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Gaming Venues: A Sure Bet
December, 2010
Casinos, race tracks winning approval in the conference and event landscape
By Lisa Kopochinski
Over the past decade, gaming properties across Canada have changed immensely. They have grown beyond the gaming floor to venues featuring amenities such as event and convention meeting space, entertainment, hotel rooms, multiple food and beverage choices, spas and much more.
This response to consumer demand has also proven to be particularly attractive to event planners for a more varied experience for corporate events where all elements for a successful meeting can be met under one roof.
“Gaming venues offer a unique experience and can help build attendance at an event,” says Bettyanne Sherrer, CMP, an event planner with ProPlan Conference Planners in Richmond Hill, Ont. “As a planner, I am always seeking ways to customize every aspect of a program to increase the value and expand on the guest experience.”
Alysone Will, CMP, of Absolute Conferences & Events Inc. in Toronto, adds, “As a planner, it is critical that the space is the best fit for the program, both from the size point of view and the environment/ambience, so the meeting will be a success. Although I might be looking at a gaming venue, I do want to know that the group will have the attention it deserves — appropriate accommodations, which have direct access to the meeting space and not across from the gaming floor, and quality food and staff that are dedicated to the event and understand the needs of conferences/events.”
Overall destination is always a consideration for planners. Does the venue have attractions that will appeal to meeting attendees, and are there outside amenities that are a draw too?
Furthermore, in the past five years, we have seen the addition of many Canadian properties that have enhanced the ability to hold larger meetings and events.
For instance, “Caesar’s Windsor now has 1,600-plus hotel rooms and can comfortably hold a convention of a couple thousand people under one roof,” says Paul Burns, vice president of the Canadian Gaming Association, which is situated in Toronto.
“And Casino New Brunswick opened this past June with a multipurpose event space that can’t be equaled anywhere in Atlantic Canada,” he said. “As well, Saskatchewan, Alberta and B.C. have all seen new gaming properties open with all the amenities needed to host corporate meetings and conventions.”
Current trends
With the slip in revenue due to the tough economy, more casinos are moving into the conference and event business. But for this market segment to be successful, Will says casinos need to understand that the conference delegate is a very different person — with different needs — than the average gambler.
“The staff need to be trained accordingly to understand the difference and to meet the demands of the delegate/planner,” she says.
Planner Sherrer adds that finding the right fit for the client’s program involves many factors, from destination (for instance, downtown versus airport versus resort) and the type of experience that is being sought.
“Gaming venues provide planners with a unique “turn-key” solution when a resort is desired with an isolation factor, but offers the services and amenities to allow for a balanced experience,” she says. “The venue must first meet the needs of the program with appropriate meeting space, accommodations and business services. Then amenities, such as spa or golf, are considered. A gaming venue then allows a planner to seed the fun/social aspects of the program with their entertainment offerings with little or no impact on your budget.”
Sherrer has also noticed that gaming venues are now looking to service the needs of the meeting first, and not rely solely on the entertainment factor to attract group business.
But having said that, she does note that one of the most important activities is the entertainment. “Is there an in-house show and, if so, what entertainment is lined up over the dates of my program and are bulk tickets available?” she asks. “This is a great opportunity to negotiate the VIP experience for my group.”
No shortage of choice
No matter the province, planners are sure to find the right gaming venue fit for their client.
For example, Caesars Windsor is attracting a great deal of corporate event business, largely helped by the fact that it is the only Caesars property outside of the U.S.
“(Clients) get all the perks associated with the Caesars brand,” says Jeremy Tyrrell, senior manager, resorts, hotels and convention sales for Caesars Windsor. This includes complimentary valet parking, six restaurants onsite, lounges, entertainment that includes a 5,000-seat Colosseum theatre, health club facilities, shopping and even a Starbucks onsite. “Using citywide standards, we can handle up to 1,200 delegates, and using our property alone, we find that conventions in the range of up to 600 are best served.”
But Tyrrell also recognizes that not all of their clients are there for gaming.
“Corporate planners want every attendee at the meeting — from C level to entry level — to be treated as VIPs. This is exactly the business we are in, and we excel at offering specialized service and accommodation to the various levels of VIPs within a corporate group.”
Moving to the east, Atlantic Canada’s newest player is Casino New Brunswick in Moncton.
