Public relations strategy of the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas

¶ … Orleans Arena focuing on Public Relations

Background of facility

Where the good time rolls!" is the slogan that the Orleans Arena uses for welcoming its visitors on a periplus at one of the most modern and fascinating venues in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 52 million dollar U-shaped facility mentioned above opened its gates in 2003 and belongs to the Orleans Hotel and Casino complex, being one of the most important landmarks that the Las Vegans take pride in. The Orleans Arena has an impressive capacity of 9,500 seats and represents a multipurpose venue hosting musical performances and sporting events. However, it is mainly known as Las Vegas Wranglers' home, a minor league ice hockey team that played its first game on the Arena on October 21, 2003, defeating the Bakersfield Condors with the score of 4-2. But the Arena's positive aura doesn't end here. The Stanley Cup (the championship trophy of the national Hockey League) also visited the famous venue on November 25, 2005.

Analysis of facility and focus area

After visiting the Arena whose characteristics I have tried to summarize up to this point of the essay, my opinion is that the facility perfectly moulds over the customers' needs and financial possibilities. It provides glamour for all those who can afford it, but also a comfortable, entertaining atmosphere for all those Americans that come back home late at night, open the refrigerator and drink the beer for which they work hard all day long. Thus, the Arena may be considered an oasis that people choose when they want to spend some moments "far from the madding crowd" of day-to-day life. In order to achieve this objective, the management uses various stratagems to enhance the programs' attractiveness. For example, the Las Vegas Wranglers organizes the traditional mullet hat night every year and is the only team "to hold a game that is played at midnight" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Vegas_Wranglers).The main reason for the latter concession is the Las Vegans' program which overlaps the game hours. The hockey team is also sensitive to outside reality, a proof of this statement being the orange vests with the inscription "Don't shoot...I'm Human!" that the hockey players wore during a game on March 17, 2006, as an innuendo to Vice President Dick Cheney's haunting accident. The Arena also offers different advantages to loyal customers such as invitations to meet-the-team events, free tickets to pre-season games etc.

What I found very touching was one of the Arena's values stating that it " welcomes all guests, regardless of disability." This assertion emphasizes the company's concern with social involvement as an additional item to the entertainment perspective that the brand image comprises.

Still, the marketing strategy isn't exclusively oriented to the audience. It also focuses on attracting sponsors by offering opportunities that they can't refuse. In these terms, the Orleans Arena promises a high visibility for the companies' banners, displayed in a non-clustered medium and an impressive rate of exposure due to the significant number of viewers. The sponsors are also invited to enjoy performances from luxury suites in exchange for their contribution.

All these marketing tools make me assert that the original purpose of entertainment for all tastes and pockets has been completely reached. Moreover, one could state that the target has been exceeded because the facility may also host official summits of significant institutions or companies due to its meeting area of 10,800 square feet.

In conclusion, for a person like me that had kept in mind the literary image of the Roman arenas with sand-covered floors absorbing the blood of gladiators, visiting the Orleans Arena was an overwhelming experience. This is why I guess I wouldn't hesitate to play the guide's role for someone else wishing to discover its mirage.