Wawyé Oasis at Gun Lake receives an ENR Midwest Merit Award!
HBG Design is excited to announce that the Gun Lake Casino Resort Wawyé Oasis received a Merit Award in ENR Midwest's Best Projects awards program in the Sports/Entertainment category! Congratulations to Gun Lake Casino Resort, the Gun Lake Tribe, the HBG Design team, and the entire project consultant team!
When winter grips Michigan in icy temperatures, guests at Gun Lake Casino Resort are now floating beneath a sunlit glass dome in a lush, 82-degree tropical paradise. Debuting in May 2025, the six-story, 32,000-square-foot Wawyé Oasis redefines what’s possible for year-round resort design—seamlessly shifting from daytime pool retreat to high-capacity concert venue, nightclub, and banquet space. Shaped by solar studies and engineered as a massive glass “sundial,” the Oasis is both sculptural and supremely functional, capturing natural daylight while shielding guests from the region’s harsh climate.
In TG&H: Nathan Peak - The New Definition of Casino Design Efficiency
Tribal Gaming and Hospitality recently published an interview with Nathan Peak, AIA, President of HBG Design, sharing insights into what's next in the world of casino design!
As casino resorts become increasingly complex businesses, the definition of efficiency is evolving. TG&H sat down with HBG Design President Nathan Peak, AIA, to discuss how savvy operators are using design as a strategic tool to create long-term value.
TG&H: For years, efficiency in casino design has focused on cost and speed to market. What's changing?
NP: Those priorities still matter, but we’re seeing more focus on long-term business strategies. Operators are recognizing that designing efficiency is about creating a high-performing operation that delivers value across the entire business, influencing employee productivity and guest satisfaction, as well as maintenance costs and future growth.
Strategic thinking begins early. I’d challenge any operator to ask themselves: if you’re not bringing operations, employee experience, guest expectations, lifecycle costs, and long-term adaptability into the conversation from day one, then what could you miss in creating not just a project investment but a competitive advantage?
TG&H: If an owner or operator wants to design a more efficient casino resort, what are the top priorities they should focus on?
- Design for the Entire Lifecycle, Not Just the Grand Opening
Project decisions shouldn’t be driven by opening-day budgets and schedules. While important, the real measure of success is how a property performs over the next 10, 20, or even 30 years. Durable furnishings and finishes, resilient infrastructure, and adaptable planning can significantly reduce maintenance needs, replacement costs, and operational disruptions. The goal is not simply to spend less today; it's to maximize value over the life of the asset.
- Plan for Change Before It Happens
Everything evolves. Investing in flexible building systems and infrastructure helps a property adapt to new technologies, changing customer expectations, and future expansions without requiring costly renovations. Designing infrastructure capacity, strategic adjacencies, and expansion options from the start enables operators to meet future needs while minimizing business disruptions.
- Make the Employee Experience a Design Priority
One of the most effective ways to improve operations is by enhancing the work environment. Efficient back-of-house layouts, convenient access points, thoughtfully planned support spaces, and streamlined circulation can help teams work faster, communicate better, and deliver more consistent service. Employee-focused design is based on a simple yet often overlooked reality: the guest experience is heavily influenced by the employees delivering it.
- Align Operations and Guest Experience from the Start
The best-performing resorts don't treat operational efficiency and guest experience as competing priorities; they’re designed simultaneously. Service functions, loading areas, and support operations should work seamlessly behind the scenes. When operations are carefully integrated into the design process, properties can deliver exceptional guest experiences while maintaining speed, consistency, and efficiency.
TG&H: What does this mean for the future of casino resort development?
NP: The most successful developments will be those that intentionally connect operations, guest experience, and asset value from the very beginning. Properties leading the next generation of gaming will be designed to work smarter every day after opening. That’s where design becomes more than a project investment—it becomes a competitive advantage.
Continue the Conversation
Every casino resort faces a different set of operational priorities, guest expectations, and long-term investment decisions.
If these ideas connect with plans underway for your property, Nathan Peak and the HBG Design team would welcome the opportunity to exchange perspectives and learn more about the challenges and opportunities you are considering.
