There’s a New Game in Town

People may slow down, the economy may slow down, company spending may ease off, but somehow casinos never reverse the action. Thirteen states presently have legislation pending that would authorize or expand legalized gambling and – even following several lackluster years in the travel and meetings industry – casinos are being built at a furious pace. Don’t think the boom is just happening in Vegas and Atlantic City. Many of these casinos are owned by Native American tribes and are located in rural areas within driving distances of major cities.

What does that mean to you? A slew of new meeting options that are closer to home and, in many cases, offer bargain pricing and a lot of entertainment value for your next close-to-home office meeting.

Add it up. You save money on transportation because people can arrive by car or chartered bus instead of flying. Once there, attractions are either inside the resort or within walking distance. Entertainment is built right in, and a certain percentage of your attendees will become so emeshed in the gaming that they’ll never leave the casino. For the nongamblers, sporting options are often close at hand. The result is that meeting planners may be the only group of people in the world who can actually count on saving money in casinos.

The one drawback is that most casinos require you to use their own catering services, which means you can’t shop around for different menus or better prices. But even this disadvantage is minimal. Casinos are used to handling big groups and offer competitive pricing on dining packages and themed parties. And given the rural location of many of the casinos, limited catering options would be open to you anyway.

The following casino resorts from four different regions of the country are good examples of the options open to meeting planners.

NORTHEAST:

“Meetings and gaming destinations can be a great fit, but it has to be handled delicately,” says Joan Esneault, executive director of sales at Foxwoods Resort and Casino in Richmond, RI. “We concentrate on what the client wants to accomplish in the meeting and make that the focus of the event. If participants visit the casino afterwards, that’s fine.”

Foxwoods, which is located just off I-95 near the state lines of Rhode Island and Connecticut, is an easy drive from Boston and New York. A huge resort with 24 restaurants and headline entertainment like David Copperfield, Ashanti and Jerry Seinfeld, Foxwoods has more than 55,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 25,000-square-foot ballroom.

For post-meeting relaxation, there’s a complete health club and spa, as well as two golf courses. “Golf is a major part of what we offer,” says Esneault. “Beginning in 2005 we will have banquet space in our clubhouse.” Foxwoods is also opening a Hard Rock Café in 2004 and offers themed parties designed to show off its stellar catering department. Casino food may get a bad rap, but Foxwoods is prepared not only to handle large groups, but to do it in high culinary style.

For more information, call Foxwoods Resort and Casino at 1-800-FOXWOODS or visit www.foxwoods.com.

MIDWEST

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is a sportsman’s paradise, and the Kewadin Resort is situated in the perfect place to take advantage of it all. Located near the Soo Locks and Mackinac Island, Kewadin can offer guests fishing, canoeing, hiking, mountain biking or wooded golf courses. In the winter, there’s skiing.

Besides being the ultimate outdoor getaway, Kewadin is also a full-service business hotel and convention center with corporate incentive programs designed for every budget. The on-site convention department can help you plan an event in the Dreammakers Theater, which seats 1,380 for a show or 650 for sit-down dining. There’s also a wide variety of gaming options (groups get discount coupons for casino play) and a sports bar.

For more information, call Kewadin Casinos at 1-800-KEWADIN or visit www.kewadin.com.

SOUTH

They’re shooting more than craps down in the gulf. The elegant Beau Rivage is located on the Mississippi coast and has 1,780 rooms and 50,000 square feet of meeting space. Since the resort is part of the Mirage–Bellagio family, you can be sure it’s first class all the way, with its elegant Southern-themed buildings, casino, spa and upscale dining rooms such as the Port House.

But the location also lends itself to getting out on the water, and the marina has a full fleet of boats from canoes to yachts. The gulf coast waters are ideal for year ’round sport fishing. Small groups can stay in the Sportsman’s Lodge, a 5,000-square-foot floating retreat one hour from the Beau Rivage marina. As many as 10 overnight guests can fish off fiberglass sports boats – the staff will prepare your evening meal from the catch – or go duck hunting. The large lounge area with its satellite TV is designed for relaxing after a day in the marsh or for low-key meetings. Meetings? Who are we kidding?

For more information, call 1-888-595-2534 or visit www.beaurivage.com.

WEST:

The Spa Resort Casino in Palm Springs, CA, is a two-hour drive from LA and San Diego and – just as its name implies – offers three distinct experiences. First of all, it’s a full-scale resort with ballrooms, meeting rooms and access to golf, just as you might find in any other corporate hotel. There’s a casino for those who like gaming and an award-winning spa built on hot natural-mineral springs.

Palm Springs isn’t exactly known as a “quaint” destination, but there’s a lot of history behind the resort. The Cahuilla Indians have used these natural springs for healing as long as anyone can remember, and road-weary pilgrims from LA have traveled to use the public bathhouses since 1870. The village of Palm Springs has cafes, shops and art galleries to entertain those who aren’t into gaming.

“When you have your meeting in a casino, there’s added value to the client,” says Jeanette Moore, director of sales. “People have been in a meeting all day, and they walk out to find things to do that are interesting and exciting at no extra cost to meeting planner.” In other words, you just can’t lose.

For more information, call the Spa Resort Casino at 1-800-854-1279 or visit www.sparesortcasino.com.