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June 1, 2007 |
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| Looking up at Dover Downs | |||
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Pete Bradley, vice president and
general manager of slot operations at Dover Downs Hotel & Casino in
Delaware, recently took time to talk to Casino Journal about
the racino’s ongoing expansion and technological advancements.
Dover Downs Hotel & Casino recently unveiled a $56 million expansion that will significantly improve the property. Explain what that project will entail. BRADLEY: All told, The Colonnade project will be an approximate 70,000-squarefoot expansion with a projected completion date of August 2008. The major elements include: —A stunning new main entrance to the casino, which will reflect our garden theme. The main entrance area will be over 5,000 square feet and will have a lush garden-type feel. —A new gaming floor with room for an additional 500 slots. —Three new restaurant options, Vibrant Development Group (who provided leasing services to the Tropicana Atlantic City Quarter Development) to help us find compelling operators who will offer a unique, quality dining experience. —A new Dover Downs Hotel & Casino Fire & Ice Lounge will seat about 200 guests and provide an exciting nightclub venue to see live entertainment and other special events. Dover Downs Hotel & Casino recently unveiled its FunPlay technology, allowing for free online play of casino games. What is the end-goal of this program? BRADLEY: FunPlay and Bonus Game are part of our overall strategy to upgrade and generate more traffic to our Web site and ultimately to our property. The results so far have been promising, as we have seen a significant increase in Web traffic as well as new customers to our site. We are also in the process of totally revamping our Web site. Our upgraded Web site will be launched in June 2007. The FunPlay system by GameLogic is a suite of casino-style and casual games that allows our players to play at home anytime and as often as they choose. We recently added a “Bonus Game” where our Capital Club members receive 20 credits each day to play for a chance to win entries into all cash online giveaways. FunPlay with Bonus Game is a free, fun feature for our members and also allows new customers to easily sign up for Capital Club membership. How ready is your property for new technologies such as server-based gaming and new forms of cashless transactions? BRADLEY: We have been aggressive where we can in embracing new technology that will benefit our operation. We were the first track in Delaware to have a 100 percent TITO slot floor. We have been following the progress of server-based gaming, as well as other cashless gaming. We share the same general industry concerns and questions about server-based gaming. One of the primary concerns with server-based gaming is whether there will be an overall customer acceptance and comfort level. —Regina Lafay Editor’s note: this interview can be read in its entirety in the July edition of Casino Journal. |
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