Remember to check out CEM’s video coverage of Indian Gaming 2013! Watch Day 1 and Day 2highlights for more coverage of the recent show.
For many of us living and working in places where spring has not quite come around, it was ideal that the Indian Gaming 2013 trade show was in warm, sunny Phoenix. NIGA Executive Director Jason Giles conveyed his pleasure at the beautiful weather. “A lot of folks came out here escaping snow storms,” he shared. “Folks were really happy to come out to Phoenix where there was 80-plus degree weather every day.”
But of course this was not the only attraction. More than 5,000 attendees flocked to the downtown Phoenix Convention Center, eager to attend the various conferences and panel discussions, and learn more about the latest products and services offered by the numerous exhibitors. Attendees bustled about on the show floor, and many exhibitors stated they saw a steady stream of traffic throughout the day.
Retired U.S. Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell, five-time World Heavyweight Champion Boxer Evander Holyfield, Law & Order: SVU Actor Adam Beach and Olympic Medalist Billy Mills are present at the trade show ribbon cutting. All photos courtesy of Michael Woestehoff, NIGA.
NIGA Chairman Ernie Stevens Jr., who was re-elected to his position at the event, was very confident about the vibe of the show and its attendance. “I’m very confident that the numbers will reflect a great and outstanding trade show, so I’m excited about that,” he said.
When asked about his reelection, Stevens expressed his pleasure, but then shared that he had not yet had the time to process it all. “We hit the ground running this morning,” he said. “As a matter of fact, at the board meeting there was a whole lot of planning for next year. We got some ideas and some thoughts to make this conference even better.”
There is no doubt that all who attended the Indian Gaming trade show were left with new knowledge, perspectives and even great memories by the end of the event. Giles summed up his experience: “We had a great time this year in Phoenix. The member tribes surrounding the Phoenix area welcomed us with open arms. There was a great golf tournament and great entertainment—Creedence Clearwater Revisited and Chicago really rocked the convention center. It was a really great show, and we could not have done it without the support of our surrounding tribal members here.”
The work does not end when the show is over. NIGA is already thinking ahead and beginning to plan for next year’s show. “The second week of May, we’ll be in San Diego,” Giles said. “San Diego is a great venue for us with one of the largest convention centers in the country, so we’re really looking forward to that.”
Trade Show Exhibitors
Slot Manufacturers
Behind the flashing lights and loud, catchy noises that filled the trade show floor, there was a plethora of new technology and hard-working individuals promoting it. Among the forward-thinking manufacturers was Ainsworth, whose big push was its new slant-top cabinet, the A560st. John Glaser, sales manager for North America, was proud to share they’ve started installations. The A560st is based on the same operating system as Ainsworth’s upright cabinet, and all games that work on the upright will work on the slant top.
For American Gaming Systems (AGS), getting their start in the Class II market means that Indian Gaming has always been an important trade show. Although they’ve now ventured into the Class III market, Director of Marketing Andrew Burke says that it’s important to remain connected and involved in Indian gaming. “We still think of ourselves as a Class II, tribal-based company, so for us NIGA is a great time to connect with our core customers and spend some time with them,” he said.
Available on display at NIGA was AGS’ Ripley’s Believe it or Not. This game, part of AGS’ It Pays to Know series, uses a patented process to bring a trivia aspect to the gaming experience.
Aristocrat Technologies was supplying their customer base with their core products such as Buffalo™ Legends™. “The Legends strategy is really about bringing back those key, iconic games in new and creative ways,” said Matt Wilson, vice president of marketing in the Americas for Aristocrat Technologies.
Superman™ The Comic Series Slot Machine and Buffalo Stampede™ are also strong products from Aristocrat that will be rolling out in the next couple of months. On the systems side, Aristocrat was displaying their nLive online gaming casino platform.
Ray Champ; Mark Chino, Chairman Tex Hall of the Mandan, Hidatsa & Arikara Nation; and Chairman Ernie Stevens Jr. at the Wendell Chino Humanitarian Awards Banquet.
Displaying their core products in their Innovator™ Deluxe Line was Aruze Gaming. Much like their Paradise Fishing™ and Amazon Fishing™ gaming machines, which utilize Reel Feel™ Gaming Technology, Aruze’s Aladdin and the Lamp™ gaming machine, with its Rub the Lamp™ feature, permits players to interact with a part of the machine on which they are playing. Another new core product displayed was Aruze’s RVL™ Technology with physical doors that open on the top screen of the game.
