Tribal Gov't Gaming: Indian Gaming is Bouncing Back
See full article in Tribal Government Gaming
by Dave Bontempo
Tribal projects and gaming revenues rebound in the post-pandemic world
Bring back the aggressive gaming approach.
Tribal leaders and design firms say the “be-safe” phrase is morphing into “go-big” for the new post-pandemic world. Pent-up demand meets the resumption of competition, requiring tribal leaders to perform a balancing act. Operators seek the sweet spot incorporating must-see attractions, comfortable environments and realistic budgets.
As the American market emerges from Covid-19, projects become more forward-looking, far-reaching and sophisticated. Some of the nation’s most prominent companies help tribal leaders step forward.
Project Optimism
HBG Design unveils several operations with tribal leaders positioning themselves both for near-term and long-term success. Dike Bacon, principal, notes that U.S. commercial gaming revenues set an all-time record in gross revenue of $53 billion in 2021.
If this is any indication of the health and vitality of the Indian gaming industry (NIGC has not released 2021 figures), business is booming, he says. “Visit any casino in almost any domestic market and customer traffic is extraordinarily strong—inflation notwithstanding—and you see that demand is there,” he says.
Drivable trips are answering the call of most travelers’ curiosity, which has fueled the need to create fresh and exciting offerings in regional markets where many tribal casinos are located, he adds.
“Competition and location are often the driving forces behind whether a property needs a ‘must-see attraction’ as a differentiator and a draw, but any such ‘wow factor’ has to align with the property’s brand and target audience,” Bacon says.
“I’ll give you an example—we’re designing a distinctive feature attraction for events, music, daytime leisure and active nightlife, as part of a tribal casino resort expansion. The property has a formidable reputation as a leading entertainment and gaming destination, located within 30 miles of a metro feeder market of over 1 million people.
“Properties like this are able to support large-scale, high-impact, must-see attractions when their location combines a vibrant, diverse local population base and access to an equally strong destination customer who is willing to drive farther and stay longer to experience a distinctive amenity that is unmatched in the regional market.”
Bacon says HBG seeks innovative ways to help clients do more with less.
“This challenge covers a lot of ground, from designing public spaces and guest rooms that are easier and faster to clean and service to moving towards automation in concierge and casino hotel check-in,” he says. “Clearly, one of the biggest challenges for operators is to capitalize on current demand while still offering a great entertainment and hospitality experience with impressive customer service. Staffing in the entire hospitality industry (not just gaming) has been incredibly challenging.”
HBG designers work alongside owners to address these pressing issues. This includes creating more efficiently designed spaces that are exciting and entertaining but can also be operated with less staff.
“We’re creating more efficient kitchens and more diverse means of providing F&B to customers, including self-service and take-out venues. Valet parking is another key service area affected by staffing shortages,” says Bacon.
“More customers may be encouraged to self-park instead of valet, which means designing and locating parking garages that are more convenient, secure and customer-friendly. It also gives rise to designing more elevated and exclusive VIP entrance experiences reserved for a property’s best players, creating a smaller staffing pool to focus service on the largest contributors to the casino’s bottom line.”
Nathan Peak, AIA, LEED GA, practice leader/principal of HBG Design, says pent-up demand for entertainment and hospitality experiences motivate tribes to upgrade underperforming areas of their facilities.
“Given the performance of the industry and how it is bouncing back from the pandemic, we are confident that owners will remain in expansion and renovation mode for a while,” Peak says. “A client recently told us that their gaming resort property will likely be in a continuous state of evolution, renovation and building over the next several years to stay fresh for guests and maintain relevancy in the market.”
Another major influencer of the “continuous state of evolution” mindset is the continued passing of new legislation that drives change in tribal—and commercial—gaming properties, says Peak. As more states pass sportsbook legalization, that sets up new priorities for gaming properties who need “must-have” amenities to compete.
Tribes Take Assertive Stance
“Tribal gaming is definitely staying aggressive in terms of maintaining market share, especially in areas of the country where commercial gaming is growing and evolving,” adds Joe Baruffaldi, AIA, principal/project manager at HBG Design, and leader of HBG Design’s San Diego office.
“Tribes realize that knowledge is power; it’s what fuels a competitive edge,” he says. “There’s a greater need today for tribal casino owners to understand the nature of their customer base and harness the power of that knowledge—appreciating and leveraging not only where guests are coming from, but who they are as consumers.
“We partner with tribal gaming clients by helping them envision what the ‘tomorrow of their market’ looks like. When we’re able to anticipate changes in the marketplace, we can proactively respond by leading our clients to more competitively positioned design solutions.”
One of the highlights for HBG over the last few years has been its involvement in in the Four Winds South Bend casino in Indiana. The property is owned by the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, which operates three other casinos in Michigan.
Four Winds Casino embarks on a large-scale expansion of its South Bend property, designed by HBG, offering approachable luxury within a new 23-story, 317-key, 83-suite hotel tower.
The project includes a mix of vibrant amenities, to include a spa, convention area, meeting space, a ballroom, lounge, bar and grill, an outdoor rooftop swimming pool, and terraces with spectacular views.
The design incorporates regional elements and warm, rustic details with special attention and references to tribal influences and symbolism.
https://issuu.com/globalgamingbusiness/docs/tribal_government_gaming_2022
HBG Design's 'Women Who Lead' Honored by Memphis Business Journal
See full article in Memphis Business Journal
HBG Design is excited to share that our Chief Operating Officer, Terri Struminger and Director of Marketing and communications, Tamara Goff have been honored by Memphis Business Journal's editorial team as "Women Who Lead". This prestigious recognition highlights accomplishments of women who have broken through the glass ceiling and helped define their businesses, as well as the local marketplace.