DOWNLOAD HBG DESIGN’S 2026 HOSPITALITY REPORT
Nathan Peak, AIA, President, HBG Design
[email protected]
Collaborative Art: Telling the Gun Lake Tribal Community's Story
By Emily Marshall, NCIDQ, Interior Design Director, HBG Design
When people think about hospitality design, they often think about beautiful interiors, luxurious finishes, or memorable guest experiences. While those elements are certainly important, the projects that stay with me long after they're complete are the ones that become something more.
The new Community Block Wall at Gun Lake Casino Resort is one of those projects.
As Lead Interior Designer for the Gun Lake Resort expansion, I had the privilege of working alongside the Gun Lake Tribe throughout the design of the resort's public spaces. From the beginning, our goal was to create an environment that felt distinctly connected to the art and culture of the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians. Every material, pattern, artwork, and story was considered as part of that larger vision.
But one opportunity stood apart.
Not simply creating a place that tells the Tribe's story—but creating a place where the Tribe could tell its own story.
More Than an Art Installation
Working closely with the Gun Lake Tribe's Tribal Historic Preservation Office and Citizen & Community Experience teams, HBG Design helped develop the concept for what would become the Community Block Wall.
Rather than commissioning a single artist to create a finished piece, the vision became something much more personal.
Each handcrafted block represents a member of the Tribal community. Together they showcase photographs, artwork, meaningful imagery, and personal expressions contributed by Tribal citizens themselves. As individual pieces come together, they create a larger story—one that continues to grow with every new contribution.
It's a living work of art.
Unlike a traditional installation that remains unchanged over time, this wall is designed to evolve alongside the community it represents. New generations will continue adding their own stories, ensuring that the artwork remains as dynamic as the Tribe itself.
Designing for Community Participation
One of the greatest privileges of this project was helping design something that invited participation instead of simply observation.
Hospitality spaces often feature beautiful artwork that guests admire as they move through a lobby. This project encourages something different.
It creates moments of conversation.
Moments of recognition.
Moments where Tribal members can point to a block and say, "That's my family's story."
Those moments transform a space from simply being beautiful into being deeply meaningful.
The Power of Collaboration
Projects like this only happen through genuine collaboration.
The Community Block Wall reflects the vision, dedication, and cultural stewardship of the Gun Lake Tribe, particularly the Tribal Historic Preservation Office's Archives & Collections Program, whose mission is to preserve and share the rich history and traditions of the Pottawatomi people.
HBG Design's role was not to tell that story for the Tribe.
It was to help create the framework where those stories could be shared authentically.
A Living Legacy
Seeing the Community Block Wall unveiled in the Gun Lake Resort lobby was an incredibly rewarding moment—not because a design was complete, but because a new tradition was beginning.
Years from now, more blocks will be added.
More stories will be shared.
Children will grow up seeing their families represented alongside generations before them.
Visitors will experience not only an extraordinary resort, but also a living expression of the community that calls this place home.
As designers, we hope every project creates a lasting impression.
This one has the opportunity to create something even more meaningful: a lasting legacy.
At HBG Design, we believe the most impactful hospitality environments are those that reflect the people, history, and culture of the communities they serve. The Community Block Wall at Gun Lake Resort stands as a testament to the power of collaboration, storytelling, and design that invites people to become part of the experience.
Emily Marshall & Thor Harland on Placemaking, Contextual Design
Designers and architects in markets across the U.S. take creative cues from local geography, history and culture.
For Emily Marshall, interior design leader, and Thor Harland, senior associate, architecture and design for HBG Design, starting with a blank page before designing a project creates unlimited potential.
“We think about where the space is, the local identity, then how we want the guests to feel,” says Marshall. “What’s the story we want to tell? What’s the property’s identity? Also very important operationally, what’s the flow? And where is the excitement and escape? We start with a concept, and the interior and architecture develop from that.”
“It takes a forensic investigation into things like the site, the climate, the patterns of use, the history, the client,” says Harland, who approaches that journey with “humbleness and openness.”
Placemaking in Tribal Casino Resort Design
“With Native American projects, there’s such a passion for who our clients are and their culture. If we can create an architecture that’s reflective of that, that mimics that—not so much literally, but purposefully, in every design move—it makes for a stronger project,” he says.
