Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/310713
G a m i n g N e ws 1 3 Tu e s d a y, M a y 1 3 , 2 0 1 4 the successful delivery of an incredible range of projects. GN: Is there a current project that speaks to JCJ's capabilities and trends in the gaming market? AL: Last summer, JCJ completed work on the Saratoga Blackhawk Casino in Colorado. Formerly known as Fitzgerald's Casino, the facility was acquired by Saratoga Casino & Raceway early in 2013, with the intention of bring- ing the Saratoga brand to Colorado. This project is especially interesting because it demonstrates how a well-established, eastern gaming brand can successfully be transplanted into a new region and an active gaming market. JCJ has worked with Saratoga since 2003, starting in the planning and design of their first VLT facility and on all sub- sequent expansions. What this project illustrates is JCJ's ability to quickly develop a comprehensive understanding of the opportunities and challenges with- in an existing facility. In addition, our team's ability to swiftly translate the Saratoga-branded amenities to this new location was remarkable. JCJ Architecture ( Cont'd. from p. 1) The new space includes fresh design that speaks to Saratoga's history as a mecca for restorative mineral springs and historic horse racing. Other updates include the signature bar – Diamond Jim's – and the new Garden Buffet. JCJ was able to design and document the brand expansion and refurbishment in less than 10 months, a pace that speaks to our capa- bilities in fast track projects. Our rich background in project details and depth of resources allowed the team to source products and materials that would meet the tight budget and schedule require- ments of the project. The facility is now open and performing at anticipated levels. One of the key factors to the success of a project during design, delivery and ongoing operation is brand stewardship. When we look at this project in the larg- er context, we see the increasing need for planning and design to respond to signif- icant market pressures. Brand develop- ment and management is a powerful tool that owners have at their disposal in per- petuating their operations and one of the key components to the success of the Saratoga Blackhawk project. Visit JCJ Architecture at booth 1443. For more information, go to www.JCJ.com, call 860-247-9226 or email info@jcj.com. The loyalty program must also heavily integrate social media and electronic communication. GN: How can casinos adapt their rewards program for online gaming? PG: There are several key components. You must keep the look and feel familiar. A great deal of time and effort has been spent on most player loyalty programs. Make online gaming an extension of it, not a new program. You must also com- municate the program clearly, and mini- mize the risk aversion from the players' perspective. Launch a cross promotion with the brick and mortar experience and make the initial reward very attainable. Finally, be very nimble with the message, the program and the rewards. The beauty of online programs is that the casino and their rewards partner can assess and tweak the program very quickly to achieve the desired results. GN: What type of rewards will be influ- ential when a player is choosing an online gaming site? PG: Since all generations engage in Rymax ( Cont'd. from p. 1) online gaming, a successful player loy- alty program must include a variety of products and name brands to ensure every player's demographic needs are satisfied. The ability to strategically place popular brands and goods is a critical part of any program. Younger players want a reward that is "in" right now, with a focus on high-end luxury goods. Products such as Beats by Dr. Dre, Coach and Furla will attract this group, while older generations tend to stick to rewards that are practical, such as Cuisinart, Canon and Dyson. We can't stress enough that the window for desirability of a brand closes quickly by model and feature set, and rewards must be very current. Making these rewards easily accessible will also influence where a player chooses to play and build up their points. It is imperative that the reward redemption process is as simple as possible, from choosing a reward, redeeming points and receiving the product. Engaging loyalty programs use an online rewards platform that players can access from multiple devices, giving them the sense that their rewards are literally at their fingertips all the time. Visit Rymax at booth 1639. properties and create a simultaneous stream of revenue. GN: What was the most significant event or series of events affecting your compa- ny in the past year? TD: We are very excited about adding another property to our roster of partners. In June, we will be opening a new 16,000 square foot Kids Quest/Cyber Quest at Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem, Pa. We will also be serving the shoppers who frequent the outlet shops at Sands Bethlehem, thus impacting their retail sales as well. GN: Describe your company's current marketing strategy. TD: Kids Quest has expanded its capaci- ty to market directly to our current and potential customers through multiple channels, including the integration of social media. With a unique amenity like Kids Quest, our host