure the room is in tip-top shape and that the guests are welcomed with their favorite wine or beverage . They make sure any issues are resolved right away .”
No wonder Rockabilly is now in its 23rd year .
Wheels of Fortune
When Randy Reedy first joined Valley View Casino & Hotel in San Diego County , California , he says the slot tournaments there were “ boring as hell .”
“ I went to the general manager and said , ‘ Do you mind if I go buy a costume ? I ’ ll keep it under control — I just want something to liven it up .’” He did just that .
As vice president of slots , Reedy transformed the tourneys into costume parties for grownups . Guests who dressed up in accordance with the given theme — as hippies , beach bums or Christmas elves — became eligible for special perks and recognition .
Owned and operated by the San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians , Valley View attracts throngs of guests with its slot tournaments and ongoing events like a monthly car giveaway . Players must earn a certain number of points to qualify . Though 60 people will participate in the big drawing , 2,500 will show up . As a result , revenues “ are probably 20 percent more than the normal Friday ,” says Reedy .
An annual watch giveaway is also tremendously popular , with toptier players lining up to win Cartier and Movado timepieces . “ When we
Simply choosing a theme makes it easy for planners to manage related details , from the food and drink menu to the decor and table settings to the music , activities and giveaways . open , I ’ ll probably have 100 people already in line ,” says Reedy . “ But I ’ m not making a penny when they ’ re standing in line , so we issue up to 1,400 numbers so they can go play until we start calling them back . It ’ s a really good , profitable event . That Saturday or Sunday could see a 50 percent profit margin .”
Though the casino ’ s prizes are super-sized , he notes , ultimately the books must balance in the property ’ s favor . “ If the rewards are bigger than the wallet that ’ s coming in the door ,” he says , “ you ’ ve outspent your profitability .”
At his special events , Reedy continues to sport the nutty costumes , and encourages others to do the same . He ’ s even been known to prowl the property decked out as a pimp , in a purple suit with a bright green shirt and hat . “ You name it ,” he says . “ They ’ ve dressed me in just about anything you can think of .”
The Right Touch
Julia Carcamo , head of Louisiana-based marketing consultancy J . Carcamo and Associates , says themed events must be wholly aligned with a property ’ s brand . If you ’ re throwing a luau , it has to be your brand ’ s version of a luau , or toga party , or disco night , or country hoedown . Otherwise , don ’ t do it .
Think of a brand as your “ guardrails ,” she says . “ If you have a familyfriendly brand , you ’ re not going to do a ‘ Girls Gone Wild ’ event . That ’ s a drastic example , but don ’ t do something that ’ s incongruent with your brand identity .”
Don ’ t cut corners , either , even if you think you can . During boxing events at Wynn Resorts , for example , “ we used to host the media , and everything in the media room was designed to give them a brand experience ,” including a fabulous food spread , Carcamo says . “ These guys were huddled over their laptops , checking stats and filing stories ; we could have gotten away with serving them popcorn .
“ But the food and beverage program was so much part of our brand identity , to do that would have been unthinkable .” The journalists “ really noticed the difference .”
Planning a themed event “ is not throwing a dart at a dartboard or doing something predictable ,” she says . And to succeed , an event should “ touch all the senses .”
When the party ’ s over , guests will remember if every touch point — the music , the food , the surroundings — was aligned and memorable .
2019 CASINO STYLE 37