Destination: Player: What's a Bet Got to Do With It?

By Heidi Genoist -- Tradeshow Week, 2/7/2005

At the handful of sites around the country where casinos and convention centers converge, convention salespeople say gaming isn't everything — but it is something.

Las Vegas recently ushered in an era of not being ashamed to push gaming as an attraction to the business traveler with its marketing campaign based on the slogan, "Work hard. Play hard" (bolstered by the "What happens here, stays here" tourism campaign that unabashedly sold adult entertainment).

Atlantic City followed suit with its motto, "Always turned on." Michael Reynolds, director of convention sales for the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority, explained, "We're saying we're a high-energy destination. Come do your meeting, but there's a great nightlife, too."

Reynolds said Atlantic City is becoming more Vegas-like. New projects such as the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa and the Quarter district at the Tropicana Resort & Casino have brought the nightclubs, fine dining and high-end shopping that helped raise Vegas' profile in the 1990s.

These investments show there's more to casinos these days than just gambling. From movie theaters and bowling alleys for the kids, to golf clubs and spas for the parents, casino resorts offer lots of activities to keep everyone accompanying business travelers spending their money.

The trend has proven to be a draw for more than just well-heeled business travelers. Anne Coggins, sales manager for meetings and conventions at the Tunica (Miss.) Convention & Visitors Bureau, noted that the nine casinos in the city 30 minutes south of Memphis are "one way to attract groups here, especially association meetings that are on a budget, because they don't have to factor in paid entertainment. It's already here."

Coggins also pointed out that gaming destinations tend to have large inventories of rooms at various price points. In Tunica and its surrounding area, she estimated, the average room price during the winter is around $50.

Of course, not everybody is thrilled to call attention to their casinos — even if there is more than gambling going on there. The Reno Sparks Convention & Visitors Authority recently changed its marketing campaign tagline to "Reno-Tahoe — America's adventure place."

Rob Enriquez, RSCVA executive director of sales, said the campaign is designed to emphasize the area's outdoor amenities — golf, kayaking, skiing — rather than downtown Reno's casinos.

"To a certain degree, you could say it's working hard and playing hard, but it's really about nature," Enriquez said.

Nonetheless, the new 118,000 square foot Reno Events Center — that just opened last month with 55,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space — is in the heart of downtown, surrounded by the casinos that co-funded the project with the city and the RSCVA.

And Reno isn't the only one to stress that it's not a one-trick pony. Reynolds noted there are many other attractions (the Boardwalk, the Ocean) and factors (the area's dense drive-in population) that help bring meetings to Atlantic City.

"I never go to a customer and start talking about gaming right away. It doesn't hurt, but people like us for many different reasons," he said.

Those considering taking their meeting or convention to a gaming destination should consider a few challenges.

For one thing, weekend dates are difficult to get. "We want the players on the weekend, because they spend the money," said Coggins.

The high rate of private ownership of convention facilities in gaming destinations can breed another problem: a disconnect between convention sales staff at CVBs and hotels.

But the most commonly cited worry is the casino's ability to lure attendees away from the tradeshow. "There are some customers who feel gaming is a distraction," Reynolds admitted. "But most planners find that their attendees go out to have fun after a long day of work."