STATESIDE
Stateside W
hy go to any particular casino these days? Convenience gambling near one’s home is easier than ever, meaning American gaming jurisdictions must develop new
marketing strategies. Atlantic City and Nevada learned that as they confronted competition from neighboring states like Pennsylvania, New York and Delaware, or California and Arizona. No one can only market to men, women, kids or
seniors as mass groups anymore. Modern society now includes multiple layers of special interest groups and cultures, requiring targeted marketing. It is being done successfully; here are some examples:
• Most major casino properties have had Asian
Working to attract this niche
hosts, restaurants and gaming parlors for years. Foreign- born Asian customers and domestic players with Asian backgrounds generate millions in gaming and non-gaming hotel revenues.
business, Atlantic City is rolling out the welcome mat with numerous events. Last summer, the Trump Taj Mahal ran gay bingo nights.
• Las Vegas-based Allegiant Air wants to tap the “gambling mood” before customers arrive. The airline caters to leisure travelers from small cities who buy their tickets months ahead. Pending Department of Transportation approval, Allegiant has designed a potential promotion. It would offer the choice of purchasing a fixed-price or discounted variable-priced ticket. The cost would rise and fall with the price of jet fuel. If fuel costs drop by departure, customers receive a refund; higher fuel prices would increase the fee.
• Casinos are literally going to the dogs. Reluctant
owners no longer have to leave Fido. Showboat’s Pet Stay program became Atlantic City’s first dog-friendly casino on February 24; $1,000 was then donated to a regional Humane Society. Parent company Caesars Entertainment selected Showboat, with diverse attractions and sufficient space, as the trial property for nine rooms. If successful, it may expand to Caesars’ other Atlantic City properties – Bally’s Caesars and Harrah’s. In Las Vegas, Caesars Palace, Rio and Imperial Palace operate similar programs. For $40 a night, up to two dogs weighing less than
50 pounds each are allowed per room. Dogs may go into the hotel’s public areas, but are banned in the casino, restaurants, bars, spas and retail shops. Pampered pooches receive a welcoming basket, filled with treats, food and water bowls, a sleeping mat, disposable waste bags and a souvenir duffle bag. They also have their own outside “relief area”.
10 APRIL 2011
Sharon Harris sees how casinos can target niche groups • The lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender (LGBT)
communities have become a major economic force. Surveys show they tend to travel and spend more than other demographic segments. According to one San Francisco gay-market research firm, gays and lesbians spend $64.5 billion annually in the US travel market. Working to attract this niche business, Atlantic City is
rolling out the welcome mat with numerous events. Last summer, the Trump Taj Mahal ran gay bingo nights. Resorts Atlantic City has hired a director of
alternative lifestyle marketing, and is considering opening Atlantic City’s first gay nightclub within a casino. Resorts recently hosted the final casting call for a gay television reality show. Across town, Harrah’s, Bally’s, Caesars and
Showboat will hold their second “OUT” weekend next October, with shows, special events and activities tailored to LGBT clientele.
• Last June, Harrah’s Atlantic City spent $1 million
to open the Viking Cooking School’s first casino outlet. Its prominent location and glass walls create a great view. For $79 to $129, the classes last from 90 minutes to three hours, and more than 300 have participated.
• Two new Las Vegas museums are opening this
year. First, the Las Vegas Mob Experience at the Tropicana, and later, The Las Vegas Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement – called “The Mob Museum” – in a former courthouse downtown.
Headliners may attract, but cost millions, even in smaller tribal casinos, riverboats and resorts along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. In tougher times, new concepts, great lounge acts and unusual attractions are taking hold. There has also been a rebirth of the production
show in many gaming jurisdictions. Casino executives see the marketing value, offering a cheaper option than headliners that play one or two nights. In addition to their regular entertainment lineup,
seven of Atlantic City’s 11 casinos either have or will introduce regular stage shows for the summer season. Don Marrandino, Caesar’s Entertainment eastern division president, says a production show almost every night, versus a one-night headliner, may be the same price or less. Casino operators everywhere must work
cooperatively with city officials and planners to maximize customer visits and opportunities. It is the lifeline to making it.
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