Potawatomi Bingo Casino Sets the Stage with State
Transcription
Potawatomi Bingo Casino Sets the Stage with State
CASE STUDY Potawatomi Bingo Casino Sets the Stage with State-of-the-Art Theater by Bob Rech L as Vegas casinos set the standard for including live entertainment in their business models. Live shows, coupled with gaming and dining, have proven to be the perfect mix for drawing guests to the elaborate desert properties. Native American casinos across the country have followed Las Vegas' lead in offering these shows to their guests. When Potawatomi Bingo Casino in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, undertook a $120 million expansion in 2000, the stakeholders announced that the renovated complex would include a two-tiered, 500-seat theater. For the operators of the property, this meant a foray into an entirely new industry. Potawatomi Bingo Casino would need to learn everything from booking and pricing acts to the marketing and actual production of the shows. The dream of bringing a true Las Vegas casino entertainment experience to Milwaukee has been realized in the Potawatomi Bingo Casino's popular Northern Lights Theater. The road to achieving the success of this theater wasn't easy. The trick was finding the right balance between the types of shows and the number of shows the guest population would sustain. Native American casinos have an extremely diverse clientele and many different types of acts are available on any given date. A major Potawatomi marketing strategy utilizes live shows as a means of introducing new audiences to the casino experience. With that in mind, many acts are scheduled that will appeal to people who might otherwise be unfamiliar with the casino. In the past five years, the Northern Lights Theater has hosted a diverse array of performers, including rock acts like the Doobie Brothers, country acts like Big and Rich and jazz performers like Al Jarreau. Iconic veteran Don Rickles and up-and-comer Frank Caliendo have put on hugely successful comedy shows and early response to September's “The Amazing Jonathan” show has been great. The theater was fortunate to host some huge national names, like Larry the Cable Guy, before they “hit it big.” Of course, first-rate entertainers don't mean a thing if the audience experience isn't first-rate. Another key to Potawatomi Bingo Casino's entertainment success rests in a commitment 46 Indian Gaming October 2005 made in the original design phase. The Northern Lights Theater was digitally designed to make sure everyone “has the best seat in the house.” Guests are able to see the show perfectly from both the theater style seats in the balcony and the booth and table seats on the lower level. At the Northern Lights Theater, guests truly feel like they can shake the artist's hand from any seat in the room. The sound system is second to none, with sound quality remaining consistent throughout the theater. Using threedimensional digital images of the room, Clearwing Productions, Inc., of Milwaukee and Phoenix, helped design a sound system offering very precise, laser guided sound control and extremely high fidelity. The Northern Lights Theater boasts a DV-Dosc Compact System from French speaker manufacturer L-Acoustics. The theater is one of only two venues in Wisconsin and the only casino in the state with a sound system of this quality. A state-of-the-art theater has significantly helped Potawatomi Bingo Casino attract high caliber acts to the Northern Lights Theater. Although the Las Vegas model of including live shows has been a huge success, it was necessary for the Potawatomi to make adjustments for their Milwaukee market. Unlike Las Vegas, Milwaukee, as a city, is not a destination for casino entertainment. That creates differences in the market demand. Early on, the casino faced the realization that Milwaukee audiences would not support five nights of national entertainment every week. It would, however, support ticketed shows in the Northern Lights Theater two to three nights a week. There are exceptions. Certain acts lend themselves to multiple shows, with performers appearing on consecutive nights. Rick Springfield, for instance, is booked for five nights in a row every year. The shows all sell out and his fans come from across the country to see him on multiple nights. Potawatomi Bingo Casino has also taken measures to introduce the Northern Lights Theater venue to potential patrons. Special events, free music on Fridays and free Bonkerz Comedy Showcases on Saturdays, spotlight the theater and encourage guests to attend ticketed shows. Free music Fridays feature larger local and smaller national acts, giving the performers a unique opportunity to showcase their talents in a room of this quality. All shows are marketed through advertising, public relations, and promotions in conjunction with the casino's various media partners. Conversely, the casino's promotions department continually strives to be creative in establishing ways to use the theater to introduce customers to other aspects of the casino. By offering “dinner and a show” discount packages and providing bonus play certificates to concertgoers, the investment in the theater has become an important driver for other areas of the business. Las Vegas in Milwaukee, Wisconsin? The Potawatomi Bingo Casino, with its Northern Lights Theater, has shown that audiences everywhere can truly appreciate a total entertainment experience with gaming, dining and live entertainment. The challenge of balancing a variety of acts at a frequency that coincides with the market demand is well worth the effort. A state-of-the-art theater helps attract top name national acts, and, more importantly, an audience that may not otherwise visit the casino. Cross marketing brings those customers into the dining and gaming areas, proving that live shows can prove to be an extremely worthwhile investment for a casino entertainment property. ♣ Bob Rech is Entertainment Manager at Potawatomi Bingo Casino in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He can be reached by calling (414) 847-7377 or email [email protected] October 2005 Indian Gaming 47
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