What is the “universal language” of casinos?
For most, it’s the clink of chips, the cacophony of slot themes and the cries of bettors, either anguished or elated. But for Rock & Brews (R&B) and CEO Adam Goldberg, it’s toe-tapping and fist-pumping rock and roll.
In the casino industry, the non-gaming amenities are often the most difficult to curate, and R&B has emerged as a food and beverage brand that is uniquely suited to casinos and can, in some markets, drive its own traffic.
In just eight years, the company has opened seven locations in casinos across the country, from Southern California to Wisconsin, with more planned in the near future.
Goldberg, who joined the company in late 2018, told GGB that casinos are “the fastest-growing area” of R&B’s total business, comprising about a quarter of its overall location count.
Perhaps the simplest reason for the brand’s success is its iconoclastic, eccentric style and its connection to classic rock, one of the most enduring genres both in music and pop culture overall.
“I think it’s very fair to say that there’s a universal language that is spoken not only just in the United States, but around the world, and that’s rock and roll,” Goldberg said.
“When we play our music, it is the same language and we see people lip syncing or singing out loud or toe tapping when they’re in our restaurants. Our goal is to get that excitement out of people and by using rock and roll to get there, it works very well in the casino business.”
Rock-Solid Foundation
The company’s access to all the classic hits over the loudspeakers and the iconic memorabilia adorning the walls is due to its deep-seated connections to the rock industry. R&B was founded in 2010 by music merchandising legends Dave and Dell Furano, restaurateur Michael Zislis and KISS icons Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley.
According to R&B, the five men got the inspiration to form the venture while backstage at a KISS concert that year. In the midst of the camaraderie Dave Furano reportedly asked the group, “What’s better than rock and brews?”, which then led to a brainstorming session that formed the company as it stands today.
It’s good to have friends in high places, especially if they include some of the most popular artists in modern history. Goldberg explained that all R&B locations “use lots of artwork to describe the ages of rock and roll,” most of which is beloved and instantly recognizable.
“When we start a project we have a whole design team that works with the casino’s architects as well as contractors,” he said. “We handle all brand management to make sure we know what the goals and objectives of the casino are that we bring to life within their facility.”
All food and beverage endeavors must cater to their target audience to best succeed, and casinos have become a hand-in-glove fit for the brand.
Data from the American Gaming Association shows that the average age of casino patrons in the U.S. has stayed above 40 every year for the last decade (2014-23). Similarly, in a 2018 music preference study from AudienceNet, Classic Rock, Rock Music and Rock N’Roll easily ranked as the top three genres of choice for respondents aged 45-64.
Tribal Connections
Given the company’s penchant for the no-holds-barred rocker ethos, it makes sense that its first foray into the casino industry was at Yaamava’ Resort & Casino in Highland, Calif., a powerhouse in the tribal industry with the largest slot count on the West Coast.
That location opened in December 2016, and has since renewed its contract. Goldberg also noted that the casino has capitalized on the restaurant’s success by expanding its surroundings to fit the rock theme.
“The Rock & Brews at Yaamava’ has a live band stage that they program up to five nights a week on a regular basis,” he explained. “It’s really great entertainment that not only energizes the restaurant, but the music plays out onto the casino floor, which we also assisted in theming rock and roll. So they took a second floor, a former Bingo hall, about 60,000 square feet and transitioned that into a rock and roll casino which is right outside the Rock & Brews restaurant.”
Over time, the casino could see through its loyalty tracking system that the outlet was providing a tangible boost to play, especially in the immediate vicinity of its location. R&B became an attraction in and of itself, and as Goldberg explained, other casinos have caught on in a big way.
“We know by the data that’s being collected and being shared with us that this isn’t just about bringing a restaurant and great food and hospitality to a casino,” he said. “It’s about lift and longer extended play and increased frequency in the gaming environment. And Rock & Brews brings that to these different casinos around the country.”
On Tour Across the U.S.
In addition to Yaamava’, R&B has since opened units at the Rollings Hills Casino in Corning, Calif., ilani Casino Resort in Ridgefield, Wash., and two locations in Wisconsin at the Potawatomi Casinos in Milwaukee and Wabeno.
The Wabeno location, at Potawatomi Casino Hotel Carter, opened July 2. Simmons was on hand to cut the ceremonial ribbon, and the following day he performed for the public with his Gene Simmons Band at the Milwaukee location.
In May 2022 the company also launched the Rock & Brews Casino in Braman,Okla., which is a Class II facility operated by the Kaw Nation. Its standalone brand is a testament to how far R&B has evolved within the industry, especially in an area with dozens of other competing tribal casinos nearby. Goldberg said the returns have been so positive that expansions are in the works.
“The casino’s doing so well that we are going to add another 125 games in the next couple months, which involves extending out the property,” he explained. “We are also working on an additional phase that’ll include a hotel and conference center to bring some additional experiences to Braman.”
Looking ahead, R&B is set to further expand its Oklahoma presence by opening a location at the Indigo Sky Casino Resort in Wyandotte. That project is expected to open in early 2025.
As more locations come online the lore continues to grow. In an era where gaming is expanding across the country at the same time when operating conditions are becoming tighter than ever, R&B stands out as a versatile option to help bolster revenues in more ways than one.
“It’s becoming an easier sell to bring a Rock & Brews restaurant into a casino because we are giving the marketing and player relations departments a great tool to bring in new customers, and also increase the frequency of their players that they already have,” Goldberg said. “ We’re seeing that there’s more cash moving through than comps. So we know that that’s bringing in new players and giving the casino the tool to convert those players into their rewards programs.”
