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New & Improved

Posted on April 3, 2018 by -

Tribal gaming is changing. The days of trailers and Sprung structures are long gone, and the move to an integrated resort is in full swing. But the progress is always incremental. In this year’s roundup of impressive tribal gaming projects, the editors have focused on five developments that either were greenfield projects or renovations. The time to upgrade is now, as more competition comes on and more demand for non-gaming amenities arises.

 

4 For 4
Four Winds Casino, South Bend, Indiana

South Bend, Indiana enjoys the Four Winds at its back. Indiana represents the latest growth opportunity for the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, who opened the first state casino owned and operated by a Native American tribe, the Four Winds Casino in South Bend (abv.). The new project is located on 166 acres of tribal trust land. The January opening expanded the Four Winds presence beyond Michigan, where it is prominent in operating three separate casinos.

The 175,000-square-foot casino in South Bend differs from its sister locations in that its 55,000-square-foot gaming floor has 1,800 gaming machines but no table games. The Michigan locations have table games and live dealers, but the Pokagon Band’s agreement with Indiana only allows it to employ Class II gaming devices.

Memphis-based HBG Design helped the Pokagon Band advance the Four Winds brand from a traditional natural element-focused aesthetic to a contemporary transitional design. HBG works closely with the Pokagon Band to feature unique tribal motifs within an overall high-contrast, contemporary design direction.

“The Pokagon Band calls South Bend ‘ribbon town,’” says Nathan Peak, AIA, lead architectural designer and principal at HBG Design. “Known for arts and crafts, tribal symbolism is connected to unique patterns and artwork as well as the location’s origins along the river and water.”
Brand consistency is evident the moment guests enter under the large, four-lane curved porte cochere, an element shared by all Four Winds properties. A standout for the property is the large dramatic rotunda entry, which connects key amenities. They include a dedicated 40-machine non-smoking area, a casino center bar, retail space, a coffee shop and four new dining experiences.

The entry rotunda features structural cedar log column details, a grand custom-designed stained-glass chandelier integrating cedar leaf cultural motifs, and an “eternal flame” hearth room.

The Pokagon Band’s view of copper as a sacred healing metal is evident with the presence of two recently found “float copper” rocks from Michigan’s Northern Peninsula. They were installed at the entrance of the Copper Rock Steakhouse. Each rock has been documented to be over 11,000 years old, and one them weighs 7,000 pounds. The largest was placed within a dedicated niche at the steakhouse entry facade and stands more than 10 feet high and 5 feet wide.

“Over the past 10 years, architects and interior designers at HBG Design have built an ongoing relationship with the Pokagon Band and Four Winds in Michigan and Indiana,” says Paul Bell, AIA, project manager and principal, HBG Design. “Our team has worked to strategically enhance the design quality and consistent aesthetic over their four-property, now multi-state brand.”

 

Rooms To Move
Potawatomi Casino Hotel expansion, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

From bingo to billions, Potawatomi Casino keeps marching. Continued expansions fit the company into discussions either for new or traditional properties.

The Milwaukee property was famed for bingo when it opened in 1991. It featured one of the largest gaming floors with a bingo hall of nearly 46,000 square feet serving around 2,500 players.
Timely, significant expansions followed. One was for gaming, increasing capacity to exceed 3,000 machines and 100 poker and table games. Another focused on entertainment and a third brought Potawatomi into the hotel realm.

That culminated in the 2014 hotel opening to rave reviews. It featured an iconic 19-story tower along the skyline that integrates traditional Milwaukee architecture and modern design. The hotel also represents the area’s culture and geography, offering subtle nods to the storied history of the Forest County Potawatomi Tribe. The project cost nearly $125 million.

And now comes the follow. Potawatomi brings about $80 million to an expansion set for 2019 completion.

The next chapter is a new tower which will house 119 additional rooms and suites, bringing the hotel’s total to 500. Owned and operated by the Potawatomi Community, the 189,000-square-foot-addition will feature a spa and additional meeting space, including a private boardroom.
Minnesota-based Cuningham Group, which designed both the 2014 and 2019 projects, has been a vital player in the Native American casino world for about three decades.
Potawatomi officials are excited about their increased flexibility.

