[toc]Wynn Resorts’s reputation is one that emphasizes entertainment over gambling. So, the company’s latest innovation is not exactly surprising.
The Wynn Casino in Las Vegas is now offering master classes. The property already offers courses for gambling-related ventures, like sports betting. These new courses focus on other activities, like hair styling and baking.
Master classes give public face to Wynn Casino staffers
The Nevada casino experimented with the Master Class concept in the spring. Wynn offered a handful of classes which put some of their most valuable behind-the-scenes employees in the spotlight.
The series of classes were such a success, the company decided to expand the offerings year-round. To get a sense of what the classes offer, check out the promotional video from the first series:
The new round of classes focuses mostly on spirits and food. Tapping a wide variety of culinary experts on the property, classes include:
- Wine tasting
- Brewmaking
- Champagne tasting
- Sushi technique
- Cake decorating
There are a handful of classes outside of the kitchen as well. Those offerings include poker lessons and a session with the Wynn’s resident oddsmaker, Johnny Avello.
Prices for the classes range from $95 to $150. The current schedule runs from now through December.
Michael Weaver, the chief marketing officer for Wynn, spoke with the Las Vegas Review-Journal about the program:
“Every indication is that this will become a permanent feature. The classes enable guests to deepen the experience they have in the hotel. That can only be good for us.”
Weaver also hinted that Steve Wynn himself is offering suggestions for future classes. One suggestion was to include customers in the process of planning the elaborate New Years Eve plans for the property.
Classes latest non-gambling addition to Wynn Las Vegas
Wynn, both the man and the company, is a pioneer of non-gaming innovation in Las Vegas. After all, he started the mega resort phenomenon with The Mirage in the 1990s. More recently, his latest plans for Wynn and Encore include a massive park that features no gaming at all.
The new Paradise Park project will cost $1.5 billion. The park will be built on the golf course area behind Wynn and Encore on the Las Vegas Strip. The project includes a giant lagoon as well as a series of restaurants and shops in addition to convention space and hotel towers. Wynn compared the project to Disneyland, really hitting home the family and kid-friendly nature of the endeavor.
Now that Wynn is committing so much money to making its Vegas properties more family-friendly, it only makes sense to add more features to draw in customers that have no interest in gambling. The master classes are just a small step in that direction too. It is reasonable to expect even more new non-gaming features before Paradise Park launches.
