THE GOLDEN GATE HOTEL and CASINO by Michelle Bruce, Lisa Cartwright, Erin Schmermund and Dana Shankland Supervised by Professor David J
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gaming management marketing MARKETING ANALYSIS CASE STUDY: THE GOLDEN GATE HOTEL AND CASINO By Michelle Bruce, Lisa Cartwright, Erin Schmermund and Dana Shankland Supervised by Professor David J. Paster Editor’s Note: Four students in the Casino Enterprise Management-sponsored HM 492 course offered by the Department of Tourism Management for the College of Business at The University of Southern Mississippi-Gulf Coast recently traveled to Nevada to conduct comprehensive marketing research and analysis on Golden Gate Hotel and Casino, located on Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas. Led by Professor David Paster, Lisa Cartwright, Dana Shankland, Erin Schmermund and Michelle Bruce spent Jan. 11–18 compiling data for this case study, meeting with Golden Gate owner Marc Brandenburg, Marketing & Promotions Manager Heather Sobczak, Vice President of Marketing Scott D’Angelo, and other key staff members. The students also met with Trent Allen Parks, national account executive for the Palms Casino Resort; Howard “The Librarian for Gamblers” Schwartz, owner of the Gambler’s Book Club; Ron Aller, a top marketing and operations independent consultant; Douglas Florence CPP, director of NICE Gaming Security; Luigi Mastropietro of Central Credit/Global Cash Access; George Stamos, April Augustine, and Bruce Rowe of Bally Technologies; Marc Weiswasser of Navegante’s CasinoRecruiter.com; Steve Cyr with H-Six hosting group; Dr. Curtis Love and Dr. Gail Sammons at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas; and Dr. David Schwartz, author of Roll the Bones. The following is excerpted from the comprehensive case study that the students provided to Golden Gate’s management following the completion of their course. Established in 1906, the Golden Gate is proud to be Las Vegas’ most historic hotel/casino and the smallest hotel on Fremont Street, with only 106 rooms. Our guests can enjoy the intimate atmosphere of a historic hotel and then step outside our front doors into the grandeur and excitement of the Fremont Street Experience, with dazzling free light shows and special events. Our shrimp cocktail started a Las Vegas tradition over 40 years ago, and still is named “Best of Las Vegas” year after year. We offer great accommodations, plenty of gambling action and excellent food in a warm and friendly environment. – Golden Gate Hotel and Casino Modern casino gambling in southern Nevada originated in downtown Las Vegas and was legalized in 1931. When the first third- wave themed mega casino resort, The Mirage, opened in 1989 on the Las Vegas Strip, people and construction started significantly moving away from downtown Las Vegas. As a result, tourism in the downtown area decreased. The city made an effort to revitalize the area with the opening of the $80 million Fremont Street Experience in 1995. According to the City of Las Vegas Office of Business Development, the Fremont Street Experience attracts, on average, more than 21 million visitors each year. IRS operations also moved to a downtown building the same year, which served as a catalyst to create demand for additional businesses in the area, especially during daytime hours. Many high-rise condominium projects have also been under development, which has helped transform downtown into a livable neighborhood. The growing popularity of Las Vegas as a destination has led to an increase in visits from gaming, leisure and business customers. According to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, annual visitor volume has experienced a steady increase over the past five years, from 35.5 million in 2003 to 39.2 million in 2007. Approximately 87 percent (34.1 million people) of all visitors gamble Photo courtesy of Golden Gate Hotel and Casino. 2 Casino Enterprise Management MONTH 2008 www.CasinoEnterpriseManagement.com gaming management marketing CHART 1 CHART 3 Las Vegas and Las Vegas Downtown Gaming Revenue (x1,000) Las Vegas Downtown Table and Slot Win Per Unit Per Day $670,000 $12,000,000 $120 $1,150 $660,000 $10,000,000 $100 $1,100 $650,000 $8,000,000 $80 $1,050 $640,000 $6,000,000 $60 $1,000 Slots Tables Las Vegas Downtown $630,000 $4,000,000 $40 $950 $620,000 $2,000,000 $20 $900 $610,000 $0 $0 $0 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Downtown Las Vegas Win/Slot/Day Win/Table/Day CHART 2 CHART 4 Las Vegas Downtown Gaming and Non-Gaming Revenue (x1,000) Las Vegas Downtown Average Daily Rate and Occupancy $700,000 92% $80 91% $600,000 $70 90% $60 $500,000 89% $50 $400,000 88% $40 ADR $300,000 87% Occupancy $30 86% $200,000 $20 85% $10 $100,000 84% $0 0 83% 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Non-Gaming