Design Thinking: Resort Experiences for the Group Traveler
Design of conference event amenities influenced by the preferences of meeting planners, and the attendees they represent.
Designing Experiences for the Group Traveler, By HBG Design, with insights from Conference & Meeting Planner, Grace L. Jan, CMP, CAE, Director, Sales Operations and Corporate Events, Supernus Pharmaceuticals. Jan is a Maryland-based conferences and meetings planner with 35 years in corporate events.
At HBG, we are designing experiences that extend the group traveler's resort journey beyond the conference/event center.
Multi-purpose convention, conference and performance event amenities have become important economic drivers for resort Owners looking to round out their revenue generating opportunities. After years of remote work and employee separation, businesses are starting to find ways to bring their employees together, and regional resorts can offer fun and convenient locations to host business gatherings and meetings. At HBG, our event amenity designs for the group traveler have garnered national recognition as being well-designed, exciting, and flexible spaces that are also operationally and financially successful.
After we successfully completed the stunning designs of the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Orlando, FL, and the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center in Grapevine, TX, HBG Design adopted our guest-focused design philosophy. We create event amenities that cater to the needs of both meeting attendees and planners, focusing on seamless accessibility and easy navigation to a diverse range of revenue-generating experiences.
When it comes to hosting successful events of all sizes, the design of multi-purpose resort spaces that can "multi-task" between business and leisure resort guests is paramount. Group travelers typically visit resorts during mid-week for conferences, trade shows, and meetings. They want services and spaces that support networking, relationship-building, learning, entertainment, and relaxation, requiring a variety of amenity options and wayfinding clarity to allow the group traveler's experience to extend beyond the conference and event center.
When it comes to choosing a conference event resort for their attendees, meeting planners have specific preferences and “must-haves” on their checklists. These insights can help resort Owners and designers target experiences that resonate with event guests:
High-quality service and convenience.
Regardless of the age of the hotel, delivering exceptional service is crucial. The first impressions made by bellmen and front desk staff significantly impact attendees' experiences.
To aid service and guest convenience, many newer properties are facilitating faster check-ins through technology such as their hotel apps, allowing guests to use their smartphones as room keys. This streamlined process enhances efficiency and improves guests' overall experience. In-room iPads to help enhance on-demand service from the resort is also an important feature, as seen at Oaklawn Racing and Gaming Resort, Hot Springs, Arkansas (images at left and right).
Ease of wayfinding access between the hotel and the event amenities is a priority. HBG designers often plan our clients' resorts so that the hotel elevator lobby is located at the central point between each amenity element, making use of horizontal and vertical circulation. For example, at Four Winds Casino Hotel and Spa in South Bend, Indiana, HBG designers situated the main elevator lobby between the hotel registration desk and the main escalator access to the Ribbon Town Conference and Event Center. The elevator also takes group travelers directly to the second level event pre-function lounge, and continues upward to the third floor hospitality suites and the hotel's Edgewater Café bar and restaurant. This third level was planned and designed as break-out reception and gathering space in support of the resort's event activities.
Approachable comfort and luxury.
To ensure the comfort of group travelers, guestroom designs should prioritize approachable luxury, offering a variety of room layouts, selections and premium amenities, including quality bedding, toiletries, and luxuriously appointed bathrooms. Features like choices of pillow types, and complimentary robes and bottles of water in guestrooms go a long way in enhancing comfort.
Functional meeting spaces and audio-visual technology
To attract and retain repeat meeting planner business, your event amenities must offer well-designed, flexible meeting spaces of diverse sizes and configurations to cater to a range of meeting needs. Outdoor landscaped event patios, terraces or lawns also offer distinct areas for gathering, weather permitting.
