From OIGA: Deidre Brady's 'Mastering the Build' Session Recap
Plan Your Vision. Anticipate Change.
By Deidre Brady, AIA, NCIDQ, LEED AP BD+C, Principal, HBG Design
Casino resort projects are moving forward in an environment where construction costs, financing, supply chains, labor availability, and operational priorities can shift quickly. While owners cannot predict every change, effective casino resort project planning can help them prepare for it.
During my recent presentation at the OIGA Conference & Trade Show, entitled 'Mastering the Build', I focused on three strategies for navigating uncertainty while protecting long-term project value:
- Establish a clear vision,
- Proactively plan for change, and
- Optimize casino design and project delivery efficiencies.
Start with a Long-Term Casino Resort Vision
Successful casino resort development begins by defining what success means for the owner and the property. Is the priority to open as quickly as possible, generate revenue earlier, maintain budget certainty, minimize guest disruption, improve operational efficiency, or create the highest-quality resort in the region?
Most projects balance several of these goals. Establishing their relative importance early gives the team a shared framework for making decisions when schedule, budget, quality, and operational considerations compete.
A long-term casino resort master plan connects those priorities to future amenities, infrastructure, circulation, operations, and expansion opportunities. Even when the full vision cannot be delivered at once, the development can be organized into achievable phases, with each investment supporting future growth.
Create a Proactive Plan for the Unexpected
Market demand, funding, budgets, supply chains, and operational needs may evolve throughout design and construction. Proactive planning creates options for responding without losing momentum or compromising the long-term vision.
Phased casino development, early procurement, and fast-track project delivery can help owners advance high-value components sooner. These strategies also require timely decisions and close coordination across planning, design, documentation, procurement, and construction.
Optimize Casino Design and Delivery Efficiencies
Design efficiency is not simply about reducing square footage or initial construction cost. It is about helping the casino resort perform more effectively over time.
Thoughtful planning can streamline operations, improve employee workflows, strengthen the guest experience, and allow spaces to adapt as market needs change. Addressing these priorities early can also reveal shared-service opportunities, infrastructure requirements, and operational efficiencies before they become expensive to implement.
Assemble the Right Casino Project Team from Day One
Ultimately, the right team creates the most successful outcome. Bringing ownership, operations, casino design, construction, financial, and technical experts together from day one allows us to identify risks, test assumptions, and make informed decisions while the greatest range of options remains available.
When the project team aligns around a clear vision, change becomes more manageable, decisions become more purposeful, and the casino resort is better positioned to deliver lasting value—from opening day through every phase of future growth.
