SUN: Racing's media makeover paying off

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by randallscott35

A male minnow though.

We need limos to get whales to the track. Dinners, dancing, etc...Rewards points isn't cutting it. Look what casinos do for their big bettors. Why isn't racing doing the same?

So your fix for racing is to send limos out for big players? You think that a person of means is going to go to Laurel park on a saturday afternoon because you sent a car to his house? Surely you jest.

[randallscott35]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

So your fix for racing is to send limos out for big players? You think that a person of means is going to go to Laurel park on a saturday afternoon because you sent a car to his house? Surely you jest.

Who says they will be betting on Laurel?...It works for AC and its a cess pool down there.....Limos are a start. I'm talking full court treatment.

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by randallscott35

Who says they will be betting on Laurel?...It works for AC and its a cess pool down there.....Limos are a start. I'm talking full court treatment.

It works for AC? Huh? AC is broke Randall. It is a dying town and the only viable casino there is far off the strip. What is that viable casino? Hmmmmm..

Would this casino have restaurants by celebrity chefs? Would it have a dance club that packs in beautiful people? Would it have concerts and shows? Would it have a nice spa??? Would it have a shopping arcade???

[randallscott35]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

It works for AC? Huh? AC is broke Randall. It is a dying town and the only viable casino there is far off the strip. What is that viable casino? Hmmmmm..

Would this casino have restaurants by celebrity chefs? Would it have a dance club that packs in beautiful people? Would it have concerts and shows? Would it have a nice spa??? Would it have a shopping arcade???

AC is broke b/c gambling is available everywhere. Pocono, Foxwoods indian casinos all over....Just more of a reason for racing to make itself a whales first option. Lowering WPS to 10% has to happen as well. Good luck trying to convince people of this.

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by randallscott35

AC is broke b/c gambling is available everywhere. Pocono, Foxwoods indian casinos all over....Just more of a reason for racing to make itself a whales first option. Lowering WPS to 10% has to happen as well. Good luck trying to convince people of this.

AC was broke long before that. The "whale" mentality is over Randall. That mentality is very 30 years ago. Look at Las Vegas if you want to see what Im talking about. I'm not saying a good player doesnt still get comped. My point is that the days of Steve Wynn having a shadow creek exclusively for whales at Mirage are OVER and they aren't coming back.

Where are casinos profits coming from? Do you really think its from whales? If you do, you really need to do some research. Harrah's has broken it down to a science. Why do you think every time you go back, there are more and more slot machines for less and less money (min play)? What about shops? The amount of money they spend in ancillary activities partially makes up for the difference. The vig they get from the dumber players makes up for part even if it is a fraction. Lastly, the rooms are filled with paying customers.

The current economy will not support that whale. Regardless of how loyal you can make a whale player, they still have far too many other options to keep your casino afloat. So how do they stay in business? las Vegas has this incredible way of staying ahead of the curve and reinventing itself. They change their product and they change their target market.

The new thing in Vegas right now is Non gaming hotels. Think about it- NON GAMING HOTELS in the middle of the strip no less! MGM bet 13 billion on city center and there is all of one casino in the whole place and it isnt very big. Go figure-Vegas, created as a gambling town, is actually making money on non-gaming ventures. What if you proposed this idea 20 years ago? People would have laughed. Some genius, namely Kirkorian, saw the forest through the trees. And you know what? 50 years from now, the rest of the strip will look a lot like the new City Center. Gaming will always be a part of the town but it won't be what the town is about.

Horse racing needs that type of vision.

[Antitrust32]

We'll see what happens at Woodbine. They are the business model everyone in racing should live by.

I was going to say lets see what happens at Gulfstream.. but Magna is hopeless.

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by Antitrust32

We'll see what happens at Woodbine. They are the business model everyone in racing should live by.

I was going to say lets see what happens at Gulfstream.. but Magna is hopeless.

Venue is a part of it. Why did they install lights at Churchill downs? Hmmmmmmm. Racing is going to be a part of an entertainment package. It will attract more people. So who cares if most of the people that come initially won't bet? Is that somehow better than the empty stands on a thursday afternoon where lone golf claps are heard for a mile?

What if instead of 6000 people on a saturday, you get 30k? Does anybody really think that the extra 24k won't create SOME handle? Does anybody really think they won't eat, drink and buy souveniers? Will they pay for premium seats? All of this is revenue.

Stronach's ideas for gulfstream were on the money. The planning and execution just stunk.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

AC was broke long before that. The "whale" mentality is over Randall. That mentality is very 30 years ago. Look at Las Vegas if you want to see what Im talking about. I'm not saying a good player doesnt still get comped. My point is that the days of Steve Wynn having a shadow creek exclusively for whales at Mirage are OVER and they aren't coming back.

Where are casinos profits coming from? Do you really think its from whales? If you do, you really need to do some research. Harrah's has broken it down to a science. Why do you think every time you go back, there are more and more slot machines for less and less money (min play)? What about shops? The amount of money they spend in ancillary activities partially makes up for the difference. The vig they get from the dumber players makes up for part even if it is a fraction. Lastly, the rooms are filled with paying customers.

The current economy will not support that whale. Regardless of how loyal you can make a whale player, they still have far too many other options to keep your casino afloat. So how do they stay in business? las Vegas has this incredible way of staying ahead of the curve and reinventing itself. They change their product and they change their target market.

The new thing in Vegas right now is Non gaming hotels. Think about it- NON GAMING HOTELS in the middle of the strip no less! MGM bet 13 billion on city center and there is all of one casino in the whole place and it isnt very big. Go figure-Vegas, created as a gambling town, is actually making money on non-gaming ventures. What if you proposed this idea 20 years ago? People would have laughed. Some genius, namely Kirkorian, saw the forest through the trees. And you know what? 50 years from now, the rest of the strip will look a lot like the new City Center. Gaming will always be a part of the town but it won't be what the town is about.

Horse racing needs that type of vision.

The City Center is a black hole

http://www.gamblingonlinemagazine.co...articleID=2266

[Cannon Shell]

More cheery news from Vegas and its new found "makeover"

http://www.pokernews.com/news/2010/0...-news-8169.htm

[philcski]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

The City Center is a black hole

http://www.gamblingonlinemagazine.co...articleID=2266

I wouldn't call it a black hole (although it's far from a success)... a ton of losses stem from their EXTREMELY over ambitious condo plan, designed and built at the top of the market. They are doing over 3X revenue from non-gaming sources than gaming. That is what Dalakhani was referring to.

Although I still like the idea of a Vajazzle booth at CD.

Would it have a spa that has a vajazzle booth?

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by Coach Pants

Would it have a spa that has a vajazzle booth?

Dual vajazzle booths!!!

[Scav]

vajazzle is a great word..I love it