With its 25,000 square feet of event space, Casino New Brunswick is decorated in stylish dark wood grain, browns and cream tones making the space ideal to match any design requirements. And having a 2,400-square-foot stage doesn’t hurt either.
“It means that the sky is the limit with regards to how the event is to be set up,” explains Melanie Jane Holmden, events coordinator. “Our sound and light team will create and cater to your every wish with the result being an event that your attendees will talk about and set expectations from for years to come.”
She adds that having a meeting at a gaming venue is the same as having a team activity built directly into the event. Attendees can go onto the gaming floor after a long day of meetings to relax and unwind. Or they may want to partake in nearby amenities that this gorgeous area of the country offers.
“A leisurely and scenic drive from here you will find one of Canada’s most visited national parks — Fundy National Park — or the historic Hopewell Rocks, nestled along the Bay of Fundy,” Holmden boasts. “And Parlee Beach, just 20 minutes from Casino New Brunswick, offers miles of natural sandy beach with the warmest salt waters north of Virginia!”
As event planners become tourism connoisseurs, more corporate and event function space is being factored into new builds or renovated into already standing facilities. Gaming venues are increasingly becoming full-experience destinations — with hotel, spa, event space and dining for every palette.
Holmen says Casino New Brunswick recently hosted a large government group with meals and a trade show and the feedback was fabulous.
“They had prearranged an interactive, team-building session with a percussion company and, combined with our stage lights and sound, the room was rocking! The buffet was a huge hit with great menu items combined with Maritime specialty items such as fresh island mussels steamed in white wine, garlic and tomato concasse.”
More than halfway across the country to the west, another new player on the scene is Living Sky Casino in Swift Current, Sask. For planners looking for a uniquely cultural experience, Leah Bragg, marketing manager, says Living Sky Casino is guided by five principles that encourage balance, while incorporating the traditional aspects of First Nations culture.
“One of these principles is miyo-wicehtowin. This represents the value of getting along with others. We do this in the Sky Centre by conducting our business in a manner that reflects our First Nations hospitality, traditions and customs, which enables us to foster good relations with our customers.”
Though Living Sky Casino may conduct business using traditional principles, the venue is very much in tune with today’s high-tech clientele.
“We utilize computers, a 12-foot x 20-foot projection screen, high-definition projectors and state-of-the-art sound equipment in most of our corporate events,” says Bragg. “The Sky Centre is 4,047 square feet and, with the stage included, is 5,559 square feet. It offers theatre seats and a full room set-up. And for smaller events, the room can be divided in two.”
For the veteran McPhillips Station Casino in Winnipeg, there are three separate meeting spaces that can accommodate meetings for groups of 10 to 200. Groups of 200 to 400 can also be accommodated in the Concert Bowl facilities and Upperdeck Sports Bar, complete with a 16-foot high-definition screen for all those must-see sporting events.
“Meeting planners are focusing on expanded activities for their attendees,” reports Wayne Perfumo, acting vice president, entertainment and hospitality venues. “More and more, we are seeing the planners request activities before and after meetings. They are using casino games and activities to increase overall participation in the business portion of the meetings.”
For those looking for something a little different, an event planner might want to consider Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, which offers horseracing as well as all the amenities of other gaming venues.
“The added value of the complete entertainment package of meeting/dining/racing/slots provides something to keep most people engaged,” says Joseph Araujo, director, catering and group sales. “We are one-stop shopping. Most rooms feature floor-to-ceiling windows for natural light. And our Northern Dancer room features a private balcony and great views of the track.”
Woodbine also boasts three meeting rooms of varying sizes (2,300 square feet, 2,200 square feet and 800 square feet). It also recently started using a section of the traditional racing indoor grandstand for meetings and events.
Araujo says that planners might choose Woodbine largely due to its uniqueness over other venues.
“Horse racing lends itself to special events well because you don’t have to wager, but can take in the racing for the beauty of the animals themselves.”
Something must be working because even in last year’s tough economy, Woodbine hosted more than 700 events ranging from small board meetings to large meetings, racing groups anywhere from 20 to 800 people, gala fundraisers, product launches, special racing events and VIP parties.
And if that weren’t enough, Araujo adds, “ We've launched a dinner theatre at Mohawk Racetrack, and we’re awaiting the expansion of Woodbine Live, which will create entertainment destination at the Woodbine property.”
Lisa Kopochinski is a freelance editor and writer and can be reached at www.lisakcommunications.net.
Filed under: Gaming Properties
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