The NIGA trade show is always a big event for Bally Technologies, and the company was excited to have a lot of customer interaction at their booth this year. Bally highlighted products from their games, systems and interactive divisions. Bally also displayed some of their latest brands at the show, including NASCAR® video slots and Pawn Stars™. The company’s booth also included a ton of adrenaline-pumping games, such as Hot Shot Progressive™ and Tiki Magic™.
“For us it’s all about continuing innovation,” said Derik Mooberry, senior vice president of products and operations at Bally Technologies. “We continue to drive new technology to casino floors through systems, games and interactive products.”
Another big player in the Indian gaming market—Cadillac Jack—made quite the impression on the show floor. Cadillac Jack’s engaging product suite resonated with the Indian gaming market, attracting attendees with the introduction of its new licensed game Dragon’s Lair. Joining Cadillac Jack to celebrate the launch of Dragon’s Lair was Don Bluth, renowned animator of the original arcade version of the game.
Attendees crowded the booth to participate in rousing slot tournaments, highlighting the company’s SpeedPLAY™ Tournament system’s ease of use. In addition to many new game themes and product series, there was tremendous interest surrounding Wicked Sexy Devil™, the newest game to join Cadillac Jack’s Class II WAP product for tribal casinos.
Incredible Technologies (IT) was excited to debut its latest licensed title—which introduces a new premium segment for the company—to NIGA trade show attendees, with the Archie® in Riverdale Riches™ slot machine. The Archie comics line is one of the most prosperous, longest-running brands in the comic book industry and is sure to bring the same excitement to the gaming industry. Archie is the latest addition to IT’s Innovation Collection, made up of casino games built on a foundation that is rich in both features and innovative technology. The company recently received their license in Arizona, the 14th state in which they can now sell games as a manufacturer. “We’ve hit our 1,000th game mark, which is big and exciting news for us,” said Dan Schrementi, vice president of gaming marketing and new media at IT.
International Game Technology (IGT) was thrilled to premiere The MegaJackpots® Game Changers series, among an array of other products. The Game Changer series is
a game-within-a-game product offered on IGT’s latest premium cabinets, which can be easily configured, and includes a robust base-game pipeline. The player not only has access to all core games that IGT offers in video format, but to all of the premium MegaJackpot products in bonus rounds. “What ends up happening here is you have access to premium products and core game products on a premium cabinet,” said Knute Knudson, vice president of Native American development at IGT. Another title in the MegaJackpots series that was showcased was CSI: Video Slots.
Konami was glad to have a lot of traffic at their booth this year, and attendees were particularly interested in three products that were being showcased. The first was their new Podium® Goliath™, which is a larger version of their original Podium® product. Podium Goliath catches the player’s attention with its 32-inch dual high-definition LCDs and booming sound. SeleXion™ was another of Konami’s products getting a lot of buzz at the event. Offering up to 10 KP3® video themes in one place, SeleXion gives players more options on the casino floor. On the systems side, Konami featured SYNKROS™ and its True-Time Tournaments™.
Multimedia Games was showcasing their next move in the premium games segment with Smokin’ Hot Jackpots™. It’s an 11-tier progressive aimed at the high-denomination player, a segment that Multimedia Games believes they can capitalize on. Smokin’ Hot Jackpots has several themes behind it, and the initial Class II versions are just starting to hit casino floors. Along with Smokin’ Hot Jackpots, attendees were able to see TournEvent®, a slot tournament system that any operator can utilize with ease.
Another company that expresses strong ties to Indian country is Rocket Gaming Systems. As Executive Vice President of Sales Jerry Danforth explained, the company experiences a certain benefit from being a provider that focuses exclusively on Indian gaming. “Our company’s whole focus is Indian gaming,” he said. “Since Rocket was created 17 years ago, we’ve been one of the only manufacturers to stick to strictly Indian casinos. We know this industry.” On display at Rocket’s booth were their Gold Series® and the Risk and Reward® titles, both of which have been successful in the market thus far.
VGT, another major supplier for Indian country, focused on 11 of its newest games and technology platforms this year. These included progressive themes Mr. Money Bags Vault!® and Deep Sea Riches™; 3-reel mechanical games Loose Lizards™, Planetary Pigs™ and Devil Ducky™; and 5RV games Frankenstein™, Nick and Bobby, The Joneses, No Relation™, Lizards on the Loose™ and Charmed Destiny™. They debuted two new games there that hadn’t been seen at G2E—Zora’s Fortune™ and Lucky Lucha™.
