Nathan Peak, AIA, president of ɫèapp, recently contributed insights to the feature article, , in Global Gaming Business’ Casino Style Magazine.

Nathan says that the introduction of AI technology does not replace the human element in design.

“While AI has increased the speed and options available to us in our ideation process during conceptual design, it has not diminished the importance of authentic, original design by our staff of professional architects and interior designers,” he says.

“It’s imperative that they continue to engage in their own discovery to grow professionally. In this sense, AI is used to enhance, rather than replace, creative processes and is primarily used for brainstorming, research, and illustrating design options, allowing our team to explore more possibilities with clients in a shorter timeframe.

“We view AI as a tool among many, useful for ideation and streamlining tasks, but always requiring human oversight and creative control to maintain the integrity of our work… We lightheartedly talk about AI as ‘almost intelligent.’ It’s strictly a tool. We give it very specific parameters and provide explicit guardrails, never assuming every answer generated is correct. In essence, all AI-assisted results are subject to the same rigorous vetting and review standards as any other project deliverable, ensuring that AI does not replace the team’s QA/QC process.”

Saving Time

If there’s one thing the AI tool has done, it’s save time, and, with the assistance of other advancing digital technologies, improve efficiency within a given project.

“AI and advancing technologies have shortened project timelines, particularly in the early stages of conceptual design, by enabling rapid assistance in generating design options for client presentations,” says Peak at HBG. “For example, we can now respond with immediate changes to renderings in real time, based on client feedback via AI prompts and scripts.”

Peak adds that AI can map out all details of a project and present a more complete picture to the client. “It gives us an advantage in the speed at which we’re able to illustrate potential solutions our clients are seeking,” he says.

“For instance, if we’re doing a renovation, when it comes to very specific carpet patterns, signage, or a cage design, we can take a photograph of an interior space and combine those visuals with quick sketches and original design narratives using AI, to rapidly combine elements and ideas that our clients can react to much faster than we were able to do previously.

“AI tools enable our teams to start design conversations earlier with our clients without extensive initial data collection. Especially by employing illustrative, image-based AI tools, we can move the design process forward early, before full site measurements are completed, which is more efficient and effective. Data collection is still necessary, but it’s no longer the first step, which accelerates the overall process.”

One of Many Tools

AI and other modern tools have created a casino design discipline that will continue to evolve in years to come.

“We foresee increased efficiency by AI acting as an additional layer of review, freeing up staff for other tasks, and laying the groundwork for more interactive client relationships using collaborative AI tools,” says Peak at HBG.

“That said, we can’t stress the continued reliance on human oversight for quality assurance and validation enough. Our goal is to shape a shared vision with our clients; AI tools provide more opportunity for design professionals to connect with clients. It mobilizes a more collaborative design approach in real time that accelerates our connection to a client’s vision.”

Read the full feature in Global Gaming Business’ Casino Style Magazine to learn more about how AI is being incorporated as an ideation tool during casino resort design.��

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For Emily Marshall, interior design leader, and Thor Harland, senior associate, architecture and design for ɫèapp, starting with a blank page before designing a project creates unlimited potential.

��“We think about where the space is, the local identity, then how we want the guests to feel,” says Marshall. “What’s the story we want to tell? What’s the property’s identity? Also very important operationally, what’s the flow? And where is the excitement and escape? We start with a concept, and the interior and architecture develop from that.”

“It takes a forensic investigation into things like the site, the climate, the patterns of use, the history, the client,” says Harland, who approaches that journey with “humbleness and openness.”

Placemaking in Tribal Casino Resort Design

“With Native American projects, there’s such a passion for who our clients are and their culture. If we can create an architecture that’s reflective of that, that mimics that—not so much literally, but purposefully, in every design move—it makes for a stronger project,” he says.

“This place-based idea is a journey towards authenticity that is unique to a site and unique to the client. You can’t just pick it up and move it anywhere else, because it wouldn’t function as well. That, for us, is a successful project.”

The work continues “from early concepts through construction documents,” says Marshall. “We’re with the client making decisions on big-picture geometry all the way down to the tile in the guest room. If we can always tie those decisions back to a common thread, it creates a consistency in the design.”

Contextual Design that Enhances Year Round Guest Experience

HBG’s work on the Gun Lake Casino Resort in Wayland, Michigan stands out for Marshall as “one of our finest examples of place-making architecture.” Harland concurs, calling it “one of the best examples of creative, thoughtful depth, from early massing to the materials chosen on the interior. The Gun Lake Tribe was very ambitious, very forward-thinking. They wanted to create something that hadn’t been seen, that was completely new, avant-garde to the area, and make a statement. For us it was important to meet that passion and excitement, and create and carry through that momentum.

