BAHAMAS
The
Baha Mar Resort complex on Nassau is expected to open in April, when the 1,800-room
Grand Hyatt Baha Mar, which includes a casino, will welcome its first guests. Between 200 and 500 rooms will debut initially, announced Graeme Davis, president of Baha Mar. The remaining rooms at the Grand Hyatt, as well at two additional properties -- the 300-room
SLS Baha Mar and the 200-room
Rosewood Baha Mar -- will open in phases through 2018. A fourth hotel, the 694-room
Meliá Nassau Beach, has been open for three years and is an all-inclusive property.
The resort's convention center, which includes 200,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space, was expected to open at press time; an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus signature Royal Blue golf course will open this month, and a 100,000-square-foot casino will debut this spring. Future plans for the resort call for the development of a private island as a venue for group events, with an opening set for late 2018 or early 2019.
Last December, Chow Tai Fook Enterprises, a Hong Kong-based conglomerate whose holdings include Rosewood Hotels and Resorts, became the new owners of the resort. -- LISA A. GRIMALDI
CONNECTICUTIn Uncasville, the 400-room
Earth Hotel, the second tower for the
Mohegan Sun casino resort, opened last November. The $130 million property brings the resort's guest-room total to 1,600. The hotel also features three casinos; the 22,000-square-foot Elemis Spa; a golf course; an array of more than 75 shops, restaurants and bars; three entertainment venues; and about 100,000 square feet of meeting space, including the Uncas Ballroom, which spans 38,000 square feet. -- SARAH J.F. BRALEY
When it comes to attracting meetings business, these destinations are upping their game with new and newly renovated accommodations, attractions and venues. Here's what's happening in select gaming markets around the country.
LAS VEGAS
The action never really stops in the nation's gaming capital, and that's as much true for property development and renovations as it is for entertainment. A host of new venues, redesigned guest rooms and an expanding convention center are among the highlights in Sin City.
Las Vegas already is the largest metro market in the U.S. in terms of room count. In fact, its nearly 162,500 guest rooms rank behind only Beijing and Shanghai globally, according to lodging-data provider STR. And that figure will continue to rise, given the city's 4,116 rooms presently under construction -- up 5 percent year-over-year.
The vast majority of those new rooms will belong to the 3,000-room, $4 billion Resorts World Las Vegas, above left, a megadevelopment on the North Strip. Malaysia-based Genting Group purchased Boyd Gaming's failed Echelon development back in 2013, and at press time it appears construction will finally be ramping up shortly. Genting has been shooting for a 2019 opening. The resort will cover 87 acres and promises a 110,000-square-foot casino, 150,000 square feet of convention space and a 3,200-seat theater. Among other amenities expected to eventually debut are a multiplex movie theater.
Other new venues were to include a proposed $1.9 billion, 65,000-seat stadium, but as of late January that project is in limbo. The stadium was to be built, in part, to lure an NFL franchise to town; the Oakland Raiders, who were all but guaranteed to be that team, asked for a deal in late January that led Vegas billionaire Sheldon Adelson to back out of the project. Goldman Sachs subsequently backed out, leaving the Raiders in need of some deep pockets to make the deal happen. Adelson, who owns Las Vegas Sands Corp., had originally committed to funding about a third of the stadium project, but claims the Raiders were asking for terms quite different than what was discussed originally, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
One deal that's progressing as planned is the Las Vegas Convention Center District, anchored by the expansion of the convention center. Earlier this year, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority revealed the new Diamond Lot, a parking and outdoor exhibition space that marks the completion of Phase I of the multibillion-dollar project. The lot, on the site of the former Riviera, includes 20 acres for outdoor exhibits, 3,100 parking spaces, new landscaped walkways and four power-source locations for the outdoor exhibit area. Subsequent phases will include the addition of 600,000 square feet of exhibit space to the convention center, plus new meeting rooms and renovations throughout the venue.
