Industry Updates

Another incredible conference in the books! Held October 20–21 at Harrah’s Resort Southern California in Funner, CA, the 17th Annual Tribal Casino & Hotel Development & Innovation Conference brought together tribal leaders and industry experts to share insights and spark innovation in tribal hospitality.

Day One: Shaping the Future of Tribal Gaming

The conference kicked off with Welcome Remarks from Daniel Collins, Speaker Coordinator at Native Nation Events, who greeted attendees and introduced Chairman Steve Stallings, owner of the Harrah’s Resort property. Chairman Stallings welcomed everyone and spoke about the resort’s continued partnership and commitment to strengthening the tribal gaming community.

Attendees then joined the “Roundtable: 2025 State of Indian Gaming,” moderated by John Tahsuda, Principal at Navigators Global LLC. The expert panel featured Chairman Steve Stallings and Mark Fox, who discussed potential changes in Indian gaming over the next four years. Participants especially enjoyed hearing from Tahsuda, whose experience as former Assistant to the Secretary of the Interior brought valuable insight. A networking break followed, giving attendees the chance to connect with peers, exchange ideas, and reflect on the morning sessions. Between sessions, attendees also had time to network with exhibitors, providing valuable opportunities to make connections and generate leads.

Momentum continued with “Best Practices for New Builds and Renovation Projects,” moderated by Luke Jumper, President of TBE Architects, which offered guidance on construction considerations and strategies for successful new builds and renovations. After lunch, participants attended “Diving Deeper: Examining Which Design Decisions Could Make or Break Your New Space,” also moderated by Jumper, which provided insights into avoiding small—but potentially costly—design mistakes.

An afternoon networking break allowed attendees to continue building relationships and sharing insights. Justin Sherwood of Michaels Furnishings said the conference was “an excellent opportunity to network with industry leaders and owners.” The connections made during these breaks helped strengthen relationships and foster collaboration throughout the conference.

Learning resumed with “Diversifying Your Revenue Stream with Non-Gaming Amenities,” moderated by Mike Carter, Director of Client Development at TBE Architects. Participants really enjoyed the discussion on potential non-gaming amenities, such as concerts, activities, and sports partnerships, and left the session with plenty of actionable ideas.

Day One concluded with “Betting on Intelligence: AI’s Role in the Future of Casino Gaming,” moderated by Kelly Popp, Vice President of Business at SHR Group. Attendees explored real-world applications of AI, emerging technologies, and the ethical considerations of adopting AI in casino operations.

Day Two: Continuing the Momentum

Day Two began with participants energized and ready for another full day of learning, networking, and innovation. The “Casino Executive Roundtable,” moderated by Mike Carter, gave executives the opportunity to address pressing questions, share insights on new technologies, and discuss innovations heading into 2025. Another networking break followed, providing attendees additional opportunities to connect and exchange takeaways.

The conference continued with the highly anticipated “Driving Your Guest Engagement Through the Power of AI,” moderated by Scott Nicholson, Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at Imagine This. The session focused on leveraging AI call technology to enhance player engagement and response. Participants loved the AI demonstration and left the session highly engaged, with plenty of practical ideas for using AI to their advantage.

After lunch, attendees participated in an exclusive product demonstration from Royal Basket Trucks. Javier Perez, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, showcased innovative solutions to improve process efficiency, including the motorized housekeeping cart and a variety of Sorted, Collected, and Transported solutions.

The afternoon sessions continued with “What is Your Overall Guest Experience?” moderated by Dan Spears, Vice President of Industry Relations and Licensing at Broadcast Music, Inc., which explored strategies to optimize the guest experience and ensure operations run smoothly. The event concluded with “The Five Pillars of Data Resilience,” moderated by John Tahsuda, where experts discussed how backup, recovery, portability, security, and intelligence can protect tribal operations, mitigate cyber risks, and strengthen long-term economic sustainability.

The 17th Annual Tribal Casino & Hotel Development & Innovation Conference was a tremendous success thanks to the dedication of our on-site staff, sponsors, panelists, and attendees. Participants loved the event, with Amanda from the Holiday Inn Express Natl’ Park Area Yurok Tribe calling it “a great conference for connecting with resources,” Jesse Ward, General Manager of GTB EDC Leelanau Sands Casino, noting the “good and relevant content,” and Dennis Garcia, General Manager of the San Felipe Pueblo, describing it as “worthwhile.” Their feedback reflects what makes this conference so impactful year after year—valuable connections, insightful discussions, and a shared commitment to innovation in tribal gaming and hospitality.

 We look forward to the 18th Annual Conference, continuing to foster growth, knowledge, networking, and innovation for the design and development of tribal-owned casinos, hotels, and resorts. Stay updated on upcoming conferences via our website, social media channels, and email communications.