Hosting meetings at gaming resorts, such as Talking Stick Resort, pictured, is an exciting option for attendees.

The allure of gaming resorts for corporate meetings and incentives is multifaceted, whether the meetings are held at a decadent seaside locale like Atlantis Paradise Island Bahamas or at a casino resort along the Las Vegas Strip.

Gaming resorts offer a wealth of meeting and event spaces, alongside top-tier live performances at onsite theaters and nightclubs, and resort-style decadence, with spas, golf courses and fine dining.

Attendees are able to unwind after meetings without needing to leave the property, as groups can organize education sessions, group dinners, after-hours networking receptions and other events at the resort. Hosting meetings at gaming resorts also helps to simplify logistics for planners by eliminating potential hassles of organizing offsite events while creating a seamless experience for attendees.

“One of the biggest advantages is the convenience of having everything in one place— from business sessions and networking opportunities to entertainment and leisure,” says Nora Ellingwood, vice president of operations, North America for CloserStill Media. “A gaming resort offers a well-rounded experience, allowing attendees to transition seamlessly from meetings to one-on-one conversations to enjoying a variety of activities. Plus, gaming resorts often offer very competitive room rates, which adds value for both organizers and attendees.”

MGM Grand Hotel & Casino

CloserStill’s DevLearn Conference & Expo is currently held at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, NV, which has been the perfect fit for the size and needs of the show, according to Ellingwood. Attendance varies by event, but DevLearn typically welcomes over 4,000 attendees.

“We needed a venue that could accommodate our expanding needs. MGM Grand offered a single-campus solution where our attendees, sponsors and speakers could all stay connected,” Ellingwood says. She adds that the property provides ample space for their general sessions, as well as breakout rooms, exhibit halls and the flexibility and growth potential to support their event as it continues to scale.

CloserStill has utilized all three levels of the MGM Grand Conference Center. “These spaces were key to managing our expo hall, experience rooms, general sessions and breakout rooms,” Ellingwood explains. “The layout allowed us to offer a comprehensive and immersive experience for our attendees across all tracks.”

For the event, CloserStill secured a very large total room block at the MGM Grand with over 80% of their attendees staying at the hotel. “The convenience of being on property made for a seamless experience for our attendees, especially with all our programming taking place within the venue,” according to Ellingwood.

As the show organizer, Ellingwood primarily utilized the contracted and allocated event space at the resort to host CloserStill’s official evening receptions, which were designed to drive traffic and foster networking among attendees. Ellingwood notes that one of the key advantages of hosting their event at an MGM property is the wide variety of outstanding restaurants, bars and casino lounges available onsite. These venues provided their attendees and staff with additional opportunities to connect, unwind and enjoy themselves outside of the formal convention schedule.

The feedback from attendees was positive. “They appreciated the convenience of having everything under one roof — from the hotel accommodations to the conference space — which made navigating the event seamless. Overall, the venue met and even exceeded their expectations in terms of comfort, accessibility and overall experience,” says Ellingwood.

Another benefit of hosting a meeting at a gaming resort is that it can help boost registration and attendance. Employees, clients or partners are often more inclined to attend a business event when it’s hosted in an enticing destination that offers leisure opportunities. Gaming resorts let attendees pair business objectives with reward experiences, helping to motivate sales teams, recognize top performers or impress clients.

Planners can design an agenda with a clear balance between business sessions and leisure time. One key is to not overload the schedule and to let attendees enjoy the resort amenities, spa, shows and casino. This downtime boosts morale and networking.

Wynn Las Vegas

FAT Brands Inc., hosts its biennial Franchise Summit at Wynn Las Vegas, because of its all-in-one appeal, as well as the venue’s ability to draw attendees, according to Thayer Wiederhorn, their chief operating officer. The company’s flagship event brings together more than 2,000 attendees, including franchisees, corporate team members, supplier partners and board members.

“A gaming resort like Wynn creates a self-contained environment where attendees can work, connect and unwind without needing to leave the property. This allows us to maximize attendance and engagement across all parts of the program — from general sessions and breakouts to informal networking and entertainment,” Wiederhorn says. “The energy and convenience of a world-class resort helps foster a sense of excitement and community.”

For their event, FAT Brands utilized Wynn’s ballrooms and breakout spaces for its general sessions, brand-specific workshops and vendor showcases. The flexibility of the space allowed the company to accommodate large plenary gatherings while also offering more intimate rooms for targeted discussions.

