“ I ’ d say that a one-off development of a brand for somebody tends to be a little more challenging versus already having a brand identity that ’ s tried and true in other locations .”
“ I ’ d say that a one-off development of a brand for somebody tends to be a little more challenging versus already having a brand identity that ’ s tried and true in other locations .”
— Arley Sochocky , Interior Design Studio Manager , SOSH
just as much if not more collaboration between parties . “ When it ’ s a one-off , it ’ s our responsibility to kind of help guide and create that brand with the client versus being handed the brand ,” says SOSH Interior Design Studio Manager Arley Sochocky . “ I ’ d say that a one-off development of a brand for somebody tends to be a little more challenging versus already having a brand identity that ’ s tried and true in other locations .
“ So , when you ’ re developing a design from scratch , quite often you have to come across things like constructability , cost implications and timing of everything to meet opening deadlines or things like that .”
A prime example of this collaboration and execution from SOSH is the award-winning Il Verdi , a gourmet Italian restaurant located inside Tropicana Atlantic City , complete with custom finishes , fixtures and furniture .
Location , Location
Of all the factors that influence the F & B decision-making process , two are perhaps most important : the location of the venue within the casino and the size of the casino itself . Often , these details will help the process shake out — or , as R2A ’ s Ruiz puts it , “ you can start to peel the layers off the onion .”
“ It really varies ,” he says . “ And what I mean by that is the size of the property — does it have three to five outlets , or does the property have 15 to 20 or 25 or more food-and-beverage outlets ? How large is the property ? That ’ s where these things start .”
Renovations and expansions of existing spaces are more common than brand-new builds , which means that casinos often have a predetermined space in which to fit a venue , and there are do ’ s and don ’ ts that correspond to that scenario .
As Cuningham ’ s Houck says , “ One of the bigger questions is , what do you want to fill if it ’ s a large casino ? It ’ s kind of like 101 — you don ’ t put a Mexican place next to another Mexican place . So there is a sense of looking at what ’ s needed .”
Additionally , changes in patron preferences can make certain concepts outdated , and renovating can allow operators to “ remain responsive to changing market conditions and new branding opportunities and to refresh a property ’ s offerings ,” says HBG ’ s Milkovich .
Il Verdi , Tropicana Atlantic City
Casinos big and small are like mini-ecosystems , constantly trying to find the best flow , the best integration of amenities and gaming . As such , companies will vary in their brands and tastes ( no pun intended ), and architects and designers will work to keep pace with those changes .
“ Different clients and different properties have different techniques or theories behind it ,” SOSH ’ s Sochocky explains . “ Some clients we work with actually like their top restaurant all the way at the back of a casino , so they can draw people through the casino floor to get to it . Some of our clients like it at the front door … Their gaming floor also has a lot to do with it . It does become a little bit of a game of real estate .”
Regardless of the type of venue , it ’ s clear that the true beneficiaries are the patrons , the ones who get to fully enjoy the experiences that operators , designers and architects work so hard to create . A truly successful venue is one that can satisfy its target audience , again and again and again .
26 CASINO STYLE 2023