MGM Resorts has opened a couple of important event facilities over the past year, both abutting The Park, an outdoor dining and entertainment district between the New York-New York and Monte Carlo casino-resorts, and alongside Aria Resort & Casino. Last April marked the debut of the 20,000-seat T-Mobile Arena. The joint venture with sports and entertainment giant AEG already has become a hot spot for large concerts, boxing matches and more, and as of the 2017-2018 season will be the home of the NHL's Las Vegas Knights expansion hockey team. The facility is rife with high-end Vegas touches, including 44 luxury suites, eight event-level suites, two party suites, two dozen private loge boxes and a variety of food-and-drink venues, including the 18,000-square-foot Hyde Lounge, a sleek upper-level lounge and club with sweeping views of the action below and several private event spaces.
The newest facility to open alongside The Park is MGM's Park Theater, a 5,200-seat venue that debuted last December. The theater marks the first phase of the Monte Carlo's transformation: Over the next two years, the resort will be divided into two properties, the Nomad Hotel Las Vegas and the luxury Park MGM. Guest rooms will be fully redesigned for both, as will the food-and-beverage offerings.
The latest Strip property to open is the 289-room W Las Vegas, which also began welcoming guests in December. The W is part of the SLS Las Vegas, a Tribute Portfolio Resort on the North Strip, and is a conversion of the former Lux Tower, one of three guest towers on-site. The W offers its own welcome desk and the signature W Living Room lobby and bar area, complete with seating nooks that reference the Sahara, the classic Vegas icon that originally stood at that site. The hotel offers 15,000 square feet of meeting and event space spread across three floors, which complement the 80,000 square feet of space available at SLS. The rooftop is home to the WET Deck, which includes a bar, private cabanas, and views of the Stratosphere and desert mountains.
Many existing Vegas properties look new again, thanks to extensive renovations and redesigns. By the end of this year, Caesars Entertainment will have renovated 40 percent of its local room inventory -- including modernizing makeovers at Harrah's, Planet Hollywood and Paris. At Harrah's, all 600 rooms and 72 suites of the Valley Tower feature a sleek new look, with new backlit vanities and room furniture.
In addition to elevated style, planners should note rising resort fees, which Caesars Entertainment increased by $1 to $3 per night this month. A $30-per-night fee is now tacked on for guests at Bally's, the Flamingo, Harrah's, The Linq and Rio. Those staying at Caesars Palace, The Cromwell, Nobu, Paris and Planet Hollywood will be charged $35 per night.
In terms of the guest experience, Vegas properties are known for showcasing cutting-edge room technology. Among the newest initiatives -- capitalizing on the chatbot and virtual-assistant trends -- is Rose, the sassy virtual concierge at The Cosmopolitan Las Vegas. Rose can be reached 24/7 via text; upon check-in, guests receive a business card for "her," which reads "Know my secrets. Text Me" and "I am the answer to the question that you never asked." Via text messaging, the flirty chatbot can guide guests around the resort to its many F&B and retail outlets, arrange for amenity deliveries and even provide a guided art tour.
As of this summer, the virtual assistant at the Wynn and Encore properties will be none other than Alexa, the chatbot behind the Amazon Echo. The voice-controlled, hands-free devices will be installed in every guest room at both properties, and be able to handle voice commands for in-room functionality such as temperature, lighting, TV, music and more. -- MICHAEL J. SHAPIRO
MARYLAND
The 308-room MGM National Harbor, an Associated Luxury Hotels International property, opened last December. The $1.4 billion resort is on the Potomac River in National Harbor, Md., across from Washington, D.C., and is part of the ALHI Entertainment & Gaming Collection. Some 53,000 square feet of meeting space includes the 16,137-square-foot MGM Grand Ballroom, with a wall of windows overlooking the river and a 6,000-square-foot terrace. Groups also can gather in the 4,300-square-foot Bellagio Ballroom; the Grand Ballroom Terrace; a state-of-the-art, 3,000-seat theater; and the Potomac Plaza, with views of the river and D.C. The property also has a 125,000-square-foot casino, a 27,000-square-foot spa, celebrity chef restaurants, a Pan-Asian restaurant, a sports bar, a patisserie, a food market and luxury retail shops.
In Hanover, the Maryland Live! Casino is adding a $200 million hotel. Opening in early 2018, the 310-room property will have an event center with a 1,500-seat concert venue, dining options, and a spa and salon. -- S.B.
