Reno expansions raising ante in meeting/business market

The Reno-Tahoe area is raising the stakes as a meetings destination with more than ten casino hotels in the area undergoing large-scale renovations and expansions, say tourism officials.

They’re betting they can boost business meetings and bring in larger groups to rival Las Vegas. Tourism officials are also looking to bring in a younger demographic and a higher-end market.

“In Reno-Tahoe, conventions can grow, and planners can achieve their bottom-line expectations with the phenomenal value that our hotels, facilities and attractions offer,” said Philip D’Amico, vice president of convention sales for the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority (RSCVA).

He added that the area is popular not only because of its indoor activities but also because of the outdoor recreational opportunities.

“Between the redevelopment that is making Reno-Tahoe an even better destination for groups and the RSCVA’s increased focus on securing group business, I see convention travel becoming a bigger percentage of Reno-Tahoe’s overall mix in the future,” he says.

Among recent activity:
—The Atlantis Casino Resort Spa is scheduled to complete a $50 million renovation and expansion this summer that includes a 14,000-square-foot ballroom and eight new meeting rooms, as well as a new spa. In November, the property will debut a sky bridge connecting it to the Reno-Sparks Convention Center.
—Last year, the Peppermill unveiled a new 600-suite hotel tower featuring a 62,000-square-foot ballroom, bringing the property’s total number of guest rooms to 1,635 and total square footage of meeting space to 102,000. This summer, Peppermill will add a garden with three swimming pools, Jacuzzis and cabanas that will be available for events. A spa is also planned.

—Grand Sierra Resort and Casino recently finished a $90 million upgrade and added three restaurants and a nonsmoking wine bar. The property has 1,995 guest rooms and is currently finishing a $5 million update to its 200,000 square feet of meeting space.
—In Sparks, the Nugget completed a multimillion-dollar remodeling of all the guest rooms in its east tower in February. The property has more than 1,600 guest rooms and 110,000 square feet of meeting space.
—Other large meetings hotels in Reno include Silver Legacy Resort Casino, with 50,000 square feet of meeting space; Harrah’s Reno, with 24,000 square feet of meeting space; and Circus Circus Reno, with 22,000 square feet of meeting space.

The two largest group spaces in the area are the Reno-Sparks Convention Center, with 565,000 square feet of exhibition and meeting space, 53 meeting rooms and a 30,000-square-foot ballroom; and Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center, with two indoor and two outdoor arenas and a 20,000-square-foot exhibit hall.
Convenience is another factor in Reno’s attraction for meeting-goers.
“With most hotels within a 10-minute drive of the airport, many planners have been impressed with the ease of access as well as the free airport shuttle service offered by the major hotel casinos,” Mr D’Amico says.
Travel into Reno-Tahoe International Airport is also seeing improvements with a new ticket lobby to connect all airline ticket counters and help speed up traffic through the airport due to be done next year.

Report by David Wilkening