Most of their attendees stayed on property, which was a major factor in the success of the event. “Having everyone under one roof created a seamless experience and significantly boosted participation in both the formal and informal aspects of the summit,” Wiederhorn says. Attendees could also use amenities like lounges, pool decks and entertainment venues, where informal networking and relationship-building can happen naturally in a relaxed environment.

“We also hosted evening receptions, meals and sponsor activations at the outdoor Event Pavilion, which helped us showcase the beauty of the property and maintain strong momentum and visibility for our partners,” notes Wiederhorn.

We encouraged attendees to take full advantage of Wynn’s exceptional dining and entertainment options, and organized private dinners and networking events at several of the on-property restaurants. These offerings added tremendous value and helped elevate the overall attendee experience.

Working with the team at Wynn Las Vegas was beneficial, according to Wiederhorn, who points out that the resort offers an unmatched combination of luxury, professionalism and event execution. “From our earliest conversations, the team demonstrated a true partnership approach, working collaboratively with us to understand our goals and customize every aspect of the experience,” he says.

The event was almost entirely contained on property, except for one off-site activity. “The comprehensive nature of the Wynn experience allowed us to deliver a high-impact, high-touch event without needing to look elsewhere for many other supplementary venues,” he adds.

Choosing Wynn Las Vegas as the host property was also a huge benefit when securing first class keynote speakers, as travel in and out of Las Vegas is easy and the team at the Wynn was extremely well-versed in hosting high-profile individuals and celebrities, Wiederhorn says.

Ultimately the reward of a successful meeting comes from attendee feedback. The feedback for the summit was overwhelmingly positive. Attendees consistently cited the quality of the venue, the organization of the event and the hospitality of the Wynn team as standout elements, he says, adding, “Many of our franchisees and partners said it was the most memorable and productive conference experience they’ve ever had.”

The caliber of the venue, coupled with its all-encompassing amenities, made it the ideal choice for a large-scale, multi-day corporate event like theirs. FAT Brands has now hosted its summit at the Wynn three times and is gearing up for a fourth.

Before selecting a gaming resort, planners should assess their group’s interests and company culture, answering questions, such as if the group is likely to enjoy a casino environment. Would they prefer a wellness resort for relaxation or a gaming resort that offers nightlife and entertainment? Tailoring the experience is key to a successful meeting or event, especially when it comes to incentive trips.

Caesars Palace

Nothing says luxury like a stay at Caesars Palace Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Located at the heart of the strip, this venue treats their guests like royalty. Attendees can indulge in lavish cuisine or enjoy the wellness experience at the Qua Baths & Spa. They can also enjoy high-end entertainment, play in the casino, watch sports in the sportsbook, browse through the Forum Shops or relax at a lounge or pool. There are many options, and they all are opulent. The venue is also a heavy hitter when it comes to meetings, offering 300,000 sf of meeting and event space, with several ballrooms including two pillarless ballrooms accommodating up to 5,555 guests. In addition, they have 3,960 guestrooms. When attendees come to a meeting here, they are sure to leave feeling like a king. Also, it is not far from Caesars Forum, a 550,000 sf convention center with the two largest pillarless ballrooms in the world and the 100,000 sf Forum Plaza.

Resorts World Las Vegas

Resorts World is one of the newest integrated resorts on the strip and is offering all the amenities you would expect — dining, entertainment, spa, a 117,000 sf casino and more. Planners seek them out not only for all of these options, but also for their 250,000 sf of meeting and event space, including 50 multi-functional, state-of-the-art meeting rooms and six ballrooms, their expansive rooftop with views of the Strip and their easy access to the convention center via the Vegas Loop. They are working on creating their own convention center as well. As far as amenities, they also have a dayclub, nightclub and a 5.5-acre pool complex. Resorts World Theater offers 4,850 seats and plenty of entertainment options. As for accommodations, Resorts World has three distinct hotels: Hilton Las Vegas, Conrad Las Vegas and Crockfords Las Vegas.

Florida’s Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood offers 120,000 sf of meeting and event space.

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood

For Kerri Bastion, a southeast area general manager for an automotive company, the convenience of hosting a meeting at a gaming resort is a draw when choosing where to host a company event. Bastion helps plan for the corporation’s Southeast region events. The events she puts together generally span two days and cater to about 30 attendees, with the last couple of events being award dinners for dealers and employees.

