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For
two decades, perhaps more, those with the power to invest, build,
design casinos have asked one key question: "How do I most effectively
build an establishment where large numbers of people will gamble-and
return?"
The query has
been asked with variations. Take the calls we received from Europe
and Asia among other locales, where anxious voices asked: "Is there
a book that tells me how far I should keep the slot machines from
each other so people feel comfortable?" Or, "I know people feel
intimidated by certain casino designs-is there a book that tells
me things about table layouts, lighting and colors?"
There have always
been financial horror stories, in Nevada, Atlantic City, Mississippi,
and perhaps will be more in the future as the Native American casinos
experiment with d�cor, design and what they want customers to experience
vs. what customers would like to experience.
If players can't
see their cards clearly or if a sports bettor or horseplayer needs
a flashlight to see his team or horse's name because of shadows
on a result board. Take the case of one hotel where lounge acts
were so loud people couldn't eat dinner without shouting during
their own conversation. Something was clearly wrong.
Was it poor
design? Casino indifference? Plain stupidity? Who was responsible
for these terrible errors? More importantly, how much did it cost
to correct them? Millions here and there, I know. At least one casino
erred in locating baccarat pits, sports book, and parking facilities
in relation to noise reduction.
 Now
comes Bill Friedman's important work for the 21st Century
casino designer, builder and/or owner. Titled Designing Casinos
to Dominate the Competition (628 pages, hardbound, $150), and
worth every penny, it becomes, in my opinion, one of the most
important casino management books of our times and it should
be the hands of every decision-maker of the future.
Friedman's reputation
has been established. He's no Johnny-come-lately, having authored
Casino Management in 1972, then revising and updating it to accommodate
Atlantic City's entrance into the gaming industry in 1984. The book
is now out of print, but it remains highly sought-after by anyone
entering the industry at mid-management level or higher.
This book, which
took two decades to compile, will make as many casino owners happy
as angry. There are those who will argue their casino-hotel is beautifully
designed and properly enticing for their clientele, not matter what
any expert says.
For existing
casinos, Friedman has many pats on the back to offer and just as
many criticisms-all worth noting and analyzing. Architects will
be especially queasy about Friedmans' analysis-so will those who
keep the books and wonder more specifically why profits are up or
down and what causes these fluctuations.
This is truly
"an armchair tour of almost every major casino in Nevada history
(from 1931 to 1997)." Along the way, Friedman examines 81 casinos
and focuses on 13 positive
(winning) and
negative (losing) design principles. These include layout, traffic
flow, d�cor, lighting, signage and noise.
He offers analysis
and examples of how proper design can attract bigger crowds, which
in turn affect profitability-the casino's bottom line.
Often you'll
hear players, visitors comment: "I don't know what it was-but I
didn't feel comfortable at the (fill in the name of the hotel)."
That equates to a non-return by the person speaking, who in turn
probably told a dozen others. Word of mouth can be a powerful marketing
or advertising tool. It can make or break a new casino, which might
intentionally or unintentionally reject locals, for example, or
poorly anticipate
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