NorthBay biz travels a little further north than usual to report on Twin Pine Casino’s new luxury hotel and Wine Country-themed casino renovation.
With the number of North Bay casinos now in the double digits (if you include Lake and Mendocino counties), it’s hard to know which to visit or how to distinguish between what each has to offer. Twin Pine Casino and Hotel in Middletown, just 15 miles north of Calistoga at the top of the Napa Valley, hopes to be the newest destination of choice for those looking to get lucky on a quick getaway.
Of course, the 14-year-old Twin Pine isn’t new. It first opened its doors Thanksgiving weekend 1994 in a small building constructed by the Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians. In 1910, the then-Lake Miwok Indians purchased 110 acres of land and established a rancheria through the 1906 Congressional Act for California Landless Indians. In 2001, the tribe expanded the casino space by adding a larger, tent-like structure that increased it to 15,000 square feet; the larger room could accommodate 438 slot machines and eight table games. Finally, on Thanksgiving weekend 2008, the tribe revealed an all-new casino, the result of years of planning, preparation and design, with the hope of attracting visitors to Lake County and promoting economic growth.
The new gaming area and adjoining office space—now totaling 49,000 square feet (107,000 square feet with the new hotel, event center and office space)—boasts 514 slot machines and 12 card tables in a comfortable, plush and open setting.
“We could be a lot bigger than we are,” says Phil Davis, marketing and guest services director of Twin Pine Casino and Hotel. “We could have built something that’s much bigger than we have. I know 107,000 square feet sounds like a lot, but there are casinos that are more than 500,000 square feet. We elected not to do that, because we want to keep a certain size in mind when we serve our customers. We wanted to keep it appropriate to the population density and the expectations of the people who live here. We’re still a rural area, and we don’t want to look like a flashy, Las Vegas-style casino at the side of a rural highway. We want this to be something that people drive by and are proud of, because they like the way it looks and fits with the countryside.”
Plans are to remodel the previous casino structure to accommodate a variety of community events, such as a farmers’ market, shows and exhibits, private parties and receptions, sporting events and concerts.
“We’re going to freshen it up in a lot of different ways,” says Davis. “It’s a great, roomy area for lots of things. We want to be able to use it for a variety of events and opportunities that come up in this area; we’re trying to make it very community-friendly. So if we have a local farmers’ market, craft show, receptions for parties or things like that, it’s certainly available for use. But we can also host some larger events—we can do concerts in there—it’s a multi-use facility.”
Davis explains that the tent-like structure was always meant as a temporary solution until funds could be saved to build something more substantial.
“Most Indian tribes initially get into the casino business in a small way,” explains Davis. “They usually don’t have the resources to put millions of dollars into a big, elaborate facility, and they also don’t have the expertise or the track record to demonstrate that it’s going to be a successful enterprise. After several years of operations, though, it’s easier to raise and save money to put into the enterprise and build what they want.
“So when [the tribe] built that first small building, it was a very modest attempt at the casino business. As it got bigger and more successful, people learned it was a fun place to go, and so there were more customers and the revenues were better. After years of saving, the tribe was able to invest in new construction and raise other funds. That tent-like structure was really an interim step, and it was always the plan to eventually move up and into something else.”
Play and stay
Another major piece of the Twin Pine renovation project was the building of a new 60-room, three-floor hotel (it officially opened its doors in March of this year). It’s connected to the new casino and features four-star, luxury accommodations and many technological amenities at very reasonable introductory prices (the 426-square-foot deluxe rooms are currently priced at $89 on weekdays and $99 for weekends). The hotel also boasts three 1,354-square-foot luxury suites that offer complete living rooms, conference tables that easily seat 10 people, full kitchenettes and separated bedrooms with a king-size bed, walk-in shower, Jacuzzi tub and oversized closet. The luxury suites are priced at introductory rates of $179 midweek and $229 on weekends.
“We’re now able to welcome people either to play in the casino or to stay here and do other things in the area that aren’t necessarily related to us,” says Davis. “That’s obviously going to be desirable for people coming in the summer. We’re trying to price it to meet the expectations of Lake County, but also offer a hotel experience that’s closer to what guests might find in Napa Valley.”
The hotel and casino is being billed as “family-friendly,” and so while guests must obviously be at least 21 years old to be in the gaming areas, the restaurant and food court offer kids’ menus, there are in-room gaming systems for children, a gift shop that offers toys and children’s books and, of course, recreational opportunities in the area abound with family-friendly activities such as horseback riding, fishing, boating, swimming and hiking. For adults, there are also four golf courses within 10 miles and numerous wineries offering tastings.
“The tribe has indicated to facility managers that they don’t want this to be a casino that simply appeals to adults looking for gaming experiences. They really want it set up as something for families,” explains Davis. “We don’t require them to be gambling just to have a nice dinner with their family.”