“This place-based idea is a journey towards authenticity that is unique to a site and unique to the client. You can’t just pick it up and move it anywhere else, because it wouldn’t function as well. That, for us, is a successful project.”
The work continues “from early concepts through construction documents,” says Marshall. “We’re with the client making decisions on big-picture geometry all the way down to the tile in the guest room. If we can always tie those decisions back to a common thread, it creates a consistency in the design.”
Contextual Design that Enhances Year Round Guest Experience
HBG’s work on the Gun Lake Casino Resort in Wayland, Michigan stands out for Marshall as “one of our finest examples of place-making architecture.” Harland concurs, calling it “one of the best examples of creative, thoughtful depth, from early massing to the materials chosen on the interior. The Gun Lake Tribe was very ambitious, very forward-thinking. They wanted to create something that hadn’t been seen, that was completely new, avant-garde to the area, and make a statement. For us it was important to meet that passion and excitement, and create and carry through that momentum.
“It’s Michigan, with very harsh winters, so the tribe wanted to create an enclosed tropical oasis within.” HBG created an egg-shaped, glass-enclosed atrium, aligned east to west for maximum sun exposure. While dramatic, it’s also functional and can be used for entertainment.
“We created a compelling piece of architecture that’s dynamic and cool to look at,” Harland says. “It also functions better than if we went with just a simple form, like a circle or a square.”
From the first view of a resort rising from the landscape to the smallest details—subtle references to ecology and culture in materials, finishes, color palette, etc.—place-based design tells a story, creating meaningful connections among guests, communities and their shared environment.
Read the full feature Everything in its Place in Global Gaming Business' Casino Style Magazine to learn more about how context and regional authenticity drive casino resort design.
As Seen in Casino Style Magazine: Performance Is the Payoff
The most successful casino resorts are measured by more than their opening day excitement. They create lasting value through thoughtful planning, memorable guest experiences, operational efficiency, and measurable business performance.
Global Gaming Business’ Casino Style magazine features HBG Design in its latest issue. The article, Performance is the Payoff explores how integrated resort design drives long-term success for owners, operators, and the communities they serve.
The feature highlights the remarkable performance of Gun Lake Casino Resort's $300 million expansion, which generated a 20% increase in revenue during its first two months of operation and recently earned AAA Four Diamond status for its new hotel. It also previews the opening of Ho-Chunk Beloit Casino, a transformative destination designed to support economic growth while expanding hospitality, entertainment, and gaming opportunities for the region.
The article reflects HBG Design's approach to casino resort development—connecting long-term vision with strategic planning, market positioning, operational excellence, and immersive guest experiences. We approach every design decision with performance in mind. That includes master planning, phased expansion, architecture, interior design, and amenity programming.
As the gaming and hospitality industries continue to evolve, creating destinations that are both memorable and financially successful remains at the heart of everything we do.
Read the full feature Performance is the Payoff in Global Gaming Business' Casino Style Magazine to learn more about how design strategy drives measurable results.
In Casino Style: Joe Baruffaldi on Regional M.I.C.E. Design
Las Vegas doesn’t have a lock on the meeting trade. Here’s how regional properties are getting their share of the MICE business.
HBG Design Principal Joe Baruffaldi, AIA, on meeting...and exceeding...expectations for regional conference & event center design.
Casino Style: How can smaller properties build their MICE business?
Baruffaldi:
The opportunity is often about understanding the market through a feasibility study, right-sizing the investment based on demand, and creating flexible, high-quality environments that support the type of group and event business the property can realistically attract.
Rain Rock Casino & Hotel in Yreka, California is a good example of a regional property using event space strategically, without overbuilding. Its approximately 4,000-square-foot banquet and event center is scaled for community gatherings, private events, meetings, banquets, weddings and local or regional group business. When paired with hotel rooms, boutique cottages, gaming, dining, outdoor amenities and a place-based design story tied to the Klamath River and Karuk culture, it becomes part of a larger resort experience rather than a stand-alone meeting room.
Talk about the technical infrastructure necessary for these events.
