LAS VEGAS -- While the newly opened Aladdin Resort & Casino
here was under construction during the last couple of years,
executives fashioned focus groups to glean suggestions for the
2,567-room resort.
One result of the focus groups was a "stacked" hotel design that
was created to cut down on the amount of walking for hotel
guests.
That was a particularly important point for the meetings and
convention market, according to Jim Lauster, the property's vice
president of convention sales.
"When we asked, 'What is your common like and dislike of Las
Vegas properties?' one of the resounding answers that became a
common denominator was the sheer size of the properties and the
amount of walking you had to do from guest room to conference
center," Lauster said.
Now, with a vertical design and a dual elevator core, all guest
rooms are within seven doors of an elevator.
That means that meetings and
convention guests are just an elevator ride away from the
property's meetings facilities, which are located on a floor
separate from the main casino and accessible from the lobby or
guest floors.
The 75,000 square feet of meetings space includes a
37,000-square-foot grand ballroom, two junior ballrooms and 18
breakout rooms.
"We are not one of the megameetings facilities," Lauster said.
"Our focus is the corporate meetings, incentives and associations
markets -- programs that don't [require] an exorbitant amount of
meeting and exhibit space.
"Our space is very high-quality, and our facilities are very
beautiful and state-of-the- art in terms of electrical hook-up and
equipment that supports that space.
"But without the second [grand] ballroom, we are limited to the
number of trade shows that we can do."
Still, the Aladdin is in good company, competing for meetings
business with the likes of Bellagio, Caesars, the Mirage, Mandalay
Bay, the Venetian, the Rio and MGM Grand, according to Lauster.
One thing the Aladdin has that the competition doesn't is the
7,000-seat Theatre for the Performing Arts.
"There's nothing that compares to it anywhere in [the city]."
Lauster said.
"And we also make it available to meetings and conventions
groups."
Other components of the property's meetings space include a
permanent registration area, a business center, a dedicated
catering kitchen and a convention center-style loading dock that
can accommodate two tractor-trailers simultaneously.
In addition, each guest room is outfitted with such business
traveler amenities as dedicated modem ports with Cat-5 computer
cables for high-speed Internet access, two phone lines and cordless
telephones.
Since the property opened in mid-August, Lauster said, meetings
and conventions bookings have been fairly strong.
"We hit the numbers we projected in August," he said. "September
and October were very strong for us on the convention side, and in
November, we did a very strong showing with Comdex. From January
through May, bookings already have exceeded our budgeted goals. We
are very pleased with that fact."
And it looks as if repeat business will be equally strong, he
noted.
"The immediate feedback has been very, very positive," he
said.
"We've had six major groups already looking to rebook for next
year. They indicated that [when] they were leaving. There is no
better testament to what we're doing here," Lauster said.
For more details, call Aladdin Resort & Casino at (877)
333-WISH or (702) 785-5555.
The Web address is www.aladdincasino.com.
Still to come: Showroom, health spa
LAS VEGAS -- Two venues at the Aladdin Resort & Casino that
didn't open with the property on Aug. 18 will debut in 2001,
according to resort officials.
A 1,500-seat showroom will open "probably in May," according to
Jim Lauster, vice president of convention sales.
The showroom will feature a permanent production whose star
likely will be Carmen Electra, according to Lauster.
An illusionist from Germany also will perform in the new
showroom, he added.
The other venue will be a 36,000-square-foot health spa and
exercise facility that will be ready to open on June 1, Lauster
said.
Initially, he said, the spa was designed to be just 10,000
square feet.
"But the [property's] owners wisely decided to be competitive in
that respect," Lauster said.