The Ribbon Town Conference and Event Center at Four Winds South Bend has strategically utilized the entire second floor to cater to both informal and formal gatherings. This includes areas for networking before events, with seating groups, two bars and an outdoor terrace, as well as designated spaces for formal meetings. To allow for flexibility and accommodate multiple groups, the smaller meeting rooms are located at the opposite end of the conference and event center from the main 10,000 SF ballroom. Additionally, the ballroom can be divided to create smaller meeting room spaces when needed. The planning and design of all areas have been well thought out with integrated A/V technology to enhance the space's suitability for high-end conferences and events.
Establishing a strong partnership with a resort's in-house AV is essential for meeting planners. Offering reasonable prices for audio-visual services and packages will make a resort stand out to obtain more group business. Additionally, addressing the basic need for complimentary Wi-Fi for all guests and groups will differentiate a resort and boost its appeal for group bookings. By organizing focus groups with experienced meeting planners, resorts can gather valuable insights on necessary improvements in service and for upcoming renovations or new build projects.
Enhanced food options.
Resorts are focusing on offering better food options in their outlets, catering to attendees' varying dietary preferences and needs for grab and go snacks, bars and lounges for informal F&B centered meetings, and higher end F&B for both intimate and group dining. Additionally, coffee break and break-out areas are crucial in providing attendees with private spaces for networking and respite between sessions. This helps create a more inclusive environment and enhances the overall satisfaction of meeting attendees.
The group traveler to Oaklawn Racing and Gaming in Hot Springs, Arkansas, can partake from a number of restaurant offerings within reach of the event space--from the food court concourse, to the high end Bugler restaurant and First Turn bar, and The OAK Room and Bar. Oaklawn, with its unique dining offerings, makes for a unique conference and meeting location due to its 100+ year history of thoroughbred racing, an upscale design with convenience on a walkable scale, and views to the racetrack and Hot Springs' beautiful landscape beyond.
Mindfulness and well-being amenities.
As more guests incorporate mindfulness into their lives, a resort’s event amenities must adapt by providing different spa offerings and promoting spaces for relaxation. On-site spas can provide much-needed relaxation experiences after long days of sessions and networking events. Features like healthy menus, spas and fitness classes, and even in-room yoga mats or Peloton bikes offer a touch of home while traveling. Oaklawn's Astral Spa and Four Winds South Bend's Cedar Spa are both luxuriously designed spas near to the conference/event center and hotel amenities of each resort, offering full spa services and relaxing aqua thermal and lounge spaces.
Understanding the top amenities desired by meeting planners and attendees is essential for both new resorts and established properties looking to attract and retain business. Resorts can secure a competitive edge in the convention/conferences/meetings market by prioritizing excellent service, well-designed meeting spaces, competitive AV services, and catering to emerging trends. By doing so, they can create a memorable experience for meeting attendees, encourage repeat visits, and foster a desire to recommend the resort to others, including other meeting planners.
Represented projects include:
The Event Center at Oaklawn Racing and Gaming Resort, Hot Springs, Arkansas, Photography © Dero Sanford/Think Dero Photography
Ribbon Town Conference and Event Center at Four Winds Casino Hotel and Spa, South Bend, Indiana, Photography © Dero Sanford/Think Dero Photography
The Guest House at Graceland Resort Conference and Event Center, Memphis, Tennessee, Photography © Jeffrey Jacobs Photography
The Conference and Event Center at Sycuan Casino Resort, El Cajon, California, Photography © Chad Mellon Photography
Kevin Burke Named a 2023 Influencer of Architecture & Design
Congratulations to HBG San Diego Architectural Designer, Kevin Burke, who was recently honored as a 2023 Influencer of Architecture and Design by the San Diego Business Journal!
Kevin Burke, AIA, LEED AP, is Senior Associate / Senior Architectural Designer at HBG Design. An award-winning designer of national and regional projects, Kevin’s latest large-scale resort projects have been completed for Tribal Nations throughout California. Kevin’s passion extends into a deep understanding of hotel and casino operations and the business side of his clients' design investments. He participates in the Downtown San Diego Partnership and is a speaker at the Western Indian Gaming Conference.
