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www.HartfordBusiness.com February 20, 2017 • Hartford Business Journal 3 Marking a Milestone After 25 years of ups and downs, Foxwoods Resort Casino plots next quarter century By Norman Bell Special to the Hartford Business Journal F or 25 years now, the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation has proven itself a sharp developer whose projects have provided entertainment for millions of visi- tors from across the region while providing a better life for tribal members. Foxwoods Resort Casino celebrated its 25th anniversary Feb. 15 with free con- certs by pop star Kesha and Motown legend Smokey Robinson, giveaways of $1 million to customers and a string of performances by major artists throughout the week. It hasn't always been pretty, with bond defaults and public rows with the state. But there can be no denying the development of North America's largest casino, an outlet mall, destination restaurants and hotels has changed the trajectory of eastern Connecticut and the finances of both the tribe and the state treasury. Now, as tribal leaders look ahead to Fox- woods' next 25 years, they see a changing landscape that plays a role in planning for the future. In the short term, major challenges include increased competition, especially from MGM's $950 million casino in Spring- field, which is currently under construction and is expected to open next year. Foxwoods has partnered with Mohegan Sun to try to open a third casino site in Connecticut to fend off that competition. "There are 1,511 casinos in the United States and gaming is increasingly becoming a commodity," observes Felix Rappaport, Foxwoods Resort Casino president and CEO. That means the focus has to be on the expe- rience, making sure every guest has a memo- rable time during each visit to Foxwoods. "The biggest challenges Foxwoods and other existing casinos face are tracking trends and brand differentiation," Rappaport said. "To be successful, you have to face the reality of the situation so that the best deci- sions can be made for the organization. For Foxwoods, we've put this idea into action by evaluating our opportunities outside of our existing offerings and seizing them." Two examples, he said, include Fox- woods' recent dining expansion (four new restaurants were announced last year) and the addition of outdoor experiences, like an ecotourism initiative and the return of an out- door concert series, both of which will launch later this year. Rappaport sees the future as following the model he experienced as a casi- no executive in Las Vegas. "Gaming will continue to be at the core of our business, so innovation there is impor- tant, but the expansion of entertainment, dining, shopping and hotel offerings are also vital to continued growth. We need to continue to not only meet our guests where they're at, but take them to new and unex- pected places as well." Paul LaRocca, Foxwoods' vice president of brand marketing, echoes that view: "Today, when people think of Foxwoods, they think of everything we have to offer in addi- tion to gaming, from top-tier entertainment to the latest and greatest in dining to the best shop- ping and hotel services and more. And we're only going to continue to grow — the future of the Foxwoods brand lies in our ability to con- tinue elevating the property's overall offering as a premier resort destination and consistently exceeding our guests' expectations." Just how that will be done remains a tight- ly held vision. As tribal leaders, taking the long view is nothing new. A master plan is in place but glimpses of that plan come on an almost "need-to-know" basis, officials said. "Foxwoods has a master plan but we have chosen to announce individual venues and attractions as they are approved, designed and funded, as opposed to making general- ized pronouncements," Rappaport explained. Last fall, Rappaport told the Hartford Business Journal he and the executive team had presented tribal leaders with a plan designed to remake the Foxwoods campus with an eye toward ecotourism. At the time, he said the projects could bring "hundreds of millions in investments." "Our plan to expand our resort experience with an unparalleled ecotourism component is on track," he confirmed "and we're excited to unveil the first phase with the launch of our zipline later this year." But he offered no hints as to what other Continued The construction team marks the topping off of Foxwoods' Grand Pequot Tower in 1996. P H O T O | F I L E P H O T O | F O X W O O D S Foxwoods CEO Felix Rappaport stands inside the casino's table gaming room, which has been a key revenue driver over the past 25 years. Success over the next quarter century, however, may rely on new entertainment offerings outside the gambling hall. www.kelsercorp.com 111 Roberts St, Suite D East Hartford, CT 06108 860 610 2200 Trade secrets, client data, your reputation, your license, your records, your money... What do you have to lose in a cyber attack? Probably more than you know. Kelser offers a no-cost cybersecurity assessment so that you can find out. www.kelsercorp.com/dontlose