Meeting attendees expect reliability, flexibility and a seamless experience, so technical systems must be planned early and integrated into the architecture. At Sycuan Casino Resort (El Cajon, California), Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort (Hot Springs, Arkansas) and Four Winds South Bend’s Ribbon Town Conference and Event Center (South Bend, Indiana), ballroom flexibility depends on infrastructure that supports every configuration.
Divisible ballrooms can accommodate smaller meetings and events, but each setup still has to perform with the right acoustics, lighting, technology, service access and guest comfort. The best technical infrastructure is often invisible to the attendee, but it allows the operator to deliver events efficiently and consistently. From a design standpoint, that means acoustic separation, quality operable partitions, sound control, and finishes that support speech intelligibility and guest comfort, along with layered, programmable lighting that can shift from business-focused meetings to warmer receptions or entertainment events.
In large-volume spaces with fluctuating occupancy, HVAC zoning, air distribution, humidity control and quick recovery times are essential, so the room performs as well for a 50-person breakout as it does for an 800-person banquet or 1,500-person theater-style event.
Are geolocation and wayfinding capabilities important?
Wayfinding is critical. Even the most flexible event center won’t perform well if attendees feel disoriented or the staff must constantly redirect guests.
But digital tools should reinforce a strong physical planning strategy, not compensate for a confusing one. Clear sightlines, logical adjacencies, strong landmarks, intuitive vertical circulation and well-placed signage remain essential.
Are meeting planners looking for spas, pools and wellness facilities?
Group travelers want a resort experience that supports networking, relationship-building, entertainment, relaxation and well-being. Meeting planners are paying attention: that broader experience influences attendance, satisfaction, repeat bookings and how attendees talk about the event afterward.
The key is to design recreational offerings as part of the event ecosystem, not as separate amenities. At Oaklawn, for example, guests have access to and views of the historic thoroughbred horse-racing track, the Forbes Four-Star Astral Spa, gaming amenities and upscale dining—all near the event and meeting space. Gun Lake Casino Resort’s Wawyé Oasis in Michigan blends a resort pool environment with large-format event and performance capabilities in one climate-controlled atrium.
This kind of multi-purpose amenity creates vast revenue-generating opportunities from one building investment. When a resort can offer an easy transition from meeting to dinner, spa, pool, lounge, entertainment or reception, it becomes more competitive as a group destination.
Nathan Peak on the Future of Performance-Driven Casino Design
At HBG Design, we believe successful casino resorts must do more than look beautiful. We must also plan them strategically to perform for decades to come.
Casino Style magazine invited HBG Design President Nathan Peak, AIA to share his expertise as a featured casino resort design specialist in its latest issue. His article, "Designing for What's Next: Rethinking Casino Efficiency as a Performance Strategy" examines the role of performance-driven design. It explores how this approach is shaping the future of gaming and hospitality environments.
Nathan explores how the definition of "efficiency" has fundamentally changed as the gaming and hospitality industry continues to evolve. Accordingly, leading casino resorts are measured by more than construction costs or energy performance. They are designed as high-performing ecosystems. Guest experience, operations, employee satisfaction, and long-term asset value must all work together to create lasting success.
Four Strategies Shaping the Future of Casino Design
In the article, Nathan highlights four key principles driving the next generation of gaming destinations:
- Flow as a Revenue Engine: Thoughtful planning and intuitive circulation do more than improve navigation—they encourage exploration, increase dwell time, and create more opportunities for guest engagement. Strategic layouts transform movement throughout the property into a competitive advantage.
- Designing for a More Complex Guest Profile: Today's casino resorts welcome a broader audience than ever before. From loyal gaming patrons to younger, experience-driven travelers and non-gaming visitors, successful destinations offer flexible environments that seamlessly support multiple guest journeys at once.
- Designing for Lifecycle Performance: Long-term value begins on day one. From durable materials and adaptable infrastructure to future-ready technology planning, every design decision should contribute to operational efficiency and sustained return on investment throughout the life of the property.
- Elevating the Employee Experience: Exceptional guest experiences start behind the scenes. Efficient back-of-house planning, intuitive operational workflows, and thoughtfully designed employee spaces improve productivity, strengthen workplace culture, and ultimately enhance service throughout the resort.
