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Cannery Decides Against Outside Hotel Brands

LAS VEGAS -- Cannery hotel-casino executives have made some critical decisions about how they plan to operate their $100 million North Las Vegas locals casino, executives said Monday.

They'll operate the 201-room hotel, now under construction at the southwest corner of the intersection of Craig and Losee roads, without a national brand.

Instead of Holiday Inn or Ramada-style brand affiliations, executives decided to use the Cannery moniker for both the hotel and casino, similar to the way Goliath competitors Station Casinos and Coast Casinos do at their properties, executives said.

And that's no accident, as the Cannery's owners hope to mirror their competitors' success and create a branded-property identity that could translate to more casinos in other parts of the valley.

Cannery Casino Resorts Vice President of Marketing Tom Willer said the decision not to affiliate with a national hotel brand was an easy one.

Hotel brand affiliations could drive room sales but would also siphon significant dollars to pay for the name and Internet and phone reservation systems.

"We can fill the hotel on our own," Willer said. "We feel there are a number of ways for us to keep the rooms full."

The proximity of nearby Nellis Air Force Base is one key reason for Cannery bosses' confidence, he said, noting that last year base-related visits contributed 400,000 hotel room nights to the local economy.

Also important will be North Las Vegas residents who need a place to stay for visiting friends and relatives.

A number of light industrial businesses surround the Cannery site; property bosses expect North Las Vegas-based business visitors and Interstate 15 travelers to target the Cannery.

And it should be easy to find, executives said.

The Cannery's signature landmark, a 120-foot smokestack, is plainly visible from I-15. The property's design is meant to fit into its blue-collar surroundings and evoke the feeling of post-World War II industrialism - minus, of course, the grit and the smoke.

The resort will also have about 1,277 video poker machines and slot machines in a 50,000 square-foot casino.

The interior of the casino will be a straightforward locals casino style with central table games pits and a bar surrounded by video poker machines and slots.

Food outlets including Cannery Row Buffet, Victory's Cafe, Waverly's Steakhouse, Casa Cocina Mexican restaurant surround the rectangular building's perimeter.

Willer said the casino has two primary markets: the largely blue-collar workforce employed within a three-mile radius, and North Las Vegas residents, particularly the affluent homeowners moving into new residential developments in northern North Las Vegas.

"We think the property will have tremendous blue-collar appeal," Willer said. "We've loaded up on the fun."

In addition to check-cashing and slot club promotions, tried-and-true marketing approaches they've borrowed from other successful operators, Cannery bosses have another trick up their sleeves.

They plan to use the property's multi-purpose entertainment venue and a courtyard and pool area behind the hotel to host dozens of festivals and special events each year.

Willer said the approach hasn't been tried before, at least with the intensity Cannery bosses envision.

Chili-cooking competitions, holiday festivals, even a January competition to choose Las Vegas' best football game tailgaters are the types of events that Cannery executives think will make the property fun and cement local residents' ties to the property.

"We're going to have cookoffs, dance parties, and anything we can think of to make the Cannery exciting and fun," Willer said.

The Cannery's owners, former Circus Circus Enterprises executive Bill Paulos, Nevada Palace boss Bill Wortman and Las Vegas Paving honcho Bob Mendenhall, together own the property's parent company, Cannery Casino Resorts.

Cannery Casino Resorts is expected to announce today that former Palace Station casino executive Jim Dickstein has been named Cannery general manager.

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