Inside Asian Gaming

INSIDE ASIAN GAMING DECEMBER 2017 82 Shared social experiences, carefully crafted spaces and unique entertainment offerings have emerged as key factors in the implementation of effective non-gaming offerings in today’s integrated resorts. By Ben Blaschke FEATURES “I get asked the question all the time – ‘What are the amenities I should have?’” says Tom Wucherer, Principal at world-renowned design firm and casino specialist YWS Design & Architecture. “My answer is always the same, which is that you have to know what your market is. It comes down to what market you are catering to and what the local tastes and preferences are.” Wucherer was speaking as a panelist in a webinar hosted by The Innovation Group exploring the “Evolution of Non-Gaming Amenities” in the world’s casinos and integrated resorts – a particularly relevant topic for the industry right now given the rapidly changing customer demographics that are forcing operators to increasingly think outside the square. Evolution within the gaming industry, of course, is nothing new. As Wucherer notes, “The only constant in gaming is change.” But the nature of that change is also evolving. “Like the evolution of any product as it becomes more competitive and more mature, we started with some of the simple things – adding more food offerings, adding more entertainment THE EVOLUTION OF NON-GAMING AMENITIES offerings and it just keeps adding,” he continues. “It’s no different from an automobile where, although it is basically the same as it was in the 1950s, you can certainly notice the difference between a car today versus a car back then. “The casino industry did the same thing – they are much more sophisticated spaces now, we have a much deeper understanding of how people interact with those spaces and what other things we can add onto them.” As it stands, the industry is in the midst of a seismic shift that experts believe will continue to shape the nature of casino and amenity design for years to come. And it is all centered around one word – “social.” Be it social media or social space, the customers of today demand experiences they can enjoy with friends and share with the world. “I think [casino amenities] have to be social,” explains Joe Scibetta, Vice President of Development and Operations at Rush Street Gaming. “The regular sit down restaurant with the white table cloth, that’s going to need to be there in some capacity but will need to be