“By adding nearly 60 suites (and a chairman suite) to the property, we’re prioritizing our casino guests and their experience when visiting,” says Rodney Ferguson, Potawatomi Hotel & Casino’s chief operating officer. “The rooms, along with the spa, will bolster the property’s reputation as an attractive destination for visitors in the region and beyond.”

The modern building features green tinted glass windows, including a scattering of sloped bay windows that reflect the shimmering waves of nearby Lake Michigan. The Potawatomi are known as the “Keepers of the Fire,” and the design team incorporated a modern flame atop the hotel as a symbolic reference to the tribe’s traditional role, and to welcome guests.

Guests entering the two-story hotel lobby walk through a colorful and abstract interpretation of a forest with sunlight streaming through the ceiling’s canopy of leaves. It features illuminated glass wall murals and a warm and colorful palette accentuated by abstracted rock outcroppings. A natural wood and stone lobby bar provides inviting gathering spaces for guests.

As guests venture to their rooms, they transition from the casino’s high-energy entertainment venues to relaxing getaways via playful colors and carpet patterns inspired by city lights on rivers and lakes.

 

Desert Desires
Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino Hotel expansion

Welcome to the game changer.

Harrah’s Ak-Chin in Maricopa, Arizona, 39 miles south of Phoenix, plans a major New Year’s Eve party. Thalden Boyd Emery, based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Las Vegas, will help throw it.
Harrah’s plans to complete a transformative $100 million-$200 million project expansion by the end of the year. TBE has worked for more than 110 Native American casinos and First Nations. It also has a rich portfolio in the gaming, resort and hotel realm. Thalden Boyd Emery began working on this in 2016.

The project theme celebrates the beauty of the Southwest and provides a proper “desert respite” with the rejuvenation of water and the hope of the sunrise.

A 2,000-seat event center, expanded buffet, 230 new guestrooms, a sky bridge linking the complex and several other developments mark the Ak-Chin community’s commitment to growth.
“This is a major event for the tribal community, which is developing a master plan 20 years into the future,” David Nejelski, principal for Thalden Boyd Emery, says. “This is the spark for economic development. An entry road will run parallel to the community. The high-rise hotel tower is going to be a beacon of the community. We’re excited about how this is being propelled forward.”

The design concept will impart a sense of relief from the heat. It will feature bright colors, tribal references on the inside and elements like a basket canopy structure in a wide-open grand lobby space.

The original casino opened in 1994 and has consistently grown. Drawing guests from the north, Phoenix, and the south, Tucson, the facility has continued to provide a diversification to the Ak-Chin Community and its agricultural businesses.

This project will join the recently opened “Ultra Star” entertainment facility with the expansion via an enclosed, elevated covered walkway. The expansion will include a new parking structure, a ballroom that will seat up to 2,000, break-out rooms and a dedicated boardroom for corporate functions.

Plans call for three new food and beverage outlets—a wine bar featuring wine on tap, a complete and dedicated Diamond Lounge for Harrah’s top-tier guests, and a new beer/burger/steakhouse featuring craft beers and wood-grilled entrees.

All existing food and beverage outlets will be expanded to accommodate 230 new four-diamond guestrooms and suites.

A day spa, business center and enhanced pool amenities including a “lazy river” will round out the true resort experience.

 

Boutique Bonus
Willows Hotel and Spa, Viejas Casino Hotel, San Diego

These are high times for the Viejas Casino and Resort in San Diego.

The early 2018 opening of the Willows Hotel and Spa brings another dash of panache to the growing property. iGroup Design in San Diego completed the roughly $110 million project, which includes an additional 159 VIP suites, luxury spa facilities, signature restaurants including Locale Kitchen & Lounge, Ginger Noodle Bar and Daily Roast, plus newly expanded gaming space.
This expansion complements the existing Viejas Hotel, which features 203 luxury rooms and 34 VIP suites, including a lush, spacious pool and lounge area.

“We were honored to work with Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians to bring their vision for the expansion to life,” says Roger Storer, founder of iGroup. “Our innovative hospitality team creates environments that meld functionality and artistry. The results of our collective approach with clients, architecture and construction partners in combination with our understanding of the industry can be felt in every detail at the Willows.”

iGroup Design has been active in this realm since 1998. The hotel was designed at an angle to capture the views toward the soaring Viejas Mountain. The natural beauty of the valley has been has woven throughout the resort. Natural materials drawn from the area, such as stone and wood, have been refined and polished, with organic patterns that hint at willow leaves appearing throughout.

