Moments of discovery

There are a lot of corporate and property newsletters out there, and most of them promote upcoming deals, salute big winners, and generally promote the fun that’s going on. Wynn’s newsletter, though, takes it a step further–you actually learn more about the properties in some of the articles. Instead telling you when you can get a meal in a restaurant for cheaper, it enhances your understanding–and probably enjoyment of what you’re paying for. Case in point: Elaine Wynn’s description of Sinatra from the latest newsletter:

Our goal with the look of Sinatra was to pay tribute to the man without turning the restaurant into a museum. With that in mind, Roger conceptualized a lovely palette that was both neutral and fresh, and filled the space with highly sculptural pieces to offset the oversize portraits of Frank. A perfect example is this lovely antique ship; Roger came across this and the pair of obelisks that flanks it at the Paris flea market. The three pieces are Sicilian in origin and resided in an Italian restaurant in Paris, which sat empty for many years until it was dismantled. This trio happened to arrive the same day Roger was touring the flea market. He didn't have anything quite like this in mind, but as he tells it, he walked by the stall while they were being brought in, and he wasn't five steps away from the stall before he was returning to inquire about them.

via Wynn Las Vegas & Encore Newsletter – 2010 January – Moment of Discovery.

You should click through and read the whole story–it’s quite interesting.

Does knowing that Roger Thomas found these antiques by chance in a Parisian flea market add to your appreciation of them? I think so. The thing is, every casino has hundreds of stories like these, both about the places themselves and the people who’ve been in them. Obviously, most of the visitors don’t care about these stories–they just want a place to sleep, gamble, and eat, and if they can get a good deal, that’s enough for them. But I think that there are plenty of folks who would be intrigued by the stories–the lore, you could call it if you were feeling expansive–of casinos. It would make them feel more personal, and more fun.

Wynn’s got the right approach by sharing these sorts of stories. I’d like to see more casinos do this, either through blogs, newsletters, or iPhone apps. Just imagine a hotel-specific app that didn’t just tell you what a restaurant’s hours were, but related the bio of the executive chef adn talked about where some of the menu items came from. You wouldn’t just be selling food–you’d be selling a story for the same price. And people want stories.

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