Do you know where the last coin-operated slot machine is on the Strip? I bet you don’t, and a month ago, neither did I. (It’s the Blazing 7’s at Circus Circus)
When I first came to Las Vegas and joined KDC’s MGM Resorts team, I spent as much time as I could going over document after document, trying to familiarize myself with the ten casino/hotel properties that I now represent. And let’s be realistic here. It’s hard to memorize 50+ room products, another 50+ spa products, plus another 30+ attractions all in one week before I jumped on the pitching machine.
Fast forward. It’s been four months now, and I’m glad to say I know the hotels well enough that I can visualize different story angles. But, I still don’t know everything.
That became glaringly obvious to me when I was invited on guided tours at each of the properties. I was blown away at how much I didn’t know. MGM’s PR veterans compared room rates, showcased top amenities and shared their secrets of best places for journalists to experience Las Vegas, all without batting an eyelash.
Clearly, reading doesn’t mean knowing.
And now, after hours of hiking through hallways and restaurants, learning insider tips and riding on two roller coasters, I’m slowly grasping the whole picture of each property. Best of all, I’m pitching from my own first-hand experience in addition to the memorized facts.
It’s important to get to know your clients. Take an afternoon and go visit them, listen for insider tips, and see a different side of the product through their eyes. And it’s even better when one of them has a dolphin habitat.
Here are a few things that I learnt from these adventures:
1. The Roller Coaster at New York-New York is scary. Really scary.
2. The next time I want to go to a Mandalay Bay Beach concert, you’ll find me grabbing a bite at the outdoor terrace of Border Grill. Talk about sitting right on top of the stage!
3. Mandalay Bay suites have interesting mini-bar items such as the travel box (razor, slaving cream, comb etc.) and the…er… love box. I’ll let you figure that out yourself.
4. There are beer pong tables in Excalibur. ‘Nuff said.
5. And my favorite hidden gem: Circus Circus has gorgeous rooms and unbeatable room rates that are rarely advertised. Not to mention their resort passport includes two free drinks and two free rides at Adventuredome.
*MGM Resorts International properties in Las Vegas include CityCenter, Bellagio, Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand, The Mirage, Monte Carlo, New York-New York, Luxor, Excalibur and Circus Circus.
