VEGAS INC Magazine - Latest Las Vegas business news, features and commentaries about gaming, tourism, real estate and more
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/120010
VEGAS INC City growing as an LGBT travel hot spot By Andrea Domanick staff writer Aggressive outreach from LVCVA, MGM Resorts and couples," she said. "They're pretty progressive, and I'm When Robin Gans helped bring Dinah Vegas, or Girl Caesars Entertainment has led to a number of LGBT really glad. Why not? We're no different than anybody Bar Dinah Shore Weekend — one of the largest lesbian organizations expanding and moving their events from else." Caesars Entertainment, which has received a 100 perevents in the world — to Las Vegas last April, she hoped other popular destinations such as Palm Springs, Calif., cent score on the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate that it would draw enough attendees to fill the dance and Orlando, Fla., to Las Vegas. Gans brought Dinah Shore Weekend to Las Vegas last Equality Index six years in a row, is among several local floor at Paris Las Vegas' Chateau Nightclub. She expectyear after being approached by Caesars Entertainment. companies that are working to better serve the LGBT ed maybe a couple of hundred women. community working in and visiting Las Vegas. Wynn ReBut when 1,700 women showed up, Gans had to find a Now she says there's no looking back. sorts and MGM Resorts also received perfect way to accommodate them in the club and its scores on the HRC's 2013 Corporate Equality outdoor beer garden. Index; since the mid-2000s, their resorts have It's a scene Gans never would've pictured 10 established dedicated marketing initiatives or 15 years ago, when Las Vegas was a destinato attract LGBT customers. tion for gamblers and gawking tourists, not Chris Manley, president of the Orlandolesbians on getaways. based LGBT event week Gay Days, said Las "Vegas has changed a lot," said Gans, who Vegas never would have crossed his mind as a has co-produced the event, an offshoot of Dipossible host city for the event until he visited nah Shore Weekend, through her Girl Bar enfor the first time three years ago. tertainment group since 1990. "I think they've "It was like a light bulb went off," he said. realized what the lesbian, gay, bisexual and "Vegas is over the top as a travel destination, transgender market has to offer, and I think and it's a little more adult. It beats Orlando on they want our business. They've created a those aspects." vibe of: 'Why wouldn't we want to go?' I think Manley worked with the LVCVA to expand the Vegas frontier is really opening up to our the event to Las Vegas, signing a four-year community." contract to host Gay Days Las Vegas at the Gans isn't alone in her opinion. Since the Tropicana. Last year's inaugural event drew Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority 25,000 people. began marketing to the LGBT community in "Las Vegas committed to us. Orlando has the early 2000s, the city has stepped into the never done that. They don't sponsor or put spotlight as one of that demographic's pretheir names on any of our events," he said. mier travel destinations. "That's a big plus that Vegas gave us. People And winning that patronage is important see that the city wants us to be there." to Las Vegas: According to a 2009 study from Beyond ad campaigns, in recent years Community Marketing Inc., the average LVCVA, Caesars Entertainment and MGM Rehousehold income for gay men and women sorts have proved their mettle by attending is $81,500 — about 80 percent higher than events such as the International Gay and Lesthat of the average U.S. household. Another bian Travel Association's annual conventions, recent study by the Canadian Gay and Lesbihelping fund initiatives and including the oran Chamber of Commerce found that LGBT ganization on their advisory committees. travelers spent nearly twice as much per trip "We want to support destinations and hotel as their heterosexual counterparts and were groups that support our organization," said twice as likely to go on vacation. John Tanzella, the travel association's presiLas Vegas consistently ranks among the top courtesy of the lvcva dent. "They give, we give back." business and leisure destinations surveyed all-inclusive: The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority has launched Tanzella said LVCVA's initial push has had a annually by Community Marketing, a concampaigns targeting the LGBT community, including the "Everyone's welcome" ads. ripple effect across Las Vegas properties, transsumer research and marketing firm specializforming marketing to the gay community from ing in demographic studies of the LGBT commu"Palm Springs just can't compete at all. In Vegas, we an exception to a rule. nity's economic power. Last year, Las Vegas came in just "LVCVA made an effort to promote our market in the below New York City and San Francisco as a top leisure can do what we did in Palm Springs times 10," she said, citing lower event costs, a more liberal party environ- community," he said. "To everyone else, that said, 'This travel destination in a survey of 5,700 LGBT travelers. As Las Vegas holds steady with vacationers, its profile ment and flexibility from Caesars to expand the scale of is why, and you guys need to get your ducks in a row, as among LGBT businesses, organizations and events is the event to accommodate a larger crowd for this year's well.' " Today, events such as Gay Days and Dinah Vegas conrising. In the same 2012 survey, Las Vegas placed just Dinah Vegas in April. Gans said last year's weekend of below Chicago, New York City and Washington, D.C., as a events drew at least 2,000 visitors to Las Vegas, in addi- tinue to add to Las Vegas' credibility as a destination for top business travel destination; in 2009, Las Vegas didn't tion to a large local showing, and she expects that num- the LGBT community. "It's one thing to say that you are trying to entice LGBT ber to double this year. even rank. To make room, Caesars Entertainment is offering visitors or that you are LGBT-welcoming. It is another Since that year, the number of room nights booked by the LVCVA for meetings and conventions serving the gay Dinah Vegas use of the Flamingo's pool for its daytime thing to actually have offerings for the community," community has nearly quadrupled, from 6,000 in 2009 and opening night parties. But Gans said what's more said Richard Brower, director of LGBT marketing for to 22,500 in 2012, with a total nongaming economic im- important is that Caears is an equitable company to Caesars Entertainment. "Every time Vegas gets a large LGBT event, it gives a work for. pact of $30.6 million. "If we're going to be spending our money there, it's im- little credit to the city's LGBT outreach. ... We are showThose figures don't include social events, such as Dinah Vegas, which drew about 2,000 visitors, or LGBT portant that they treat their employees well. They have ing them that they are important to us and that we are conventions and events booked outside LVCVA, such as several top executives who are openly gay. ... They offer committed to making sure they not only feel welcome wonderful employment packages for gay and lesbian but have even more reasons to visit our resorts" MGM Resorts International's "Fabulous" weekend. | 8 APRIL 2013 20130408_VI01_F.indd 17 | 17 4/4/13 2:18:42 PM