The suites encourage relaxation thanks to a lounge-style living room with finishes in rich woods, soft neutral tones and bursts of gold. The tranquil effect continues into the Willows Spa, where clean, white stones and blue mosaics create a feeling of an oasis.

Guests looking for dining to fit any mood will find it in the design of three new venues.
Locale Kitchen & Lounge, the signature restaurant, features a lounge, open kitchen, bar, dining area, enclosed patio and wine cellar. The diversity of spaces is reflected in a range of finish concepts with strong highlights and emphasis on gold metals, eclectic patterns and textures.
The Daily Roast coffee shop is a pivotal gathering point, where all roads intersect. The space represents a quick and social stop as the connector between the casino and hotel, offering a respite and refueling point.

Ginger Noodle Bar embodies a calm atmosphere, rich with abstract Asian elements and textures. Wood ceiling features, lighting and semi-transparent elements create unique dining experiences.

 

Brewing Success
Osage Casino Hotel, Tulsa, Oklahoma

Seven In.

To flip-flop the 7-out craps gaming phrase, Osage Casinos may soon be winning big. The tribal organization with seven properties throughout Oklahoma dramatically lifts its signature facility.
Tulsa creates a sentimental storm. In August, Osage opens its new $150 million expansion there. It will bring not only a state-of-the-art gaming floor with high-limit gaming but also a world-class event space, 141-room hotel and full-service brewery.

The expansion also provides a sports bar, grill, cafe and luxurious resort-style pool for guests. Instead of adding on to existing casinos, Osage Casinos is building a brand-new facility next to its existing Tulsa casino. Thus, this luxurious, game-changing gaming venue will open without disruption to the current facility. The day the new casino opens, the existing casino will close.
“This $150 million investment in our expansion will produce a world-class gaming venue,” Osage Casino CEO Byron Bighorse says. “We are proud to present this new gaming center, complete with a brand-new hotel, to all our guests, and we know it will serve this area well for many years to come.”

The new Osage Casino is a two-story, 247,000-square-foot casino and 74,000-square-foot hotel. For meetings and events, the hotel includes one large or three smaller banquet meeting rooms equipped to host any type of meeting, gathering or event.

“We are looking forward to hosting groups in these spaces to show off how versatile we are,” Bighorse points out. “We will be a great, new option for meetings and events in a space that is flexible, fully staffed and gives views you can’t find anywhere else.”

The new Osage Casino will feature a fully operational brewery, featuring locally brewed beer from Nine Band, an Allen, Texas-based brewing company. “Having a beer brewery on site will help give our patrons another great option for trying some new types of beer never seen before in Oklahoma,” Bighorse asserts. “We are thrilled to showcase this fun brewery. We know our patrons are excited too.”

Actionable Intelligence

Posted on April 3, 2018 by -

In January, I received the good news that the International Center for Gaming Regulation (ICGR) at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas had awarded me an academic research fellowship to produce a report that will provide an overview and analysis of the techniques and needs for training and education programs for tribal government gaming commissions.

The ICGR—a partnership between the International Gaming Institute and the William S. Boyd School of Law—launched its fellowship program two years ago in support of its research mission and goal of providing actionable intelligence to gaming regulators worldwide. In addition to my own fellowship, the ICGR also awarded a fellowship to Kahlil Philander, assistant professor at Washington State University’s Carson College of Business.

Professor Philander will research current educational programs for workers in responsible gambling and conduct a training needs assessment study to develop an education program for specialists working in the industry. Taken together, we hope to triangulate the perceived education and training needs of operators and regulators against the current training and education offerings in these two important areas.

With their support, I have begun to develop a tribal regulation education and training inventory and analysis that will provide a comprehensive assessment of the training and education needs of tribal government gaming regulatory institutions and the techniques and practices that could meet those needs. Ultimately, this work will weigh the perceived educational needs of tribal gaming regulators against the course content of existing education and training options and highlight the ways that tribal governments develop institutions and strategies that support both nation building and corporate governance.

This research topic is critically important and timely for a number of legal and political reasons, including the negotiation of sports betting legislation in several states where tribal governments are the primary casino operators, the tribal gaming industry’s growing interest in fantasy sports and eSports, and the tribes’ collective commitment to address responsible gaming.