Wine about it
One way Twin Pine has significantly differentiated itself from the competition has been with a Wine Country theme for the new casino. Upon entering, one is transported to what might have been a winery and wine warehouse from an earlier era, complete with wine barrels on catwalks, water tanks, an old mill with a functioning water wheel, a spiral staircase, sets of exposed pipes, valves and pulleys, and giant beams and trusses.
“We have a unique look,” says Davis. “When you come here, it’s like you’re walking into a turn-of-the-century wine warehouse or winery. So many people come [to the North Bay] because they’re interested in wine and vineyards and so forth, and now they can come here and extend that experience a little bit just by observing the surroundings.”
The wine theme is continued with the addition of a wine tasting area that features a large variety of the best and most popular wines from Napa, Sonoma, Lake and Mendocino counties. Wines can be sampled in this area, then purchased by the bottle or glass or added to guests’ meals in the restaurant or lounge (patrons who want to make a larger purchase—say, a case—can be accommodated as well). Twin Pine is also working closely with the award-winning Langtry Estate and Vineyards, also located in Middletown, to produce its own private-label wines for consumption or purchase. In this way, the tribe is hoping to establish the casino as a valuable educational and experiential resource for local and visiting wine enthusiasts. “Employees of the casino, hotel and restaurants take their connection to wine knowledge and Wine Country living very seriously,” says Davis. What’s more, wineries that are featured at the casino will be able to make special presentations, like winemaker dinners, introduce new releases and organize wine tours with the casino as a launching point.
Getting to know you
However, what Davis really feels sets Twin Pine apart from the competition is the emphasis on superior customer service.
“For the most part, casinos have the same kinds of machines for people to play and the same types of card games, like blackjack or poker. They can get that in a lot of different places,” says Davis. “What most distinguishes one casino from another is the attitude of the people who work there, because it’s a very service-oriented environment. No amount of unique facility space or thematic flourishes will offset selfish operations or bad employee attitudes. The casinos exist only because people enjoy coming to them. So we try very hard to give people a good experience when they come here.”
They must be doing something right. Despite the current economy, the first months of 2009 were some of the most successful winter months the casino has ever experienced. And Twin Pine is one of the seemingly few employers today that’s actively recruiting to add to its current staff of 265.
“We’ve been able to hold our own in a pretty dismal economy,” affirms Davis, “because more people are coming here and enjoying themselves. Then they keep coming back and bringing their friends and telling other people to come. So we’re pretty hopeful for the summer months.
“We’re very fortunate to be located so close to Napa, Sonoma, Lake and Mendocino Wine Country. We’re only four miles from the Napa County line, so we’re pretty convenient for people who want to go on wine tours and do all the fun things there are to do in the Wine Country. But we can also offer them a lot of things that they or their kids or extended families can do together.”
Even with this good fortune, though, Davis is also sure to make the point that casinos are feeling the effects of today’s economy.
“It used to be that people believed casinos were recession-proof,” says Davis. “But I’ve observed over the past year or two that that’s definitely not the case. We feel the effects just like every other industry; we’re all competing a little harder for our customers. Any company that’s customer-service oriented like we are has to be careful not to take all that for granted. The fact that customers like us today doesn’t mean they’re going to like us no matter what tomorrow. That’s why we’re working so hard on customer service.”
Community kickback
Since opening Twin Pine in 1994, the tribe has been able to provide many social services for its members, including full health benefits, educational assistance, housing, elders/disability programs and minor trust savings. It’s also made a priority of giving back to the community at large by participating in numerous monetary donations and sponsorships to local nonprofit organizations, schools, medical facilities, police and fire departments, with a special interest in helping in the areas of health care and education. Donations and sponsorships have topped $100,000 in the past few years, with almost $50,000 in 2008 alone. This, too, has contributed to the casino’s success.
“The Middletown Rancheria has always been very respectful of the surrounding community,” says Davis. “It’s a significant financial contributor and does a lot of donations and sponsorships. When the tribe designed this casino, it had a lot of local input as to what people wanted to see from a design standpoint and what they wanted in terms of services and amenities. So it really reflects the community. What we have here is really reflective of [the community’s] interests, too.”
All in all, the future looks bright for Twin Pine Casino and Hotel—and the tribe is already planning for future expansion. In the years to come, expect more hotel rooms and floor space for the casino. Plans call for increasing the number of slots to more than 600 machines in the near future. In addition, the casino hopes to add more recreational, leisure, entertainment and travel services.
In this economy, it’s heartening to see an industry actually considering expansion versus downsizing, right-sizing, or overall bankruptcy…and all without an economic stimulus package.
For more information or to make a reservation, you can visit www.twinpine.com or call (800) 564-4872.
