Technology under cover
Technology under cover
Unnoticed by patrons, Wynn Las Vegas utilizes a vast array of cutting-edge technologies that ensure smooth operation and an enhanced customer experience
By Andy Holtmann
The $2.7 billion casino resort that bears Steve Wynn's name as its brand and rivals the top resorts in the world in terms of luxury, comfort and style wasn't cobbled together overnight.
Wynn Las Vegas, which opened its doors to the public in April, is the culmination of years of planning, designing, innovation and creative intuition. It is, as Wynn himself has spoken of the resort, the "realization of my dream."
While the brick and mortar package Wynn unveiled has largely garnered rave reviews, one aspect of the resort the public likely hasn't discerned is the vast amount of technology Wynn Las Vegas employs to not only efficiently operate the resort, but to enhance guest experiences.
From the casino to guestrooms to restaurants to entertainment venues, technology is everywhere at Wynn Las Vegas. Yet, the guests will hardly notice it-and that's exactly what Wynn's executive team wants. "(The technology) is more about our ability to help him deliver on his vision. So you'll see that technology is not in anyone's face here. It's very subdued," said Karen Bozich, senior vice president and chief information officer for Wynn Resorts.
An example: guests arriving to check in will not find bulky computers monitors, kiosks or other such electronic devices at the front desk. Instead, front desk employees have sleek computer screens and keyboards that are paneled into their side of the desk-all out of sight of the guest. All guests see is an elegant lobby and maybe a bellhop waiting to gather their bags.
Yet, the technology is still there throughout the property and arguably more involved with the guests' overall experience and satisfaction than most other resorts.
Carded convenience
At its front desk/check-in area, Wynn Las Vegas utilizes the OPERA Enterprise Solution from Columbia, Md.-based MICROS Systems. In addition to handling all of the resort's registration and check-in, the OPERA system also provides full property management, guest profile and central reservation capabilities. The system also integrates with an online booking engine via TravelClick, allowing hotel reservations to be made via the Wynn Las Vegas Web site.
Other MICROS systems in place at Wynn, including MICROS 9700 HMS, which oversees food and beverage operations, and OPERA Gaming, which is tightly integrated with the property's casino management, all inter-communicate. Together, these systems form the basis of Wynn Las Vegas' "Red Card."
Guests of Wynn Las Vegas use the Red Card as their room key, as their player's club card and for a host of other functions.
"The guest experience starts with understanding all of the guest touch points in terms of the property," said Wynn Las Vegas Chief Operating Officer Rob Oseland. "It starts with reservations, where guests have contact information that is directly taken and that self populates through all of the multiple systems that will touch them. The guests are provided with what we call a "Wynn ID." That becomes the sole mechanism that links them across all of our customer-based systems-the "Red Card" concept.
"Ultimately that takes them to a point where, upon arrival, they then are greeted by the OPERA system (our hotel system) and they are presented with a card, which is their key card (Red Card). That card enables the guests to not have to go to different points throughout the casino-they don't have to go to a slot club desk or a table games area or to a credit office to get other cards they would have to carry on their trip. They have, essentially, one card that provides them access to their room, allows them to charge to the room, to access and be rated at a slot machine to be rated at a table game and to receive credit."
Oseland said what's unique is that the profile the Wynn ID captures is not just a gaming-centric profile. It's also a hotel-centric profile and it captures a complete 360-degree view of both the cash and complimentary spending habits of the customer, regardless of where it lies-hotel, food and beverage, retail, gambling, etc. It's all stored as one account in one central database.
Working in conjunction with the MICROS systems in place at Wynn Las Vegas is revenue optimization software from Minneapolis, Minn.-based IDeaS. The IDeaS Revenue Optimization v5, a fifth-generation hospitality product, provides hoteliers the ability to develop and execute more appropriate and finely tuned strategies for maximized RevPAR.
"The addition of this exciting new resort highlights the evolution that has been happening in Las Vegas over the last few years," said Ed Booth, CEO of IDeaS. "Instead of the overriding emphasis on simply relying on casino revenues, today's resorts are focused on generating revenue across the board, including specific ways to maximize the profitability of every guest room."
Bozich said a lot of time and effort went into selecting systems that manage guests needs and desires, as well as the needs and efficiency of the resort's staff.