MIDWEST
Planners can find a plethora of gaming venues across the midwestern region, across a number of states. Meetings-friendly renovations, developments and updates include the following:
Pinnacle Entertainment's
Belterra Casino Resort completed a major renovation of its meeting and convention space early last year. The Vevay, Ind., property added all new carpeting, wall fixtures and sconces, and new seating. WiFi speeds now top out at 100Mbps. The meeting space represented the first phase of a $15 million renovation project, which will also involve a revamp of all 608 hotel rooms and the addition of three new restaurants. The resort, which is near Cincinnati; Louisville, Ky.; Lexington, Ky., and Indianapolis, has a 38,000-square-foot casino and more than 1,500 slot machines and 46 table games.
The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission is reviewing three applications for a casino license in Cedar Rapids -- a controversial subject for Iowa's nearby existing casinos, due to concerns about cannibalization of the current market. Among the existing properties is the
Isle Casino Hotel in Bettendorf, which opened a $42 million gaming facility on land last year, between two existing hotels on the river. -- M.J.S.
NEW JERSEY
Atlantic City remains the only Garden State community that allows casino gambling, following last November's defeat of a ballot to build two casinos in the northern part of state. The city currently has seven operating gaming resorts, following the closure last fall of the 26-year-old, 2,010-room Trump Taj Mahal Casino Hotel. The resort was shuttered following a long showdown between the casino workers' union and owner Carl Icahn. At press time, Icahn announced he was putting the property up for sale.
Meanwhile, the 1,400-room Revel, which has been closed since 2014, was slated to reopen last month under a new name, Ten. At press time, owner Glen Straub had not yet been approved for a gaming license, which could hold up the debut. However, recently introduced legislation could eliminate the casino-license requirement for hotel owners who lease gaming operations to a third party, as Straub plans to do. He bought the $2.4 million Revel development in April 2015 for just $82 million and has been struggling to relaunch the property ever since.
Several of the city's gaming properties have new offerings on the way. Among them is the 2,000-room Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, which became wholly owned by MGM last summer. The resort will unveil its new Central Conference Center in May, bringing the property's total meeting space to 106,000 square feet. Designed by Avenue Interior Design, the two-story former nightclub space will have five meeting rooms, a boardroom and an office on the lower level, as well as a 6,500-square-foot ballroom on the upper level. The venue will offer the latest technology, including high-definition digital projection.
Also debuting this spring is a new eatery, the 223-seat Angeline by Michael Symon. Designed by New York City's Parts and Labor Design, the 8,200-square-foot Italian restaurant will be the first Atlantic City venture for eponymous Iron Chef and The Chew co-host Symon.
The 2,079-room Tropicana Casino & Resort Atlantic City will debut three new Jose Garces F&B outlets this month, as part of the property's continuing transformation into a resort destination with dining, shopping, gaming, entertainment and nightlife. The eateries are Olon Restaurante, specializing in seafood and set in the former oceanfront space occupied by Fin restaurant; Okatshe, a Japanese sake and noodle bar located next to Olon in the former Seaside Café; and La Cerveceria, a bar connecting the two restaurants, featuring seafood, ceviche, draft beer and "beachy" entertainment.
Tropicana recently opened 10 North Lounge, offering live music, wine, local microbrews, handcrafted artisan cocktails and a double-sided fireplace. The property has also opened Escape AC, a team-based gaming venue that challenges groups of two to 10 to "escape" a designated room in 60 minutes.
Harrah's Resort Atlantic City is undergoing a $30 million renovation.Harrah's Resort Atlantic City has embarked on a $30 million renovation of all 450 guest rooms in the Bayview Tower, with all work scheduled to be completed this summer. The tower is near Harrah's Waterfront Conference Center, which debuted in 2015 and recently was awarded LEED Silver certification. In all, the 2,590-room gaming resort has more than 100,000 square feet of meeting and event space, including two 50,000-square-foot pillarless ballrooms. -- L.A.G.
MASSACHUSETTS
Ground was broken back in March 2015 on the state's first stand-alone casino resort, the $950 million
MGM Springfield, and construction continues on the project's site. While design elements are not final, plans for the property call for approximately 45,000 square feet of meeting space, a spa, a pool and a roof deck. -- S.B.
