T PLACE YOUR BETS Holding your event at a casino can pay off by Richard Woodbury While the word “casino” generally brings to mind visions of glitzy rooms filled with slot machines and gaming tables, the reality is they’re multi-dimensional facilities well suited to handling corporate meetings and events. They offer an experience that leaves visitors happy and the abundance of on-site infrastructure simplifies things for corporate meeting and event planners. Today’s casinos aren’t the casinos of yesterday. “We’re trying to get away from the perception, ‘OK, it’s just a hotel and a casino.’ It’s a lot more than that,” says Chris Grimes, Marketing Manager for the Stoney Nakoda Resort & Casino in Kananaskis, AB. Located halfway between Calgary and Banff, Stoney Nakoda likes to market itself as being the means to “Explore the basecamp of the Rockies,” and partners with third-party providers to do that through things such as helicopter tours, whitewater rafting, horseback riding, skiing, stargazing and snowshoeing. “For a corporate retreat, it’s a prime location,” says Grimes. “You’re away from the hustle and bustle of the city. You’re out in the mountains and there’s a lot more to see and do out here.” For corporate meetings and events, the option to incorporate these activities is certainly appealing to add some spice to the function. Many casinos offer accommodations as well, so for people attending corporate meetings and events, they can get where they need on foot. “They’re not having to go and travel anywhere,” says Grimes. “They’re not having to get up in the morning, walk to a convention facility, go somewhere for lunch and then go back to their hotel, get changed, go out for dinner. It can be all right here if they want. If they want to get out and take a break, then they can go out and take an excursion. The area out here is a beautiful area in the Kananaskis Valley.” 32 CORPORATE MEETINGS & EVENTS corporatemeetingsnetwork.ca