"Because we're not a technology company, we're a casino resort, our goal was to find products that were already available on the market, right off the shelf," she said. "However, we had to make sure they performed at a level that was consistent with Mr. Wynn's vision for the guest experience. In a lot of cases we partnered up with our vendors and did a lot of work to make sure they would meet that expectation before we got them in here. They sort of went through a Wynn test."
Holding down the casino floor
Wynn Las Vegas selected the Advantage™ Casino System from IGT Systems to operate its 110,000-square-foot casino.
"IGT is providing our entire suite of casino management tools; from slot accounting and patron management, to Bonusing™ and NexGen® interactive displays. The combination of our NexGen® displays and Bonusing™ products gives Wynn Las Vegas the only proven bonusing system available today," said Brian Casey, marketing manager for IGT Systems.
The pairing of Wynn and IGT has even afforded the opportunity for some unique casino advancements.
"Wynn uses our Lucky Coin® Bonus to create a uniquely branded player promotion called 'Bingo Bonus.' At random intervals, this exciting casino-wide bingo game will be launched and up to $10,000 will be awarded to active players. This is an industry-first idea conceived by Wynn Las Vegas and delivered by IGT's Bonusing™ technology," Casey said.
Oseland said IGT was chosen based on the company's depth of products, services and track record in the industry.
"When we were initially considering the systems stuff we were going to have, we set strategic objectives. We wanted a particular operating platform as one of the key elements. We also wanted a company that was going to have deep pockets and that has been around for some time and would have the ability to go the distance with us," he said. "It also had to have some form of proven product within the market that we could use as an example set as we sprang into more custom development so that we didn't have to internalize that product and make it a custom application. IGT provided us with a Microsoft-based solution that was consistent with the Micros OPERA products and provided us better opportunity to integrate those systems."
Casey added that being able to work with Wynn Las Vegas as it was being built also afforded the chance for additional synergies.
"For a customer like Wynn Las Vegas, they are able to craft their business requirements without the hindrance of a legacy system, dated business processes, and a mindset of 'this is how we've always done it.' Therefore, we developed a lot of new functionality into the Advantage™ system specifically tailored for Wynn," he said. "Our work for Wynn Las Vegas is a great example of how we work side-by-side with a customer to forge a technology partnership aimed at achieving their operational and profit goals."
Wynn Las Vegas also utilizes IGT's TableTouch™ product for complete management, security and accounting at its 137 table games.
As for the games on the slot floor, Oseland said IGT controls the majority-about 70 percent-of titles being offered. Next is Bally Gaming with about 17 percent, while WMS Gaming has about 12 percent. Aristocrat Technologies has the remaining about 1 percent of the slot floor.
Show of support
IGT isn't the only company with a strong presence in Wynn Las Vegas' casino.
The resort contracted with TransAct Technologies to be the sole provider of gaming printers for coinless slot play. Wynn chose TransAct's Ithaca line of Epic950™ printers, which allow advancements like color, promotional couponing and real time customer interaction to slot players.
JCM American also netted a contract with Wynn Las Vegas to provide a "total currency solution" for the resort. The property debuted with the very latest in currency solutions, including two products making their world premiere-JCM's Universal Bill Acceptor (UBA) and Plastic Cash Box (PCB).
The UBA can accept multiple currencies simultaneously in one version of software. It sports the latest sensing technology, utilizing magnetic and optical sensors; a self-centering mechanism; three-time automatic retry feature; on-board memory; and front-access USB download port.
Linking the slot floor with the back-of-house is JCM's Intelligent Cash Box (ICB), increasing efficiency by reducing common human error in casino drop and count processes. The ICB automatically links the cash box to gaming asset and supplies independent data directly from the bill validators and provides accounting accuracy across entire gaming floor.
In the property's sports book, wagering and management software and solutions from Computerized Bookmaking Systems (CBS) help control operations, while XpertX is used for Wynn Las Vegas' keno operations and management.
Wynn Las Vegas' large poker room is aided by technology from QueueOS, which keeps track of people who are waiting to play at one of the tables and displays that on monitors. They're also able to see that information from their TVs in their rooms as well.
"The integration that allows us to build everything into the Red Card program, that is supported by two really great products. One is called TIBCO which is an integration product and the other is Blue Martini, which is what we're using for CRM," Bozich said.
