Vegas Buzz

The Palms Casino Story

How it got to be so hip

by Jerry Wilson

This is the first in a series of hopefully many articles covering the Palms Phenom... 

How an off-strip casino got to be the hippest casino resort in Las Vegas.

From brand name chefs such as Andre, to the GhostBar, to Skin, and many other of the hottest night spots with the clearest and most breathtaking views of Vegas, the Palms literally has it all. And, those that have it all, want more fun, and get it at the Palms.

Decried initially as the Rio was, as not hip because it was off the strip, the Palms was deemed a potential failure.  Nobody says that anymore, even the uninventive corporate bottom-line pursuing bureaucrats that have taken over the casino business.  Again, conventional wisdom strikes out.

Arguably, it might have been an accident.  Who'da  thunk an MTV reality series based at the Palms would transform it into the Mecca of Cool?

This was amidst rejections from strip casinos that had been approached.  They unwisely concluded TV filming would be disruptive to their business... Duh? How about people coming in because of it?  We'll never know what's behind these decisions.  They would appear to be prudent at the time.  But it's the wild and crazy offbeat marketing ideas that make money.  And the Palms continues to build on that success, and its own unique formula: Skin, skin and more skin, a view, glass ceilings and floors, and the finest food and entertainment  in Las Vegas.

This is significant, potentially to any advertiser, merchandiser or marketer, as those attracted to hip and cool things continue to be the coveted 17 - 34 age group, or read, 'foot-loose and fancy-free' for the most part - with money. Often unmarried, unfettered and or between marriages.  As we know from the Brittany deal, Vegas marriages can be short (Brittany has the dubious honor of the shortest marriage in Vegas history - 'I do' done and undone in the same trip).

Then again, was the Palms always inherently cool? Did its inherent coolness contribute to the success of MTV's 'Real World?"  Certainly, it's been successful before, during and after, and now today, even more so.

Contests such as "The Palms Girl" have been milked for all they're worth, and frenzied party people can't get enough.  After all, the Palms has become "The Party Place" - although other places such as the Beach, The RA and many casino nightclubs try to claim that privilege.  It's not the same.  Not anymore.

The Palms Story could be equated to Starbucks. What's the connection? You might say.  The Palms is a casino that's too cool for most people.  Starbucks is more or less a trendy upscale coffee place.  Not for everyone. Well, upon closer examination you'll see that the common thread is 'culture.'  Whereas Starbucks created a 'coffee culture,' the Palms created a very cool, very hip 'casino culture,' that's not only hard to define, but virtually impossible to pin down.

While many casinos, particularly a 'locals casino' like the Palms was originally intended to be, fought for the lucrative 50 plus or retiree market, the Palms inadvertently created a machine to win the pocketbooks of the moneyed young traveler demographic.  Well-heeled celebrities and wealthy jetsetters with money to burn.

Ghost Bar - The Place to be Seen

With its glass floors and breathtaking views of the Las Vegas Strip, the Ghost Bar is clearly the place to be and be seen at.

Aladdin Attempting to Recruit Top Palms Management for Bankrupt Aladdin

The Palms' management talent has not gone unnoticed, hungrily eyed and stalked by such denizens of the deep as Planet Hollywood.

Word has it Planet Hollywood is raiding top casinos to head up management at its new casino to be named "Planet Hollywood Hotel and Casino,' to replace the ill-fated Aladdin, which despite its name has had little magic in its history, and successive generations of management have declared bankruptcy over the past decade or so.  Time to let the Genii back out of the bottle and make a few serious wishes.

Planet Hollywood itself has fared no better, closing many of its outlets around the world.  But that's another story. Planet Hollywood has allegedly recruited General Manager Mike Mecca (what's in a name?) from Green Valley Ranch Station, another hip and trendy casino that despite its off-strip location in Henderson, managed to develop its own beautiful people jetsetter niche.

Planet also have their eyes on - and justifiably so - Marko Greisen, who recently held a birthday bash with 1,000 at the Palms' Skin Pool Lounge last month.  The gala event was attended by such luminati as Robin Leach, Dennis Hawkins, Jamie Foxx and wealthy hotel owner George Maloof.  Grieisen was responsible for making Ghostbar one of the hippest evening destinations in Las Vegas. 

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