VEGAS INC Magazine - Latest Las Vegas business news, features and commentaries about gaming, tourism, real estate and more
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IN BUSINESS THE STRIP CASINOS TRACK, INTERACT WITH GUESTS VIA SMARTPHONE APPS By Ron Sylvester staff writer Smartphone applications powered by a local manufacturer are changing the way people interact with casinos, restaurants, shows and other attractions along the Strip. MGM Resorts International says there have been about 800,000 downloads of more than a dozen iPhone and Android apps that people can use to explore Mandalay Bay, Luxor, Monte Carlo, Bellagio and other megaresorts. "The response has been phenomenal," said Lou Ragg, vice president of Internet operations and marketing for MGM Resorts. MGM began using the technology in 2010, with apps developed by MacroView Labs of San Francisco. Last year, Las Vegas-based Bally Technologies purchased MacroView. The apps allow resorts to target users by GPS signal, offering different deals depending on how close they are to their destinations. "They allow you to see certain information you can only see at the properties, which is different from the information you can see if you're at the airport," said Aron Ezra, vice president of mobile technology for Bally, who led the team that worked to develop the MGM apps. Ezra is the former CEO of MacroView. A customer with the app may be having dinner at Aria and receive notice of a special in the casino. Someone in Tulsa, Okla., can use the Monte Carlo's app to book rooms at the resort and make other travel reservations. A conventiongoer at Mandalay Bay can check conference schedules on customized features on that resort's app. Other apps allow users to book a dinner reservation or a nightclub table. Apps give a personal approach to staying in contact with visitors, Ragg COURTS SHOPPING CENTER FILES FOR BANKRUPTCY REORGANIZATION BOOK OF LISTS VERY FEW THINGS HAVE A LONGER SHELF LIFE By Steve Green senior staff writer Problems with another Las Vegas commercial real estate loan resulted in yet another bankruptcy filing on March 7. Sahara Towne Square LLC, owner of a shopping center at Sahara Avenue and Maryland Parkway, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and reorganization. The shopping center at 2520 and SPAM KETCHUP PACKET HONEY 2650 S. Maryland Parkway is anchored by a Smith's grocery store. The center is owned by a California partnership called Desert Lakes Apartments. Tenants there include All Discount YEAR LONG. OUR BOOK OF LISTS DOES. You want 365 days of advertising impact? Reserve ad space in the 2013 Book of Lists. It's a resource that the Valley's top executives use all year long. With thousands of contacts and potential customers, it's something they keep at their fi ngertips, giving you year-round results. Want to prolong the life of your business? Place your ad in the 2013 Book of Lists today. Call a VEGAS INC Advertising Consultant at 702.990.2443 for space reservations or sponsorship opportunities. 2013 Sponsor THERE'S NOT MUCH THAT LASTS ALL Vacuum & Sewing, Cemondel's Bakery Shop, China Star, Jack In The Box, Koster Finance, Los Toritos Grill, Mail Boxes Etc., Metro PCS, Nail Craze, Beauty Supply Warehouse, Office 7 Lounge, Super Cuts, the Original Thai BBQ and some doctors' and dentists' offices. The bankruptcy filing said the center, which generated income of nearly $1.6 million last year, has assets valued on paper at $13.8 million and liabilities of $9.6 million. The timing of the bankruptcy 10 suggested it was filed to block a hearing planned for March 8 in a state court, Clark County District Court. U.S. Bank, which is trying to foreclose on the shopping center, filed suit on Feb. 24 in state court against Sahara Towne Square. During the March 8 hearing, it planned to ask the court to appoint a receiver to take over and supervise the property — but that hearing will likely be called off because of the bankruptcy filing. U.S. Bank is owed nearly $9.6 million by Sahara Towne Square, the bankruptcy filing says. If a compromise can't be reached in Bankruptcy Court, U.S. Bank can petition the court for permission to complete its foreclosure. The March 7th bankruptcy filing is just the latest in a series of debt defaults to hit the Las Vegas retail sector during the recession. During the fourth quarter, retail vacancies locally were running at 10.6 percent, according to one analysis — more than triple the 3.2 percent rate during the boom year of 2006. | 19 MARCH 2012 | said. That's increasingly important as Vegas casinos compete to keep people on their sites longer. Opportunities last only a few days. Of the more than 700,000 people who arrive in Vegas each week, most stay less than five days, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. While in town, the average tourist will visit more than six casinos and see three shows. "Being able to reach consumers through smartphone applications is a huge opportunity for the industry," said Randall Fine, a gaming consultant. "I'm a huge believer in the power of mobile." Some may wonder why they have to download separate apps for each property. Ezra said a shared app would be cumbersome. "You're really limited in size, and these properties are huge," he said. "The MGM Grand alone has hundreds of pages of content." Along the Strip, you're talking about SEE SMARTPHONE PAGE 13 2012 BOOK OF BUSINESS LISTS CHRIS MORRIS