Both Bozich and Oseland noted that Blue Martini was chosen based on the capabilities and features it had off the shelf without having to "over-customize" a CRM product.
"If you track the history of people using CRM products, there's a lot of people that have spent a lot of time and money and hardly made use of what they've bought because they weren't really clear about what they were going to do with it," Bozich said. "We were very clear about what we were going to do today and Blue Martini had exactly what we need. As we build up a customer base and get to know our customers, we'll be expanding on that with Blue Martini."
Guest comfort
Wynn Las Vegas' spacious guestrooms are a true extension of the resort's philosophy of providing elegance, convenience and comfort. While not overloaded with the latest technological gadgets, the 620-square-foot standard rooms feature a 30-inch Gateway LCD TV on a sleek, swinging arm in the living room and a 13-inch Gateway LCD TV mounted in the bathroom wall, while certain suites will include 50-inch Gateway plasma screens that appear to "float" in the living room, as well as Gateway LCD TVs in "his and her" bathrooms and Gateway DVD players in the wet bar area.
On the TVs, guests can view information about the resort, look up restaurant and show times and even check their wait for a seat a poker table. Or, if traditional television entertainment is desired, guests can check out the latest movies and sports in high definition through extensive packages provided by Hospitality Network.
"With the newer, digital On-Demand movies that are available, the movies and products that are displayed on our TVs via Hospitality Network can be paused and rewound and fast-forwarded, much like with products like TiVo. There are also high-definition capability, so as we get more and more high-definition content, that is also a good reason to have a product like this in our rooms," Bozich said.
The offerings Hospitality Network created for Wynn Las Vegas' guests are among the company's most extensive ever for a casino resort, said Andrew Simon, Hospitality Network's vice president of business development and marketing. The televisions offer personalized welcome screens for guests, detailed help sections, an e-guest book and other services and options. Maintenance of televisions in also easier as signals and service can be rebooted from anywhere rather than from each individual room.
"We feel simply great about being associated with Wynn Las Vegas," Simon said, adding that he expects other casino properties to follow suit with their entertainment offerings in the future.
"Everything about the resort is first class and our systems match well with (the property), creating the most advanced in-room entertainment offerings in the industry."
Also in the rooms are high-tech, yet easy to use phone systems from Avaya.
"We have a large voice-over IP installation here in front of house and back of house. We are using those kind of technologies to help us personalize the visit for the guests," Bozich said. "They are greeted by having their name on the phone and they're able to use a button on the phone to get information about the resort, almost like a little Web page. It's a platform where you can just imagine the possibilities that can grow from it."
Fax machines in each room can be used to print out show tickets or reservations made by guests in their rooms. Wireless technology is available in some of the resort as well, and equipment from Verizon, Nextel, Sprint and T-Mobile was added to the property specifically to boost cell signals of guests.
"Behind the walls of our hotel rooms, there are all kinds of opportunities with how we've cabled and wired the hotel. It allows us as we go forward to do even more with the rooms than we've already done," Bozich said.
Amenity advantage
Technology is being put to good use to benefit the guests in other areas of the resort as well, including dining establishments, retail outlets and entertainment venues.
The goal is to link as much as possible to the Red Card so that guests can have one form of communication throughout the resort.
"The Acres gaming system (part of IGT's Advantage™ casino management suite) is integrated to our Micros system from the food and beverage perspective so that guests can redeem benefits from our restaurant outlets-one of those being comps. We've removed paper from a complimentary perspective and replaced it with technology," Oseland said.
For show tickets and other ticketing activities, Wynn Las Vegas utilizes software from AudienceView. The New York-based AudienceView will manage ticketing for the resort's two theatrical productions as well as The Gallery presenting the Wynn Collection.
"Wynn Las Vegas was very thorough in its analysis and selection of an in-house ticketing system. The ticketing system had to seamlessly integrate with third party systems, while ensuring it could be easily maintained and managed internally," said Mark Cohon, president of AudienceView. "We're thrilled to be working alongside the prestigious Wynn Las Vegas."