Women Who Lead | Architecture: Terri Struminger of HBG
Terri Struminger not only acknowledges the rarity involving her role, but she champions it too. And rightfully so. She’s not an architect, though she’s successfully running the operations of HBG Design. “That’s been a very intentional hallmark of HBG’s organization for the past three decades,” she explained. Struminger leads the fully capable corporate operations team, so their “architects and interior designers are able to do what they love and do best: practice their craft, service our clients, and create exceptional projects.”
Next up on her agenda is leading new strategies and processes that integrate HBG’s core vision into every aspect of their team’s professional and personal development. Another big goal is to deepen employee engagement by rebooting some of the interactive aspects of our culture that have been altered because of the pandemic. “I am passionate about creating a ‘Best Place to Work’ culture at HBG Design,” she added, “and that sense of purpose drives absolutely everything I do.”
“I believe if you can share your organization’s values and priorities effectively, you can drive engagement in your workforce. With that in mind, my team and I set out on a journey to build greater awareness of our strategic vision and goals across the firm. I’m proud of the role I’ve played spearheading the evolution of HBG’s core vision. This has been a multiyear initiative that, so far, has clearly ignited a deeper connection between employees, firm aspirations, and culture.” - Terri Struminger, COO, HBG Design
Women Who Lead | Marketing: Tamara Goff of HBG Design
With more than two decades leading marketing efforts at HBG Design, Tamara Goff has a combination of skill sets that can often defy description. “What I do isn’t conventional. I’m a combination brand alchemist, creative influencer, communication ninja, aspiring novelist, culture curator, head cheerleader, and occasional cat wrangler,” Goff said. “Our CEO also tends to refer to me as ‘part of the conscience of the firm.’” More specifically, Goff is a principal and shareholder at HBG with a focus on influencing creative and strategic outcomes for the architecture firm. She points to the credibility established for her team in the industry, having garnered more than 30 national and international marketing and communication awards. And rebranding the firm to HBG Design in 2016 was a significant centering of the firm on its ‘true north’ and identity.
HBG's Five Trends for Transforming Hospitality Design in 2022
The pandemic has redefined hospitality design, but the reason why guests come together to share experiences hasn’t changed. It's more critical than ever to apply thoughtful, flexible and wellness-focused design sensibilities to hotel spaces, guestrooms and amenities. HBG Design Leaders Nathan Peak, AIA, LEED GA, Practice Leader, and Emily Marshall, IIDA, NCIDQ, Interior Design Director, present five trend ideas for transforming hospitality design into 2022.
Multi-Functionality and Spatial Flexibility
Greater work flexibility has resulted in an increase of blended leisure and work travelers. We see a fresh reframing of hotel “zones” into residential-like multifunctional “work / dine / gather” spaces that easily align with evolving travel needs.
“The lines between work, travel, living and leisure are now blurred, which is a clear outcome of the pandemic.” - Emily Marshall
Many of HBG Design’s hotel and resort clients have re-prioritized their amenity offerings to provide an optimum alternative work environment for the “blended traveler”. To accommodate the blurring lines between work, travel, living and leisure, hotel lobby and public spaces are being designed in zones that easily shift from quiet virtual workspaces with auditory privacy to collaboration hubs for business interaction, to social areas depending on the needs of operators and their guests. The wide-open space idea is the foundational element, giving hotel operators the ability to blur the purpose of the space itself, based on the needs and wants of their guests. In fact, the in-room, remote work experience has – in many cases – become as important as delivering exceptional, traditional resort amenities, and that trend shows no immediate slow-down.
At Hyatt Centric Beale Street Memphis and Canopy by Hilton Memphis, both designed by HBG Design, we created residential inspired co-working zones with the idea of adaptable, flexible and technologically connected public spaces.
Experiential Design for Aspirational Travelers
Travelers are “breaking free” after months of pandemic isolation in some cases. Aspirational travelers are in search of memorable experiences and shareable moments inspired by art, architecture, design, history, and unique locales.
Hotels must offer new and creative experiences for guests in order to compete with the myriad of accommodation options in the marketplace, such as VRBO and SONDER. Local and regional materials, local artisans and custom design will all play a vital role in expressing authenticity in unique and artful ways, as designers seek to achieve an aesthetic that is “of the area” and create experiential moments.
At the Hyatt Centric Beale Street Memphis, HBG designers created a strong sense of place and a distinct ‘localvore’ Centric brand experience by drawing conceptual inspiration from Memphis’ rich music and riverfront industrial history. The contemporary hotel's staggered patterning of the window placement recalls sheet music and guitar fret patterns accentuated at night with bars of light to provide a musically inspired programmable light show. The Beck and Call rooftop whiskey bar features several selfie-worthy design opportunities like a colorful rooftop mural, the best river view in the city, and portraits of famed musicians with Memphis ties, including Tina Turner, Justin Timberlake, Isaac Hayes, Valerie June, and Yo Gotti.
Restoration Through Nature
To enhance mental well-being, guests will seek out serene environments that offer respite and natural context that blurs the lines between indoors and outdoors. We anticipate an elevated demand for wellness-related amenities.
