Amenities For Gamblers
Casinos in Las Vegas lavish special attention on high rollers
By Emily Kumler, Las Vegas Review-JournalKnight Ridder/Tribune Business News
Jan. 1--Long before Las Vegas garnered its reputation as a major retailing capital, high-rolling casino guests were treated to the best shopping the city had to offer, courtesy of the gaming companies. In the 1990s, for instance, high rollers were invited to make an appointment and stop by a scaled down-Neiman Marcus store on the top floor of the Las Vegas Hilton for a shopping spree paid for by the hotel.
High rollers who visited the mock Neiman Marcus, which was set up at the Hilton's request, were greeted by two bronze stallions as they entered the 17,000-square-foot suite that was once a part of Elvis Presley's penthouse.
Inside was a men's department featuring Italian suits and cuff links to match; a women's boutique packed with David Yurman jewelry, Chanel couture and furs from many animals. The third bedroom, the children's department, displayed elaborate stuffed animals and miniature-sized designer wear. The foyer exhibited MacKenzie-Childs home decor and other decorative accents. While each room had its own bathroom, the largest, which was 10 feet-by-10 feet, was transformed into a perfume shop.
Although retailers like Neiman Marcus haven't set up elaborate ministores in casino suites for more than three years, casinos still try to feed their VIPs' desires to shop, said Roger Martinez, a Neiman Marcus spokesman.
"Now we invite them to come to store on Sunday mornings before noon, before we're open to the public," he said, explaining that the Strip retailer now hosts shopping sprees for players from Bally's, Caesars, Paris Las Vegas, Aladdin and Las Vegas Hilton. Players receive between $500 and $35,000 to spend in the store.
"The least amount of people has been the about 40 couples and the most was around 250 couples," Martinez said about the store's Sunday-morning shopping sprees.
Martinez said bringing high rollers into the real store is better because it gives customers a larger variety of items.
"It was a novelty to see the lavish suites; it was more fun to set it all up, but it is much smoother when we hold them here," Martinez said about the Neiman Marcus at the Fashion Show mall. "It has become a favorite practice, and the logistics have worked out best for the casinos."
Still, casinos were reluctant to adopt the new exported-style shopping spree because of concerns their competitors would steal their players if they left the property, Martinez said.
Caesars Palace officials, however, did not have that particular problem thanks to the Forum Shops' close proximity.
The casino company each year offers about 5,000 players sums ranging from $250 to $10,000 for their shopping sprees at specific stores inside the adjacent mall.
Forum Shops spokeswoman Maureen Crampton said the sprees, which are scheduled about once a month, feature different shops depending on the time of year.
Hundreds of Caesars customers, for instance, swarmed the Forum Shops the weekend of Dec. 4 going from store to store with their gift certificates. But many of the shoppers ended up at FAO Schwarz.
"The ladies buy jewelry and clothing; and the men go to the golf shop. Where else are they going to spend the rest of their money but on their kids? So they come here," said Jake Sammaripa, a manager at the mall's FAO Schwarz.
"Usually the December shopping spree is big for us. Over the rest of the year we try to have smaller groups about once a month; it was pandemonium in here (Dec. 4)," Sammaripa said, adding that the casino's guests accounted for a large percentage of that day's sales.
"We have a niche because we're the only toy store," Sammaripa said.
University of Nevada, Las Vegas psychology department Chairman Christopher Heavey said shopping sprees play to high rollers' fantasies.
"It's like a shopping Rorschach," Heavey said. "People put into it whatever they see, ... They imagine what kinds of things they could have, things they would never normally buy for themselves. It's a great marketing strategy."
While it is now the norm to host shopping sprees in stores rather than suites, the strong desire to make players feel pampered means casinos and retailers will provide them with more personalized attention on request.
Martinez said although it happens less and less, Neiman Marcus is happy to visit a player's hotel room to provide a last-minute outfit or accessory.
Crampton concurred.
"We still bring jewelry and a tailor to them," Crampton said. "But if Caesars has flown them in for a boxing match, part of the welcome package is a chance to shop where they wouldn't normally buy stuff, because they are looking for something to wear to specifically to the event."
Crampton said the sprees are a way for retailers to establish new clientele and introduce new lines to the customer. She said the Forum Shops partnership with Caesars made the sprees a natural joint endeavor, which includes Bally's and Paris Las Vegas because they fall under the Caesars portfolio.
"We're their partner," Crampton said. "We can offer more variety to our customer because of the range of stores, we have toys, shoes, jewelry the whole gamut."
Crampton said the casinos tried giving players extravagant gifts but realized people enjoy shopping more than receiving preselected presents.
"People are fun to watch, they're like kids," she said. "The day before they pre-shop, picking what they want, they literally get giddy."
Heavey said the excitement shoppers feel on their sprees is ultimately what they will remember about the weekend in Las Vegas.
"People's memories are very selective they tend to hold on to things that make them feel good," Heavey said. "In hindsight the shopping spree will be very salient for them compared with whatever happened in the casino good or bad. It will be a vivid memory, going into Neiman Marcus and picking out things that they wouldn't normally buy, they will remember that."
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- posted by Michael P. Whelan @ 6:29 PM