Meanwhile, enhancing the ambiance of the three-story man-made mountain, lake, water attractions and other eye-catching features, is the installation of more than 4,000 individually controlled, submersed Color Kinetics® C-Splash 2 systems in the property's lake, representing the largest intelligent solid-state lighting installation of its kind.
Moving to the back-of-house, Oseland said Wynn Las Vegas' recruitment program for staffing, managed by Recruitmax was highly successful.
"It was an online program so people from the convenience of home could fill out and application and receive communication immediately on their status of their application. That had an impact on our overall operations and convenience for employees," he said.
Software and solutions from PeopleSoft are being used for human relations department management and employee issues.
So what's next for the modern marvel and technological treasure that is Wynn Las Vegas? Oseland has a few ideas.
"We definitely believe server-based gaming is in the future and we've designed our floor and our systems to handle CAT 5 and CAT 6 cable running to every single game. That's one of the impediments that a lot of existing operators have to be able to move forward with that type of technology," he said. "Also, I think the refinement of learning more about our guests and making sure we have accurate, up to date information about every touch point that a guest visits or spends money at is important. We'll continue the evolution of that."
SIDEBAR:
Center of attention
State-of-the-art technology center is the heart of Wynn Las Vegas' operations
Though not splashed in guests' faces, the amount of technology employed at Wynn Las Vegas is staggering. The resort has its own back-of-the-house "technology center," which features a large, glass-enclosed server room, meeting space and other features.
"What we've tried to do is combine everything that requires a certain kind of environment. This is the main technology center of the entire resort," Wynn Las Vegas Senior Vice President and CIO Karen Bozich said. "And all the systems and technologies, everything that makes up Wynn Las Vegas, relies on the speed and reliability and security we get from our partner, Extreme Networks, from our network here," Bozich said.
There are 52 on-staff IT and technology employees at the resort and no shortage of tasks that need to be done.
Bozich said that building Wynn Las Vegas from the ground up and not having to rely solely on existing company contracts or systems afforded the opportunity to look at all forms of technologies, including some that may not even exist yet.
"We built such a smart building in my opinion that in some cases, we don't have a technology to take advantage of some of the things we've built into the building yet. The one area I would say we have all kinds of opportunity that we haven't fully exploited.
-Andy Holtmann
Unnoticed by patrons, Wynn Las Vegas utilizes a vast array of cutting-edge technologies that ensure smooth operation and an enhanced customer experience
By Andy Holtmann
The $2.7 billion casino resort that bears Steve Wynn's name as its brand and rivals the top resorts in the world in terms of luxury, comfort and style wasn't cobbled together overnight.
Wynn Las Vegas, which opened its doors to the public in April, is the culmination of years of planning, designing, innovation and creative intuition. It is, as Wynn himself has spoken of the resort, the "realization of my dream."
While the brick and mortar package Wynn unveiled has largely garnered rave reviews, one aspect of the resort the public likely hasn't discerned is the vast amount of technology Wynn Las Vegas employs to not only efficiently operate the resort, but to enhance guest experiences.
From the casino to guestrooms to restaurants to entertainment venues, technology is everywhere at Wynn Las Vegas. Yet, the guests will hardly notice it-and that's exactly what Wynn's executive team wants. "(The technology) is more about our ability to help him deliver on his vision. So you'll see that technology is not in anyone's face here. It's very subdued," said Karen Bozich, senior vice president and chief information officer for Wynn Resorts.
An example: guests arriving to check in will not find bulky computers monitors, kiosks or other such electronic devices at the front desk. Instead, front desk employees have sleek computer screens and keyboards that are paneled into their side of the desk-all out of sight of the guest. All guests see is an elegant lobby and maybe a bellhop waiting to gather their bags.
Yet, the technology is still there throughout the property and arguably more involved with the guests' overall experience and satisfaction than most other resorts.
Carded convenience
At its front desk/check-in area, Wynn Las Vegas utilizes the OPERA Enterprise Solution from Columbia, Md.-based MICROS Systems. In addition to handling all of the resort's registration and check-in, the OPERA system also provides full property management, guest profile and central reservation capabilities. The system also integrates with an online booking engine via TravelClick, allowing hotel reservations to be made via the Wynn Las Vegas Web site.