“The pandemic highlighted our need, as humans, to interact with nature.” - Nathan Peak
Humanity is hard-wired to seek physical and emotional connection with nature to feel healthier and more energized. It’s about creating a relationship between the interior and exterior that enhances guest responses to environmental stimuli and creates sensory experiences. Biophilic design methods underscore how a guest feels in a given space, which contributes significantly to experiential design. Bringing the outdoors inside through light, open design and integration of natural elements creates a feeling of restoration, wellbeing and happiness where guests respond positively --- a result every property seeks to achieve.
The architecture and shaping of the Hyatt Centric Beale Street Memphis lobby space creates beautifully framed views of the Mississippi River while dappling the public spaces with ample sunlight and reflections from the constant movement of the mighty river beyond. Outdoor Riverview dining and a landscaped pool and event courtyard “oasis”, complete with green lawn and a green wall, create a distinctive respite in the downtown core.
Guestroom Technology
Automatic technology will continue to advance the curated and customized guestroom experience offering options for convenience and comfort.
There are times when the greatest luxury in travel is knowing you’ll have no surprises upon arrival. Everything you want, exactly how you want it can be ordered and confirmed for your stay, before you ever walk through the hotel entrance. Not only can you check-in to your hotel room virtually, but you can select your room size, floor, view, accessibility to amenities, upgrades, etc. Access to no-contact services and experiences aren’t reserved for check-in; literally everything a guest wants or needs can be delivered directly to the guest room, and often by simply using voice commands from the comfort of your room. From voice-activated concierge services to voice or motion control of lighting, audio-visual systems, and room temperature, automation is proving to elevate convenience for the guest and permeating all aspects of the hotel experience.
"Within the room, I am especially fond of the motion detecting floor lighting technology designed into the beds in our Hyatt Centric Beale Street project. Gone are the trappings of navigating an unfamiliar room in the middle of the night; the integrated technology in our bed design creates a soft glow of light in the room as soon as your foot hits the ground." - Emily Marshall
Regional and Early Material Sourcing
Material shortages, higher costs and longer-lead times are straining hotel project schedules. Regionally sourced materials will help overcome supply chain demand challenges. Procurement in the early design phases will help ensure construction availability.
“Carefully sourced regional options can not only circumvent such transportation and tariff issues, but they can also promote greater connection to place in meaningful ways.” - Emily Marshall
Many of these issues the industry is experiencing can be navigated during the early design phases with the right guidance from a knowledgeable team who understands the inner workings of available products and materials. Interestingly, we are seeing a stronger focus on the specification of domestic made products, which is good for the economy at large. The engagement of an experienced designer, construction company, FF&E procurement agents, and vendors early in the design process is critical, as products and materials quantities require early confirmation and additional lead time in ordering.
One way HBG Design is working around the supply chain situation is by using more regional manufacturers who employ skilled tradesmen who build case goods and millwork in a shop, versus working onsite. This not only keeps the level of quality high, but also increases efficiency of labor.
"HBG Design is looking at everything from design to delivery through a different lens heading into 2022, while reimagining the way spaces are used, designed, and furnished. And that, in the long run, will be better for everyone." - Nathan Peak
Nathan Peak Announced as HBG Design Practice Leader
Nathan will be focused on influencing design innovation, nurturing talent and leading HBG’s teams in delivering impactful hospitality design.
January 12, 2022 - Memphis, TN – HBG Design announces Nathan Peak, AIA, LEED GA, has been named Practice Leader of the 100-person, top 10 nationally recognized hospitality design and architecture firm. In his new role, Peak will oversee design and practice leadership for HBG’s three offices in Memphis, TN, San Diego, CA, and Dallas, TX. His promotion to Practice Leader represents the initial step in HBG Design's transition to its third generation of firm leadership.
Peak is a principal in HBG Design's Memphis headquarters. Of his 20+ years with the firm, Peak has served as HBG’s Design Director for nearly a decade, leading and guiding the design direction of the firm’s national hospitality and entertainment projects.
“Nathan continues to be a transformative leader with immense creative vision and ambition for the firm’s growth,” says Rick Gardner, AIA, CEO of HBG Design. “He’s a champion of award-winning, experiential design and has a gift for cultivating talent and deepening the connections between employees across our organization.”
Peak plans to build on the firm’s deep bench of talented professionals to further position HBG Design’s national presence into multiple sectors of the hospitality industry.
“I’m energized by this generation’s sense of passion and purpose," says Peak. "I look forward to bringing a level of design leadership to the firm that is keenly focused on encouraging and engaging others to create something meaningful and impactful for our clients and those who experience the spaces we create.”
A core principle of HBG Design’s culture and vision is represented by the term ‘Ensuring Longevity.’
As HBG’s COO Terri Struminger describes, “We have a very distinct culture that connects our people and purpose and gives us opportunities to rally around common goals. One way we achieve longevity for HBG Design, our employees and their families is through smart transition planning that maps a clear path from the current generation of leaders to the next. Nathan’s elevation to Practice Leader is a significant moment on our path.”
An active father of a 13-year-old daughter and a 9-year-old son, the new face of HBG’s design practice knows first-hand the challenges of work-life balance facing today’s professionals.
“Like so many of our employees, I also balance bringing my absolute best to support our clients and the needs of our team – while managing a busy schedule of soccer tournaments and just being a dad,” says Peak. “I believe that a key aspect of corporate culture is keeping our work interesting and challenging, while enhancing work-life flexibility. We don’t just bring a part of ourselves to work each day – we bring our whole self. My goal is to really nurture an environment where everyone can bring their full life experience to what they do and know they are contributing something unique and important to the big picture.”
