The historic Cabbage Tree Hotel has serviced the coastal suburb of Fairy Meadow in Wollongong NSW for at least 100 years.
The hotel today is described by the owners as largely a food and live sports venue. However, it also has a fantastic gaming space as a result of its recent major makeover by Capital Design Works!
The existing gaming rooms at this and the owners' other hotel in Bomaderry NSW were small, cramped and lacking in comfort. Owners Brad and Corrina Young wanted a new high performance gaming space in each venue that would be more competitive and have better privacy, flow and comfort. It was also important that the rooms at both hotels matched each other in terms of joinery and quality finishes.
Because of the small size of the room at the Cabbage Tree, it was decided that the gaming machines would be moved into a bigger space. This led the creation of a whole new gaming room, with the old room now being used as a dining area.
From the outset, the owners knew just what they wanted. They did not want to skimp on the makeover, but create something that would have a big impact. This included installing premium products and finishes and designing the best possible layout to make a truly comfortable space.
To meet the brief, Capital designed a layout that would provide more space and privacy for players. This included privacy booths around the perimeter, and a single long bank of machines in the centre with glass infills between them. Products installed included Arizona gaming machine bases with LED lighting, Empire Gold footrests and Gold Casino lead edging as well as wireless phone chargers for each machine. The Ayana Gaming Screens have a 100mm thick frame with a robust 25mm thick decorative screen finished in metallic gold polyurethane paint. The LED fantasy lighting integrated into the frame reflects off the panels and gives them a solid, premium look and feel.
Furthermore, the design integrated glass sneeze-guard separation panels between EGMs to offer a physical barrier to safeguard players and provide additional comfort during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Brad Young says the new layout is great for patrons. Previously, some of the machines were too close to a door or to foot traffic, which could be uncomfortable for players. This is no longer the case - each machine now has more space and far better privacy. The room also has a great vibe and has that ‘wow factor’ Brad was after.
The new design has also led to higher volumes of people coming in, as well as more customers coming back rather than moving on – indicating it has hit the mark when it comes to being more competitive!