SDBJ-Leaders-of-Influence-in-Architecture-Design-2023
Let's Shine a Brighter Spotlight on Kevin!
Kevin C. Burke, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP, is Senior Associate / Senior Architectural Designer at HBG Design. An award-winning hospitality and entertainment industry design leader, Kevin has a 25-year track record designing multi-million-dollar regional and national resort projects. His design passion extends into a deep understanding of casino and hotel operations and the business side of his clients' design investments.
Design Leadership in Indian Gaming
Design Leadership in Indian GamingKevin has worked extensively throughout California for Tribal Nations/Native Californians designing large-scale resort legacy projects. Over 2022 and 2023, he completed master planning and architecture projects for the Tule River Tribe, Redding Rancheria, Karuk Tribe, and Elk Valley Rancheria, and previously completed an interior renovation for Agua Caliente. Following the stunning success of the Tule River Tribe’s Eagle Mountain Casino in Porterville, CA, Kevin is now master planning the Phase 2 hotel expansion. He was a designer for the PREMIER Rock & Brews Casino and restaurant, opened 2022 in Oklahoma, and the acclaimed Desert Diamond West Valley Resort in Glendale, AZ.
Kevin is an instrumental leader in HBG’s Design+ initiative, spearheading the development of the ‘Hospitality Design Handbook’, a compilation of HBG Design hospitality design standards and best practices.
An industry thought leader
An industry thought leaderKevin was a featured design trends speaker at the 2023 Western Indian Gaming Conference in San Diego. His projects have been recognized with AIA Design Awards and American Gaming Association Casino Design Awards for Best Architectural & Interior Design. He was recognized by the City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Commission Architectural Design Excellence Awards and is an ENR Magazine ‘Top 20 Under 40’, Southwest USA – Top Young Professionals Award honoree.
Mentorship
Kevin’s influence as a firm mentor makes him an outstanding leader of HBG’s ‘Creating Impact Outreach Initiative’. Kevin served as design lead for HBG San Diego’s partnership with the Fred Finch Youth Center to create and implement a master beautification plan for their Lemon Grove, CA, residential treatment campus. Hands-on design, planting, and landscaping helped revitalize the Fred Finch grounds as a communal gathering space. HBG’s Creating Impact program is an immersive design and learning experience developed to enhance employee relationships and service to the San Diego community.
Organizational Involvement
Kevin is a firm member of the Downtown San Diego Partnership and regularly attends meetings and events. He is a Member of the American Institute of Architects; a Member of National Council of Architectural Registration Boards; a Member of U.S. Green Building Council; and a Member of the USC Alumni Association and the USC Architecture Guild. Kevin received his Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles.
Joe Baruffaldi Named a 2023 Influencer of Architecture & Design
Congratulations to HBG San Diego Principal and Group Leader, Joe Baruffaldi, AIA, who was recently honored as a 2023 Influencer of Architecture and Design by the San Diego Business Journal!
Joe Baruffaldi, Jr, AIA, Principal / Group Leader at HBG Design, the #2 hospitality and entertainment design firm in the U.S. With over 30 years of experience in collaborative architecture and interior design, Joe is responsible for the ground-up inception of HBG Design’s San Diego office, actively recruiting, cultivating, and leading a dynamic design team. He serves on the Downtown San Diego Partnership and is Board Chairman for the Design Institute of San Diego.
Let's Shine a Brighter Spotlight on Joe!
Joe Baruffaldi, Jr, AIA, Principal / Group Leader at HBG Design directs the firm’s San Diego office by prioritizing client relationships and team engagement. HBG Design is an active member of the Downtown San Diego Partnership; is the 34th largest architecture and design firm in San Diego; and is the #2 hospitality and entertainment design firm in the U.S. (by Hotel Business).
