Latest GFJ: The Power of Twitter

My much-anticipated Green Felt Journal piece about casino tweeting–which inspired me to finally claim @unlvgaming and get to work–is out, in today’s Vegas Seven:

Casinos are always looking for new ways to reach customers. So it’s no surprise that they’ve embraced Twitter, the popular social networking application that lets anyone tell the world, in 140 characters or less, “what’s happening.”

Casino tweets range from straight-up promo offers TI Suite Sale $50 F&B + 20% Off Spa / Also $61 Strip View w/free breakfast to single-sentence press releases Celine Dion is returning to @CaesarsPalace and will be back home at the ColosseumatCP 3/15/2011! to actual interaction with followers Hey #vegas tweeps, come introduce yourself this Saturday night! #stationsocials.

On one hand, it’s great that casinos are connecting with potential customers, whether it’s by smoke signals or Short Message Service. On the other, just because you can do something, it doesn’t mean you should. Does all of this tweeting, retweeting and following actually add anything to the bottom line, or is it just sound and fury for the sake of sound and fury?

via Tweets connecting casinos with potential customers | Vegas Seven.

It was a fun piece to write, and I learned quite a bit from my talks with Brandie and Hunter (though to be fair, I get to talk to Hunter every few weeks on the Vegas Gang). With an Advertising and New Media Summit at the next Casino Marketing Conference, it’s clear that social media is increasing in importance for casinos, just as it is for other businesses.

100% Aria cell service by end of March

It just had a great talk with Bobby Baldwin about Aria for an article I’m writing for Vegas Seven about the first 100 days of CityCenter.

Talking to people at the property and online, and having gotten too few bars there myself, one of the questions I asked him was about cell phone service.

His response:

“The building has one of the most sophisticated cell phone antenna networks around, but unfortunately we didn’t get all of the business done before opening. All the deals are now done, and we’re going to have 100% coverage. AT&T will be turned on by next week, and Verizon by the end of the month.”

So there you have it: If you’re booking travel to Las Vegas soon, you’ll be able to talk, text, and twitter with no limits at CityCenter.

Given that you can count on one (or maybe two) hands the people in town who have more experience than Mr. Baldwin at opening up major resorts (Mirage, Treasure Island, Bellagio, re-opening Beau Rivage after Katrina), he’s got a great insight on the first 100 days. I’ve already collected a great deal of information from guests, and I’m looking forward to talking to a few other folks at the company and getting the article done.