Hail Caesars

Vacation Agent recently sat down with Caesars Entertainment President and CEO Gary Loveman to discuss new developments at the company. These include the forthcoming opening of The Cromwell, a new boutique hotel on the Las Vegas Strip in what formerly was Bill’s Gambling House/Barbary Coast; Caesars’ partnership with Live Nation bringing top entertainment to its Planet Hollywood property; and the development of the new Caesars Travel Agent Academy.

Is Las Vegas officially “back” now? How is visitation overall? And how are occupancies and rates holding up for 2014?

We’re very excited about the trends in Las Vegas. In addition to visitation gains, both gaming and non-gaming spending are increasing. Given the recent demand, we expect both room occupancies and rates to be strong this year.

Can you talk about the Caesars Entertainment affiliate program? Why should travel agents link their websites to Caesars through this program? What are the benefits of becoming a Caesars affiliate?

Caesars Entertainment has one of the world’s largest hotel-casino affiliate programs, rewarding published commissions for 30-plus properties across the U.S. As an affiliate, you will earn commission from room sales at resorts or ticket sales for star performers.

Our tracking and reporting platform, Impact Radius, enables seamless integration to get started quickly, earning compensation from incremental traffic. Top-performing affiliates can receive additional bonus offers and incentives to increase traffic share to Caesars Entertainment web properties.

What about The AXIS at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino and your new partnership with Live Nation Entertainment? What will the new partnership provide for Caesars Entertainment?

Planet Hollywood has been an important addition to our Las Vegas portfolio and plays a pivotal role in our entertainment strategy for the city. Not only will The AXIS provide concert-goers a one-of-a-kind experience inside a unique setting, our agreement with Live Nation also will ensure that we deliver A-List entertainment that will solidify the venue’s reputation as the city’s premier live-music destination.

This is Live Nation’s first significant alliance with a venue of this size in Las Vegas and will provide Caesars with access to Live Nation’s vast artist network. Live Nation will bring a dedicated team to work closely with our entertainment team to secure an impressive set of resident headliners and top touring acts, such as the deal we have with Britney Spears at The AXIS.

What should travel agents know about The Cromwell? What can you tell us about the accommodations and amenities, the restaurant, the rooftop nightclub and the design?

The Cromwell is the first stand-alone luxury boutique hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip. With its prime location on one of the Strip’s busiest intersections, The Cromwell [in the renovated former Bill’s Gambling Hall] will feature 188 rooms, including 19 suites, a 40,000-square-foot casino, hotel lobby bar, lounge, Giada De Laurentiis’ first restaurant (GIADA), the city’s only rooftop pool deck, and day and nightlife venues by Victor Drai.

The Cromwell will blend vintage with modern inspiration from the Coste Hotel in Paris. Hotel amenities include 24-hour room service, concierge service, a small-service business center and a gym with state-of-the-art equipment and Strip views.

The hotel lobby is reminiscent of a parlor from the past; accessories and bookshelves adorned with leather-bound books clad the walls.

GIADA will be open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and will be able to accommodate up to 260 guests. The dining room will showcase automatic retractable windows boasting prime views of the Las Vegas Strip. The menu will embrace De Laurentiis’ Roman heritage, mirroring her passion for Italian cooking with vibrant, Californian influences.

Drai’s Beach Club • Nightclub, located on the rooftop of The Cromwell, will elevate the Las Vegas day life and nightlife scene with a stylish and spirited pool experience. Again, taking advantage of the location, it will grant patrons access to some of the best views of the city.

How can travel agents better sell Caesars Palace today? What should they focus on? What other Caesars-owned resorts should travel agents highlight in Las Vegas or elsewhere?

We are investing about $1 billion in new development, renovation and creation of new amenities in Las Vegas. These include the $550 million LINQ open-air district in the center of the Las Vegas Strip, anchored by the High Roller, the world’s tallest observation wheel.

We’re spending roughly $200 million to build the Cromwell. The Quad and Bally’s are being upgraded with room and casino renovations and new restaurant offerings.

Caesars Palace has received numerous honors for its new Nobu hotel and restaurant, the Bacchanal Buffet and the Laurel Collection. In a private corridor at Caesars Palace, guests enjoy exclusive hotel registration, a private valet entrance and direct access to the sprawling Garden of the gods pool oasis.

What can travel agents expect from Caesars in the near future? Is Caesars doing anything differently than it traditionally has in the past?

We are developing a new Caesars Travel Agent Academy to inform agents about the diversity of products and services we offer nationwide, whether their clients are seeking gaming action, ski vacations, golf getaways, fine dining, entertainment, spas and night clubs or meeting facilities, all enhanced by personalized customer service. The academy will provide agents with important destination information as well as selling tips on each of our resorts.

Is there anything else you would like to tell travel agents about Caesars?

We greatly appreciate the support of that community and want to provide them with the information they need to serve their customers. Our online resource portal, CaesarsTravelAgents.com, is a comprehensive platform designed specifically to communicate with our loyal agents about the dynamic changes in our business. From resort renovations to new product additions and incentive programs.

CaesarsTravelAgents.com is dedicated to keeping agents updated and equipped to sell our properties.