Responsible for the Ground Up Inception & Growth of HBG San Diego
Joe is responsible for the ground-up inception of HBG Design’s San Diego office. Since 2016, he has been actively recruiting, cultivating, and leading a dynamic team of architects and interior designers who are enthusiastic members of the San Diego design community. Joe effectively and enthusiastically translates HBG’s national culture of collaboration and innovation into his vibrant West Coast office. In 2022 and 2023, Joe achieved a 50% staff growth, increasing the local team to 21 employees. Under his leadership, HBG Design has promoted several San Diego staff members to Associate and Senior Associate positions. Joe led the search for a new downtown San Diego office space that allows for ongoing growth, prioritizes tenant amenities, and contributes to a more engaging office culture.
Instilling HBG Design Culture in San Diego
Joe launched HBG’s ‘Creating Impact Outreach Initiative’ and ‘GoH Travel International Scholarship’ programs locally, bringing these significant firm initiatives to HBG’s San Diego staff. As part of the firm’s ‘Kirk Bobo Creating Impact Outreach Initiative’, Joe led HBG San Diego’s partnership with the Fred Finch Youth Center to create and implement a master beautification plan for their Lemon Grove, CA, residential treatment campus. Hands-on design, planting, and landscaping helped revitalize the Fred Finch grounds as a communal gathering space. HBG’s Creating Impact program is an immersive design and learning experience developed to enhance employee relationships and service to the San Diego community.
Design Industry Involvement & Contributions
Joe serves on the Downtown San Diego Partnership’s Planning and Public Policy Committee, where he contributes his extensive industry knowledge to help spur and evolve downtown planning initiatives. He formerly served on the Urban Design Sub-Committee. Additionally, Joe has established partnerships with the Design Institute of San Diego, the NewSchool of Architecture & Design, and other local colleges to recruit interns and full-time employees from these prestigious institutions. He is Chairman of the Board of the Directors for the Design Institute of San Diego, a small, private college that has been devoted to preparing students for rewarding, innovative and socially responsible careers in interior design for more than 40 years. His previous affiliations include the Center City Advisory Committee, CCDC, San Diego, CA, and Design-Build Institute of America.
Design Leadership in Indian Gaming
Joe manages large-scale hospitality, entertainment and mixed-use design projects for HBG, including the acclaimed Desert Diamond West Valley Resort in Glendale, Arizona, and the newly opened Eagle Mountain Casino in Porterville, CA. He is a proud contributor to the dialogue on industry trends as a speaker for the Indian Gaming Association (IGA) and the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) conferences.
Resort Pools Enhance Guest Experiences: Design Thinking
Pools have long been an integral part of casino resorts, serving as a vital attraction that enhances their competitiveness. The pool environment within these properties acts as a haven for retreat and escapism. It contributes significantly to guest satisfaction and the overall resort experience.
A leader in designing exceptional resort environments, HBG Design has created stunning poolscapes, complete with lazy rivers, whirlpools, and man-made lakes. Each pool environment is specially designed to support other non-gaming experiences, such as the hotel, the event center, F&B, and spa.
The Spa Pool
One remarkable example of HBG Design’s expertise in crafting spa adjacent pools is the Astral Spa Pool at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort, nestled in scenic Hot Springs, Arkansas. The design of this pool area perfectly combines tranquility and luxury, ensuring guests are able to unwind and rejuvenate in a serene setting, while providing spaces for active wellness such as yoga.
The Event Centered Pool Environment
HBG Design excels in creating captivating pool environments that are seamlessly connected to events and entertainment. For instance, the rooftop pool at Four Winds South Bend Casino in South Bend, Indiana, provides a stunning setting for guests to relax and enjoy breathtaking views from the resort hotel’s new third floor event suite/VIP suite level dedicated to smaller receptions and small group events.
Similarly, the indoor pool and event complex at Gun Lake Casino in Wayland, Michigan, currently in the construction phase, promises to be an exceptional addition to the casino resort scene. This multifunctional venue will offer guests a delightful, year-round climate-controlled space to enjoy pool activities and large events and concerts, providing yet another reason for visitors to choose Gun Lake Casino Resort as their ultimate destination.
