Project Objectives
Faced with an aging cafe that was not adding to the overall draw of the property, Kickapoo decided to incorporate a known national brand into their restaurant mix in order to create better customer traffic to the property. The IHOP brand was chosen to provide the casino with a 24-hour cafe option that was instantly recognizable for their customers.
Design & Planning
Working with the casino team and IHOP planning group, standard design finishes were upgraded where possible to create a unique standalone venue. Elements including ceiling features which would typically be framed and completed onsite, were planned to be created offsite, in order to streamline the onsite project timeframe. An all-new kitchen was also designed as part of the project, providing the venue with a right-sized back-of-house to support operations rather than trying to ‘make it work’ with the existing undersized area.
Build & Install
Floor-to-ceiling construction walls with integrated power and data circuits were constructed at the old cafe, allowing 24-hour worksite access. Working with the slot director, this planning also added 30 additional games to the nearby area while the project was under construction. These additional machines helped ensure that property revenues continued as planned, throughout the construction phase. Each crew worked from digital plan sets using computers and digital tablets, ensuring that everyone had access to the latest plans and construction details.
Finished Project
The IHOP project was turned over to the casino ahead of schedule, allowing for the venue to open to the public 2 weeks early. The venue has created excellent results for the casino, and overall customer counts for the whole property have increased. The Tribe and casino management team are very happy with the way the restaurant looks, how the project was taken care of for them, and the excellent results they are seeing.