This analysis will also highlight the fact that tribal government gaming is now a mature industry. The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) was passed 30 years ago, and tribal governments and tribal regulators have evolved beyond mere compliance with the National Indian Gaming Commission’s (NIGC) Minimum Internal Control Standards. Tribal regulators are routinely innovating the industry, and seek training in courses that address “the casino of the future,” or active shooter training, human trafficking, or technology and cybersecurity.

By documenting and analyzing the need for education and training for American Indian regulatory agencies, this project will provide insight into the ways that tribal governments and commissioners consider themselves part of the current casino legal and regulatory policy discussions, as well as the ways that they are operating as sovereign nations protecting the tribes’ assets and reputation.

 

Significance and Impact

This research project will result in a white paper and several presentations, beginning at Global Gaming Expo 2018, that will provide an inventory and analysis of the range of tribal regulatory institutions, efforts and a proposed framework for determining the best techniques for future education and training. These presentations will include the participation of training experts from the NIGC and the National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA), as well as representatives of educational institutions that focus on gaming education, including SDSU and UNLV.

This research will highlight the fact that tribal governments are both operators and regulators of tribal gaming, where the lines between the two can sometimes blur. I have heard from several tribal regulators that there is a need for more training to distinguish and clarify the roles of operators and regulators. Sometimes, operators will involve commissioners in human resource issues by re-defining them as licensing issues rather than discipline, or evaluate casino employees along management lines or job requirements. Additionally, there is a need to develop “best practices” in areas like IT vulnerability or cybersecurity, which are beyond the minimum regulations required by IGRA.

It is my intention that this research will also benefit tribal education efforts across Indian Country, including the NIGC and NIGA. First, tribal governments in the United States are often called upon to present their regulatory information publicly, including responding to inquiries by the General Accounting Office (GAO), which prepared a report that revisited the tribal-state compacting process.

As part of its inquiry, the GAO examined the federal, state and tribal role in gaming regulation, but failed to provide a complete overview of the robust regulatory regimes created by and delivered at tribal facilities. Second, in addition to providing a complement and counterpoint to the GAO’s recent report, this research can facilitate tribal-state compacting negotiations in several states, where local and state governments continue to use arguments related to a “regulatory gap” to overcharge tribal governments for duplicate work performed by state regulators.

Additionally, the project has the potential to encourage productive and mutually supportive relationships with those engaged in the policy debates surrounding tribal gaming regulation, including an analysis of the relative costs of enforcement actions versus the cost of training and education.

Ultimately, this analysis can help verify the scope and effectiveness of tribal regulatory initiatives, perhaps easing intergovernmental relations and strengthening tribal nation building in regions where non-tribal neighbors continue to question the benefits of tribal gaming to communities.

Emerging Gaming Markets

Posted on April 3, 2018 by -

In nearly 30 years under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act and more than four decades in all, tribal government gaming operations have helped transform more than 240 native communities—in many cases serving as the sole source of tribal government revenue for health, education, public safety, housing, and other essential community services for Indian reservation residents.

Tribal government gaming operations also serve as the anchor for jobs and economic development for native and nearby communities. Indian gaming is responsible for more than 312,000 direct American jobs and an additional 350,000 indirect jobs annually. In several states, tribes are the largest employer in the region.

Native nations have accomplished these gains through responsible growth, unmatched gaming regulation, and carefully reasoned legal positions. Few are willing to place these gains at risk by moving too quickly to endorse or embrace new forms of gaming or unproven markets—and no one in Indian Country is willing to sacrifice one ounce of tribal sovereignty.

NIGA’s take on emerging gaming markets has been consistent from the beginning. First and foremost, we review federal legislative proposals that could change the national gaming landscape through a lens of how the new activity could impact tribal sovereignty. Tribal governments have the inherent right to conduct gaming under the Indian Gaming Regulatory (IGRA) and pursuant to tribal-state compacts. Any legislation that threatens to upend this delicate balance of inherent, statutory and constitutional rights for tribes will be vigorously opposed by our industry.