Peak is a graduate of the Pratt Institute in New York City where he earned his Bachelor of Architecture degree. He joined HBG Design in September 2001 as an architectural designer. His innovative hospitality and entertainment designs prominently stand out in the marketplace and have received national acclaim and multiple industry awards.
GGB Casino Style Highlights Changes in Post-Pandemic Design
https://issuu.com/globalgamingbusiness/docs/casino_style_magazine_2021/16
As Covid-19 reaches the rearview mirror of gaming operators, its future impact fits two distinct areas. Some properties have resumed pre-pandemic operations with a few tweaks. Others consider the post-pandemic world a permanent change for casino design. Casinos will incorporate safety-first measures and try striking a balance between safety, comfort, player cultivation and bottom-line innovations.
As casinos emerge from the pandemic, and resume investing in their operations, the design industry’s biggest players guide them forward, armed with the knowledge of which camp each property fits in.
GGB Casino Style Highlights Changes in Post-Pandemic Design
Making Lemons from Lemonade
Covid produced new realities, which breeds new opportunities in the eyes of HBG Design, a powerful group that has helped its clients get out in front of the pandemic.
“If there is such a thing as good news about ‘design after Covid,’ it’s the emphasis on flexibility and reinvention. Those two words have been a steady part of the gaming vernacular practically since its inception,” says Dike Bacon, principal at HBG Design.
“You have to keep your property fresh and in-step with trends in consumer behaviors, and while it may sound strange to think of ‘design after Covid’ as an opportunity, it represents one of the biggest shifts in consumer behaviors we’ve seen, possibly ever.”
HBG Design works with operators to re-think and re-invent communal spaces in their properties—from F&B to guest rooms, entertainment venues and, of course, the casino floor, he indicates. “These spaces will continue to play a vital role in connecting people; the design simply has to adapt and flex to support all of humanity’s newly redefined needs,” Bacon asserts.
Gaming-floor space provides another creative outlet. Although new ramifications have hit this area, the reason people gamble has not, according to Nathan Peak, AIA, LEED Green Associate, who also is a principal and design director at HBG. “The pandemic may have redefined the way we think about spaces—especially communal spaces,” Peak says, “but the reason why guests come together to share experiences hasn’t changed.
“The essence of these interactive entertainment spaces hasn’t been lost. Casino resort amenities and especially the casino floor thrive on big spaces teeming with lots of energy and people, and they always will.”
Applying thoughtful, flexible design sensibilities to communal gaming spaces and amenities is more critical than ever before, as these spaces must now be able to easily transform and handle fluid situations, he indicates.
“The key,” says Peak, “is reimagining what flexibility looks like. Before Covid, flexibility may have meant stackable furniture or retractable event space seating, but the word flexibility has been redefined because of the pandemic. Today, we look at flexibility as shaping spaces that are malleable and can adjust to a host of layout options suitable for individual privacy, groups, and social interaction.
“Ultimately, it’s about designing flexible spaces that cater to flexible needs. The ideas of physical space and user experience are more connected than ever before, as people may still feel wary of sitting close to others, yet don’t want to be in isolation.”
High Limits area at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort/HBG Design
The idea of adaptable and flexible public spaces can be seen throughout HBG Design’s recently completed Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in historic Hot Springs, Arkansas. Across the property one sees influence of “design after Covid,” Peak asserts, noting its soaring hotel lobby space designed with a number of different interaction zones that easily shift from quiet personal spaces to socialization hubs for groups to gather before heading to the casino floor.
Flexible FF&E accompanies thoughtfully considered layouts that can be easily changed and reconfigured depending on the needs of operators and their guests.
“In the Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort lobby, we’ve used bold architectural gestures like the grand staircase and escalators which create dramatic structural elements and strong visual presence that directs casino guests to the main gaming floor, new food court and the hotel guest rooms on the second level,” Peak indicates. “Every space needs a moment that pulls you in, and these central elements draw you in, create interest and also provide a sense of openness in the space that puts guests in the right frame of mind—that they’ve entered not only a beautiful, glamorous entertainment space, but a safe space to enjoy.”
The pandemic has also seriously affected regional material sourcing, which plays a vital role in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry.
Bacon says a new sensibility about sourcing materials from regional makers and manufacturers has come out of the pandemic. “As designers seek to achieve an aesthetic that is of the area and create experiential moments, local and regional materials play a vital role in expressing that authenticity.
“Where the pandemic comes into play is in the material shortages, higher costs, and longer lead times the entire AEC industry is experiencing today,” he adds. “Covid created significant manufacturing shutdowns, especially overseas, leading to material shortages and often complete lack of availability, higher tariffs from international manufacturers shipping domestically and transportation concerns. As an alternative, carefully sourced regional options can not only circumvent such transportation and tariff issues, but they can also promote greater connection to place in meaningful ways.”
Lobby area at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort/HBG Design
The effects of Covid extend to another area, the disrupted supply chains.
“Supply chain issues will probably go on for another year or so,” says Emily Marshall, IIDA, NCIDQ, principal and director of HBG Design’s Interior Design Group. “Many of our clients in the branded hospitality space, as well as in gaming, have told us they are looking at 30–32-week lead items for most of their FF&E and lighting. That makes a big impact on accommodating anticipated construction and installation schedules.”
