Prevue May/June 2012 - (Page 82)

Previous: Casino del Sol Below: Mohegan Sun W 74 | prevue magazine When your meetings require everything in one place, with large group space, restaurants and attractions only minutes away from each, a gaming hotel or resort often fits the bill. The level of luxury and quality of services continues to evolve each year due to the level of competition in the market. New hotels launch and others renovate, and we’re seeing an increase of first class amenities from championship golf courses to celebrity chefs, along with a subtle shift away from the gaming tables as a central focus of these full service properties. Equally important, these highly varied venues bring an inherent energy, excitement and drama to any program without added cost to the group. That’s certainly been the case for Mark Pinvidic, managing partner at Noble Financial Capital Markets in Boca Raton, Florida, who hosts an annual conference at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida. “You walk into the hotel and it’s got attitude, personality, it’s big, it’s bold,” says Pinvidic. “Compared to an ordinary hotel, with its elevator music and empty hallways, the Seminole Hard Rock has got buzz, it’s got motion, and that adds to the excitement of doing our event there. Attendees have commented that every time they come out of a meeting, there’s people and activity, and it helps my conference look like it’s got a buzz.” In other words, it’s always showtime at Seminole Hard Rock. Step inside the 500-room resort and you’re greeted with the bling of the casino on your way to the front desk. Guestrooms are decked in a sleek, modern décor of silver, black and dark wood after a recent $7 million room renovation. And the 40,000 sf of meeting space itself seems wired for action, from an active, colorful design of the carpets to a palette of lighting options that include vibrant reds and violets. “It’s a hustle and bustle of the casino that pervades the resort,” says Mark Tascione, director of sales at Seminole Hard Rock, who is one of many gaming hoteliers promoting their property as hotel first, casino second. “What’s nice about our meeting space, it’s all the way to the end of our hotel, so you wouldn’t even know you’re in a casino.” The resort has 23 retail shops, 18 restaurants, 10 bars and nightclubs, a 7,000-seat theatre and the Hard Rock Live arena, hosting acts from Elvis Costello and Marc Anthony to Liza Minnelli and Cirque Dreams. Tascione also helps groups put together their own blockbuster events, such as a themed party for Pinvidic called Austin Power Brokers. It was held at one of the resort’s nightclubs, allowing the group to avoid the cost of renting a comparable venue elsewhere.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Prevue May/June 2012

Sheraton China + Macau
The Peppermill, Reno
Charleston + Denver
CSR with Caesars
Hong Kong's Kai Tak Terminal
Special Section: Europe
Hyatt Fisherman's Wharf
Affordable Luxury
Frenchman's Reef, USVI
Australia
Toronto
Taiwan
U.S. Gaming Hotels
Caesars/Paris Las Vegas
Grand Lucayan, Bahamas
Iberostar Cancun

Prevue May/June 2012