HBG Design in Practice
Nathan illustrates these concepts with recent HBG projects LIVE! Casino & Hotel Louisiana in Bossier City and Wawyé Oasis at Gun Lake Casino Resort, demonstrating how strategic planning creates environments that are as operationally effective as they are memorable for guests.
Looking Ahead
As Nathan writes, "The role of design in gaming is no longer just about creating compelling spaces or delivering efficiency in isolated ways. It's about orchestrating performance across the entire enterprise—aligning guest experience, operations and long-term business objectives."
That philosophy continues to guide every project HBG Design delivers for our gaming and hospitality clients.
Read the full article in Casino Style. Discover how thoughtful, performance-driven design is shaping the future of casino resorts.
Gun Lake Earns AAA Four Diamond Designation
HBG Design is proud to celebrate Gun Lake Casino Resort earning the prestigious AAA Four Diamond designation — a milestone that recognizes the resort’s elevated guest experience, exceptional hospitality, and commitment to luxury accommodations in the Midwest.
The designation places Gun Lake Casino Resort among only four hotel properties in West Michigan to achieve AAA’s Four Diamond status. According to AAA Diamond Program Director Chris Andersen, the recognition reflects the resort’s “exceptional service, world-class hospitality, and elevated guest experience.”
The achievement follows a transformational period for the property, including the opening of the resort’s striking 16-story hotel tower, full-service spa, and expanded dining experiences in 2025. Designed by HBG Design, the expansion redefined the property as a fully integrated resort destination — blending entertainment, wellness, hospitality, and immersive guest amenities into a cohesive experience rooted in innovation and regional identity.
A defining feature of the expansion is the Wawyé Oasis, a breathtaking glass atrium environment spanning more than 32,000 square feet. Featuring live palm trees and a year-round tropical climate maintained at 80 degrees, the Oasis creates a one-of-a-kind experiential destination within the Midwest gaming and hospitality market.
“Our goal is to set the standard for luxury and service in casino resort operations in the Midwest,” said Brian Decorah, SVP/GM of Gun Lake Casino Resort. “Our entire team has been working toward this goal for almost a year, and it is a team victory to officially receive the AAA Four Diamond designation for our hotel and our level of commitment to our guests.”
HBG Design congratulates the Gun Lake Tribe and the entire Gun Lake Casino Resort team on this outstanding achievement. We are honored to have partnered in bringing this visionary resort destination to life and celebrating this recognition alongside the team.
HBG Design Earns Top Honors at ASID Excellence in Design Awards
HBG Design is proud to announce that three projects from the expansion of Gun Lake Casino Resort were recognized at the ASID Excellence in Design Awards 2026, hosted by the South Central Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers.
The annual competition celebrates outstanding interior design across residential and commercial sectors, honoring projects that demonstrate exceptional creativity, innovation, and impact.
HBG Design’s work received two Gold Awards, one Silver Award, and the competition’s highest commercial design honor — the Ovation Award — recognizing the firm’s continued leadership in hospitality and resort design.
Gold Award & Ovation Award: MnoYé Spa
MnoYé Spa, located within Gun Lake Casino Resort, received Gold in Commercial Design and was further recognized with the competition’s Ovation Award for Best Overall Commercial Design.
Inspired by the restorative power of nature and the spirit of MnoYé—the Potawatomi expression for “living well”—MnoYé Spa is conceived as a tranquil counterpoint to the energy of this resort expansion. Rooted in Michigan’s landscape and the client’s deep connection to the Great Lakes watershed, the design interprets water, land, and light through a contemporary biophilic lens. Warm woods, dimensional stone, bronze-toned metals, and river-inspired hues of aqua and earth brown create a grounded, sensory-rich environment. Subtle waveforms, layered sediment motifs, and sculpted geometries reference flow and continuity without literal symbolism. From arrival to treatment, the spa unfolds as a holistic wellness journey—quiet, immersive, and deeply connected to place—where materiality, light, and water support restoration and balance.
The spa’s thoughtful integration of cultural storytelling and contemporary wellness design creates a memorable guest experience that stood out among all commercial submissions in this year’s competition.