One way HBG Design is working around the supply chain situation is by using more regional manufacturers who employ skilled tradesmen who build case goods and millwork in a shop, versus working onsite. This not only keeps the level of quality high, but also increases efficiency.
“We’re very supportive of this type of FF&E delivery because the craftsmanship is excellent and there is so much less waste as a result,” adds Marshall. “Like Dike said, if there can be any sort of ‘good’ outcome of the pandemic, it’s that our eyes have been opened to looking at everything from design to delivery through a different lens, while reimagining the way spaces are used, designed, and furnished. And that, in the long run, will be better for everyone.”
Read the full article above, and here.
Designing for the Caption brand - InspireDesign Magazine interviews the new brand's lead designer
See Full Story in InspireDesign Magazine
Hospitality design firm HBG Design is embracing the new Caption by Hyatt brand with a focus on redefining what hospitality looks like in the modern world; and it couldn’t come at a better time. The first U.S.-located Caption by Hyatt hotel, and second to open worldwide, is a beacon of hope following widespread disruption to the hospitality industry caused by the pandemic. Caption by Hyatt’s upscale, select-service lifestyle brand is targeted to conscientious locals and guests, with a focus on creating social spaces that punctuate connection and interaction with their locale. The Memphis, TN location celebrates the spirit of this iconic American city, steeped in history with many stories to tell.
Caption by Hyatt will become an integral component of downtown Memphis’ One Beale mixed-use development located at the base of Beale St. on the Mississippi River bluff, and will connect with the adjacent Hyatt Centric hotel, also designed by HBG Design, which opened to guests on April 15.
We spoke with Mark Weaver, FAIA, principal/senior architectural designer, HBG Design, who is leading both the architectural design and interior design of the project:
What inspired the hotel’s design?
When complete in 2022, the new Caption by Hyatt hotel will become an integral component of downtown Memphis, Tennessee’s One Beale mixed-use development…The new development represents a merging of vibrant live/work/play functions among downtown Memphis’ landmark structures.
Each hotel sits prominently within the One Beale development offering its own distinct interpretation of brand and Memphis history and culture. Specifically, the new Caption design will offer an inimitable contemporary boutique hotel experience while paying homage to Memphis’ historic riverfront legacy and industrial architectural vernacular.
Where and how do you seek your inspiration?
Inspiration comes from so many places for our hospitality designers—local culture and the regional landscape, branding and market influences, our clients’ project visions, storytelling, and biophilic, sustainability and wellness concepts. We design hospitality and entertainment projects all over the U.S., in both urban and more agrarian environments, and design language based on regional context and culture resonates highly with our clients and their guests.
The Caption hotel benefits from our designers’ knowledge of Memphis; this is HBG Design’s home and has been our company headquarters since 1979, even before we added our San Diego and Dallas office locations. The hotel property is situated in downtown Memphis, a hub of activity near the banks of the Mississippi River, and not far from our design studio. The city has a long industrial history with rows of ornate brick warehouse buildings lining the downtown streets. Our designers walk these streets daily and are inspired by the city’s former life and the possibilities for its current and future growth.
How did local culture, landscape and history influence the design?
Design influenced by local flavor is an important aspect of the guest experience. For example, the hotel design is being integrated into the historic architectural remains of the William C. Ellis & Sons Ironworks and Machine Shop building on Memphis’ Front St., which will house the hotel’s ground and second floors.
The Ellis company was one of the earliest, longest-running businesses in Memphis. The original blacksmith shop once made wrought-iron straps for carriages and shoes for horses and mules, and other structures on-site were used for river trade manufacturing and the repair and building of agricultural machines such as cotton compresses and railroad equipment.
Conceptually, the integration of the historic Ellis facade serves as a distinguishing artifact that will be remembered and appreciated as part of Memphis history.
The Caption’s 136-key hotel guestroom tower will then rise dramatically above the Ellis facade offering guests superb views of the river and the city skyline. The tower’s modern, darker exterior is designed to complement the light-colored Ellis building in front.
The interior design concept reflects this duality with a comfortable, refined ambiance featuring subtle references to the industrial roots of the hotel’s location highlighted with soft colored tones and metal accents. The guestrooms will reveal uniquely designed custom furniture that offer signature touches of comfort and luxury.
How do you define a design vision for the first U.S. property of a new brand?
At the heart of the Caption by Hyatt brand experience will be the F&B concept Talk Shop, which will serve as a welcome area, all-day lounge and workspace, coffee shop, eatery, grab-and-go artisanal market and cocktail bar. A patio and beer garden courtyard will be incorporated into the building’s historic Ellis facade on Front St. The unpretentious style and approachability of the space combines with locally inspired experiences, ideal for socializing and appealing to both travelers and locals.
Additionally, each Caption hotel builds on signature brand features, including marquee signs above each main entrance, local hand-drawn graphic art and animated social and F&B spaces with tech-forward features like digital check-in, digital keys and mobile-order food service.
Keeping with that, what challenges and opportunities did you face in doing so?
There are always challenges when integrating historic structural elements with new builds, but HBG Design is accustomed to this challenge through our 40-plus years of experience revitalizing other historic projects, many of which are in downtown Memphis. We are intimately familiar with these older Memphis buildings and appreciate the opportunity to reuse and integrate the long-vacant Ellis Shop on Front St., which has been adapted to hold Talk Shop lounge space and hotel meeting space. Talk Shop’s double-height lounge will be enveloped by the historic building’s original heavy timber framing, decorative brick walls, archways and clerestory windows. The historic building will also accommodate the new Foundry Ballroom and new meeting rooms with names like the Welding Shop and Pattern Shop, serving as a connecting point between the Hyatt Centric and the Caption by Hyatt properties.