“Michigan receives a lot of lake effect snow and wind, and Gun Lake Casino’s new multipurpose indoor pool and events complex will become a resort oasis for guests, especially in winter months,” says Paul Bell, AIA, HBG Principal and Project Manager for the Gun Lake expansion.
The F&B Centered Pool Environment
HBG Design has designed pools that cater to events and enrich the food and beverage (F&B) opportunities within the resorts, thereby serving as separate revenue generators. The new Cascades pool complex at WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville, Oklahoma, is an excellent example of the synergy between the pool and F&B experience.
Spanning over 5 acres, this meticulously designed pool experience encompasses a series of six exquisite pools, varying types of private cabanas, and seven distinct buildings accommodating bars and lounges, food and beverage and guest services, and retail. Every amenity has been thoughtfully positioned to maximize sunlight and water access and lounging, while offering ample shaded space for social interaction and outdoor dining and bar lounging.
“Inspired by the mesmerizing forms of ocean currents and naturally shaped archipelagos, the design of the Cascades pool complex is formed by organic, curvilinear shapes that adjoin to provide intimate lounge and cabana spaces in between,” adds Jurbergs.
By offering these exceptional pool environments, casino resorts aim to create distinctive experiences that transcend mere accommodation and gaming. These carefully designed pools elevate the overall appeal of the resort, capturing the imagination of guests and ensuring they are presented with an unforgettable escapism experience. Such thoughtful integration of pools within the resort not only enhances guest satisfaction but also maximizes the revenue potential of the property.
Resort pool environments are much more than just recreational spaces; they are vital components of a successful casino resort. By understanding the value these pools bring to resort success, property owners and HBG Design designers are continuously pushing the boundaries to create captivating poolscapes that truly elevate the resort experience. Whether it is a tranquil spa pool or an exciting rooftop oasis, these carefully crafted environments contribute to making casino resorts destinations of choice for travelers seeking a remarkable and memorable stay.
Read more about each of these projects by flipping through the extended resort pool design release.
ULI: Embracing Memphis' Past and Present Through Urban Renewal and Hotel Design
From Urban Land Magazine, Online Issue, July 2023
Located on the iconic bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River, Memphis, Tennessee’s downtown district is a distinct representation of the city’s rich commercial and industrial legacy with rows of ornate 19th century buildings and warehouses lining the bustling urban thoroughfares. Even today, the river continues its steady stream of barge traffic, providing a mesmerizing backdrop to this cultural melting pot where the past—from the city’s legendary blues music heritage to Elvis Presley’s Graceland—rubs shoulders with the present.
The latest additions to downtown hospitality include the Canopy by Hilton Downtown Memphis, the Hyatt Centric Beale Street Memphis, and the Caption by Hyatt Beale Street Memphis. Each new high-profile hotel development integrates and transforms Memphis’ obsolete infrastructure for the benefit of Memphis tourism and contemporary livability.
“Adaptive use has become the cornerstone of redevelopment in downtown Memphis,” says Brandon Herrington, ULI Memphis Management Committee chair-elect and director of marketing and business development for Montgomery Martin Contractors in Memphis. “The hospitality sector, especially, has embraced the wealth of historical structures across the central business district. Whether wholesale reuse of a building or the salvage of prominent historical elements, these hotels are now integral to Memphis’ historical fabric.”
Mark Weaver, FAIA, principal at HBG Design, the national hospitality design firm and architect of record for the three hotels says, “Lying vacant for 20 years, the site of the former 1940s era Benchmark hotel, a riverside lot and its adjacent 19th century machine shop were each initially viewed as being of limited interest to prospective tenants—some even considered them to be urban blight.”
Through a new lens, each hotel project unveiled opportunities to elaborate on existing site and infrastructure characteristics and iconic identifiers to create urban renewal that meets the community where it is now, Weaver explains.
CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE THE ULI ARTICLE
From Urban Land Magazine, Online Issue, July 2023
Read more about the Caption by Hyatt Beale Street Hotel
Read more about the Hyatt Centric Beale Street Hotel
An Interview with HBG's F&B Designer Alexandra Milkovich
HBG Design's F&B Design Specialist Alexandra Milkovich, IIDA, NCIDQ, recently provided her perspective on trends in the resort F&B industry for Global Gaming Business' Casino Style magazine. Here, Alexandra expands on her perspective about F&B design and trends. An Associate and Lead Interior Designer in HBG Design’s San Diego office, Alexandra has undertaken extensive research in restaurant operations and design, culinary arts, and food blogging. She is one of HBG’s go-to F&B venue design specialists and offers exceptional experience in boutique F&B design including amenity renovations.
HBG Design is seeing continued interest in incorporating established F&B brands into the casino resort environment. Co-branding with recognizable names from outside the casino industry to anchor key amenities is not a new concept but is gaining more traction with casinos as a means to broaden market appeal and greater name recognition from an expanding customer base. For a while it seemed like expensive branding fees were deterring the introduction of new branded venues into the casino resort. But integrated branding appears to have made a comeback on an even grander scale and commitment.
Q: Alexandra, when looking to build a new food/ beverage offering at a casino, what are some of the benefits of choosing a big-name brand or celebrity chef?
AM: Having a celebrity name attached to a property is, of course, a great marketing tool for a casino owner. Celebrity chefs are influencers and have a large following of people who want to be part of the next big “thing” in the industry. Unique food and beverage venues provide the ultimate sensory experience in sight, sound, smell, and taste.
We are currently designing a confidential food and beverage amenity with a celebrity chef at a casino property. One of the benefits of working with a celebrity chef is not only their expertise in the culinary field, but also their unique understanding and perspective of how restaurants operate successfully.
Q: What are the benefits of opening an original venue?
AM: Original venues provide the freedom and opportunity to create something unique and progressive, depending on what type of experience the client is seeking to create for its guests. The thrill lies in the possibilities of what could be, in the design, branding and menu. Newness draws crowds, targeting guests looking for unique experiences.
More recently, we see notable brands that are extending into new territory, providing originality of experience with the comfort and reliability of an established brand.
Noted F&B brand Rock & Brews is known for its iconic restaurant and bars, many already integrated within casino properties across the country. The gaming machines located near the Rock & Brews restaurant have typically been some of the most popular with the 65+ demographic, especially.
Rock & Brews is now moving their brand into all parts of the casino, by opening their first ever Rock & Brews Casino and Restaurant in partnership with The Kaw Nation and Kaw Gaming in Braman, Oklahoma, a project designed by HBG Design and opened in mid-2022.
The 71,000 square foot gaming project–part ground-up and part renovation–features an expertly curated interactive rock-inspired entertainment experience that only Rock & Brews--and its co-founders Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons of iconic rock band, KISS--can provide. The Rock & Brews brand and venues are noted for their heavy integration of rock and roll imagery and iconography.
Across the casino and restaurant, references to musical instruments and vinyl records and murals of rock bands and performers--including a large KISS mural--adorn the walls and ceilings, lending a casual rocker lair vibe.
Inside the large, vaulted Rock & Brews brewhouse, practically every inch of ceiling space is covered with theatrical banners and backlit framed graphics showcasing signature rock and roll graphics. The graphics are framed by a dramatic performance stage lighting truss hanging from the pitched ceiling, painted the signature Rock & Brews branded red. Colorful murals enliven brick walls.
The new Rock & Brews Casino rock and roll vibe fully immerses gaming guests in a concert style environment and high-quality audio and visual experiences with the high-profile F&B brand name proven to attract dining customers.
Q: What are the drawbacks for either?
AM: There are pros and cons to every F&B venture, and every client must decide what is best for their casino operation, their guests and the regional or local market.