WASHINGTON
The 370-room
Tulalip Resort Casino, a Native American-run property 30 minutes north of Seattle, is finishing up guest-room renovations this month. New furniture was brought in and USB power outlets were installed. More user-friendly technology was added, including Bluetooth-enabled media hubs, 55-inch smart TVs and instant-access high-speed WiFi. The property has 30,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 15,000-square-foot ballroom and a 4,800-square-foot junior ballroom. Also on-site are an indoor pool, the T Spa with 16 treatment rooms, and eight restaurants. -- S.B.
CALIFORNIA
Spacious digs: Pechanga Resort's remodeled Executive SuiteThe state's largest gaming resort, the 517-room Pechanga Resort & Casino in Southern California's Temecula Valley, is in the midst of a $285 million renovation and expansion project. The property is building an additional 568-room hotel wing, a two-story spa, a resort-style pool complex, two new restaurants and 70,000 square feet of additional meeting space. Pechanga already has more than 200,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space, as well as a 125-seat teleconferencing and video lecture center.
This past December, Pechanga debuted 65 renovated suites in the existing hotel wing -- 63 one-bedroom suites and two executive suites, each of the latter spanning more than 1,300 square feet. The revamped layouts include newly integrated technology and new fabrics, furniture, artwork, décor, paint and wall coverings. Pechanga has 84 suites in total; the 19 Spa Suites were renovated at the end of 2015.
In Northern California, Sonoma County's Graton Resort & Casino completed a $175 million expansion late in November 2016. That project resulted in a new 200-room hotel, two new bars and lounges, a restaurant, and a spa and salon, as well as 20,000 square feet of event and convention space.
The resort's expansion had kicked off in September 2015 to complement the casino that was already in operation. The new hotel sits alongside 30,000 square feet of outdoor space, including a 7,000-square-foot pool with an extensive deck and lots of landscaping. The garden area connects to the new indoor meeting space, which seats 1,600 attendees. Also on-site are a 10,000-square-foot spa and five restaurants, in addition to the gaming facilities. -- M.J.S.
PENNSYLVANIA
Pennsylvania's gaming revenue exceeded $3.2 billion in 2016 -- that's a 1.25 percent increase over the previous year and a single-year record for the state, which legalized casino gambling just a decade ago. There are now 12 casinos operating across the Keystone State.
Plans for a Rivers Casino hotel in Pittsburgh are awaiting city approval.In Pittsburgh, Rivers Casino officials are hoping to build a $51.5 million, 221-room hotel just east of the casino, on the vacant lot between the casino and the Carnegie Science Center. The proposed contemporary design for the four-star property includes expansive windows to offer riverfront views. A restaurant, lobby bar and fitness center are planned for the property, and a spa is slated for the existing casino facility, which would accommodate hotel guests. The Rivers Casino hotel still requires approval from the city, but if all goes according to plan, construction could begin late this spring, with a projected 2018 opening.
Rivers Casino also is expanding its events offerings, having recently launched a dedicated wedding services team. The venue can even accommodate wedding guests under the age of 21 through a designated entrance that doesn't provide access to the gaming floor. Event spaces at the venue include waterfront balcony views of Pittsburgh's three rivers, a riverfront amphitheater and a riverwalk, as well as flexible banquet space to accommodate a variety of group sizes.
Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem could embark on a $90 million expansion if it gets approval from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. The resort, which regularly brings in the most table-games revenue of any casino in the state, also would have the largest gaming floor if the expansion happens. The project would add 81 tables to its current total of 237 table games. The 100,000-square-foot addition also would accommodate 380 additional slot machines (for a total of 3,543) and two restaurants. If approved, the expansion could be open by the end of this year. Future expansion plans call for another hotel tower to accommodate demand.
Last year, Sands renovated all of its 282 hotel rooms, and added a Chairman's Lounge and suites on the 15th floor. The venue also replaced a lounge with colorful stadium-style electronic table games, and opened two new restaurants.
In South Philadelphia, the state Supreme Court is deciding whether or not Stadium Casino can proceed with plans to build Live! Philadelphia, a $500,000 project set to include a 325,000-square-foot casino, an 18-story hotel, a parking garage, restaurants, music venues and a spa. A lawsuit against Stadium Casino was filed by competitors after the license was awarded; such legal haggling has become routine whenever the state's gaming-control board awards a license for a new casino. In previous cases, the licensee eventually prevailed. If that occurs, it still will likely be at least a few years before Live! opens. -- M.J.S.