THE TOOLS
Does your casino entertainment booking agency understand what tools are available at your disposal for reopening your concert venue? If they have yet to review the options, we’ve assembled a myriad of new preventative safety equipment, logistical solutions, and precautionary measures that could become the new standard within the tribal casino entertainment industry for you. Some of these tools and equipment repurpose old technology but have a modern twist while others are innovative and on the cutting edge of science and technology. Now, we understand that vaccination may be the ultimate COVID prevention tool, but not everyone wants a vaccine and that doesn’t mean concert venues or casino entertainment booking agencies should be complacent.
Statistics show that it takes around 1,000 particles of COVID-19 to effectively transmit this virus to another individual and we now know that wearing a mask reduces the volume of particles exhaled by up to 90%. Because of this, they’ll for sure be a no drinking policy as well as a mandatory mask requirement within concert venues in Indian Country moving forward. Think about it. Humans breathe 8-12 times a minute and the average person could exhale 30-40 COVID particles in a single breath. How long would it take for the infected to cause an outbreak if the entire crowd was laughing, singing, and drinking freely without a mask? That question is probably better left unanswered.
As the options for alternative live entertainment unveil themselves to casino entertainment booking agencies, so does the demand for a safer more controlled environment. Consider this, studies show that being outside reduces the odds of COVID transmission because of the UV and open air. The odds can be further reduced by wearing a cloth mask and social distancing. In short, consider leveraging the advantages of using outdoor spaces for events as casinos continue to reopen. For the casino entertainment booking agencies aiming to achieve the highest level of safety while reopening their casinos, these are some of the additional options and instruments available for concert venues moving forward.
TIP #1
One of the best ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 or any viral infection is to practice social distancing. This isn’t exactly an item anyone can purchase directly but it is a vital concept. And there are many different types of ticketing platforms that can help any venue create a social distancing layout with a seating manifest. The manifest will help identify what the property stands to make in the event that the show sells out, but it will also help determine what a safe capacity looks like on paper before the event goes on sale.
TIP #2
Another useful COVID-19 prevention tool available for casino entertainment booking agencies in Indian Country is virtual queuing. Virtual queuing is the best way to prevent congestion at an attraction, in lobbies, entryways and now at the box office. Typically this process is contactless and is coordinated by a professional or team of professionals via an app. The benefit of this process is two-fold. First, it prevents ticket holders from losing their spot in line should they need to grab a drink or use the lavatory. Second, it stimulates your clients’ sense of freedom, which will also entice the ticket holder to explore your property whilst unlocking the potential for more spending. Additionally, it is possible to offer different price levels with multiple price points. These can come in the form of packages that could be tailored to fit each patron’s preferred wait time and preference. This could also be integrated into a tiered players’ reward program.
TIP #3
Additional emerging technology for casino entertainment booking agencies to use for reducing the spread of COVID-19 within concert venues is environmental fogging. The best part of fogging is that the application requires no personal protective equipment to administer, which means the concert space is also ready for use almost immediately after the application is complete. Now, this isn’t the traditional fog machine that would get requested in a tour rider.
These environmental ULV foggers disperse high-quality, organic, biodegradable, and CDC-approved nontoxic vapor that comes from its hydrogen peroxide base. One study executed by PubMed showed that fogging reduced C.difficile spores per part by 99.99% with the right product. The importance of using multiple cleaning methods to properly cleans any area cannot be overlooked, however. Just because science continues to prove that COVID-19 isn’t likely to spread through surface contact, that doesn’t mean there’s room for complacency. Regardless, it is important to remember that the fogging method only provides a safeguard against viral airborne particles in most situations.
TIP #4
Perhaps the most technologically advanced machine that could help reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19 while in a concert venue is the far-UVC light Cleanse Portal. Extensive use of traditional UVC light is proven to be dangerous for use on people because of the negative effects it has on the skin and eyes. Far-UVC light is considered to be safe since its rays are incapable of penetrating the dead cells of our skin and eyes. This means the far-UVC rays have no chance of damaging the live cells either. The portals themselves resemble a magnetometer and sanitize the entire exterior of the human body in 20 seconds.
You can increase the level of safety even more by swapping out the recessed lighting in a venue’s pre-function area with far-UVC bulbs as well. In general, UV light halts the growth and reproduction of microorganisms by denaturing essential proteins. Because of this, the UVC light will kill organisms in frequently missed areas. This preventive method requires very little with regard to manpower. In fact, most portals are self-contained and require little to no supervision. There are some potential drawbacks, however. Such as shadows or unscanned parts of the body that could still be harboring potentially harmful bacteria. Additionally, they can be expensive to produce.
TIP #5
All of these protective tools, ideas, and resources are great options but they are only a fraction of what is available for casino entertainment booking agencies, venue reps, and producers in the tribal gaming industry. The bottom line: nothing will truly protect us 100%. And as easy as it is to get caught up in the latest safety trends, try to remember that the fundamentals of gaming are more important now than ever. What does that mean? It means that the gaming component is the primary focus of any casino operation, not concerts, or live entertainment.
For the most part, those who are comfortable coming out to gamble, will, and those who are not, simply won’t. And to be honest, a free tribute concert or buffet probably isn’t going to change their minds right now. Luckily most hardcore gamblers today are risk-tolerant which is why many casinos are starting to rebuild momentum and claw their way back to profitability. In closing, it isn’t about using concerts or live entertainment to drive business anymore. It’s more about maintaining the gaming volume on the floor while minimizing expenses until concert venues can operate in full capacity once again.
For more information about restarting your casino entertainment program, contact Troy Wyatt, the owner of Seattle Entertainment Group – the only Native Owned and Operated casino entertainment booking agency in the world.
He can be reached at (425)530-9913 or at Troy@seattletalentbuying.com
