Press Release
Date: October 27, 2008
Subject: Santa Ana Star Casino honored with Barona/VCAT Award for Excellence in Indian Gaming Marketing!

Raving Consulting Company, Native American Casino present award at Raving's 11th Indian Gaming National Marketing Conference

Over the past few years, Tamaya Enterprises and the Santa Ana Star Casino of the Pueblo of Santa Ana have grown a small casino property in an ultra-competitive market into a marketing powerhouse. By combining technology, the involvement of its employees and customers and unique, innovative approaches to marketing, the property has often been able to outshine its bigger competitors armed with more amenities.

Because of its successful marketing efforts, Tamaya Enterprises Inc. and the Santa Ana Star Casino of the Pueblo of Santa Ana were honored with this year's Barona/VCAT Excellence in Indian Gaming Marketing Award. The award was presented to representatives of Tamaya Enterprises and the Santa Ana Star Casino at Raving's 11th Indian Gaming National Marketing Conference Oct. 15-17 at Grand Traverse Resort & Spa in Traverse City, Mich.

"On behalf of Tamaya Enterprises Inc. and the Pueblo of Santa Ana, the Santa Ana Star Casino is honored to receive this award," said Scott Eldredge, interim general manager of the Santa Ana Star Casino.

The award was just one of the highlights of Raving's 11th Indian Gaming National Marketing Conference. During the two-and-a-half-day conference, addressing marketing strategies during challenging times was a core topic. Attendees learned about new ways to find customers, ways to motivate middle managers and senior executives to get involved in the marketing process, how to better measure ROI and financial results of marketing ventures, how nongaming amenities can prove to be a big draw if used appropriately and much more.

"There were scores of new ideas," Conrad said. "People, I think, got the message that there really isn't any one key thing you should be doing differently in tough economic times. You should just be doing them better. I think attendees came to the realization that good marketing is good marketing. It just becomes more important."

Victor Rocha, owner and editor of the Web site Pechanga.net also delivered a powerful keynote speech on what gaming has brought to Indian Country and what that means for tribes across the United States going forward. He noted that tribal casino marketers have been key to Indian gaming's success and that now, the spotlight is on them.

"The keynote address was a valuable perspective on where Indian gaming is really at right now. Victor pulled no punches, talked frankly about marketing now being on the front lines and all the plusses and minuses, the challenges and responsibilities of what that entails," Conrad said. Tribes need casino marketers to continue their growth and to continue to be successful. The initial wave of gaming seemed to be pretty easy (for marketers). Now it's gotten a lot tougher."

Tamaya Enterprises Inc. and the Santa Ana Star Casino of the Pueblo of Santa Ana have proven their marketing prowess over the past few years. One example lies with how the property chose to brand itself. In 2005, when Tamaya Enterprises and the Santa Ana Star Casino of the Pueblo of Santa Ana were looking for a better way to connect with guests and compete in the Albuquerque market, they came up what seemed like a simple, no-nonsense brand: "This is YOUR Casino!" Soon after launching it, the marketing team realized it was onto something.

So well did the brand concept resonate — supported by across-the-board buy in from each of the property's executives and employees — that the Santa Ana Star Casino's business blossomed. Customers began talking about the property as "the place to be" … how it did feel like "their" casino. So naturally, in October of 2006, the marketing team decided to ask its customers the question, "what makes this YOUR casino?" The idea was to create a new campaign in which its customers told why, "This is MY Casino."

Response was overwhelming and it took months to sort though and choose the customers that would soon become the face of the property's "This is MY Casino" campaign. Television, print and radio spots were launched in May of 2007 and the campaign has become a core principle of the property's marketing efforts today.

"We have committed to making our entire operation marketing centric and have fully integrated our ‘This is YOUR Casino' culture throughout the entire property." Eldredge said. "This philosophy has allowed us to enjoy the great success we've had in our market. The ‘This is YOUR Casino' and ‘This is MY Casino' brandings are a direct result of that and we've found that the collective efforts have inspired our team members and guests alike."

