The striking resort was designed from the start to stand out from its industrial surroundings. “You have every segment of the business in those markets as well,” he said. Gullbrants, who spent a decade in executive roles in Wynn’s Vegas properties before coming to Boston, said the philosophy here is not so different from those locations. “Just because they’re synonymous with luxury or higher-end doesn’t mean they can’t be successful outside of a market like Vegas and Macau,” Mansfield said.
Mansfield, lead gaming analyst at Fitch Ratings, said he believes Encore can successfully adapt in New England ― though that might mean tweaking some elements of Wynn’s traditional approach to running a resort casino. Less opulent options may be a way to get more regular players in the door, and keep them coming back.īut for Wynn Resorts, which built its brand by being a high-end name in the casino meccas of Las Vegas and Macau, adapting to the needs of a regional market is a new challenge.Ĭolin A. Encore, like other casinos in the region, has been struggling to attract slots players at the levels it expected when the company was eyeing the affluent Boston region six years ago.
Casinos regularly make such readjustments as they get a sense of their strengths and weaknesses in a particular market.