Is there anything else readers should know about the hotel and its design?
Developed by Carlisle Corporation, the Memphis Caption by Hyatt hotel is currently in construction with an expected opening date of spring 2022. HBG Design has worked with Carlisle Corporation for over 15 years exploring and leading the planning and design for the One Beale mixed-use development through multiple iterations of development possibilities.
Dining Design Post-COVID - Why Flexibility is Key
See full article on Post-COVID dining design in Memphis Business Journal
When Brice Bailey, the owner of the Staks restaurants in East Memphis and in Germantown, reopened after the pandemic-induced shutdown of March 2020, he had to make some changes.
“When we reopened, we added barriers in between all the booths. They were required to exceed more than a foot above the head of the person eating,” Bailey said. “We took away all condiments from the table. We put circles down on the floor, asking people to stay six feet apart when they were in line.”
He also took out tables, and spaced those that remained at least 10 feet apart, rather than the six feet that was mandated at the time by the Shelby County Health Department.
Such design alterations were the norm for restaurateurs looking to follow the rules put down by the health department and to ease a COVID-rattled customer base.
Planning for the future
When the third and latest Staks restaurant opens at Silo Square in Southaven, it will have one feature that perfectly sums up the times: The outdoor seating will outnumber the indoor seating.
Bailey said he was being proactive when it comes to the design of the new restaurant.
“We’re definitely designing it in case we have to go back into some sort of lockdown,” he said.
Design tweaks include a larger kitchen to accommodate third-party orders and more generous spacing in the main dining room so that pick-up orders don’t disturb the flow.
Graham Reese of Memphis-based Graham Reese Design Group said one of his biggest pandemic-times design concerns revolves around surfaces — be it the floors, wall treatments, or furniture. For this, he’s turned to easily cleanable vinyls rather than textiles.
Another consideration is spacing. Reese said furniture needs to be moveable. Shared booths are out, though detachable booths are in.
“They’re planning for now,” Reese said of the restaurateurs he works with, “but they’re also planning for the future.”
One issue Reese has run into is trouble accessing materials. He said the U.S.’s poor relationship with China is to blame.
“For instance, I had a project somewhat recently where we had things specified. A lot of the pieces — the furniture frames and stuff — were made in China. Well, you can’t do that anymore. The lead times, to this day, are still pretty outrageous. There are shortages on materials and goods.”
To rectify this, Reese has gone to U.S. manufacturers.
Ultimately, Reese said, restaurants are about the food.
“The key is: One, it has to be the food. Second of all, the design should overlap and play a big part of that food that is served,” he said. “You can’t really do anything right now about [the pandemic], but you can make [the restaurant design] visually appealing.”
Being flexible
Emily Marshall is interior design director at HBG Design. The company — which has offices in Memphis, San Diego, and Dallas — specializes in hospitality projects. Marshall has worked on the Hard Rock in New Orleans and the restaurants at Cache Creek Casino in California.
One aspect of restaurant design that has been keeping her busy is what to do with the buffets.
“For the buffets, we’ve explored some concepts where, instead of coming in and paying one price and have going to the buffet line, it’s more that made-to-order situation, more of a food hall kind of design.”
She said a lot of restaurateurs want their spaces to look filled and busy without being filled and busy.
“We’re doing some intuitive space-shaping or space-making,” Marshall said. “We’re doing some interesting design elements like divider walls with plants or divider walls with some type of design element, so it feels like the space is not just empty where the tables used to be.”
She said some of the restaurateurs she worked with didn’t want to change anything, hoping that the pandemic would pass sooner rather than later.
That’s where flexibility in the design comes in.
“Flexibility really became super key,” Marshall said. “A flexibility that would allow the restaurant to move their space around without us. We did a bunch of layouts on the front end to let them know, this would be max capacity, this would be what you would do now and then, this would be somewhere in between — 100 chairs and 50 chairs, but definitely flexible and lighter.”
She said that, in some cases her firm offered two layouts.
Designer Valentina Shands-Puppione, managing principal for ArchInc, has worked on a number of restaurant projects, including Blue Honey Bistro in Germantown, the Starbucks at Watkins and Union, and McEwen’s.
She said when the pandemic hit, she already had some jobs on the books, and the restaurateurs had a request that was identical to one Marshall heard.
“They [were] asking specifically for a little bit more flexibility,” Shands-Puppione said. “They’re asking for more focus on exterior spaces and more creativity toward the exterior spaces.”
“We used what we had learned through Edge Alley: how to make the parking space comfortable, safe, and not right on the street.”
Much of the work Shands-Puppione is doing involves a bit of forecasting.
“We’re trying to plan for all of it, which is fun,” she said. “We’re trying to plan for restaurants to have the six feet apart now and then get back to normal.
“For example, we’ve got a restaurant that is assuming they’ll have to do a lot of outdoor seating when they first open back up, but eventually they’ll want to be more indoors,” she continued. “We’re focusing a lot of our energy on the outside and have that be a great space. Their current location doesn’t have outdoor seating. This is going to be new for them, but it also gives them a chance to kind of explore that.”
