Caesars Palace - Appian Way and Nobu

Why would Caesars corp throw a new Asian theme (Nobu) in the middle of their Roman themed palace on the strip in Las Vegas? Good question, but this move makes sense in a very Caesars way.

Caesars Palace is massive. It’s expansive and confusing. Besides MGM Grand there may not be a more poorly laid out property in Vegas. What’s a company looking to breathe new life into it’s hodgepodge of a property to do? Bring in some help.

It must not easy to find a brand partner that can fit in with their Roman theme. Nobu’s Asian theme may be a very far cry from what Caesars Palace was built on, but they are a partner that makes sense in the way Caesars operates.

The restaurant and lounge will be in 9,500 square feet at the base of the Nobu tower, near the existing Appian Way at Caesars Palace.

“Nobu’s distinctive brand will bring a new dimension to Caesars Palace and will be designed to attract first-time visitors. The re-branded hotel tower, restaurant and lounge will offer an experience unlike anything in Las Vegas, pairing exclusive accommodations with a resort famed for world-class entertainment, shopping and leisure experiences,” Caesars Palace President Gary Selesner said in a statement.

Pussy Cat Dolls, Sugar Factory and Kerry Simon are just a few outside brands that Caesars has used in their recent expansions. They aren’t keeping ideas in house to expand. Using outside names and partners allows for further reach. In simple form you now have the corporate marketing teams working with outside teams. Maybe theirs strength in numbers.

So the center of Caesars Palace will be modernized with a hip, Asian theme. Most of the rooms are tiny, so I don’t think this is about the rooms. If Caesars really wanted to make a statement, they’d knock down walls and double the room size.

The real reason to bring Nobu on is to develop Appian Way, which is underdeveloped and lightly trafficked. This might create overall theme confusion but this gives the square footage of Appian Way a chance for Caesars to see revenue they aren’t seeing now. This is probably the least expensive way for Caesars to remodel this portion of the casino.

This likely allows Caesars to manage the hotel tower while Nobu will probably be bringing their name, celebrities and PR staff to the mix managing the Appian Way section.

This is similar to other major corporate partnerships for the most part. Such as the other partnerships in things I enjoy (music, sports) I don’t like it, I get it.