Other MICROS systems in place at Wynn, including MICROS 9700 HMS, which oversees food and beverage operations, and OPERA Gaming, which is tightly integrated with the property's casino management, all inter-communicate. Together, these systems form the basis of Wynn Las Vegas' "Red Card."
Guests of Wynn Las Vegas use the Red Card as their room key, as their player's club card and for a host of other functions.
"The guest experience starts with understanding all of the guest touch points in terms of the property," said Wynn Las Vegas Chief Operating Officer Rob Oseland. "It starts with reservations, where guests have contact information that is directly taken and that self populates through all of the multiple systems that will touch them. The guests are provided with what we call a "Wynn ID." That becomes the sole mechanism that links them across all of our customer-based systems-the "Red Card" concept.
"Ultimately that takes them to a point where, upon arrival, they then are greeted by the OPERA system (our hotel system) and they are presented with a card, which is their key card (Red Card). That card enables the guests to not have to go to different points throughout the casino-they don't have to go to a slot club desk or a table games area or to a credit office to get other cards they would have to carry on their trip. They have, essentially, one card that provides them access to their room, allows them to charge to the room, to access and be rated at a slot machine to be rated at a table game and to receive credit."
Oseland said what's unique is that the profile the Wynn ID captures is not just a gaming-centric profile. It's also a hotel-centric profile and it captures a complete 360-degree view of both the cash and complimentary spending habits of the customer, regardless of where it lies-hotel, food and beverage, retail, gambling, etc. It's all stored as one account in one central database.
Working in conjunction with the MICROS systems in place at Wynn Las Vegas is revenue optimization software from Minneapolis, Minn.-based IDeaS. The IDeaS Revenue Optimization v5, a fifth-generation hospitality product, provides hoteliers the ability to develop and execute more appropriate and finely tuned strategies for maximized RevPAR.
"The addition of this exciting new resort highlights the evolution that has been happening in Las Vegas over the last few years," said Ed Booth, CEO of IDeaS. "Instead of the overriding emphasis on simply relying on casino revenues, today's resorts are focused on generating revenue across the board, including specific ways to maximize the profitability of every guest room."
Bozich said a lot of time and effort went into selecting systems that manage guests needs and desires, as well as the needs and efficiency of the resort's staff.
"Because we're not a technology company, we're a casino resort, our goal was to find products that were already available on the market, right off the shelf," she said. "However, we had to make sure they performed at a level that was consistent with Mr. Wynn's vision for the guest experience. In a lot of cases we partnered up with our vendors and did a lot of work to make sure they would meet that expectation before we got them in here. They sort of went through a Wynn test."
Holding down the casino floor
Wynn Las Vegas selected the Advantage™ Casino System from IGT Systems to operate its 110,000-square-foot casino.
"IGT is providing our entire suite of casino management tools; from slot accounting and patron management, to Bonusing™ and NexGen® interactive displays. The combination of our NexGen® displays and Bonusing™ products gives Wynn Las Vegas the only proven bonusing system available today," said Brian Casey, marketing manager for IGT Systems.
The pairing of Wynn and IGT has even afforded the opportunity for some unique casino advancements.
"Wynn uses our Lucky Coin® Bonus to create a uniquely branded player promotion called 'Bingo Bonus.' At random intervals, this exciting casino-wide bingo game will be launched and up to $10,000 will be awarded to active players. This is an industry-first idea conceived by Wynn Las Vegas and delivered by IGT's Bonusing™ technology," Casey said.
Oseland said IGT was chosen based on the company's depth of products, services and track record in the industry.
"When we were initially considering the systems stuff we were going to have, we set strategic objectives. We wanted a particular operating platform as one of the key elements. We also wanted a company that was going to have deep pockets and that has been around for some time and would have the ability to go the distance with us," he said. "It also had to have some form of proven product within the market that we could use as an example set as we sprang into more custom development so that we didn't have to internalize that product and make it a custom application. IGT provided us with a Microsoft-based solution that was consistent with the Micros OPERA products and provided us better opportunity to integrate those systems."
Casey added that being able to work with Wynn Las Vegas as it was being built also afforded the chance for additional synergies.
"For a customer like Wynn Las Vegas, they are able to craft their business requirements without the hindrance of a legacy system, dated business processes, and a mindset of 'this is how we've always done it.' Therefore, we developed a lot of new functionality into the Advantage™ system specifically tailored for Wynn," he said. "Our work for Wynn Las Vegas is a great example of how we work side-by-side with a customer to forge a technology partnership aimed at achieving their operational and profit goals."