Creating a brand-new concept from scratch requires a lot of well-thought-out planning and implementation – from developing the branded concept, to researching and trademarking the name of the restaurant, to creating the menu and the venue design. Most clients we work with will hire branding strategy companies to help craft the concept and streamline the development process. Our designers then shape the physical venue concepts to meet that brand vision.
A celebrity chef driven concept is often tied to the reputation of one individual. Your venue’s success could potentially be affected by the publicity that celebrity receives.
Q: Does the decision change at all for new construction vs. renovating an existing space?
AM: New-build casinos offer the freedom to fully translate an F&B brand concept abundantly into the physical space without confinement. At the recently opened Eagle Mountain Casino in Porterville, California, a new-build development, the new Redwood Taphouse features a soaring redwood ceiling with a grand center bar element wrapped in natural wood panels. As a ground-up structure, the Redwood Taphouse design was implemented as part of the casino build, allowing the F&B spaces to flow cohesively with the brand language, featuring subtle nods to the tribe’s culture woven throughout the grand spaces.
We also renovate existing space inside existing casinos for new F&B, to remain responsive to changing market conditions and new branding opportunities and to refresh a property’s offerings. Our team is adept at new construction and renovations to achieve brand vision.
The restaurant brand concept often dictates the design concept. Depending on how the concept is translated, there may be physical limitations of existing space infill that make renovation more costly. Nothing is impossible, but there are always cost implications tied to construction and addition. Some clients have preferred to reuse space and rebrand by changing finishes and furnishings, rather than making wide-scale structural alterations.
AM: For example, Four Winds Casino Resort in New Buffalo, Michigan, renovated the space of their former two-story Hard Rock Café restaurant and bar venue to accommodate their original Kankakee Grille brand concept, which had already opened at their South Bend location. The Kankakee Grille venue is a combination of performance venue, bar, and restaurant with the ambiance of a casual pub with a high contrast, neutral palette, and contemporary transitional design.
The New Buffalo Kankakee Grille design preserves and incorporates the distinctive 12,000 square foot two-level layout, structural framework, and distinguishing metal railings of the former Hard Rock Café space, also by HBG Design.
Near the entrance, a former HRC retail shop was converted to the Kankakee Grille’s new private dining room. The main bar and main dining room tables and booths remain situated on existing tiered levels to accommodate optimal views toward the ‘Kankakee Live’ performance stage. Mezzanine level bar seating provides birds eye views to the stage excitement.
A large decorative light canopy remains over the main bar from its Hard Rock Café incarnation, and the space is separated from the dining floor by custom decorative screening and stone half walls. The Hard Rock Cafe memorabilia cases were replaced by screen ornamentation details that tie to significant Tribal motifs, such as abstracted cattail and sweet grass designs to represent the Kankakee River’s edge.
To blend with Four Winds Casino’s natural aesthetic, the new F&B concept design incorporates a very modern interpretation of stacked stone and uses wooden plank textures at the entrance and throughout the venue interior. Branded elements have been reimagined within a subdued natural gray, tan and cream-colored design palette that ties to the casino’s contemporary cultural aesthetic.
Q: How does the location of the casino itself impact the process of selecting food/bev options?
AM: Food and beverage options are the first consideration in F&B branding. As F&B venue designers, we are often inspired by these edible selections as we design restaurant and bar spaces that enhance these culinary delights.
The venue location, the local market, and the Owner’s target guest are the #1 driver for all types of design. Some locales are better served by warm, comfortable designs, what we sometimes call approachable luxury. Some casinos, especially those in urban markets, require a higher level of luxury, and that means an elevated dining experience overall. The HBG Design team undertakes extensive research with our clients at the beginning of every project to create space designs that are in sync with the F&B culinary options, and that help attract the target market to the casino property.
Hyatt Centric Beale Street Hosts the 2023 AIA Tennessee Conference
HBG Design's Mark Weaver, FAIA, was recently interviewed about our firm's design of the 2023 American Institute of Architects (AIA) Tennessee Chapter Conference Host Hotel, the Hyatt Centric Beale Street Memphis.