For nearly two decades, the gaming debate at the federal level has focused on internet gaming. These efforts resulted in the 2006 passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). NIGA and our member tribes worked to ensure that UIGEA protected all forms of gaming under IGRA and tribal-state compacts, including linked Class II gaming, progressive slot machines and other intra-tribal transactions.

The internet gaming debate abruptly shifted in 2011, when President Obama’s Department of Justice limited application of the federal Wire Act to “only the transmission of communications relating to bets or wagers on sporting events or contests.” The opinion opened up the internet to state lotteries. Since then, more than a dozen states have moved their lottery games online. Beyond online lottery sales, the states of Delaware, Nevada, New Jersey and now Pennsylvania have moved to legalize the play of poker and casino-style games on the internet to varying degrees of success.

While the DOJ opinion undercut the intentions of UIGEA, that law itself spawned unintended consequences by laying the legal groundwork for the emergence of the daily fantasy sports (DFS) industry. The growth of fantasy sports gambling is playing out at the local level, where at least 13 states have legalized pay-to-play DFS, and more than a dozen others are actively considering DFS in 2017-18.

In 2018, most of the attention in the U.S. gaming industry is on the prospect of legalized sports betting. Congress enacted the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in 1992, which prohibited “governmental entities”—defined as Indian tribes and state governments—from legalizing gambling on sports competitions.

Efforts to repeal PASPA have grown in recent years, most prominently from the state of New Jersey. In 2017-18, at least 18 state legislatures are considering more than 40 bills to potentially legalize sports betting in one form or another. A handful of these bills directly involve sports betting by tribal governments.

This escalation of state legislative activity is of course driven by the U.S. Supreme Court’s review of the constitutionality of PASPA. The Court heard oral arguments in Christie (now Murphy) v. National Collegiate Athletic Association on December 4.

While we await the court’s decision, many expect the debate in Congress to intensify in the coming months regardless of the outcome of the ruling.

On December 4—the same day the court heard oral arguments—Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) introduced the “Gaming Account-ability and Modernization Enhancement Act of 2017” (the GAME Act). At its core, the GAME Act would repeal PASPA, while potentially legalizing all of the emerging forms of gaming discussed above—subject to federal minimum consumer protections, reporting requirements, and problem gambling prevention provisions.

Indian Country generally views the Pallone bill as a positive first step, as the bill respects tribal sovereignty, defining the terms “government entity” and “state” to include federally recognized Indian tribes. However, a number of considerations and unanswered questions remain under review.

Last year, NIGA established a Sports Betting Working Group that has met consistently to form our policy position on these emerging markets.

While sports betting entails many different considerations compared to internet gaming, NIGA’s internet gaming principles offer a baseline of the policy concerns that our member tribes will seek to address.

Adopted in 2011, after a series of more than a dozen meetings, NIGA’s internet gaming principles are directives from our tribal leadership. They are guided by the U.S. Constitution’s recognition of Indian tribes as separate governments, and grounded in NIGA’s overall mission to protect tribal sovereignty and the inherent rights of all tribes to shape their economic futures.
NIGA’s principles require federal legislation to respect the status of Indian tribes as governments—ensuring that tribes have equal access and ability to either legalize or prohibit the new activity.

A related concern is the requirement that Indian gaming revenues not be subject to taxation. This is not a matter of picking winners and losers. It is a matter of respect for the U.S. Constitution and the governmental status of Indian tribes. Governments do not impose taxes on other governments. In addition, unlike commercial gaming operations, federal law—IGRA—requires tribes to dedicate Indian gaming revenues to the benefit of native communities and related governmental purposes. Thus, Indian gaming revenues are already 100 percent taxed at the tribal government level.

Our principles also require that federal legislation respect and protect existing rights under IGRA and tribal-state compacts. More than 240 native nations have invested heavily in the current federal gaming legal landscape. Congress cannot advance sweeping changes without first examining the potential impacts on Indian gaming, and taking steps to alleviate any such concerns.

Tribes have also invested significant time and resources to reach compact agreements with state governments. These tribal-state compact provisions must remain in force, and should not be impacted by any federal legislative efforts to alter the national gaming environment.

The issue of the need to protect and respect tribal-state compacts has played out at the local legislative level in the area of DFS. As noted above, more than a dozen states have legalized pay-to-play DFS, and at least a dozen more are expected to consider DFS bills in 2018.