properties have a decided advantage over their competitors. GN: What is your current product emphasis? TD: Kids Quest has always been known for our cutting edge play events and game technology. It's our mission to keep our centers updated by reinvesting on a regu- Kids Quest/Cyber Quest ( Cont'd. from p. 1) lar basis. We are the reason children beg their parents to visit our host properties. GN: How do you handle sales? TD: We have an internal team in place to create and maintain relationships with potential partners. Members of this same group attend events such as NIGA, to exhibit our concepts and engage Tribal representatives GN: To what do you contribute your company's success? TD: Kids Quest enables responsible gaming resorts the ability to effectively market to families, and by doing so, expand their guest base. Many casinos have become destination resorts that attract a family clientele. Kids Quest is a vital component that ensures the entire family is happy and engaged. With Kids Quest and Cyber Quest in place we create a great synergy that families really appreciate. We give fam- ilies the option to play together or com- fortably separate. When we are a part of the resort experience our partners are truly able to offer something for every- one. Everybody wins! Visit Kids Quest/Cyber Quest at booth 1547. For more information, go to www.kidsquest.com, call 800-941-1007 or email azenor@kidsquest.com. Glory Global Solutions employs over 2,500 professionals worldwide and has a distribution network reaching over 100 countries. It is supported by the technical expertise of parent com- pany GLORY. With nearly 100 years of history, headquartered in Japan, GLORY is a pioneer in the develop- G lory ( Cont'd. from p. 4) ment and manufacture of money han- dling, cash management, vending and automatic service equipment. Glory Global Solutions was formed in 2013, following the acquisi- tion of Talaris by GLORY LTD. Visit Glory Global Solutions at booth 2239. For more information, visit www.gloryglobalsolutions.com. NATIVE WINES AND NATIVE VINES In 2010, the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians purchased 1,390 acres of Santa Ynez ranch land, less than two miles from the reservation. With the land came 256 acres of vines, the Camp 4 Vineyards, planted with 19 different grape varieties. In addition to honoring existing con- tracts for the fruit, the tribe began its own winemaking project and released the first vintages of Kita Wines in 2013. The tribe is one of the few tribes in the United States that owns a vineyard and produces its own wines. It is the first tribe to have one of its own members as the winemak- er: Tara Gomez. "In our Native culture, balance is a part of our everyday life. It's the balance of ourselves and our surroundings," Gomez said. "In grape growing, it's actu- ally a balance of the soil, the climate, the geographic region. In winemaking it's a balance of the fruit, the acid, the alcohol and the structure of the wine." Gomez earned a Bachelor of Science degree in enology from California State University, Fresno, and worked at two top California wineries after college. She also produced her own variety of wines under the Kalawashaq label – named after a vil- lage where her tribe's ancestors lived. Gomez took a break to visit Europe to learn about the old traditions of winemak- ing and returns often to continue to learn. "I go back to where the varietal actual- ly originated and try to capture that moment of a culture, history of the traditions of that winemaking," she said. "I try to bring that old world winemaking back and incorpo- rate it with new world techniques." Gomez and her team spent time learning about the Camp 4 vineyards and meticulously followed the progress of each lot from the past harvests, including Sauvignon Blanc, Grenache Blanch, Syrah, Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon. They also worked with an award- winning branding company to create an identity for the tribe's new wine. "The whole concept was to find that connection between the vineyard, the winery and our tribe," Gomez said. "Kita means 'our valley oak' in Samala, our native language. With so many oak trees in the vineyard, we thought 'Kita' would be the perfect name because it symbol- izes the connection of our ancestors." In the short time Kita has been in production, it has already won numerous prestigious awards, including the San Francisco International Wine Competition, the Women's International Wine Competition and the Los Angeles International Wine Competition. The fact that Kita Wines is gaining significant recognition so quickly is a tes- tament to the way the tribe approaches all its business ventures. "Everything the tribe does is always done to the best of their ability and that is also the case with Kita Wines," said Gomez. You can learn more about Kita Wines by visiting the tribe's new television program, "Chumash Life," on YouTube at www.youtube.com/chu- mashlife or by visiting www.kitaw- ines.com. Visit the Chumash Life booth 1806 to learn more about the program. Drop off your business card at the booth to enter a drawing for a bottle of the award- win- ning tribal wine, Kita Wines. For more information, go to www.santaynez chumash.org, call 805-325-1187 or email francesvsnyder@gmail.com.