U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS MAKES ITS GAMING CONFERENCE DEBUT
By Cathy O'Gara on 4th October, 2012
U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS MAKES ITS GAMING CONFERENCE DEBUT
~ The Department of Tourism continues its resort & casino development marketing efforts at the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas ~
U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS, October 3, 2012 – Armed with newly developed gaming-themed promotional materials and a host of additional visual aids and giveaway items, U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism marketing representatives were among the 26,000 members of the international gaming community at the 2012 Global Gaming Expo (G2E) in Las Vegas this week.
From October 2-4, several tourism officials manned a dedicated USVI exhibition booth at the Sands Expo and Convention Center with the primary goals of generating increased interest in the current gaming offering found on St. Croix at the Divi Carina All-Inclusive Hotel & Casino and uncovering opportunities for further gaming development throughout the Territory.
“We view the gaming industry as one with a high potential for growth, so it will be a major focus in the DOT’s fiscal year 2013 marketing strategy,” said Acting Commissioner of Tourism Brad Nugent. “We timed our advertising campaign to pique the gaming industry’s interest immediately prior to this conference and arrived prepared to bring the destination to life for attendees through our three-dimensional booth display and visual aids. The Casino Control Commission was instrumental in developing the information used in the Global Gaming Expo marketing collateral, which outlines the benefits of gaming development on St. Croix.”
Dubbed “the world’s leading gaming trade show and conference,” the G2E provided the DOT with exclusive access to educational experiences, industry experts and key networking opportunities. This year’s G2E offered a glimpse at the current state of affairs within the industry and the challenges that lie ahead. The “State of the Industry” panel session featured six top executives from leading operators and suppliers, including: Walter Bugno, president and CEO of Spielo International; Brian R. Gamache, chairman and CEO of WMS Industries Inc.; Dick Haddrill, CEO and director of Bally Technologies, Inc.; Patti Hart, CEO of International Game Technology; Michael Leven, president and COO of Las Vegas Sands Corp; and James Murren, chairman and CEO of MGM Resorts International. At the forefront of discussion was the convergence of land-based operations and online gaming, the advancement in gaming technologies and the preparation for the possible legalization of iGaming in the United States. Jim Ryan, Co-CEO of bwin.party digital entertainment plc., spoke at length about the growth of online gaming and its future.
G2E debuted in 2001 and is organized by the American Gaming Association (AGA) and Reed Exhibitions. For more information about G2E, visit www.globalgamingexpo.com
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