Ancillary Equipment & Services
Everyone probably knows Atrient for its award-winning flagship product, PowerKiosk. But this year, the company went back to its roots. Director Sam Attisha told us that it all goes back to Atrient’s original goal of process automation. “Before a patron can actually get to a promotional kiosk, they need a card,” he said. “To get a patron a card, they have to stand in line at the players club and the process can take upward of 30 minutes.”
This is where Atrient steps in and automates the process. “We’ve created an enrollment kiosk where a patron can come up, touch a screen, see the benefits of becoming a member, slide their driver’s license, and it’ll take just a couple of seconds to validate their information,” he explained. Finally, the patron enters their PIN, and the application processes the data while interfacing with the patron management system. And out pops a new player’s card!
On the flip side, FutureLogic Inc. displayed some of its newer products at the Indian Gaming trade show. Eric Walla, director of sales, North America, explained that products such as the TableXchange® printer/scanner, GEN3 Evolution® printer and PromoNet® promotional couponing provide an enterprise-wide solution for casinos. He stressed that it is particularly important for FutureLogic to attend this show because tribal gaming is a very important market segment—the show is a must-attend for companies looking to listen to customer’s concerns/needs and obtain invaluable insights from tribal gaming executives. “The Indian community uses gaming, as well as other means, to raise revenue to serve their community and the communities around them,” Walla said. “These resources are invaluable. We believe that providing some of the best products and always bringing some of the latest technology helps to keep these revenue streams viable given the state of the economy and a very competitive environment.”
Another company showing off something new was MGT, who had MGT On Slots on display. As Travis Carrico, vice president of sales and marketing, explained, with the push of a button at any video slot, MGT delivers a full-screen, full-scale interactive experience that can be custom-configured. Functionality and content capabilities include real-time marketing offers, predetermined by threshold, time and offer qualification, delivered via interactive promotional games. Real-time rewards such as free slot play, point and point multipliers, comps and comp multipliers, electronic drawing entries and drawing entry multipliers are all delivered instantly to a player’s account. Players can also check real-time account information and even check into and participate in electronic drawings. “What we do is give the marketing team the content to have something meaningful to get players to stay on the machine longer and play more,” he said.
A performer from the Yaaw Tei Yi Dancers of Juneau, Alaska, dances at the Cultural Reception.Slot-Tickets was excited to discuss promotional ticketing at NIGA—a new use for tickets that can add to their success. Slot-Tickets’ products are sold worldwide to all types of venues.
The tickets are used as boarding passes for cruise lines, lift passes for ski resorts, on-demand ticketing for the San Diego Padres and, of course, used by numerous properties in the tribal gaming industry. “The Native American market is very large for us,” said Susan Mitchell, managing director of sales at Slot-Tickets. “It’s what really kicked off the ticketing industry in the first place and has remained the core of our business for more than 13 years.”
CEM stopped by to chat with BIS², one of the recent winners of our acclaimed Slot Floor Technology Awards. BIS² was excited to display their products at the show. “We are thrilled to once again have taken part in the Indian Gaming trade show,” said Mukesh Gordhan, BIS² president. “It’s always an excellent opportunity to connect with our many valued customers.”
“I was enthusiastic about showcasing the BIS² technology at the Indian Gaming Show in Phoenix,” said Michael Paulos, senior industry specialist for BIS². “Having been an operator in the gaming industry for many years, I’ve seen first-hand how the BIS² technology is an essential analysis tool for today’s casino operators.”
At GCA’s booth, EVP & General Manager of Xchange Products Diallo Gordon told us that the focus is on their vertically integrated casino management product set. “It’s not just bill breaking and ticket redemption, which is what most people see when they see a kiosk or a self-service unit,” Gordon said. “We’re pushing full functionality to include ATM, debit, credit, bill break and ticket redemption transactions that are fully integrated.”
Many exhibitors we spoke with were of the opinion that the flow of attendees this year had increased. Eric Fisher, senior vice president at MEI, expressed that he was pleased with this year’s turnout, especially considering how essential a trip to this show is for gaming companies. “This is an important show for MEI because we see a lot of our key Indian gaming customers,” he said. “We had a lot of positive meetings with our key customers, proving why the show is an ongoing success.”
