LAS VEGAS -- Clients looking to stay in the city's downtown area
because they want a change of scenery or, perhaps, a less-expensive
hotel bill may want to check out the Plaza Hotel & Casino.
Located at the top of Fremont Street, the 1,037-room property
offers an 80,000-square-foot casino -- downtown's largest -- as
well as views of the Fremont Street Experience, an area
landmark.
When the property was built in 1971 by Jackie Gaughan and his
then-partners Frank Scott and Sam Boyd, founder of Boyd Gaming,
there was just one 500-room hotel tower and a train station in the
hotel for the Amtrak train that stopped twice a day there, said
general manager Mike Nolan.
The station was closed a couple of years ago, Nolan said.
In 1981,
a second 500-room hotel tower was added, prompting the relocation
of the swimming pool to the fifth floor between the towers.
A sports deck then was constructed that features a jogging track
and tennis courts; they may be used free of charge by hotel
guests.
In addition, below the sports deck, 23,000 square feet of
meetings and convention space was added, although it is used more
for leisure travel group functions like family or military
reunions, Nolan said.
Roughly 90% of the property's guests are leisure travelers and
most are repeat clients, he added.
The total number of guest rooms includes seven penthouses, three
oversized suites, 84 two-bedroom suites and a variety of
one-bedroom suites.
Standard room rates range from $30 to $35 on weekdays up to $65
on weekends, Nolan said. The property also offers room packages.
Room rates and packages are commissionable at 10%, and group rates
are available through the property's tour and travel
department.
The Plaza's casino, which was the world's largest when it was
built more than 30 years ago, now features the largest downtown
race and sports book, a 400-seat bingo center, a live poker room
and a keno lounge as well as a growing number of cashless slot
machines.
For more information about the property, phone (800) 634-6575 or
log onto www.plazahotelcasino.com.
Sales pitch
• Organize a co-op marketing arrangement -- including posters,
newspaper ads and direct mail -- with local fitness and workout
centers that stresses the Plaza's sports deck. Physically active
clients should be intrigued by the free tennis and jogging
track.
• Contact church groups, labor unions, small business
associations and affinity groups to promote the hotel's leisure
travel-oriented meetings and conventions facilities. Smaller groups
should like the break they get on the room rates and the meetings
facilities.
• Identify clients familiar with the Strip and sell them on the
glitzy Freemont Street Experience, the sound and light show visible
from the Plaza. What do you tell them? The Freemont thing is fun,
free and family-oriented.
To contact reporter Amy Baratta, send e-mail to [email protected].