Wynn Las Vegas also utilizes IGT's TableTouch™ product for complete management, security and accounting at its 137 table games.
As for the games on the slot floor, Oseland said IGT controls the majority-about 70 percent-of titles being offered. Next is Bally Gaming with about 17 percent, while WMS Gaming has about 12 percent. Aristocrat Technologies has the remaining about 1 percent of the slot floor.
Show of support
IGT isn't the only company with a strong presence in Wynn Las Vegas' casino.
The resort contracted with TransAct Technologies to be the sole provider of gaming printers for coinless slot play. Wynn chose TransAct's Ithaca line of Epic950™ printers, which allow advancements like color, promotional couponing and real time customer interaction to slot players.
JCM American also netted a contract with Wynn Las Vegas to provide a "total currency solution" for the resort. The property debuted with the very latest in currency solutions, including two products making their world premiere-JCM's Universal Bill Acceptor (UBA) and Plastic Cash Box (PCB).
The UBA can accept multiple currencies simultaneously in one version of software. It sports the latest sensing technology, utilizing magnetic and optical sensors; a self-centering mechanism; three-time automatic retry feature; on-board memory; and front-access USB download port.
Linking the slot floor with the back-of-house is JCM's Intelligent Cash Box (ICB), increasing efficiency by reducing common human error in casino drop and count processes. The ICB automatically links the cash box to gaming asset and supplies independent data directly from the bill validators and provides accounting accuracy across entire gaming floor.
In the property's sports book, wagering and management software and solutions from Computerized Bookmaking Systems (CBS) help control operations, while XpertX is used for Wynn Las Vegas' keno operations and management.
Wynn Las Vegas' large poker room is aided by technology from QueueOS, which keeps track of people who are waiting to play at one of the tables and displays that on monitors. They're also able to see that information from their TVs in their rooms as well.
"The integration that allows us to build everything into the Red Card program, that is supported by two really great products. One is called TIBCO which is an integration product and the other is Blue Martini, which is what we're using for CRM," Bozich said.
Both Bozich and Oseland noted that Blue Martini was chosen based on the capabilities and features it had off the shelf without having to "over-customize" a CRM product.
"If you track the history of people using CRM products, there's a lot of people that have spent a lot of time and money and hardly made use of what they've bought because they weren't really clear about what they were going to do with it," Bozich said. "We were very clear about what we were going to do today and Blue Martini had exactly what we need. As we build up a customer base and get to know our customers, we'll be expanding on that with Blue Martini."
Guest comfort
Wynn Las Vegas' spacious guestrooms are a true extension of the resort's philosophy of providing elegance, convenience and comfort. While not overloaded with the latest technological gadgets, the 620-square-foot standard rooms feature a 30-inch Gateway LCD TV on a sleek, swinging arm in the living room and a 13-inch Gateway LCD TV mounted in the bathroom wall, while certain suites will include 50-inch Gateway plasma screens that appear to "float" in the living room, as well as Gateway LCD TVs in "his and her" bathrooms and Gateway DVD players in the wet bar area.
On the TVs, guests can view information about the resort, look up restaurant and show times and even check their wait for a seat a poker table. Or, if traditional television entertainment is desired, guests can check out the latest movies and sports in high definition through extensive packages provided by Hospitality Network.
"With the newer, digital On-Demand movies that are available, the movies and products that are displayed on our TVs via Hospitality Network can be paused and rewound and fast-forwarded, much like with products like TiVo. There are also high-definition capability, so as we get more and more high-definition content, that is also a good reason to have a product like this in our rooms," Bozich said.
The offerings Hospitality Network created for Wynn Las Vegas' guests are among the company's most extensive ever for a casino resort, said Andrew Simon, Hospitality Network's vice president of business development and marketing. The televisions offer personalized welcome screens for guests, detailed help sections, an e-guest book and other services and options. Maintenance of televisions in also easier as signals and service can be rebooted from anywhere rather than from each individual room.
"We feel simply great about being associated with Wynn Las Vegas," Simon said, adding that he expects other casino properties to follow suit with their entertainment offerings in the future.
