Hear That Word a Whole

¶ … hear that word a whole host of images spring to mind. James Bond playing roulette in Monte Carlo or Macau. The glitz, glamour and gangsterism of Las Vegas. Casinos hold a special place in the American psyche for what they represent -- freedom, vice and the pursuit of glory. Casino life has always revolved around gambling, but today it has become so much more. A significant proportion of casino customers today do not gamble at all. As a casino bartender I am in the unique position of being an industry insider but I also have a high level of interaction with the public, giving me insight into the minds of casino customers. And while gambling remains the core draw, casinos have today become diverse entertainment centers. People come to casinos to be entertained in a number of different ways, and it is these ways that I want to talk about today. Casinos offer shows and concerts -- in fact this is the second biggest draw of casinos after gambling. Casinos almost always have bars or nightclubs as well, to provide a wonderful array of options for guests to unwind. And because casino customers love to eat, the casino industry has truly evolved into a culinary powerhouse, offering everything from the ubiquitous Vegas buffet to Michelin-starred restaurants from some of the finest chefs in the world.

The Las Vegas show -- be it showgirls, Wayne Newton or Cirque du Soleil -- has become a casino icon. These shows were developed to serve multiple purposes in the casino business. They are a drawing card that brings people into the casino, increasing the number of gamblers. But the shows also give non-gamblers something to do while their friends are at the tables. Today, some of the world's most sophisticated shows are held at casinos. These shows attract the world's best talent and crews, and as a result they attract customers from all over the world. Shows are near ubiquitous -- all but the smallest casinos have some form of non-gambling entertainment. Areas with a high density of casinos have a concert circuit that allows the casinos to draw bigger acts to their stages. Chances are if you have a casino near you, it is one of the best concert venues in the area.

When you have a captive audience and you want them to stay, you must feed them. The result of this plain fact is that today casinos are home to fantastic restaurants. Top flight casino resorts now boast Michelin-starred restaurants -- think Restaurant Charlie at the Palazzo in Las Vegas or Galera a Robuchon at the Casino Lisboa in Macau. But casino restaurants are major draws at all ends of the market. Buffets have proven popular with the mass market, and the high end restaurants draw much more than hungry gamblers to their tables. And because everybody loves to eat, casinos are increasing the number of restaurants that they contain, and enhancing their menus options constantly, to keep meeting the diverse needs of casino clients. If you have yet to eat in a casino -- trust me as one who eats in one several times a week -- you are truly missing out on a fantastic culinary experience.

After dinner, most casinos have bars and nightclubs to entertain you. This fits it with the theme of being a multi-purpose entertainment center. In some venues, sports bars are popular. They give gamblers and non-gamblers alike a means to escape the craziness of the floor. Sports bars provide a casual meeting point for people and a venue to relax after a hard day's vacationing, not to mention a place to watch the games on which they have placed a wager. Nightclubs allow guests to blow off steam. The clubs offer a wide range of music and entertainment options, and provide an additional drinking venue as well.

Another major form of entertainment, often overlooked, is shopping. People not only love to shop, but they love to shop when they travel. Casinos have recognized this and are now incorporating destination shopping into their operations. Depending on the casino a shopper can enjoy anything from a selection of high end boutiques to entire shopping malls. Some of these malls have become downright spectacular. The model for casino-based shopping today might be the Venetian Macau, which has a whopping 96,800 square feet of mall space, including canals with gondoliers. Personal shoppers and concierge assistance only add to the amazing shopping experience that is today's casino shopping.