Inside Asian Gaming

December 2013 | INSIDE ASIAN GAMING 21 and entertainment activities in our designs,” Mr Steelman said. “Some of the new facilities on the drawing board feature up to 70 restaurants.” Some gaming companies have already taken the step to design new projects that trumpet entertainment over everything else. For example, The LINQ, Caesars Entertainment’s $550 million open-air retail, dining and entertainment district located on the Las Vegas Strip, is proceeding as planned and will open its first phase this month, according to Jon Gray, a Caesars official who spoke at G2E. Mr Gray, who is vice president and general manager of The LINQ, said the project aims to attract a retail mix that includes new market concepts, such as the 78,000-square-foot Brooklyn Bowl concert venue, in addition to successful familiar brands such as Sprinkles Cupcakes and the Titled Kilt bar. The goal of these attractions: to entice younger clientele to visit. “We are really going after the Gen X and Gen Y consumers with The LINQ,” Mr Gray said. “There are studies that show these generations will comprise over 50 percent of Las Vegas visitor volume by 2015. We are spending $550 million on this project; our first big step toward providing specific retail, dining and entertainment for Gen X and Y consumers.” So far, the leasing of The LINQ has exceeded expectation, with IN FOCUS the entire design process. And the process should not be limited to just the designers and high-ranking managers and executives. Doing so limits your ability to create a truly efficient casino. And listening is not enough. Learning from all involved stakeholders and expecting tangible results from that dialogue is the only way to ensure that facilities will meet collective efficiency goals. At JCJ, each client participates in multiple, integrated sessions where they share their story and their individual visions of what they want their facility to become. Listening to their vision for the space and collaboratively exploring design solutions creates greater buy-in, respect and adoption. Additionally, owners of facilities that embark on the design process alongside the architect develop a sense of ownership and pride in their facility. We saw this first-hand by working closely with the Gila River Indian Tribe’s Cultural Committee on the Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino, which became a direct reflection of their unique heritage. Subtle references to water—a highly valued and scarce commodity to the community—are incorporated throughout the facility to create a seamless transition from the tribe’s stories of history, culture and tradition that were communicated during the listening session to the overall design patrons experience first-hand. Energy efficiency will always be a crucial factor for casino design and management. However, comprehensive casino efficiency only comes when owner/designer teams are willing to broaden the conversation and take a holistic, 360-degree approach to an economically efficient design that provides productive experiences for all stakeholders. Kris Irwin is senior interior designer for JCJ Architecture, an architectural, planning and interior design firm with offices in New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Arizona and California. Before joining JCJ Architecture’s private practice, Mr Irwin was an interior designer for the Fontainebleau and Arizona State University’s owner and operator teams. retailers willing to pay above pro forma rents to be part of the project, according to Mr Gray. “What we are pushing for is a lot of personality to come alive in the storefronts and signage points,”he said.“We have a lot of great tenants coming in and putting their best foot forward and that means there will be a lot of great energy there.” The remainder will come on line by 28th February, according to Mr Gray. The High Roller—a 550-foot-tall wheel that will act at the primary entertainment attraction for the project— will open sometime in the first half of 2014, once it has passed a rigorous testing procedure. The High Roller will have 28 cabins attached to the wheel, each of which can carry 40 people. It will take 30 minutes for one full revolution, which means upwards of 2,200 people can ride the attraction each hour. “It is an engineering marvel,” Mr Gray said. “The same group that engineered it also did the Singapore Flyer and the London Eye, which was meant to be a temporary installation but became the second most popular tourist attraction in London. We learned from these projects. The entire rim of the wheel will be lit at night and each cabin will have exterior lighting through a package we can control. The whole thing will be very visual and stunning both day and night. It will become an icon on the Las Vegas Strip.” Reprinted with permission from Casino Journal . Saratoga Casino in Colorado features a cost-effective yet visually stunning chandelier composed of glass water bottles from the Saratoga Springs water company.