Her company held an incentive event at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood in Florida to celebrate the internal team and dealers. They used that property partly because they have dealers in that market and the location was centralized and convenient, with attendees traveling by both car and air.

Bastion says the group utilized various aspects of the resort. Their first event was more of a formal meeting and was held at the onsite steakhouse, Council Oak Steaks & Seafood. “The second event we had, I planned it around March Madness, so we utilized the Sportsbook,” Bastion says. “We had really wanted our team to enjoy the pool and TV in the cabana. We had March Madness games on, and that evening was the opportunity to be in the Sportsbook, where they could eat some really good bar food and watch.”

The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Hollywood, like many gaming resorts, is used to serving high-end clientele and large volumes of attendees, which translates to experienced hospitality teams who can help planners pull off well-run events. Bastion says that the property’s responsiveness and flexibility were also key to her successful event.

Bastion also made sure that the attendees had ample time to themselves to enjoy the property. “Everybody had time on their own so they could stay out by the pool if they wanted or go in and gamble at the tables, walk around and use the facilities they needed or shop. It all really worked out for what we were looking for. We had a lot of different options there for everybody. It was great.”

Bastion plans to make the event annual, depending on budget, and considers the property ideal for networking and celebrating achievements. Feedback was positive, she says. There were also attendees who asked if there was availability to stay longer once they were there because they were having a great time.

Mohegan Sun Resort & Casino

Between New York and Boston, MA is another popular casino resort — Mohegan Sun Resort & Casino, in Uncasville, CT. Planners will find 275,000 sf of indoor meeting space available and 1600 guestrooms. Attendees can not only enjoy gaming in two casinos, but also relax at two world-class Mandara spas. They can hit the links on the 18-hole championship golf course during season and have a nice meal at one of the numerous restaurants, bars and lounges. Top entertainment is also available at the 10,000 sf Mohegan Sun Arena or the Wolf Den. Owned by the Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut, the property reflects their culture and principles, including following the Spirit of Aquai, a philosophy based on Welcoming, Mutual Respect, Cooperation and Building Relationships.

Foxwoods Resort Casino is the largest hotel casino in the Northeast.

Foxwoods Resort Casino

Nearby, in Mashantucket, CT, Foxwoods Resort Casino is the largest hotel casino development in the northeast and boasts the number one golf course in the state. It offers plenty of meeting and event space, including a 47,533-sf premier ballroom, a 15,000-sf celebrity ballroom and the 40,000-sf Rainmaker Expo Center. It has more than 1,900 luxury hotel rooms and suites. Attendees at events here will have no shortage of things to do when not in meetings. They can shop at the Tanger Outlet Shops; splash in the adjacent waterpark at Great Wolf Den; play in the casino, make a bet at the DraftKings Sportsbook and more. For a true cultural experience, they can visit the Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center, which is dedicated to the tribal nation that owns and operates the resort casino. It features a 16th century village, interactive exhibits and more.

Turning Stone Resort Casino

For those looking to get away, the Turning Stone Resort Casino, located in Upstate New York, offers 3,400 acres of space with several golf courses and access to the Finger Lakes and Adirondacks region. They offer 2,000 slot machines, 66 table games and one of the top three Bingo halls in the world, as well as the largest poker room in the state. They already have three hotels and offer 200,000 sf of meeting and event space with 1,046 guestrooms, but they are undergoing a $370 million renovation that will make them the largest convention destination in New York. Their newest hotel, slated to open this summer, the Crescent Hotel, will include 258 guestrooms and suites, and a new fine dining venue. The Grand Expo, scheduled to open Labor Day weekend, will have 200,000 sf of convention center and exhibition space.

Talking Stick Resort

In Scottsdale, AZ, Talking Stick Resort offers 100,000 sf of meeting and event space, including a 25,000 sf Grand Ballroom. Adjacent to the Camelback Mountains with Sonoran Desert views, this resort is known for its gaming. Not only does it have a variety of table games, but it has the state’s largest poker room. It also has all the amenities you would expect, including fine dining and entertainment options.

With the added sense of excitement and exclusivity of hosting a meeting at a gaming resort, the event often stands out in attendees’ minds and increases the likelihood of repeat participation in the future. C&IT