Gold Award: Gun Lake Casino Resort Hotel
The Gun Lake Casino Resort Hotel received Gold in Hospitality Design, recognizing the interiors of the new hotel tower that anchors the resort’s transformation into a premier Midwest destination.
The Gun Lake Resort hotel and spa were designed as a new benchmark for luxury hospitality in Western Michigan, guided by biophilic principles, residential comfort, and a deeply choreographed guest journey. The 15-story tower blends nature-inspired materiality, intuitive technology, and refined craftsmanship to create an emotionally resonant experience from arrival to penthouse. Three atmospheric design concepts—Dappled Light, Serene, and Radiance—draw inspiration from the skies, water, and landscapes of the region, shaping distinct moments throughout the property. Public spaces emphasize decompression and connection to nature, while guestrooms prioritize warmth, livability, and calm. At every scale, the design balances performance and elegance, delivering a sophisticated resort experience that feels rooted in place, culturally respectful, and unmistakably contemporary.
Silver Award: Wawyé Oasis
Completing the recognition for the resort expansion, Wawyé Oasis received Silver in Commercial Design. This dynamic pool and recreation venue creates a vibrant indoor resort environment designed for year-round enjoyment.
The Wawyé Oasis was conceived as a transformative interior environment that reimagines the Midwest resort experience. Designed as a year-round tropical atrium, the space seamlessly shifts between serene daytime retreat and high-energy entertainment venue. A six-story glass enclosure floods the interior with natural light while maintaining a controlled, resort-like climate regardless of season. Interior design reinforces this dual identity through flexible zoning, adaptable furnishings, and a material palette inspired by tropical landscapes—terra cotta, aqua, teal, woven textures, and organic forms. Pools, cabanas, and lounges radiate around a central stage, maintaining visual connectivity while supporting varied guest experiences. Acoustic treatments, dynamic lighting, and integrated infrastructure allow the Oasis to effortlessly transition from leisure to spectacle, creating a landmark destination that blends relaxation, performance, and architectural innovation.
Collaborative Project Partners
HBG Design recognizes the many talented consultants and partners who contributed to the success of these projects at Gun Lake Casino Resort.
Project Consultants:
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Structural Engineering: Chavez-Grieves Engineers
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MEP Engineering: EXP Engineering
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Civil Engineering: ROWE Professional Services Company
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Acoustical Engineering: Salter
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Food Service Design: FSA-Fred Schmid Associates
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Spa Consultant: Arch Amenities Group / WTS International
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Vertical Transportation: Lerch Bates
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Building Envelope: Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates
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Graphics & Signage: DesignYS
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Aquatic Consultant: Martin Aquatic
Celebrating Design Excellence
Recognition from the American Society of Interior Designers highlights HBG Design’s commitment to creating hospitality environments that are both visually compelling and operationally successful. From guest rooms and wellness spaces to immersive resort amenities, the firm’s multidisciplinary teams collaborate to design experiences that connect people, place, and culture.
These awards underscore the impact of thoughtful design in shaping destination resorts—and the power of collaboration between HBG Design, our clients, and the talented teams who bring these environments to life.
Are Your Public Spaces Working Hard Enough?
Hospitality Design Trends 2026: Wellness, Dwell Time & Revenue Activation
With rising construction costs and increasing guest expectations, every square foot inside a hotel or casino resort must deliver measurable value. Yet many public spaces — lobbies, lounges, pre-function areas, and resort environments — remain underleveraged.
The most important question for owners and operators today is simple: Are your public spaces working hard enough?
Across the hospitality industry, a shift is underway. Spaces that were once designed primarily for circulation are now expected to drive revenue, extend guest stays, and strengthen brand loyalty.
The future of hospitality design lies in activated public environments.
The 2026 Shift in Hospitality Design
One of the defining hospitality design trends of 2026 is the shift from passive gathering areas to multi-functional, revenue-generating environments.
Two major forces are driving this change.
First, hospitality and retail research consistently shows a direct correlation between guest dwell time and spending. When guests stay longer in an environment, they are more likely to engage with food and beverage, entertainment, retail, and premium amenities.