"Everything about the resort is first class and our systems match well with (the property), creating the most advanced in-room entertainment offerings in the industry."
Also in the rooms are high-tech, yet easy to use phone systems from Avaya.
"We have a large voice-over IP installation here in front of house and back of house. We are using those kind of technologies to help us personalize the visit for the guests," Bozich said. "They are greeted by having their name on the phone and they're able to use a button on the phone to get information about the resort, almost like a little Web page. It's a platform where you can just imagine the possibilities that can grow from it."
Fax machines in each room can be used to print out show tickets or reservations made by guests in their rooms. Wireless technology is available in some of the resort as well, and equipment from Verizon, Nextel, Sprint and T-Mobile was added to the property specifically to boost cell signals of guests.
"Behind the walls of our hotel rooms, there are all kinds of opportunities with how we've cabled and wired the hotel. It allows us as we go forward to do even more with the rooms than we've already done," Bozich said.
Amenity advantage
Technology is being put to good use to benefit the guests in other areas of the resort as well, including dining establishments, retail outlets and entertainment venues.
The goal is to link as much as possible to the Red Card so that guests can have one form of communication throughout the resort.
"The Acres gaming system (part of IGT's Advantage™ casino management suite) is integrated to our Micros system from the food and beverage perspective so that guests can redeem benefits from our restaurant outlets-one of those being comps. We've removed paper from a complimentary perspective and replaced it with technology," Oseland said.
For show tickets and other ticketing activities, Wynn Las Vegas utilizes software from AudienceView. The New York-based AudienceView will manage ticketing for the resort's two theatrical productions as well as The Gallery presenting the Wynn Collection.
"Wynn Las Vegas was very thorough in its analysis and selection of an in-house ticketing system. The ticketing system had to seamlessly integrate with third party systems, while ensuring it could be easily maintained and managed internally," said Mark Cohon, president of AudienceView. "We're thrilled to be working alongside the prestigious Wynn Las Vegas."
Meanwhile, enhancing the ambiance of the three-story man-made mountain, lake, water attractions and other eye-catching features, is the installation of more than 4,000 individually controlled, submersed Color Kinetics® C-Splash 2 systems in the property's lake, representing the largest intelligent solid-state lighting installation of its kind.
Moving to the back-of-house, Oseland said Wynn Las Vegas' recruitment program for staffing, managed by Recruitmax was highly successful.
"It was an online program so people from the convenience of home could fill out and application and receive communication immediately on their status of their application. That had an impact on our overall operations and convenience for employees," he said.
Software and solutions from PeopleSoft are being used for human relations department management and employee issues.
So what's next for the modern marvel and technological treasure that is Wynn Las Vegas? Oseland has a few ideas.
"We definitely believe server-based gaming is in the future and we've designed our floor and our systems to handle CAT 5 and CAT 6 cable running to every single game. That's one of the impediments that a lot of existing operators have to be able to move forward with that type of technology," he said. "Also, I think the refinement of learning more about our guests and making sure we have accurate, up to date information about every touch point that a guest visits or spends money at is important. We'll continue the evolution of that."
SIDEBAR:
Center of attention
State-of-the-art technology center is the heart of Wynn Las Vegas' operations
Though not splashed in guests' faces, the amount of technology employed at Wynn Las Vegas is staggering. The resort has its own back-of-the-house "technology center," which features a large, glass-enclosed server room, meeting space and other features.
"What we've tried to do is combine everything that requires a certain kind of environment. This is the main technology center of the entire resort," Wynn Las Vegas Senior Vice President and CIO Karen Bozich said. "And all the systems and technologies, everything that makes up Wynn Las Vegas, relies on the speed and reliability and security we get from our partner, Extreme Networks, from our network here," Bozich said.
There are 52 on-staff IT and technology employees at the resort and no shortage of tasks that need to be done.
Bozich said that building Wynn Las Vegas from the ground up and not having to rely solely on existing company contracts or systems afforded the opportunity to look at all forms of technologies, including some that may not even exist yet.
"We built such a smart building in my opinion that in some cases, we don't have a technology to take advantage of some of the things we've built into the building yet. The one area I would say we have all kinds of opportunity that we haven't fully exploited.
-Andy Holtmann