She said restaurateurs want tables that can be moved around to accommodate distance requirements, and that affects other elements of the design.
“We’re not putting light fixtures over spaces that will be detrimental in the future,” she said. “We are not going to locate a big chandelier in the space and then have to move the tables where it would look silly later. We’re working on lighting that can be mobile in the space.”
The best part of the job for Shands-Puppione is figuring out a solution that makes everybody happy.
“I like trying to figure out how to make it work for somebody,” she said. “It’s kind of the puzzle — that’s always fun, and, of course, we love it.”
It’s going to cost you
Restaurateurs and the designers who work with them are dealing with rising costs. Chief among them are labor and materials.
Bailey of Staks estimates he’ll spend almost twice the amount he did on the Southaven location than he did on his most recent restaurant in Germantown. “I just got bids back from contractors today to build the location in Southaven,” he said in March. “The bid for a 2,800-square-foot location in Southaven today came back from the builder who built my Germantown one, which is 3,800 square feet and [was built in] 2018. The cost [for Southaven] is more than double for just as much construction work.”
“No matter where you get it, overseas or domestically, materials, furniture, everything is costing more,” said Marshall of HBG Design.
She said that lately more restaurant design has been borrowing from health care, namely its fabrics.
“Health care design already had these antiviral and antimicrobial materials that have been on the market for a while,” Marshall said. “We’ve seen the connection between health care design and hospitality design because these fabrics that are offering all of this protective barrier and durability are becoming more design-forward.”
These fabrics are more expensive.
“It is a little bit more expensive now. Whereas before you could get away with just a regular vinyl, our clients are now wanting the added protection of the antimicrobial or the bleach cleanable, which does cost a bit more,” Marshall said.
“On top of that, lumber prices are crazy expensive right now,” she added. “So what we’re seeing is a lot of renovations rather than new builds. People are wanting to utilize the space they have.”
Cutting costs is where the creativity comes in.
“Where we would have maybe done a really cool wall covering, we’re now leaning more heavily on our local artists, connecting the dots within our own community to get people to come through with a mural, rather than a wall covering,” Marshall said.
Going with the flow
Jill Hertz of Jill Hertz Interior Design was approached for the South of Beale jobs for a bit of “drive-by design,” she said. Drive-by design is a common enough occurrence. It is a quick consult, involving paint colors and general brain-picking.
The East Memphis space was the first. Hertz said she took a look around and saw that a lot of work was needed, so she gave the owners, Ed and Brittany Cabigao, a proposal. That led to her being hired for the Downtown South of Beale job.
For the East Memphis location, she brightened up the space, adding dashes of yellow. For Downtown, Hertz said she had to make herself not go too overboard on the plaids. The two restaurants aren’t matchy-matchy in design. Instead, they are linked through their branding.
Hertz said a main concern for the Cabigaos was the flow.
“We ended up doing two space plans for tables for both buildings. So, they can move it on an as-needed basis,” she said.
Furniture for the spaces are given great consideration. At one point, a large community table was discussed, but ultimately dismissed. They ordered tables that could be put together or taken apart. There is lounge seating at the Downtown location, but it is designed so patrons can be separated.
For Hertz, pandemic design is not the wave of the future; it is merely a blip.
“The thing about restaurants and bars is that the way that they flourish is through occupancy — high occupancy,” she said. “I really think that once we get a handle on this globally, we’re going to be in a Roaring Twenties situation. People are going to be socializing and partying and gathering all over the place.”
Tule River Tribe introduces HBG Design as Architect & Interior Designer for new Eagle Mountain Casino
See full article in The Porterville Recorder
After breaking ground for its new casino located in Porterville last week, Eagle Mountain Casino is fast moving forward with the development of the casino.
The relocation of the casino to 40 acres of land located just south and adjacent to the Porterville Sports Complex has been 25 years in the making. The new casino will feature 1,750 slot machines, numerous table games, a 2,000-seat event center and restaurants throughout the 100,000 square foot property.
The relocation of the casino will free up water now being used by the casino for tribal members. The current casino will also eventually be used for additional medical facilities.
Nearly 200 people attended the groundbreaking including the Tule River Tribal Council, tribal members, Eagle Mountain Casino staff and many local dignitaries and political leaders. The ceremony began with a welcome from General Manager, Matthew Mingrone, followed by the presentation of colors by the Tule River Native Veterans Post of 1987 and a prayer and song by Tribal Elders J.R. Manuel, Rhoda Hunter and Tamara Seylaz.
Honorable Tribal Speakers included: Tule River Chairman William Garfield, Vice-Chairman Neil Peyron, Councilman Felix Christman and Executive Director and Project Manager Ralene Clower. Honored Speakers included Congressman Kevin McCarthy, Senator Alex Padilla, Senator Shannon Grove, Assemblyman Devon Mathis, District Attorney Tim Ward, Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux, Porterville City Mayor Monte Reyes, National Indian Gaming Chairman Ernie Stevens, and Bureau of Indian Affairs Regional Director Amy Dutschke.
Tule River Tribal Vice Chairman Neil Peyron said during the ceremony, “This casino has been a long time coming. It's more than just a casino. This is education for our children, housing for our elders, and medical care for members of the tribe," Peyron said.
Boudreaux also announced at the groundbreaking the Tulare County Sheriff's Office would be the agency providing law enforcement for the casino.
Design Firm HBG Design and Construction firm W.E. O-Neil were the firms chosen by the tribe as construction begins this month.
