Written by: Bridget Fallen, Project Coordinator

Navigate through the neon islands of brightly blinking slot machines in the Choctaw Hotel and Casino’s new towering expansion in Durant, Oklahoma and you’ll see sudden dramatic lighting hitting panels of shimmering copper. The bold design by Worth Group out of Denver, Colorado dazzles with modernity while maintaining a strong connection to Choctaw heritage. Often unencumbered by brand obligations, casino designs can be individualistic and unique. With this freedom comes responsibility and opportunity. When product standards are not imposed by a flag, the owner must find other ways of ensuring that the quality of FF&E purchased for new builds and renovations is of a level that meets and exceeds expectations for hospitality use. High quality does not have to mean high cost-in fact, while many casinos are individually owned and without the benefit of set program pricing, there is an extraordinary amount of room to work with key dependable suppliers to bring costs down through value engineering and a competitive bid process.

The purchasing teams at Benjamin West apply their experience and expertise to assure that success is realized. By providing in-depth bid analysis and engaging suppliers in creative cost solutions, we aggressively go after the best price available from manufacturers that are trusted to stand behind their product. For the Choctaw Hotel and Casino expansion, the Benjamin West Chicago team saved tens of thousands of dollars on case goods alone, with substantial savings in the project as a whole. While cost savings are important, they never come at the expense of quality. On the contrary, we work with suppliers at the top of the industry to verify that goods meet both design intent and contract hospitality standards.

Our commitment to quality extends beyond the purchasing phase through the life of the project. Whether collecting warranty information and flame certifications, holding suppliers accountable for any installation issues, or working with the freight forwarder to gather the information necessary to file claims, Benjamin West’s project teams are committed to customer satisfaction and successful installations. As successful installations require timely delivery to meet contractor schedules, we work with suppliers to meet the dates set by the client and provide regular weekly updates on the progress of delivery. In addition, with Benjamin West’s new RPM Client Portal, clients can sign in at anytime to find live information on project status.

Casinos are the home of Blackjack, Texas Hold ‘Em, and Roulette-but during installation, there’s no need to place risky bets. The professionals at Benjamin West remove the guesswork and are dedicated to the details key to making the project successful.