Second, the global wellness economy has grown to $6.8 trillion, according to the Global Wellness Institute. Wellness is no longer limited to spas or fitness centers; today it encompasses social connection, relaxation, and shared experiences — all of which take place in public environments.
For casino resorts and destination hotels, this means public space has become one of the most powerful economic tools on the property.
Public space is no longer transitional — it is strategic.
What Is Public Space Activation?
Public space activation is the intentional design of hospitality environments to support both experience and economics.
These spaces are designed to:
- Increase guest dwell time
- Encourage social interaction and group gathering
- Support multi-generational audiences
- Flex across dayparts and programming needs
- Strengthen brand identity
- Generate direct or indirect revenue
When done well, activated public spaces become the connective tissue of a resort, linking hospitality, entertainment, dining, and gaming into a seamless guest experience.
Gun Lake Resort: Designing an Indoor Destination
At Gun Lake Casino Resort, public space activation takes the form of an immersive indoor resort environment—free to guests during the day as a vibrant pool experience that also builds anticipation for the events and entertainment the space hosts at night.
The Wawyé Oasis, a 32,000-square-foot indoor tropical atrium, creates a year-round destination that blends leisure, entertainment, and social gathering into a single environment. The climate-controlled space includes resort-style pools, cabanas, lounge seating, and integrated food and beverage venues arranged around a flexible event stage.
The key to the space’s success is programmatic flexibility. During the day, the Oasis operates as a relaxed indoor pool retreat for hotel guests and families, while its open layout and visual connections to the stage and surrounding venues create energy and anticipation for evening programming. At night, the same environment transforms into a concert venue, DJ lounge, or special event space—dramatically increasing utilization and guest engagement across dayparts.
The environment also expands the resort’s audience. By creating a destination amenity that appeals to couples, families, and younger social groups, the property broadens its demographic reach beyond traditional gaming audiences.
Since completing its $300 million resort expansion, which introduced a hotel, spa, and new entertainment amenities, Gun Lake Casino Resort has reported a 20% increase in revenue along with strong hotel occupancy—signaling demand for experiential resort environments that extend the guest journey beyond gaming.
In this model, public space is not simply decorative—it becomes a strategic connector that builds visibility, excitement, and demand for the resort’s revenue-generating amenities.
Golden Mesa: Cultural Identity as Competitive Advantage
At Golden Mesa Casino & Hotel in Guymon, Oklahoma, public space activation takes a different approach — one rooted in cultural storytelling and social connection.
The property’s $78 million expansion doubled gaming capacity while introducing a new hotel, dining venues, and multiple gathering spaces that together transform the property into the Oklahoma Panhandle’s only full-scale casino resort destination.
Rather than designing the lobby as a traditional circulation zone, the space functions as a hospitality hub.
Residential-style seating clusters encourage guests to gather and linger, while the adjacent Panhandle Press café and nearby Cimarron Ridge restaurant create natural activity throughout the day. These proximities were intentionally designed to increase visibility and engagement with food and beverage offerings.
Technology also plays a role in activating the environment. On the casino floor, a 12-foot CLEAR digital signage wall introduces dynamic content and branding while maintaining visual transparency between the high-limit room and the gaming floor — drawing attention and curiosity from guests moving through the space.
Another key moment occurs at the transition between hospitality and gaming. A dramatic geometric light portal connecting the hotel lobby to the casino floor transforms circulation into an experiential threshold, guiding guests from calm social space into the energy of gaming.
These types of architectural moments do more than create visual impact — they encourage exploration and movement throughout the property.
Golden Mesa demonstrates how culturally authentic environments can drive both guest engagement and long-term brand differentiation.
The Future of Hospitality Public Space
Across hospitality and gaming resorts, a clear pattern is emerging.
The most valuable square footage in a property may no longer be the gaming floor or guestrooms — but the spaces in between.
When designed intentionally, public environments can:
- Extend guest stays
- Increase cross-property spending
- Support events and entertainment programming
- Strengthen brand identity
- Create memorable social experiences
For owners and operators navigating rising construction costs and competitive markets, activated public space represents one of the most powerful design strategies available.
The most successful resorts in the next decade will not treat public space as circulation.
They will treat it as performance.