Empowering Casino Teams with Enhanced Safety and Comms

Since its opening in 1971, Plaza Hotel & Casino Las Vegas has become a must-see destination for travelers seeking a mix of nostalgia and contemporary comfort. Boasting over 1,000 renovated rooms and suites, an 80,000-square-foot casino, the only bingo room in Downtown Las Vegas, and diverse dining options like Oscar’s Steakhouse and Hash House A Go Go, the Plaza offers a “Time to Remember” for all its guests. 

The historic landmark’s prime location at the beginning of the Fremont Street Experience makes it an iconic hub for entertainment and leisure. Many artists and directors are drawn to the Plaza’s extravagant lights and glitzy appeal, including The Weeknd who chose the hotel to film his official music video for “Heartless”.

Communication is the Backbone of Operations for the Plaza

With bustling casino floors and late-night activities, the Plaza’s security team takes reliable communication very seriously. “If we don’t have good communication, then you can’t have anything at all,” said Gil Chavez, the Plaza’s Director of Security. 

Before Relay, the Plaza Casino relied on outdated, bulky radios that fell short in both usability and clarity. Joe Paniccia, Asst. Director of Security, shares “The radios that we use are our first line of communication, the first source of everything.” 

Relay changed everything. “Relay is clearer than the blackbox radios I was using prior,” explained Paniccia. “It’s crisp, clear, you hear everything that everyone is saying.” Whether coordinating with floor managers, calling Keno, or alerting the Players Club, the team can now communicate seamlessly across departments. 

“It pays for itself in a number of ways. The less systems I have, the less money I have to spend.” –  Gil Chavez, Director of Security at Plaza Hotel & Casino Las Vegas

Implementing Modern Emergency Responses for High-Stakes Scenarios

Safety is a top priority for the Plaza, especially with team members often working alone or in vulnerable areas. “I have bike officers six acres away from control, all by themselves at night in downtown Las Vegas,” Chavez explains. 

He’s not the only one who believes Relay is providing a better option in high-stakes situations that may require emergency response. Paniccia mentions, “[Relay’s] got a panic button, it tells you where they’re at. When the panic button goes off, no one can interrupt that traffic.” 

In the past, there’s been safety incidents where a housekeeper couldn’t get to the phone. “Having the Relay, they just have to press something really quick and we know a team member needs help,” shares Executive Housekeeper, Nancy Montoya.

Beyond Safety: Cost Savings and Proactive Loss Prevention

For Chavez, Relay has become a strategic investment that has streamlined operations and reduced costs, “It pays for itself in a number of ways.” He continues, ”The less systems I have, the less money I have to spend. The more we can use a single device to consolidate across all lines, the less money we spend.”

“You lost an old radio and it’s gone forever,” says Chavez. “As opposed to the Relay where it’s the prevention that’s important. We have a geofence now where if a radio goes past it, it alerts us.” They now know which radio it is, where it is, and what time it left. By focusing on prevention rather than reaction, Plaza Casino has saved both time and resources.

Elevating the Guest and Employee Experience

The Plaza invests in keeping its staff safe and connected so that they can focus on delivering exceptional service to guests. “We want the best guest experience and the best employee experience for the least amount of money,” Chavez shares.

“This worked out for us,” says Paniccia. “It’s got the panic alarm which we love. It’s clear, it’s got a way better range, it helps us manage our people better. It’s a versatile tool that should be implemented in a lot more security departments.”