“It’s Michigan, with very harsh winters, so the tribe wanted to create an enclosed tropical oasis within.” HBG created an egg-shaped, glass-enclosed atrium, aligned east to west for maximum sun exposure. While dramatic, it’s also functional and can be used for entertainment.

“We created a compelling piece of architecture that’s dynamic and cool to look at,” Harland says. “It also functions better than if we went with just a simple form, like a circle or a square.”

From the first view of a resort rising from the landscape to the smallest details—subtle references to ecology and culture in materials, finishes, color palette, etc.—place-based design tells a story, creating meaningful connections among guests, communities and their shared environment.

Read the full feature in Global Gaming Business’ Casino Style Magazine to learn more about how context and regional authenticity drive casino resort design.��

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Global Gaming Business’ Casino Style magazine features ɫèapp in its latest issue. The article, explores how integrated resort design drives long-term success for owners, operators, and the communities they serve.

The feature highlights the remarkable performance of Gun Lake Casino Resort’s $300 million expansion, which generated a 20% increase in revenue during its first two months of operation and recently earned AAA Four Diamond status for its new hotel. It also previews the opening of Ho-Chunk Beloit Casino, a transformative destination designed to support economic growth while expanding hospitality, entertainment, and gaming opportunities for the region.

The article reflects ɫèapp’s approach to casino resort development—connecting long-term vision with strategic planning, market positioning, operational excellence, and immersive guest experiences. We approach every design decision with performance in mind. That includes master planning, phased expansion, architecture, interior design, and amenity programming.

As the gaming and hospitality industries continue to evolve, creating destinations that are both memorable and financially successful remains at the heart of everything we do.

Read the full feature in Global Gaming Business’ Casino Style Magazine to learn more about how design strategy drives measurable results.��

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ɫèapp Principal Joe Baruffaldi, AIA, on meeting…and exceeding…expectations for regional conference & event center design.

Casino Style: How can smaller properties build their MICE business?

Baruffaldi:

The opportunity is often about understanding the market through a feasibility study, right-sizing the investment based on demand, and creating flexible, high-quality environments that support the type of group and event business the property can realistically attract.

Rain Rock Casino & Hotel in Yreka, California is a good example of a regional property using event space strategically, without overbuilding. Its approximately 4,000-square-foot banquet and event center is scaled for community gatherings, private events, meetings, banquets, weddings and local or regional group business. When paired with hotel rooms, boutique cottages, gaming, dining, outdoor amenities and a place-based design story tied to the Klamath River and Karuk culture, it becomes part of a larger resort experience rather than a stand-alone meeting room.

Talk about the technical infrastructure necessary for these events.

Meeting attendees expect reliability, flexibility and a seamless experience, so technical systems must be planned early and integrated into the architecture. At Sycuan Casino Resort (El Cajon, California), Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort (Hot Springs, Arkansas) and Four Winds South Bend’s Ribbon Town Conference and Event Center (South Bend, Indiana), ballroom flexibility depends on infrastructure that supports every configuration.

Divisible ballrooms can accommodate smaller meetings and events, but each setup still has to perform with the right acoustics, lighting, technology, service access and guest comfort. The best technical infrastructure is often invisible to the attendee, but it allows the operator to deliver events efficiently and consistently. From a design standpoint, that means acoustic separation, quality operable partitions, sound control, and finishes that support speech intelligibility and guest comfort, along with layered, programmable lighting that can shift from business-focused meetings to warmer receptions or entertainment events.

In large-volume spaces with fluctuating occupancy, HVAC zoning, air distribution, humidity control and quick recovery times are essential, so the room performs as well for a 50-person breakout as it does for an 800-person banquet or 1,500-person theater-style event.

Are geolocation and wayfinding capabilities important?

Wayfinding is critical. Even the most flexible event center won’t perform well if attendees feel disoriented or the staff must constantly redirect guests.

But digital tools should reinforce a strong physical planning strategy, not compensate for a confusing one. Clear sightlines, logical adjacencies, strong landmarks, intuitive vertical circulation and well-placed signage remain essential.

Are meeting planners looking for spas, pools and wellness facilities?

Group travelers want a resort experience that supports networking, relationship-building, entertainment, relaxation and well-being. Meeting planners are paying attention: that broader experience influences attendance, satisfaction, repeat bookings and how attendees talk about the event afterward.

The key is to design recreational offerings as part of the event ecosystem, not as separate amenities. At , for example, guests have access to and views of the historic thoroughbred horse-racing track, the Forbes Four-Star Astral Spa, gaming amenities and upscale dining—all near the event and meeting space. Gun Lake Casino Resort’s Wawyé Oasis in Michigan blends a resort pool environment with large-format event and performance capabilities in one climate-controlled atrium.

