Message #4 From:
NewsBot Date: September 9, 2005 02:00:00 AM
VCAT News Mariposa Debuts Two Landmark Casino Innovations for 2005; New Wireless Player Contact System and Instant Scorecard Enhance the Way Casino Execs Conduct Business
LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 9, 2005--In the information age, data on demand is key. You want it now? You get it now. It's as simple as that. In the casino industry, the power to obtain instant results is critical, but technology in the gaming industry has not been as quick to develop as in other industries. That's about to change dramatically with the introduction of two new innovations by Venture Catalyst Incorporated ("VCAT") (OTCBB:VCAT), Mariposa's Wireless Player Contact System (PCS-W) and Scorecard Report Viewer (SRV). Now, no more waiting for vital player information or up-to-the-minute operational updates.
With the arrival of wireless gaming floors, Mariposa has introduced PCS-W, the latest offering of the software company's successful CRM software suite. PCS-W enables a host using a cell phone or Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) to securely access a casino's player information in real time.
"PCS-W takes the Mariposa player contact system to an entirely new level -- onto the gaming floor through a fully-supported, secure wireless device," said Javier Saenz, VCAT Senior Vice President, Information Solutions. "Armed with a cell phone or PDA, a casino host can acquire an updated player contact list, their play history and offer availability, and pertinent information such as their point balance, birthday, anniversary, hotel room and food preferences and more in real-time, all while on the casino floor," said Saenz.
PCS-W operates over a casino host's cell phone or 802.11g - WI-FI network by interfacing with Mariposa PCS's internet browser.
With PCS-W, a host has access and connectivity to their players' information at all times, even while off-property.
"A host can log in through their wireless device as they're heading into work, and as they enter the casino, they will already have a list of players currently in-house and know exactly where they're playing on the casino floor. It creates a proactive hosting approach like never before," said Saenz.
Such an innovation allows hosts to spend more time developing, nurturing, and maintaining important player relationships rather than wasting countless hours at their desks researching information that's now readily available in their wireless device.
"More frequent and informed contacts build player loyalty while increasing redemption rates and visitation," said Saenz. "It creates a win-win-win situation for casinos, hosts and players alike."
Scorecard Report Viewer, or "SRV"
The questions flow freely and impatiently from every casino executive: How did we do yesterday? How much slot and table gaming activity did we experience? What was our hold percentage, drop, and hotel occupancy? Many casino executives are forced to wait hours if not days to answer these pressing questions.
With the launch of Mariposa's Scorecard Report Viewer, or "SRV," important, up-to-the-minute operational data is just a "mouse-click" away.
"The Scorecard is a new innovation on a casino operator's daily "flash report" of critical operating data," said Saenz. "By clicking a desktop icon, a casino executive can find summarized or detailed information on slots, table games, hotel, retail, and player activity immediately, cutting reporting time to seconds, not hours," he added.
For a casino executive, the SRV provides an immediate assessment on how the property is performing in critical operational areas. This "no waiting" report interface includes real time information along with historical data for year-on-year or day-to-day analysis. Never before has such information been available instantaneously.
"The Scorecard empowers executives to go get the data themselves which they can access whenever they want it with no request to IT or dependence on an analyst to compile. It provides immediate access to critical data with no technical skills required. They simply select the desired date on the desktop interface and retrieve a report. This type of immediacy creates increased knowledge and understanding of operations and better forecasting capabilities," said Saenz.
About Mariposa
Mariposa is an award-winning software solution that provides a fully-integrated marketing and business intelligence system for the gaming industry. Developed to work in conjunction with existing player tracking, slot accounting and other data collection systems, Mariposa can dramatically improve the way casinos do business. By providing gaming properties with tools to create, execute and track sophisticated multi-channel, targeted marketing campaigns, as well as analyze both customers and products on the casino floor, we believe that Mariposa can help increase revenues and operating efficiency significantly. Mariposa consists of a proprietary modular suite of applications, including Campaign Management, Data Visualization, with easy-to-read mapping features, a Data Warehouse, including "Predictive Modeling," and a Player Contact System.
Mariposa is currently in use at the Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino in San Diego, California; the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada; the Greektown Casino in Detroit, Michigan; Stratosphere Casino Hotel & Tower and Arizona Charlie's Boulder and Arizona Charlie's Decatur in Las Vegas, Nevada; and Don Laughlin's Riverside Resort Hotel & Casino in Laughlin, Nevada. Mariposa has also been licensed to Thunder Valley Casino located near Sacramento, California and the Dubuque Greyhound Park & Casino in Dubuque, Iowa.
VCAT is a provider of consulting services and technology in the gaming and hospitality market. VCAT is headquartered in San Diego, California and has offices in Las Vegas, Nevada.