Not within the recent history of the AIA Tennessee conferences has the host hotel and conference space been a recently built building designed by a firm based in that city that knows the ins and outs of the local culture. To continue our feature on the 2023 host hotel, we have a special interview with the architect and principal designer Mark Weaver of Memphis based HBG Design to talk more about how much the local culture inspired the design.
What design features are you most excited for your peer architects to see and enjoy?
I am extremely proud of what our talented HBG team accomplished in creating the Hyatt Centric and Caption by Hyatt hotel designs. And I’m even more excited for the opportunity to share these remarkable spaces with the esteemed members of the AIA Tennessee community. For me, these hotels are a showcase of meaningful contemporary architecture and placemaking that honors Memphis’ iconic music history and its heritage of riverfront industry.
The Centric and Caption represent a convergence of this legacy – being the first hotels built on Beale Street on the historic site of the William C. Ellis and Sons Ironworks and Machine Shop, just one block from the Mississippi River. Our team took great care to preserve the Ellis building structures and their historic character to create distinctive must-visit experiences for hotel and conference guests. Visitors will enjoy the charming street-front beer garden and the Talk Shop all-day hangout and lounge at the Caption hotel. We also modernized other Ellis structures for the Centric and Caption’s shared conference and meeting space.
The serpentine-shaped glass wall at the Centric hotel lobby and CIMAS restaurant is a window to the lively atmosphere of downtown Memphis, between Beale Street’s main entertainment district and the riverfront. But my personal favorite spot is the Centric rooftop whiskey bar and lounge deck, called Beck and Call. In my opinion, the venue offers downtown’s best views of the Mississippi River, the “M Bridge” light show and the city skyline. It’s the perfect place to entertain visitors or unwind after a long day.
Click Here to Read More of the Interview at AIATN.org
Four Winds South Bend Elevates its Competitive Edge
SOARING ABOVE THE COMPETITION:
Four Winds South Bend Casino Elevates its Competitive Edge
With New HBG-Designed 23-Story Resort Hotel, Spa, and Event Amenities
HBG Design's longstanding design collaboration with the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians has resulted in a one-of-a-kind resort experience that combines contemporary luxury and highly desired modern hotel, spa, conference/events and gaming amenities within a celebration of heritage that flows through every corner of the resort.
There’s a new landmark on the South Bend, Indiana skyline, and it’s an awe-inspiring sight - a towering 23-story glass hotel that glows at sunset with a beautiful copper hue. But this impressive structure is more than a marvel of contemporary architecture; it's a testament to the Pokagon Tribe's rich heritage and commitment to providing guests with an unforgettable destination experience.
From the moment visitors enter the new 317-key, 82-suite hotel, the 10,000 SF Cedar Spa, the 24,000 SF conference and events expansion at Four Winds South Bend, they are greeted with a seamlessly exquisite display of sophisticated design that flows through every space in a celebration of culture and the natural elements of native lands.
The impact of the new expansion at Four Winds Casino Resort in South Bend, Indiana has been nothing short of profound, as a stunning resort experience for guests seeking respite, a flourishing economic driver for gaming and events, and a remarkable legacy for the Pokagon tribal community.
Click to Read More About the Project
Three Gold Awards for Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort!
We are thrilled to announce that our designs for Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort, the Astral Spa at Oaklawn, and the Oak Room & Bar at Oaklawn have all won Gold Awards from the American Society of Interior Designers, South Central Chapter's 'Excellence in Design' Awards Program!
Hospitality/Living - Gold Award: Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort Expansion
Hospitality/Service - Gold Award: Astral Spa at Oaklawn Resort
Hospitality/Service - Gold Award: The Oak Room & Bar at Oaklawn Resort
Many thanks to our incredible team who made these projects possible and proud of the recognition from ASID South Central Chapter. @sc_asid