Gaming Occupancy Level ADR while in Las Vegas, and 38 percent of those visitors gamble On a gaming fiscal year basis, according to the Nevada Gaming downtown (12.96 million people). Non-gaming expenditures per trip Commission, Las Vegas downtown casino properties generated by Las Vegas visitors increased at a compound annual growth rate of $624.3 million in gross gaming revenue in 2007, compared to 7.1 percent, from approximately $695 in 2003 to an estimated $979 $641.9 million in 2006, a year-over-year decrease of 2.7 percent; in 2007. These trends indicate not only a growing demand for Las non-gaming revenue in the downtown area decreased 13.4 percent. Vegas, but also a growth in visitor non-gaming spending. The downtown area generated $476 million in non-gaming revenue While the Las Vegas gaming market has maintained a steady in 2007, compared to $549.9 million in 2006. Chart 2 shows the growth pattern over the past five years, the downtown area gaming and non-gaming revenue trend for Las Vegas downtown for struggles to see year-over-year improvement and has even suffered the past five fiscal years ending June 30. a decline in some years. According to the Nevada Gaming On an aggregate per-unit basis, slot win per unit per day has Commission, Las Vegas casino properties generated $10.9 billion in shown a steady increase over the past five years, while win per table gross gaming revenue in 2007, compared to $10.6 billion in 2006, an per day has demonstrated volatility. It is important to point out, increase of 2.1 percent; the downtown area increased 0.4 percent. however, that the number of slot units has sharply decreased, from The downtown area generated $632.9 million in gross gaming almost 16,000 in 2003 to about 12,000 in 2007, while the number of revenue in 2007, compared to $630.3 million in 2006. table units has remained relatively the same. Chart 3 shows these Because the downtown area attracts budget-conscious tourists, trends on a calendar basis. the implosion of the Stardust and New Frontier, which attract the The supply of hotel rooms in the downtown Las Vegas area has same type of customers, could have contributed to this customer decreased from 10,452 in 2003 to 9,635 in 2007, while average migration. Chart 1 shows the gross gaming revenue trend for the occupancy level and daily rates are 89 percent and $54, respectively. past five calendar years ending Dec. 31 for Las Vegas and Las Vegas Chart 4 shows these trends on a fiscal year basis. downtown from 2003 to 2007. 3 Casino Enterprise Management MONTH 2008 www.CasinoEnterpriseManagement.com Gaming management marketing Golden Gate’s Customers CHART 5 The majority of Golden Gate’s customer base ranges in age from Rated Guests Segmented by Theo per Trip 40–69; the largest representation of that group is 50–59 years old, 100 comprising 27 percent of Golden Gate’s total customer base. The 5 90 5 second largest age group, at 22 percent of Golden Gate’s customer 8 base, ranges in age from 40–49 and is followed by age group 60–69, 80 which reflects 20 percent of Golden Gate’s customer base. The majority of Golden Gate’s non-West (i.e., California, Nevada) 70 66 originating customer base comes from the Midwest, followed by the 60 South, East and international, respectively. Chart 5 represents the percentage of total rated theoretical casino 50 82 win per trip in relation to total rated guests at Golden Gate. 40 Occupancy Percent 30 The Competition 12 Las Vegas casinos epitomize the word “competition.” Downtown 20 Las Vegas, once on its way to becoming nothing more than a bump 10 on the timeline of the city’s history, is now vivacious once again. The 10 12 entity is competing with the ever-changing, ever-growing Las Vegas 0 Strip. The Fremont Street Experience has given downtown Las Vegas % of Total Rates Guests % of Total Rated Theo a new edge and allows people to realize the opportunity and $00-24 $25-49 $50-99 $100+ diversity downtown Las Vegas has to offer. The area has a variety of casinos that can meet every customer’s needs. Customers who like Source: Golden Gate Casino (Internal), Statistical Materials prepared by Scott D’Angelo small, quiet casinos can find them downtown; patrons who like large, The players club is comprised of three tiers. The first tier is a “base exciting casinos can also find them downtown. The diversity of tier” that offers: downtown creates competition within the area. • Usage of points for gifts, dining or play (500 points=$1) Golden Gate Casino faces competition on and around Fremont • 10 percent off dining with points pay Street. Within a one-mile radius, Golden Gate has 14 competitors. • 10 percent off hotel with points pay These alternatives range from casino-only properties to full-fledged • Eligibility for monthly “free gift” and promotions resort properties.