MICE planners placing beds on Native American casinos
Meeting planners looking at various gaming facilities might find their best bet is Native American casinos, according to industry observers.
They not only offer historical and cultural attractions but, in a practical sense, their prices are often more reasonable.
"Tribal operations also are boosting their meeting and event appeal, making Indian gaming resorts posed to offer amenities and advantages that many commercial gaming resorts can’t match," says MeetingsFocusWest.
One former disadvantage is that some Indian gaming resorts in the past did not always have on-property casinos. But that has changed to where most resorts are being marketed jointly with Indian facilities and gaming nearby.
Combined destinations include the Pueblo of Pojoaque by the Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino and the non-gaming Hilton Santa Fe Golf Resort & Spa in New Mexico.
The combined destination offers 395 luxury rooms, 55,000 square feet of meeting space and another 30,000 square feet of outdoor group space.
"We have all the advantages of being a Hilton with all the advantages of being part of the Pueblo," Christine Windle, Hilton director of sales and marketing, told MeetingsWest.
Similar to other arrangements, the large amount of money being spent on the gambling aspect of the destination helps keep meeting and individual room prices down.
"That provides a huge advantage for planners," she said.
But in addition to gaming, many Native American destinations have also added all the amenities found at non-native facilities such as spas and golfing courses. That extends their appeal beyond gaming enthusiasts.
These destinations are also increasingly banding together to market specific areas to group travelers.
By David Wilkening
David
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