This kind of multi-purpose amenity creates vast revenue-generating opportunities from one building investment. When a resort can offer an easy transition from meeting to dinner, spa, pool, lounge, entertainment or reception, it becomes more competitive as a group destination.

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��highlights how the ɫèapp team’s strategic planning, regionally inspired architecture, and immersive interior design came together to create a resort experience that is both visually distinctive and operationally successful.

Elevating the Guest Experience

The $78 million expansion transformed Golden Mesa from a local gaming venue into a full-service destination, more than doubling the property’s gaming capacity while introducing new hospitality, dining, and entertainment amenities designed to encourage longer stays and deeper guest engagement.

The completed expansion includes:

A 40,000-square-foot expanded casino

More than 1,100 electronic gaming machines and table games

A new 99-room hotel

Premium high-limit gaming

Multiple restaurants, cafés, bars, and lounge experiences

Together, these additions create a more dynamic destination that offers guests far more than gaming alone.

A Design Inspired by Oklahoma

Drawing inspiration from the wide-open landscapes of the Oklahoma Panhandle, the design reflects the region’s natural beauty through warm materials, contemporary architectural forms, and an interior palette influenced by expansive skies and vibrant prairie sunsets.

From the dramatic two-story hotel lobby to the immersive transition into the gaming floor, every space was thoughtfully designed to create a memorable guest journey while reinforcing Golden Mesa’s unique identity.

By night, the property’s signature illuminated façade creates a striking presence on the horizon, establishing Golden Mesa as a new landmark for the region.

Performance Through Design

Beyond its visual impact, the project demonstrates ɫèapp’s commitment to creating environments that perform as well as they inspire.

Careful planning improved circulation throughout the resort, strengthened operational adjacencies, and seamlessly integrated new amenities with the existing property. The result is an expansion that enhances both the guest experience and long-term operational efficiency.

Read the Full Feature Article

We’re honored to have Golden Mesa Casino & Hotel recognized by Casino Style magazine as an example of thoughtful, performance-driven casino resort design.

Read the full feature to learn more about the design vision, planning process, and transformation behind one of Oklahoma’s newest regional entertainment destinations.

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At ɫèapp, we believe successful casino resorts must do more than look beautiful. We must also plan them strategically to perform for decades to come.

Casino Style magazine invited ɫèapp President Nathan Peak, AIA to share his expertise as a featured casino resort design specialist in its latest issue.��His article, examines the role of performance-driven design. It explores how this approach is shaping the future of gaming and hospitality environments.

Nathan explores how the definition of “efficiency” has fundamentally changed as the gaming and hospitality industry continues to evolve. Accordingly, leading casino resorts are measured by more than construction costs or energy performance. They are designed as high-performing ecosystems. Guest experience, operations, employee satisfaction, and long-term asset value must all work together to create lasting success.

Four Strategies Shaping the Future of Casino Design

In the article, Nathan highlights four key principles driving the next generation of gaming destinations:

1. Flow as a Revenue Engine: Thoughtful planning and intuitive circulation do more than improve navigation—they encourage exploration, increase dwell time, and create more opportunities for guest engagement. Strategic layouts transform movement throughout the property into a competitive advantage.
2. Designing for a More Complex Guest Profile: Today’s casino resorts welcome a broader audience than ever before. From loyal gaming patrons to younger, experience-driven travelers and non-gaming visitors, successful destinations offer flexible environments that seamlessly support multiple guest journeys at once.
3. Designing for Lifecycle Performance:��Long-term value begins on day one. From durable materials and adaptable infrastructure to future-ready technology planning, every design decision should contribute to operational efficiency and sustained return on investment throughout the life of the property.
4. Elevating the Employee Experience: Exceptional guest experiences start behind the scenes. Efficient back-of-house planning, intuitive operational workflows, and thoughtfully designed employee spaces improve productivity, strengthen workplace culture, and ultimately enhance service throughout the resort.

ɫèapp in Practice

Nathan illustrates these concepts with recent HBG projects LIVE! Casino & Hotel Louisiana in Bossier City and Wawyé Oasis at Gun Lake Casino Resort, demonstrating how strategic planning creates environments that are as operationally effective as they are memorable for guests.

Looking Ahead

As Nathan writes, “The role of design in gaming is no longer just about creating compelling spaces or delivering efficiency in isolated ways. It’s about orchestrating performance across the entire enterprise—aligning guest experience, operations and long-term business objectives.”

That philosophy continues to guide every project ɫèapp delivers for our gaming and hospitality clients.

Read the . Discover how thoughtful, performance-driven design is shaping the future of casino resorts.

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