By: Chad Emerson
(See also: Themed Restaurants: Chad Emerson Interviews Steve Schussler)
It’s not a surprise that here in Las Vegas, one of the entertainment capitals of the world, companies are continuing to innovate and further improve on the world of immersive dining experiences.
One of the latest examples I have enjoyed this week is Lagasse’s Stadium at the Palazzo casino and resort on the Las Vegas Strip. According to Grant Speros, the manager of this new offering from world-renowned chef Emeril Lagasse, “the Stadium is truly unique from anywhere else in the world. It’s a place that could probably start a brand new trend with great theming and dining.”
What I find outstanding about Lagasse’s Stadium is that it takes sports viewing and gaming – an option that we have seen often enough in restaurants over the years for it to have grown somewhat stale -and re-infuses it with new energy. The Stadium met this challenge by creating a venue that replicates the sights and sounds of actually being in a big-league park or arena. From the moment guests enter, they encounter sports memorabilia set among tiered, stadium seating which itself is surrounded by “luxury boxes” (private gathering rooms with big screens, pool tables, and other amenities) and “skyboxes” (exclusive space located above much of the venue’s other seating).
Lagasse’s Stadium takes sports theming beyond an ESPN SportsZone or an All*Star Café by conveying, with an authentic feel, the excitement found at the actual game. The tiered seating and skyboxes especially give the guest a feeling of being in a real gameday setting. But, the innovation doesn’t stop with the physical environment – there’s another special ingredient I enjoyed that sets it apart from other sports viewing and gaming venues – the food!
The conventional fare at a sports gaming facility is typically limited to hot dogs, peanuts, and hamburgers. While the Stadium certainly includes those options, it further innovates by taking the quality and scope of its menu to a whole new level. Emeril Lagasse himself re-envisioned those stadium classics and added a host of comfort cuisine – sandwiches, appetizers and desserts that I think will hit a home run with diners.
Image: IS Photography
Related:
Themed Design: At Shakespeare’s Birthplace, the project management of visitor emotions
Dubai: Themed Design and Architecture Straight from the Catwalk