He further shared that MEI has a number of exciting ventures planned with casinos in Indian country. “We’ve had some exciting things happen in Indian gaming—a lot of retrofits this year at properties like Thunder Valley, San Manuel and Spirit Mountain,” he shared. “Operators have really been excited about SC Advance and EASITRAX Soft Count, with a great year in 2012 and a great start to 2013. Recently, we reached 100,000 EASITRAX installs and look forward to surpass that milestone with the release of Web EASITRAX—a portal based system that allows operators to create customized reports and track performance remotely.”
The TransAct team couldn’t have been happier with the turnout at the show either, especially considering an upcoming announcement they were able to build a lot of excitement around. Shortly after the trade show, TransAct announced a large Epicentral® installation at the Kalispel Tribe of Indians’ Northern Quest Resort & Casino in Spokane, Washington. The system, installed on all 1,800 games at Northern Quest, is the third installation of Epicentral at a Native American-owned casino.
On display at their booth was the EPICENTRAL Print System—the software system that allows casinos to market to their players directly at the slot machine. “It gives you the ability to personalize promotional coupons,” said Lou Kelly, director of sales, Americas. “You can include their name, their player number; you can do rewards, messaging, any kind of promotion—and you can actually drive it to the player at the slot machines.”
Formerly known as Sport View Technologies, technology provider SVT focused on both new and existing customers. SVT has regularly exhibited at NIGA but their intent this year was to promote a current and significant installation at Twin Arrows Casino in Arizona. “We are a holistic, low-voltage systems integrator,” said Josh Shanahan, SVT’s president. SVT is providing all audio and video communications from the hotel rooms to the slot floor. “We’re a one-stop shop!”
For Paul Gordon, vice president of sales at Rymax Marketing Services Inc., NIGA is one of the most unique trade shows in the industry. “It’s a very friendly, inclusive show,” he said. “Other trade shows can be somewhat cold and you’re just another exhibitor there, whereas NIGA really changes up the dynamic of it all.”
Rymax specializes in providing loyalty solutions to establishments like casinos, and Gordon says it’s one of the most interesting markets to watch. “Casinos are probably the fastest-growing market because of all of the expansion,” he said. “The most important thing that casino operators need to understand is that their players are much more intelligent today than they were two or three years ago. They can get information so quickly on their smartphones, and they realize when a product is a knock-off. It’s up to us to bring them the brands they recognize and desire.”
Gary Platt Manufacturing introduced several new chair models at their booth this year—they were asked to produce these models for operators and were so happy with them, they decided to showcase them at NIGA. Gary Platt also displayed new add-ons for their chairs, including handles that go on the outside back of their chairs and a new glide.
There weren’t any major changes made to the products that the company offers, but attendees were able to see the new looks created and improvements that have been made to the existing product line. Skip Davis, president at Gary Platt Manufacturing, saw this year’s show as an opportunity to connect with both new and existing customers. “Primarily at the show we are taking advantage of meeting with customers who have projects coming up that we’ve been talking to,” he said.
When moving to their Reno location, Gary Platt decided to initially focus on the emerging tribal gaming markets before turning their attention to the traditional markets. “The Native American casinos have really been a great market for us,” Davis said, “and as we’ve grown, we’ve been doing business with all of the corporate casinos and operators, but tribal will always be near and dear to our hearts since it is where we cut our teeth.”
The mood over at Gasser Chair Co.’s NIGA booth was vibrant as Roger Gasser, sales development manager, excitedly showed visitors the new products and shared what was going on with the company. Among those new products was the new Coltrane gaming stool, which Gasser says is lighter than its competitors because it’s made out of aluminum, while at the same time melding style, durability and ergonomics to increase player’s time on device. “Our booth visitors confirmed we met our design goal!” Gasser said. Gasser Chair Co. also showcased its patented Halo base to attendees. The Halo’s round, “floating” disc base is designed with edges slightly raised off the floor along a curve so it doesn’t dig into the carpet when the stool is moved by players or staff.
Compliance, Regulation & Finance
NEWave always enjoys the opportunity to come to the Indian Gaming trade show. The company has been involved with tribal gaming since its inception and the NEWave team is very supportive of all the tribes with which they work. “We see it as our job to help tribes maintain the highest levels of compliance, and our myCompliance Manager software suite has a number of tremendous solutions that have been very effective for tribal and non-tribal operators across the U.S.,” said Senior Vice President of Sales Clair Rogers. “In addition to helping tribes protect their bottom line against fines, we also maximize efficiencies with our myRevenue Manager and myDocument Manager software suites.”