Early attempts to legalize DFS at the state level took the misguided approach of ignoring Indian gaming interests and tribal-state compact provisions. The result was the defeat of DFS in both Oklahoma and Arizona state legislatures, where the proposals would have violated tribal-state gaming compact exclusivity provisions. As a result, the DFS industry is beginning to work with instead of around Indian Country.

With our principles serving as guidance, NIGA and our member tribes continue to lay groundwork for the discussion ahead. NIGA’s Sports Betting Work Group met in early March at the RES2018 Conference to gather information from experts and key stakeholders in the sports betting debate. Several presenters provided background information on the current state of sports betting in America, and the potential pros and cons to Indian gaming operations.

Our Sports Betting Working Group will continue meeting throughout Indian Country to obtain as many tribal leader viewpoints as possible. All of NIGA’s member tribes will meet at our Annual Conference and Tradeshow in April, where Indian Country will continue work to gain consensus. We will weigh the questions listed above and many more—including how certain types of sports betting should be classified under IGRA.

Indian gaming has come too far and done far too much to improve the lives of reservation residents. Indian Country has a sound seat at the decision-making table in Congress, and our voice will be heard in the important debate that lies ahead in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s PASPA decision.

Back to the Future

Posted on April 3, 2018 by -

You know you’re getting old when you can remember meeting some of the originators of tribal gaming. And I think I qualify—certainly as old—because I have my memories of the early days.

Frankly, however, I don’t remember the passage of IGRA 30 years ago. In those days, I was covering the gaming industry in Atlantic City and Las Vegas, and the emerging riverboat markets of the late 1980s. Yes, I knew tribal gaming existed, but living primarily on the East Coast, I didn’t get a chance to visit what in those days were large bingo halls.

My first contact came sometime around 1987. I knew Mickey Brown pretty well from his days as a New Jersey regulator, and he told me that I had to come to see his bingo operation in Connecticut. As a Catholic boy, I knew bingo, so I wondered how it could even be compared to the casinos of Atlantic City.

Well, of course, I was wrong. The bingo hall Mickey showed me was the size of two football fields with thousands of seats and dozens of ways to bet. It was truly “high stakes,” and the many acres of surface parking was augmented by hundreds of buses each day hauling players in from Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and other states.

The next time I went there, Mickey was building a casino with table games, but only table games. However, he drew back a length of carpet to show me electrical conduits that would service the slot machines he was certain would come sooner rather than later. And of course, he was right.

Later, in the early ’90s, a friend got a job as a shift boss at Grand Casino Mille Lacs in Minnesota. She invited me up to see her new facility, and I took a tour around the state, visiting the various tribal casinos, large and small. I met Lyle Berman for the first time, and sat down with Marlon Torguson at his Jackpot Junction casino in the wilds of the prairie, amazed at the crowds who had driven from Minneapolis to play. It truly was booming, and opened my eyes to the possibility of tribal gaming.

Then, when we started the Southern Gaming Summit in the mid ’90s, first in New Orleans and later in Biloxi, the Billie family from the Seminole tribe used to attend each year, driving up from Florida in their RVs, and setting up camp in the parking lot of the convention center. I like to think they learned something from those conferences that has helped make them arguably the most successful tribal gaming enterprise in the country.

I didn’t get a chance to visit California often, so I largely missed the developments in the cradle of tribal gaming. But one day I detoured on my way from Las Vegas to San Diego and visited a little town called Temecula. I remember driving down a dusty road a few miles off the interstate and coming upon a huge trailer park, kind of like a city of interconnected manufactured homes. You entered at one side, and each trailer had lines of slot machines from end to end, with short passages between each trailer. The air conditioning might not have been working in one or two of the trailers, but every machine was occupied by a player. Today, Pechanga Resort Casino is one of the most spectacular integrated resorts in the nation, commercial or tribal.

So given the obstacles that have been overcome by tribal government gaming, you might think the challenges are over. Of course, that’s not the case. Encroachment of other forms of gaming (eloquently stated by NIGA Chairman Ernie Stevens on page 8), combined with increased competition and threats to tribal sovereignty, make this era just as tenuous at the early days of Indian gaming. We’ve come a long way, but this is not the time to let your guard down. States are increasingly hungry for tax revenues that can be provided by non-tribal gaming operations. Some states, like California, are ignoring clear violations of compacts.

