PowerPoint presentation given to the Reno-Tahoe chapter of the American Marketing Association on January 17, 2012.

1. COMMROW
BUILDING A NEW BRAND
IN A GAMING MARKET

2. "People who know what
they’re talking about
don’t need PowerPoint.”
- Steve Jobs

3. Who's crazy enough to open a non-smoking,
pet-friendly hotel with no gaming
in downtown Reno?
Fernando Leal
Developer – L3 Development
Funding: DRW Trading Group, Chicago

4. Who's crazy enough to GO a non-smoking, pet-
friendly hotel with no gaming
in downtown Reno?
• LOHAS: Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability.
• Climbing is the second fastest growing sport in the
nation (behind snowboarding).
• 16,000+ UNR Students less than a mile away.
• Loyal visitors seeking new attractions – (the changing
demographics of Reno visitors).
• Locals: (hardest target “SoMos”) – South of Moana
residents.
• Residents who remember downtown as an accessible
place for families and businesses.

5. WHY
• Property owned in a declining gaming market.
• Available/popular points-of-entry (no smoking, no
gaming, pet-friendly).
• Location (location, location). UNR, 6,000 Hotel Rooms
in hood, Northern California (active lifestyles).
• Helping rebrand Reno (“No Whining”). America’s
Adventure Place + Far From Expected.
• Reintroducing CommUnity (OurRealReno.com).
• Phased master plan. (A work in progress).

6. INSANITY
• Early concepts developed December, 2010.
• Focus groups, product design + permits: January-
February, 2011.
• Brand development (15 total): March – April, 2011.
• City Permit Approval: May 15, 2011.
• Construction: June – September, 2011.
• Grand Opening: October 1, 2011.
EARLY CONCEPT TO OPENING IN TEN MONTHS.

7. FEATURES
• 164’ exterior climbing wall (the world’s tallest).
• 7,000 sq. ft. of indoor bouldering (built to competition
standards).
• 11 eateries + bars (9 on 1st floor).
• 750 person capacity concert venue (3rd floor).
• 200 person capacity cabaret (1st floor).
• 60,000 square feet of mixed use space at opening.
• Hotel component (Phase 2 – April, 2012).
• Adventure Deck (Phase 3?).
Reno’s First Urban Adventure Destination.

8. CREATIVE REUSE
• Fitzgerald’s had “great bones” structurally. (Built to withstand a
nuclear winter in Nevada.)
• 60,000 square feet of smoked carpeting removed.
• Over 100 dumpsters of abandoned electrical and plumbing
removed from false ceiling spaces.
• Electrical use dramatically reduced by installation of LED lighting.
• Touchless, low or no flow restrooms on first floor added (check
out those hand dryers!).
• Signage, furnishings, equipment all reused, refinished, and
repurposed.
• Innovative property-wide recycling program in trials.

9. HOW
+ +
That Guy (me) Natasha Bourlin Karl Fendelander
Marketing + Design PR/Communications + Digital Media/Climber +
+
Many Others: Dax Victorino (Video),
Sabrina Robertson (Entertainment) +
Creative Concepts (Media),
JM Studio (web), ZapLabs (tv),
etc., etc., etc.!

10. READY (OR NOT)
Click here see CommRow video on YouTube

11. READY… SET….

12. GO

13. NEXT?
ADVENTURE
DECK
• 1 square acre on garage
roof
• Seasonal restaurant
• BMX /Skate parks
• Outdoor bouldering
• Zip lines to ReTrac
Formerly “Hang”
NO FRILLS, PET
FRIENDLY HOTEL
• 136 of 347 rooms open Spring, 2012
• Pet friendly accommodations

14. CHANGES
"You can’t just ask customers
what they want and then try
to give that to them.
By the time you get it built,
they’ll want something new.”
- Steve Jobs

15. YOUR TURN
Q+A

16. THANKS
Larry DeVincenzi
larry@smartbrand.biz
775.771-7004
PowerYourBrand.com
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