In addition to their well-known products, NEWave, in partnership with JOSEPH EVE, was promoting their NWJE University, an online training program created to help casino staff stay on top of the latest compliance issues and maintain adherence to regulatory compliance training requirements.
For Mike Dreitzer, BMM’s COO of the Americas, the draw to any NIGA show is that many of those in the tribal gaming community gather to showcase new products and discuss new issues together from all sides. This year was no exception. BMM’s booth saw many visitors, and Dreitzer was pleased so many attendees sought them out.
BMM has been on a roll recently. Between a successful NIGA event, the grand opening of a new state-of-the art global headquarters, hiring more staff, expansion into new markets and testing new types of gaming, BMM is certainly a company on the move.
With more than 5,000 registered attendees, this year’s Indian Gaming show was deemed a success.
One major move for BMM, and the industry in general, is the trend toward mobile and Internet gaming in the U.S. Both were big topics discussed at NIGA. “Mobile gaming technology has existed for some time,” Dreitzer explained. “The issue is how to regulate it amongst the different tribes and different states and how to figure out what the standard should be.”
The Eclipse Compliance Testing team can always be found at any show with a smile on their faces. President Nick Farley and Vice President Janice Farley were proud to be there promoting three key service areas to attendees: training and consulting services for tribal gaming regulators; the testing of emerging technologies, such as wireless and Internet gaming; and testing of Class II gaming systems under the newly adopted NIGC revised technical standards.
Of course Internet gaming was a topic brought up at the Eclipse booth. “As we have seen throughout gaming history, Indian gaming continues to be the pioneers and trendsetters in the gaming industry,” Nick Farley stated. “Historically, we have seen Indian gaming as the first to introduce server-based gaming with the technological advancements made in Class II gaming almost 20 years ago. We have reason to believe that one or more Native American tribes may introduce some form of regulated Internet gaming in America first.”
The timing of the Indian Gaming tradeshow couldn’t be more perfect for GLI, coming shortly after the company’s recent, and very successful, North American Regulators Roundtable. The company focused on sharing vital information from this event with show attendees. GLI recently got survey results and feedback from Roundtable attendees, and Vice President Paul Magno explained that they plan to put that information out and start planning next year’s Roundtable soon. GLI has a few other initiatives planned for the rest of the year and 2014; most importantly, the company is looking to continue to expand. “We are completing a new hiring phase early this year, within the next two months, to grow so we can continue to reduce our turn-around time even further,” Magno shared.
Gaming Informatics also had exciting news for customers, both new and old. The company has now integrated BMM into their system, allowing customers to see both BMM and GLI approvals in one system—in one window—allowing properties to know all the components in their jurisdiction that are tested. “Our product has always been an integrated system and now BMM is part of that integration,” said President Grant Stousland. “We’re very excited.”
Indian Gaming trade show veteran Red-Horse Financial Group was delighted to be at another NIGA show and reported they had a great turnout at their booth and at their panels. Red-Horse Financial Group is proud to serve tribal nations as financial advisors and investment bankers. “We help them identify and structure money for their projects,” said Owner Valerie Red-Horse, “whether it’s brand-new construction, expansion or refinancing existing debt.”
There are several attributes that make Red-Horse Financial Group stand out in the tribal gaming industry. “We are Indian owned; I am of Cherokee heritage and we have worked with tribes for years,” said Red-Horse. “We understand tribal politics, needs and priorities; it’s not just about finding money.”
Architecture, Construction & Design
NIGA provides the perfect opportunity for those in the architecture industry to catch up with old clients, meet with prospects and maybe even add new clients to their roster. As JCJ Principal and COO Scott Celella told us, “We come to NIGA not only to showcase our projects and expertise, but to meet with long-time clients, friends and industry colleagues to rekindle relationships while also fostering new ones.” Celella acknowledges that the firm may not always make new clients at the show itself but explains that isn’t their only goal. “NIGA provides a unique opportunity for us to showcase our expertise and our ability to keep pace with the evolution of the industry,” he said.
Barry Thalden, principal of Thalden•Boyd•Emery Architects, expressed that without the Indian Gaming trade show, it would be almost impossible to meet with all their clients. “NIGA is a great show for us because all of our clients in Indian country do come and they all make a point of stopping and talking with us,” he shared. “That’s been valuable for us because most of our clients in Indian country are located in places that are often tough to get to; if we had to travel around the country to see them, it would be very challenging.”
