It’s Now Clear Big Digital Displays Are Fundamental To How Las Vegas Creates Wow Factor

June 6, 2022 by Dave Haynes

In late and up early in Las Vegas, as I poke around and get myself sorted for being at InfoComm this week.

The first thing I learned in coming here is that after 28 months of not doing it, I don’t miss the process/rigmarole of commercial air travel. At all.

The second thing I have learned – or more to the point confirmed – is that much has changed in Las Vegas since the last time I was at a trade show here. There are entirely new casino resorts, new builds underway and long-stalled jobs like the Fountainbleu actively being completed. It’s pretty clear in a town that’s all about Wow Factor that digital display is now central to a lot of what casino operators do attract people and keep them there.

The LVCC expansion was just getting underway when I was last here in 2019, and it is now open, and will be part of the site for InfoComm exhibits and learning sessions this week.

I went for a big walk this morning so I could justify a short stack of pumpkin pancakes at The Coffee Pub, and made way over to the new Resorts World casino resort, which is up the strip, on the other side, from the Wynn. The Asian-themed complex was clearly inspired in decor and approach by the Wynn/Encore, and really also went to town with digital display.

Most of the south face of one of the hotel towers is clad in 100,000 sq. ft. of semi-transparent LED mesh display. It looked impressive when it launched, based on photos and streamed videos. But it is one of those things best seen.

The screen is unmissable even for people looking out the jet window as their flight to Vegas makes a final approach. You can see it from the airport tarmac. The high-end property also has a more conventional LED running most of the vertical side face of a hotel tower.

There’s another big street-level board that provides compelling evidence of the challenge of having a display in direct Nevada sunlight. This was at 7:30 AM, with sun pretty much beaming at it directly.

Inside the main lobby, there’s that interesting multimedia mirror ball running video messaging. I can back up what a reader told me when this feature first went live – it is a series of tiled, fairly low-rez LED triangles forming the sphere.

There are also a few fine pitch LED video walls along main walkways on the property, though that is common across many to most properties on the Strip.

Resorts World also has a small Amazon Just Walk Out c-store near an entry.

And there was some interesting uses of LED on the casino floor – LED towers ceiling panels around a cocktail lounge nested among the gaming tables, and this interesting halo display.

I walked through the Linq because I wanted to see the oozing and morphing generative data creative the property is using, based on Refik Anadol’s work. The interesting thing is that the Linq has video walls at the main entries using this creative, but it is also used as ambient visuals throughout the newer parts of the property (the old Imperial Palace).

I tried to get into the new Caesars Forum conference center, near the ferris wheel, but I wasn’t registered for some event called NAC, so they wouldn’t let me in to ogle the big LG corner LED in the main area.

I now have my badge, and had a walk through the LVCC halls hosting InfoComm. The digital signage designated area is in the older North Hall, while much of the show is over in flashy, airy new West Hall – which has that big Samsung LED wall in the atrium lobby.

The halls are joined by that silly tunnel system that sees Teslas running show-goers between halls in bored tunnels. I wanted to see the underground station for the thing, and had a ride – which took maybe 40 seconds. I just don’t get the point of this, though a people mover system that could move scores of people at once would make sense. Like a bazillion airports do!

Anyway, at least the signage looked nice.

When I checked in at my hotel, I looked around the roped line and realized I was the only one wearing a mask. I saw the odd person here and there wearing one, but most people are not. I expect maybe five percent will have them on inside InfoComm’s halls, as mask use is mot mandated.

On the positive side, getting your badge required showing you were vaxxed. I had to show my vaxx records.

Vegas seems to be hopping and normal-ish in terms of how things work. There’s lots of construction and many packs of tipsy young women in too-tight clothing on hen party getaways. There’s also more homeless people than I can remember.

The exhibit halls open Wednesday (closing down Friday afternoon), but InfoComm education, training and certification sessions are already underway. The two-day D=Sign digital signage conference runs Tuesday and Wednesday.