HBG Design clients across the U.S. include more than 45 Indian gaming enterprises, and Commercial hospitality and entertainment giants such as Caesars Entertainment, Hyatt Hotels, Hilton Hotels and Elvis Presley Enterprises. HBG Design was recognized as an Associate Member of the Year by the National Indian Gaming Association for its support of Indian gaming tribes and Native American education programs. Visit www.hbg.design for more information.
HBG's Joe Baraffaldi said the new casino's design will include Tule River heritage. The Sequoia tree canopy, trunk and roots of the Giant Sequoias are a main conceptual design of the casino.
Baraffaldi said the Tule Tribe has been receptive to incorporating all of Tulare County's and Central California's cultural elements into the design. Artwork of the Tule River Tribe's native traditions will also be featured.
“Soaring vertical features will recall the majesty of the Giant Sequoia and the Golden Eagle,” Baraffaldi said, adding the Tule River will also be featured in the design.
A variety of tribal basket patterning will also be featured.
“Patterns and motifs of tribal symbolism will help draw guests through wayfinding paths, to the casino, the center bar, the dining venues and to ancillary spaces,” Baraffaldi said.
The Flight of the Butterfly will be featured at the entry and a mountain silhouette design that emulates the regional landscape will also be featured. The center bar will symbolize the idea of the fire as a place of gathering.
Casino guests will be welcomed with water features and a replica of the iconic tribal Painted Rock and Bigfoot pictographs found on Tule River Reservation lands.
The casino will feature a sports bar, food court and steak restaurant. With COVID safety measure in mind, instead of a buffet the casino will also feature a three-meal restaurant.
“We were able to create a new dining concept that will be even more comfortable and welcoming for patrons,” Baraffaldi said.
There's also been a investment in a premium air system. “The new casino is clean and safe for guests,” Baraffaldi said. “There are more robust safety elements designed into the new facility versus what an existing casino could provide.”
The casino is expected to open in December, 2022.
MBJ SWOT: HBG Design's innovation could pay dividends for its clients after COVID is over
See full article in Memphis Business Journal
by: Susan Ellis
Local economies are no different from organizations when it comes to taking stock of their ability to grow, innovate and thrive in lockstep with the times. Much depends on talent within: the employees of companies and nonprofits, the entrepreneurs who define a business community. But a lot also rides on the unique mix of ingredients that both define the local economy in question and play an outsize role in its success in navigating change or crisis. The SWOT analysis is nothing new for anyone familiar with business-school dogma, though its application to our small business community — as it rebounds from a pandemic — is probably a first. What follows is a breakdown of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats working for or against the region’s small-business owners as they climb back from one of the most economically and socially disruptive events in modern times.
MBJ SWOT: Weakness: Solutions when ‘all in’ might mean betting your life
One point the pandemic proved over and over again: The human body and economy are both highly susceptible to dramatic external forces like contagions, and the health and well-being of the first is inextricably linked to the ultimate success of the latter. When COVID started, Memphis-based HBG Design hit the drawing board to create solutions for its clients in the hospitality industry, whose revenue depended on the safety and confidence of customers. Their resulting innovation, Safebet, could continue to pay dividends long after COVID is gone.
HBG Design
Rick Gardner of the architecture/design firm HBG Design considers himself a “creative problem solver.”
So, when the pandemic hit, he assigned his team to answer two questions: How will this pandemic affect business? And, how will it affect the way they approach design?
HBG specializes in work in the hospitality sector. Past projects include the Guest House at Graceland in Memphis and the Desert Diamond West Valley Casino in Arizona.
“We zeroed in on specific solutions,” he said. “We asked ourselves a very specific question that became the mission statement for Safebet: How do we make sitting on a stool in front of the slot machine the safest place on the gaming floor?”
Since games on the casino floor are often rearranged, the Safebet system is designed to work on all sorts of configurations — rows, carousel, and trios.
“The reason we zeroed in on [slot machines] as opposed to other places in the casinos is the slot revenue is the engine that drives resorts,” Gardner said.
In designing Safebet, HBG also considered user experience.
“Most people are uncomfortable with the way things were before the pandemic, sitting down next to a stranger in close proximity,” he said.
He noted that the walls can be removed for guests who want to play together on the machines.
HBG hooked up with manufacturing firm KGM Gaming to make the components of Safebet. That firm will also do the sales and marketing, while HBG will focus on R&D.
Gardner said there may be other applications for Safebet as well.
“We’ve focused first on the gaming side of things, but we’re looking at dining rooms for restaurants,” he said.
Gardner said that while many restaurants already use plexiglass, he envisions bringing that to a more “sophisticated” level. He pictures Safebet in convention centers and resorts. The average slot machine costs $20,000, Gardner said, with large casinos having roughly 1,500, for a total expenditure of $30 million. Something like Safebet could be a smart investment — not just for now but for the future.
“We’ve had all kinds of viruses and pandemics in the past 20 years — SARS, MERS, and all that stuff. And they came and went,” Gardner said. “But, [COVID-19] has affected us much differently. It’s been imprinted in our psyche. We’re not going to forget it. What we all know now is that there’s going to be something next.”
HBG Design Joins Victor Rocha for The New Normal Weekly Webcast
Join Dike Bacon and Victor Rocha as they discuss Tribal Gaming and The New Normal: The Business of Tribal Gaming During a Pandemic Presented by the National Indian Gaming Association.