The Santa Ana Star Casino has utilized technology like GameLogic's PlayAway™ to create its Star@Home program, which allows players to play casino-style games online and redeem prizes at the property. The Star Rewards players club was designed with meaningful rewards in mind for its players and the property has created a large, loyal database of customers.

In creating its Winner's Zone to tout player jackpots and other prizes, while utilizing innovations like text messages and e-mail alerts for prize announcements, promotions and special events, the Santa Ana Star Casino has created a lasting, interactive bond with its guests.

Tamaya Enterprises and the Santa Ana Star Casino of the Pueblo of Santa Ana have also been heavily involved in it surrounding community, working with athletic groups, theater and arts programs, business organizations and charitable causes. The property has also been noted as one of New Mexico's best places to work by several publications.

These efforts and more have netted the Santa Ana Star Casino a slew of Romero Awards for Excellence in Casino Marketing, created by Raving Consulting Company and BNP Gaming Group and presented at their Casino Marketing Conference in Las Vegas in honor of casino marketing legend John Romero.

Raving Consulting Company President and Chief Strategist Dennis Conrad said Tamaya Enterprises Inc. and the Santa Ana Star Casino of the Pueblo of Santa Ana were well-deserving of the Barona/VCAT Excellence in Indian Gaming Marketing Award, especially noting the challenges the property's marketing professionals faced.

"They compete in a very challenging market against bigger casino competitors with more amenities and they have been able to steal market share and achieve financial results," Conrad said. "But more than that, they have created a property-wide approach to marketing where everyone is a marketer. They understand that they are a marketing company and they do everything around their customers, their employees and their community. Their ability to execute against that formula is very compelling. It's a very strong brand. You can't just say it, you have to make people believe. And you do that by asking your customers what it is they want and giving it to them. They do that very well."

This is the second Excellence in Indian Gaming Marketing Award that Raving has handed out, but the first with the Barona/VCAT name attached. The Barona Band of Mission Indians, its Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino near Lakeside, Calif. and its consulting partner, Venture Catalyst Inc. were honored with the first award. It was renamed this year to set a bar of marketing excellence to which Native American Casino properties will be held.

Native American Casino was instrumental in this year's award process. As a key sponsor of the award and Raving's 11th Indian Gaming National Marketing Conference, the magazine provided in-depth coverage and assisted with the submission process. Three representatives from Tamaya Enterprises Inc. and the Santa Ana Star Casino were also sent to the conference on behalf of Native American Casino. Chief Editor Melanie Dellas took part in the presenting of the award, as did Rick Salinas, general manager of Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino and Don Speer, chairman of VCAT, who both traveled from Southern California to join in honoring Tamaya Enterprises Inc. and the Santa Ana Star Casino of the Pueblo of Santa Ana.

"To win the Barona/VCAT Excellence in Indian Gaming Marketing Award is a testament that if you set your marketing bar high enough and truly involve your entire property in your branding efforts, you can achieve outstanding results — even in a highly-competitive market," Eldredge said.

Raving Consulting Company would like to give special thanks to each of its conference sponsors: AD Kickin SOLUTIONS; Global Connect; Grand Traverse Resort & Casinos; Imagine This; Native American Casino; Pechanga.net; Raving Service; Royal Performance Group; SportGame; Sport View Technologies; Store Financial; Talent Buyers Network; and Video Gaming Technologies.

Special congratulations are also in order for Jackie Greenhaw of the Chickasaw Nation's Division of Commerce, who won the travel package to attend Raving's 12th Indian Gaming National Marketing Conference at Tulalip Resort Casino, just north of Seattle Wash. Sept. 28-30 2009.

For more information on Raving's Indian Gaming National Marketing Conference or the Barona/VCAT Excellence in Indian Gaming Marketing Award, contact Christine Faria, Vice President of Operations for Raving Consulting Company at (775) 329-7864 or by e-mail: chris@ravingconsulting.com. Or contact Andy Holtmann, Vice President of Communications for Raving Consulting Company at (702) 478-8802 or e-mail him at andy@ravingconsulting.com.

You can also download the full conference agenda for Raving's 11th Indian Gaming National Marketing Conference at: http://ravingconsulting.com/indiangamingmarketing.html.