Kelly Gleeson Smith, vice president of sales, Caesars Entertainment, leads an amazing team of talented sales people that cultivate face-to-face meetings and events for major corporations and associations held throughout the Caesars Entertainment empire. She is the recipient of the 2019 Caesars Corporate Excellence in Leadership award and 2019 & 2021 Director of Sales of the Year — Caesars Entertainment.

What new ideas or initiatives does Caesars Entertainment have to offer to professional planners and attendees to elevate their event experience at your properties? This includes new venues from several properties/destinations to create a one-of-a-kind event.

Kelly Gleeson Smith: Caesars Entertainment is continuously evolving and providing new experiential opportunities with attendees and planners in mind. Just in Las Vegas, we have nine properties including the iconic Caesars Palace and our latest conference center, the 550,000 sf CAESARS FORUM.

We’re constantly investing in our properties with newly designed guest rooms and exciting new restaurants, such as Brasserie B by celebrity chef Bobby Flay, as well as Peter Luger Steakhouse at Caesars Palace.

Recently, Harrah’s Las Vegas received an influx of capital that was put toward major enhancements across the property from new beautifully appointed guest rooms to Ramsay’s Kitchen, the latest restaurant from Michelin Star award-winning chef Gordon Ramsay, and a new main entrance. Harrah’s is directly connected to CAESARS FORUM. The changes the property has undergone have been made with the CAESARS FORUM attendee in mind.

In Atlantic City, we recently opened THE Hook by Spiegelworld which is the very first residency to be held in the city. The theater built for the show, “Wonder Theatre,” is actually right where the historic Warner Theatre used to be. Total investment into our three Atlantic City properties comes out to $230+ Million. With that investment, we’ve updated guest rooms, suites and celebrity chef restaurants to complement the 100,000+ sf Harrah’s Waterfront Conference Center. At Caesars Atlantic City, Nobu Hotel tower is scheduled to open early next year. Accessibility and inclusion go beyond ramps and accessible washrooms.

How are you attracting wider and more diverse audiences? 

Here are some thoughts on that . . . “At Caesars, we are committed to embracing disability inclusion as a key facet of our overall Diversity, Equity and Inclusion strategy,” said Tom Reeg, CEO at Caesars Entertainment. “We consistently review current practices concerning disability inclusion, and we’re honored to be recognized with a top score on this year’s Disability Equality Index. We know how important inclusion is, and we will continue to work toward progress for our team members, guests and the communities in which we operate.”

“In 2022, Caesars Entertainment received a top score of 100 on DEI,” said Heather Rapp, SVP of corporate social responsibility for Caesars Entertainment. “Caesars Entertainment’s commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is an integral piece of the company’s CSR framework, PEOPLE. PLANET. PLAY.”

How is Caesars collaborating with meeting planners in their efforts to focus on collaborative event designs that engage attendees, most especially millennials who are all in for the experience, rather the meeting itself?

When it comes to design, our meeting spaces offer incredible flexibility and a blank canvas for a planner’s vision. At CAESARS FORUM alone, we have more than two miles of air wall providing lots of options. We continue to invest in new furniture and other decor to enhance the attendees experience and partner with local DMCs who can provide anything needed to create that one-of-a-kind experience.

As meeting planners anticipate culinary expectations for their attendees, especially with more awareness of vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and religious-based dietary restrictions or preferences, what are some of Caesars Entertainment’s food and beverage new food options? 

F&B is integral to the success of a conference. At Caesars Entertainment, we pride ourselves on delivering high end restaurant quality catering. Our team is comprised of award-winning chefs who can create customized menus to suit any need. We also recently launched a “Wellness Menu” in Las Vegas. The menu offers healthy dietary options in addition to activities such as yoga, tai-chi, chakra cleansing and wellness speakers. We hope that by offering a wide array of menu options we can anticipate planner needs and provide them with as many enticing options.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Caesars Entertainment is unique as our 120+ sales people are located around the country in the cities where planners live. We believe in the importance of building long term relationships and partnering with planners to ensure continual success. Our sales people can check availability and negotiate rates directly in addition to signing agreements with planners. We believe in the one stop shop approach. We do whatever it takes to guarantee that the planning process is as simple as possible.  C&IT