Stay diligent, stay positive and understand how tribal gaming and its accompanying non-gaming development can continue to provide for your tribes. But remember the past and the sacrifices made by the old guard that got us to this point. They did it for you; you can do it for this generation and at least seven more going forward.

Agilysys

Posted on March 16, 2017 by -

A leading developer of next-generation hospitality software technology that supports the entire guest lifecycle, Agilysys specializes in point-of-sale, inventory and procurement, analytics, secure payments, property management, document management, and mobile solutions and services—reimagining hospitality solutions that streamline operations while facilitating lasting guest connections.

InfoGenesis POS is the comprehensive point-of-sale system that combines easy-to-use terminal and tablet touch-screen applications with industry-leading offline capabilities. Designed for a broad range of operations, it features real-time reporting, support for flexible menu types and multi-language capabilities that increase efficiency and drive service flexibility.

InfoGenesis Flex extends POS technology to reach remote areas of the property and keeps revenue flowing on a convenient hand-held tablet.

rGuest Pay, featuring EMV certification and NFC support, is the industry’s first PCI-validated point-to-point encrypted payment gateway that secures guest-card data during processing, in transit and at rest.

rGuest Buy is the self-service POS kiosk that combines InfoGenesis POS and rGuest Pay functionalities to increase service volume, minimize labor costs and boost spending through upselling.

rGuest Seat is a sophisticated reservations, wait-list and table management technology solution that hosts can use from a PC or a hand-held. It enables staff to more accurately manage wait times and table turns and encourage repeat visits.

rGuest Analyze, the powerful business intelligence tool that enables a 360-degree view of the business and every single guest, helps maximize revenue opportunities while delivering a valued guest experience.

For more information, visit Agilysys.com.

AGS

Posted on March 16, 2017 by -

At NIGA’s 2017 Indian Gaming trade show and convention, AGS will invite tribal gaming leaders across the country to experience how it has been playing harder and playing smarter to deliver transformative new products to their casino floors.

The lineup includes AGS’ stunning new premium cabinet Orion, its first-ever commercial-grade card shuffler Dex S, and its new customizable, white-label bonus spin progressive technology. AGS also will present the first look at its new social casino solutions for tribal operators, which are designed to offer new ways to engage with players and extend their brands.

AGS’ striking new premium cabinet, Orion, features a 42-inch HD LCD touch-screen portrait monitor encircled by 498 game-controlled emotive LED lights, which amplify the thrills of new games Fu Nan Fu Nu, Wolf Queen, River Dragons and more.

Headlining the table segment, AGS will display its first card shuffler, the Dex S. Designed for poker rooms and hand-pitched or hand-dealt games, the Dex S brings an economical and functional alternative to the marketplace.

Also on display will be the new white-label version of the company’s bonus spin progressive technology packed with updated graphics and software, new hardware and customizable branding, paytables and top awards.

For more information, please visit www.playags.com. NIGA: Booth 1144.

Ainsworth Game Technology

Posted on March 16, 2017 by -

Ainsworth will showcase more than 60 games—including brand-new titles for both Class II and Class III markets—at the National Indian Gaming Association trade show.

In total, Ainsworth’s Class game library now tops 200 unique titles, giving casino operators a wide selection of compelling game content for the company’s full line of innovative cabinets, including the A600, A640 and A600 Slant Top.

Highlighting Ainsworth’s display will be two Sweet Zone Xtreme titles—Rumble Thunder and Toro Treasure—that are the first games developed by the company’s new U.S. game development team. The games take proven Sweet Zone game play to the next level with exciting free games bonuses with the line count tripled. Toro Treasure also offers a re-spin when the Sweet Zone is triggered.

The games take full advantage of the stunning A640, which features optimal viewing on a 40-inch high-definition LCD game screen and an attractive design, creating powerful game experiences with eye-catching game art.

The cabinet comes standard with a touch-screen LCD button deck with a mechanical “bash button” to combine the ease of new technology with the excitement of traditional slot play. Plus, an optional 27-inch LCD topper will attract players across busy casino floors.

Rumble Thunder and Toro Treasure also are available in the A560SL cabinet.

For more information, visit www.agtslots.com. NIGA: Booth 723.

Cuningham Group Architecture Inc.