Thalden firmly believes that this year’s show exuded more energy than previous ones, and sees this as an indicator of things to come. “One of the things that’s changed about NIGA this year, and to some extent last year, is that the tone is much more upbeat,” he said. Thalden is quite positive that the industry will get fully back on its feet and that firms involved in architecture and construction will begin to see more business. He told us: “We believe that going to the casino is experience-based. You’ve got to have an experience that’s worth having, and that’s why the amenities and the character of a casino are so important—this is where we come in. We’re the experience makers—we’re the guys that design the casino and make it worth coming to.”
For COST of Wisconsin Inc., attending NIGA is a must as the majority of its clients are from the Native American gaming market. “This show is a place for us to reconnect with existing clients, past clients and a way for us to showcase the work that we’ve just completed,” shared COST VP of Sales and Marketing Chris Foster. “If you look at the overall balance of work—Native American as opposed to other gaming venues—we’re probably 75 percent Native American.”
The firm has a great deal of experience working with museums and, as a result, COST is skilled in developing thematic and cultural elements that reflect a particular heritage. This knowledge easily lends itself to working with Native American casinos in which the expression of culture and heritage is important. Foster explains, “We dial into [our museum experience] to tell a story, as opposed to just constructing thematic decorative elements.”
Considering their motto, “Every Building Tells a Story®,” it is no surprise that Cuningham Group also enjoys the opportunity to create a cultural narrative for casinos in the Indian gaming market. Principal Tom Hoskens elaborated on exactly why this particular show is a draw for them, saying: “NIGA provides us with a whole other arena of casinos. Remember our motto? Every building tells a story about its site and the client’s vision. This motto has inspired our approach for many, many years and allows us to create designs and resorts that uniquely fit into a setting.”
Hoskens and Cuningham Director of Resort Development Brett Ewing both spoke on a panel at the show, where they discussed casinos of the future. “We’re focusing on the young generations,” Ewing said. “Their wealth is increasing—in fact some studies predict that by 2017 they will outspend baby boomers. We’re starting to design spaces with younger people in mind because they’re a generation that grew up with technology and they’re bored by big slot machines.”
Principal Thomas J. O’Connor of SOSH Architects also expressed that a focus on the future is essential. He voiced that not many people are discussing the integration of online gaming facilities into current structure and says that this is a question he plans to address with SOSH’s clients going forward. O’Connor also offered insight on various matters concerning casino development in the near future, most notably, the manner in which casinos are going about with expansions. “People need to focus on well-thought-out expansion, because money has to go further—you have to do more with less, so what you do really has to have an impact design-wise and customer-wise,” he shared.
This is what SOSH works with its client to achieve. “I think we’ve been able to help different nations and leaders,” chimed in Christopher Menchin, senior associate director of architectural production. “We show them what they can do, what people in other markets are doing, where they fit into that particular market, what amenities they should be bringing to their market and which amenities they should rethink. It’s time to switch out different amenities that they have, freshen them up, take them in a new direction.”
Kitchell Contractors took full advantage of the opportunity to promote its newest services at the Indian Gaming trade show. Kari McCormick, director of client services, told us: “We’re especially excited to share the new building information modeling technology we’ve used with great success on our projects as well as our customized Kitchell App for our clients’ use on iPads.”
Kitchell was also trying to make prospective clients and attendees aware of how much work the firm does with non-gaming amenities and infrastructure. “Retail development is very hot right now,” explains McCormick. “We’re seeing a great deal of that, along with expansions on casinos. One of our strengths is our ability to provide comprehensive construction services on active casinos while ensuring there are no disruptions to activities and patrons can continue to enjoy their favorite games.”
She also opined that people are beginning to feel more positive about the economy, resulting in more discussions on potential projects for those in architecture, construction and design. However, Indian communities are facing a new challenge—where to put their dollars. “I think those in Indian gaming are feeling pressure to build up more infrastructures within their communities and diversify their enterprises,” McCormick shared. “There are plenty of project opportunities out there, but the money isn’t all there yet. That’s the challenge.”
McCormick also had some words of advice for those who currently do not attend the trade show: “NIGA’s always been a really great show. We’ve put in a lot of time and money into this show, and it’s always paid off. So I would really encourage those who are on the wall about deciding whether they want to do something involved in NIGA, to think about next year in San Diego.”