In Las Vegas , according to the Center for Gaming Research at the University of Nevada , Las Vegas , the shift to non-gaming started in 1999 . By 2017 , Strip casinos ’ non-gaming revenue had risen from 52 percent to 66 percent .
While tribal resorts are reaping more revenues than ever from non-gaming , Kimberly Van Amburg , CEO of Casino Del Sol in Tucson , points out that the Vegas model doesn ’ t always apply in Indian Country .
“ Vegas is an international resort and national conference destination ; accordingly , hotels and restaurants and conference centers grew up around it to service the millions of people who visit every year . Sometimes people point to Vegas and say a tribal casino in Minnesota is going to follow that model , percentage-wise . Well , not necessarily .”
Casino Del Sol , owned and operated by the Pascua Yaqui Tribe , had its origins in a bingo club that opened in 1982 . Today , it ’ s a destination resort in the Sonoran Desert , complete with a golf course , a spa , a ballroom that doubles as conference space , and the 5,000-seat AVA Amphitheater . In 2019 , the tribe added an RV park and the 151-room Estrella hotel , with a pool and water slide , fitness center , arcade and additional meeting rooms . Whenever the tribe ponders an addition , says
Mandara Spa at Harrah ’ s Cherokee ; Harrah ’ s Cherokee by night , with illuminated pool
Q & A :
Suzanne Trout
Chief Marketing Officer , Foxwoods Resort Casino
Tribal Government Gaming : Non-gaming is the dominant revenue-generator in parts of the commercial casino world , notably in Las Vegas . Is that also true of large-scale tribal resorts , such as Foxwoods ? Suzanne Trout : The dominance of non-gaming revenues in Las Vegas took time , as new resort amenities were built out and the audience for non-gaming grew . The same is true for Foxwoods ; the transition is happening over time .
But in local and regional markets , our more limited audiences still keep gaming revenues on top . We ’ re finding that through expanding our resort offerings , we ’ re increasing the leisure / retail customer mix in our hotels ; from social and digital campaigns to new brand positioning and initiatives , attracting new resort guests is a priority .
Foxwoods has a long list of recreational activities : a zip line , virtual-reality amusements , TopGolf , kart races . How much research goes into choosing what to invest in ? We conduct market research before adding amenities , keeping in mind that any one of these attractions on its own is not as significant as the whole . Foxwoods ’ expansive campus has afforded opportunities to really differentiate our resort , such as the Tanger Outlets . The Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center , the largest Native American museum in the world , is next-door , as well as two championship Troon golf courses .
The beauty of a resort with this much to offer is our guests can create their own experiences . Some come to see A-list entertainers such as Darryl Hall and John Oates or Kesha . Others visit for a night out with dinner and blackjack . We ’ re seeing more group getaways — golf , spa , shopping — and guests celebrating special occasions .
How does it all contribute to your hotel occupancy ? We ’ ve seen occupancy grow over the years . Demand remains high , and we ’ re seeing more diversity in who ’ s booking , including groups , families , and consumers traveling from further distances .
40 TRIBAL GOVERNMENT GAMING 2020