Posted on March 16, 2017 by -

Cuningham Group Architecture Inc. provides architecture, interior design and planning services for a diverse mix of project types with significant focus over the last 25 years on gaming and entertainment.

More than 350 employees in 10 offices provide the resources necessary to explore new ways of solving their clients’ problems with dynamic and innovative design solutions that add value and advance the art of entertainment design. Cuningham Group’s world-class portfolio—covering the spectrum from small, delicate spaces to complex, expansive projects—includes casinos, hotels, theaters, convention centers, restaurants, retail venues, master plans and support facilities for gaming and resort destinations throughout the U.S. and around the world.

Backed by a client-centered, collaborative approach they call “Every Building Tells a Story,” which emphasizes one-of-a-kind solutions reflecting the vision of clients and the character of each property and site, Cuningham Group understands the importance of culturally relevant design and the central issues involved in the development of tribal resort projects.

Native authorship, cultural references and tribal community involvement help fulfill tribal self-determination and sovereignty goals by allowing communities to control and shape the future of their communities from a truly native perspective. As leaders in contemporary Native American design, Cuningham Group helps clients determine an appropriate design expression that achieves these goals while balancing cultural, social and economic priorities.

Cuningham Group also is on the cutting edge of imaging “Casinos of the Future,” challenging clients to embrace bricks-and-mortar changes that support the evolving nature of gaming and its customer base while setting new standards for the future of entertainment.

For more information, visit www.cuningham.com.

 

Everi

Posted on March 16, 2017 by -

Everi is uniquely positioned as the casino industry’s only single-source provider of robust payments solutions, vital intelligence offerings and engaging gaming machines that power the casino floor. Everi was formed through the merger of two companies that have served the casino industry for decades: Global Cash Access Inc. and Multimedia Games Inc.

At NIGA 2017, Everi Payments will showcase Jackpot Xpress, which allows slot and floor staff to securely process jackpots at the player’s gaming machine using a mobile device. Operators can use Jackpot Xpress with the new JackpotXchange Lite kiosk to process jackpots more efficiently than ever before. Another highlight is Everi’s new kiosk, VersatileXchange, which utilizes a proprietary UXC kiosk platform and provides a smaller, less expensive, non-cash dispensing alternative for gaming operators.

Everi Games will feature Jackpot Jump, a premium linked progressive banked product that takes jackpot wins to a new level with eye-catching signs and LCD toppers. In addition, Empire MPX, Everi’s premium gaming cabinet, is designed to occupy less space, allowing for easy game bank and pod configurations. Empire MPX will feature licensed participation themes including the timeless classic “Casablanca.”

Top off Everi’s slot products with the Foundation overhead sign package, available for Everi’s Core HDX, Player HD, Player Classic and Empire MPX cabinets. Foundation adds excitement to game banks with high-quality, animated LCD content at an affordable price point; purchase monitors with the package, or use existing monitors for added savings.

For more information, visit everi.com.

Friedmutter Group

Posted on March 16, 2017 by -

Friedmutter Group is an award-winning, internationally recognized architecture, master planning and interior design firm specializing 100 percent in multi-use hospitality resort projects of all sizes. The firm was founded in 1992 by Brad Friedmutter for the unique purpose of exclusively providing professional services to the gaming/resort/hospitality industry.

Friedmutter Group’s expertise includes hotels, casinos, entertainment venues, restaurants, bars and lounges, convention and meeting facilities, pools and spas, retail facilities and hotel/condominium towers.

Friedmutter Group provides critical and comprehensive understanding of the many required elements of the gaming industry—from site selection and development to operating fundamentals—while successfully creating unique designs in existing and new markets. The firm provides intuitive, thoughtful solutions that manage access and easy circulation of large numbers of people into, through and out of venues, while providing highest-quality design, best efficiencies and adjacencies of space and maximum profitability opportunities during all phases of development, construction and operations.

Friedmutter Group is honored to work with a wide range of owners and operators, in traditional, Native American and international locations. The firm’s more than 34 million square feet of completed projects span across the United States and around the world, and include more than 5.3 million square feet of casinos, nearly 23,000 hotel rooms, more than 600 restaurants, bars and lounges and more than 1.5 million square feet of ballroom, convention and meeting space.

For more information, visit fglv.com.