Architects and designers are poised to create sportsbooks for tribal facilities , but how they will look may depend on the regulations
Tribal sportsbooks are coming , but they probably won ’ t be like your father ’ s sportsbook . In fact , the form new sportsbooks take is going to depend a lot on where they are .
As states across the U . S . pass laws and develop regulatory structures to allow sports betting , those planning new retail sportsbooks are waiting out the laws and regulations in each jurisdiction before setting those plans in stone , so to speak .
“ The incorporation of a new or expanded sportsbook in a casino is an emerging trend that is often solely dependent upon the status of sports betting in that respective
“ As the rules and regulations evolve , everybody ’ s figuring things out as they go , and everybody ’ s planning for the future .”
— Rich Emery , President and Principal , TBE Architects
jurisdiction , and by extension , the particulars of that specific legislation ( exclusivity , types of venues , size restrictions , etc .) and what is allowed ,” comments Dike Bacon , principal and planning / business development leader for HBG Design . “ It varies widely .”
“ Sports betting is kind of an unknown quantity ,” agrees Rich Emery , president and one of three principals of TBE Architects . “ It ’ s tapping into a new segment of the gaming market . As the rules and regulations evolve , everybody ’ s figuring things out as they go , and everybody ’ s planning for the future .”
“ So many of the facilities are waiting for the states to figure out what the evolution of the laws will become , and they ’ re not really wanting to commit , but they want to be ready for the implementation of sports betting .”
Online / mobile sports betting is one development that will determine many physical aspects of the new sportsbooks , which will not need to be nearly as large as their Las Vegas counterparts .
“ Sportsbooks in tribal facilities are completely different than the model out of Las Vegas ,” says Emery . “ In Las Vegas , they ’ re almost a casino in themselves . They ’ re big , they ’ re very high-tech . For the tribes we ’ re working with , we ’ re recommending a much smaller venue that is a little more efficient , but the key is combining it with other uses . So , as this market segment figures it- self out , we can adapt as it goes . But it can open even before the regulations allow it as its own venue , but then it can be converted very quickly . So it ’ s really planning for the future .”
For now , the answer seems to be to create spaces that are versatile and multifaceted — and able to accommodate more than just sports betting .
Bacon says HBG Design is working with tribes on the best ways to utilize sportsbook space . “ We are currently working with a number of tribal clients that are either preparing to capitalize on new legislation or are interested to potentially get ahead of the legalization curve ,” Bacon says . “ We ’ ve been exploring ideas that would reinvent a typical sportsbook into something that is a much broader multi-dimensional entertainment experience .
“ Some of our concepts are new build and some involve fairly substantial renovations to existing facilities in order to accommodate sports betting . As an example , we are working on some design concepts that take sports betting out of the prototypical and intimidating back room and integrate the activity into an open , exciting , multi-dimensional center bar or lounge experience complete with communal seating , private VIP areas , and huge interactive video displays .”
Emery agrees that working with multifaceted venues will be key going forward . “ What we ’ re seeing consistently is creation of venues that can be multifaceted — where it can be a food venue , a bar venue , and can be a sportsbook in the future , but can be utilized now ,” he says . “ We ’ ve had several clients request that .”
He adds that clients are going for efficiency over extravagance . “ The betting terminals actually
“ We ’ ve been exploring ideas that would reinvent a typical sportsbook into something that is a much broader multidimensional entertainment experience .”
Dike Bacon , Principal and Planning / Business Development Leader , HBG Design
don ’ t take up much space , so I ’ ve done very small sportsbooks . In fact , I ’ m doing one right now . The biggest change in casinos for us is the efficiency . The attitude of ‘ build it and they will come ’ changed with the downturn in the market back in ’ 08 , ’ 09 . Everything has turned to efficiency , and sportsbook is no different . We design them where they ’ re very efficient , but have other sources of revenue as well .” “ We ’ re currently working on some concepts that integrate sports betting into a multi-use space ,” says Bacon . “ We think this creates a much more entertaining and less intimidating environment .
“ A compelling potential aspect of this type of open or social sports book would be the ability to utilize mobile platforms . It ’ s interesting to think about the opportunities to use sports betting as a vehicle to get different types of customers and maybe even new customers into the facility and exposed to the casino .
“ It ’ s also really interesting to think about the opportunities to wager on much broader sporting events than the usual sports , and how that might speak to new or different customer types or inform venue design . The potential integration of virtual golf , golf betting , and F & B is an example .”
In the end , sportsbook design will evolve as the market evolves .
“ We know style is always evolving like the games themselves ,” says Thomas Hoskens , vice president and founding principal of Cuningham Group Architecture . “ New venues will weave sports watching , sports playing , sports betting , fantasy sports , skillbased games and casino games all in the same environment with a touch of fashion and fitness . “ What is key to any design , as a new trend is blooming , is that our spaces are adaptable . The sportsbook concept may be here to stay , but we always need to be prepared for what ’ s coming after it as well .”
“ It is moving at a very fast pace ,” says Emery , “ and it ’ s evolving right in front of our eyes .”
Stay tuned . — Frank Legato
22 TRIBAL GOVERNMENT GAMING 2020