Go Green , Go Local
The Marketing Horizon
Go Green , Go Local
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The concept of sustainability is hard to nail down to a single definition , especially within the casino industry . Incorporating eco-friendly construction and design elements admittedly hasn ’ t always been a top priority among operators — indeed , if you asked all the gaming executives in the industry to give you their definition of sustainability , it would probably involve business models and margins .
However , that tide is beginning to turn , thanks to a shift in consumer expectations as well as operators ’ desire to differentiate themselves and provide unique experiences while also forming connections with the land and communities they serve .
Dike Bacon , principal of HBG Design , has seen this transformation gradually unfold over the years . The first thing that has helped the progress of sustainable design , he says , is cost-effectiveness . Sustainability in design has numerous benefits , but if it comes at an extremely high cost , it ’ s much less likely to be implemented .
“ Mechanical systems have gotten so much more efficient and so much better from the standpoint of energy consumption and operation , and they ’ re cost effective ,” Bacon says . “ For years , the high-efficiency systems were installed at a substantial premium , in which an owner / operator had to do a math equation to figure out a payback . Now , the design of those systems has become much more efficient and much more cost-effective .
“ And so consequently , they get installed . But , at the end of the day for most operators , the bottom line determines everything . Sustainable practices that work financially , they ’ re pretty well embraced . But if it ’ s at a substantial premium , it ’ s a hard argument .”
The beauty of sustainability is that it can manifest itself in many different ways , and sometimes it doesn ’ t take much planning or investment at all . For example , one of Bacon ’ s favorite sustainable trends is daylighting , or incorporating natural light into casino floors that are usually dark , gloomy and smoky . Not only do patrons enjoy the brightness and airiness of the design , it ’ s also cheap and simple , two of the best words in business .
Bacon notes that there has been a “ continuously evolving design goal of bringing daylight into the casino environment ,” which has “ certainly been very successful with Covid .” Sometimes , he says , daylighting isn ’ t even the result of sustainably focused design ; it ’ s just an attempt to create unique spaces , which in turn results in “ a decreased load for lighting .”
He notes that the indoor gardens in the Wynn Las Vegas and Encore Boston Harbor are examples of this , having been created to show off the greenery while also coincidentally cutting back on energy consumption . Even traditional lighting systems have improved with regards to sustainability , thanks primarily to improvements in results — early LED setups “ just looked like crap ,” Bacon says , which made them undesirable for both patrons and operators .
However , now that there ’ s been “ a concerted effort by the lighting industry to manufacture LED energy-efficient lighting that actually just looks good ,” it ’ s become increasingly popular .
The other big sustainable shift for casinos , according to Bacon , has been the emphasis on locally sourced products and materials . This is also partly due to supply chain hiccups and the Covid pandemic , but nonetheless , it ’ s been a pleasant change that appears to be gaining momentum . Numerous casino projects in the last two years , both commercial and tribal , have unveiled local collaborations with regards to retail , dining and more .
Now that economic uncertainty appears to be here to stay for the foreseeable future , things like shipping and fuel costs have become considerably more important for operators , and local options represent a more convenient and a more sustainable option .
“ Operators have implemented the goal of using more local supplies , more local products — the cost of shipping and certainly that of diesel fuel for what you are trying to ship from , say , China ,” Bacon says . “ But a result of sourcing products closer to a facility is a lessened demand for energy consumption .
“ We are , and have been for quite some time , very acutely focused on specifying healthy materials that are off-gassing . That sort of thing is minimized by healthier carpets and healthier wall coverings and healthier paints , those types of things .” — Jess Marquez
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The Marketing Horizon
Changes in casino marketing are happening quickly and completely , so be ready to respond
The Global Gaming Expo is the can ’ t-miss event for many operators . For casino marketers , it may appear less critical despite the abundance of information gleaned through the education sessions , on the trade-show floor , or even the numerous opportunities to speak to those who see the horizon and are excited to be reaching for it .
Marketing continues to morph into something that would have been unrecognizable in the past .
The evolving importance of social media was signaled to us as operators first ( in the early 2000s ) from our guests ( even when stalwarts were telling more forward-thinking marketers that social was a fad ). Today ’ s changes are happening so quickly that knowing which trends will help us grow our businesses and which are merely distractions is a challenge . Keeping up can be overwhelming , but third-party marketing reports , podcasts and newsletters can help . However , your best source of trends and indicators will always be observing and asking your guests ( and team members , for that matter ).
Small-scale testing can help you see the vital trends in your market and whether they are meaningful to your database . These are the trends on the casino marketer ’ s horizon .
• The “ Youngification ” of our Core Customer The wish we had for the millennial customer to visit us has finally come true , but unfortunately , not all of us were prepared . That doesn ’ t mean we cannot get up to speed quickly . This younger guest has expectations that our core customers never considered quite as critical . This includes a reliable and strong Wi-Fi signal they can access , the ability to still have a great entertainment experience for a slightly smaller budget , and a way to understand and navigate our properties in a way that does not seem like they have traveled back in time .
New member programs should be reexamined for ease and understanding . Welcome offers can no longer wait for the mail to deliver them . Moreover , we cannot wait six months before deploying dueback communications . This new demographic fol-
28 Global Gaming Business DECEMBER 2022