Harrah’s Atlantic City To Get Major Makeover For 2017

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Building on the recent success of its $125 million, world-class Waterfront Conference Center, Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City plans a $30 million guest-room & suite renovation, to be completed by summer 2017.

The room and suite upgrades are part of Caesars Entertainment’s total investment of $200 million into its Atlantic City casino-resorts, which additionally includes future enhancements to Harrah’s premier nightlife destination, The Pool After Dark, the resort’s fitness center, and its upscale food court.

The renovations will be done in time for the 2017 LCT-NLA Show East, scheduled for Nov. 5-7, 2017. This year’s LCT East Show takes place Nov. 13-15.

Harrah’s Resort will re-design and enhance 450 guest-rooms and suites in its Bayview Tower, partnering with Las Vegas-based design firm, Marnell Companies, to curate the in-room guest experience. Bayview rooms, which will boast about 600-square-feet of space, will offer fresh design elements, featuring rich hues of lavender and blue accent colors, contrasting white and gray tones, and contemporary furniture, including a vanity dressing area. Freshly-appointed, modern bathrooms will offer oversized showers, while select rooms will additionally offer luxurious baths and signature amenities.

Harrah’s press release here

Related article: World Casino News

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Atlantic city   Caesars   casinos   Harrah’s   hotels   LCT-NLA Show East   limo tradeshows   

 

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Continental Helps Lincoln Gain Sales Momentum

DEARBORN, Mich. — Lincoln quietly notched another strong month in September as it remains in good shape to post a rare third consecutive year of sales increases.

Lincoln’s total sales were only up 1.3%, but its retail sales increased 8% last month, which is even more impressive when considering that management believes the premium segment declined about 2% to 3% in September.

The MKX continues to be a runaway success story for the brand, with its sales up nearly 50% year to date. It was also the first month of deliveries for Ford’s flagship Lincoln Continental. The all-new Continental posted sales of 775 units and units were being driven off dealership lots within just six days.

“They [dealers] couldn’t be more delighted with the launch to date, and not just the reception of the Continental, but some of the other Lincolns that’s brought new customers into the Lincoln showroom. And they’re selling MKZs, MKXs off of that traffic,” said Mark LaNeve, vice president of U.S. marketing, sales and service, on the sales conference call.

While September won’t go down as one of Ford’s most thrilling sales months, the rising average transaction prices, sales increases for Lincoln, and positive receptions to the all-new Super Duty and Continental are certainly developments for investors to be happy about. One of the most important things for investors to watch through the rest of 2016 are rising incentive levels, and whether or not major automakers can tone down incentive spending as the market plateaus.

Overall, Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) trailed the automotive industry in September sales, with total sales dropping 8%, down to 204,447 units, compared to the prior year. A large part of the decline was due to a 21% decline in fleet sales, but Ford’s retail sales were also off 4%. The industry’s total light-vehicle sales dropped 0.7% in September, but are still clinging to a year-to-date increase of 0.3% compared to the same time frame in 2015. While it wasn’t a strong month for Ford in terms of total sales, there were some bright spots in the data.

Source: Madison.com

Related: All the Lincoln Continental news @ LCTMag.com

Keywords

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Operator Buys More Companies, Classes Up Fleet

SAN JOSE, Calif. — For all the industry challenges arising from TNCs nationwide, no operators must maneuver smarter than those in the San Francisco Bay Area, birthplace of Uber, Lyft, and the growing app-on-demand culture.

Operator Harry Dhillon, owner and founder of Ecko Transportation Worldwide in San Jose, has spent the past 18 months buying three local limousine operations while launching a complementary industry start-up. A look at his strategy provides some insights for operators figuring out how to survive and succeed as the on-demand mode of commerce sweeps through the global economy.

Dhillon, a 2015 LCT Operator of the Year Award winner, deploys a strategy that brings together several trends seen among limo operators: Buy smaller companies, create service niches or tiers, diversify the client base, upgrade the chauffeured fleet, expand into complementary regions, and start new, preferably tech-oriented, businesses.

Altogether, this approach can fortify a limousine company for the long-term while giving it advantages over Transportation Network Companies (TNCs).

“You need young energy to make sure you’re on par with the competition,” Dhillon told LCT. “You don’t put all your eggs in one basket but have different businesses and revenue generating pipelines.”

Altogether, the three purchased companies will boost Ecko’s overall fleet to 35 vehicles and enable it to expand into the Napa region.

• Most recently, Dhillon closed a deal Sept. 9 to buy Limo Stop of San Jose, the company that operated the stretch limousine involved in the fatal fire of May 4, 2013 in which five women died. The company had been in business for 16 years. Dhillon plans to rebrand it as El Worldwide Transportation, doing business under Ecko. The company gained two vehicles as part of the deal, which adds $600,000 to its revenue stream. “The limo fire was an unfortunate incident that can happen to any one of us,” Dhillon said. “They were trying to sell but no operators wanted it, but I saw potential. They have good corporate client accounts.”
• A month before, Dhillon acquired Air One Transportation Worldwide of San Jose, a small-fleet operation with four vehicles owned by Olga Spirina and Russell McGillicuddy. The $400,000 annual revenue operation specializes in a high-end VIP local clientele. As a result, Dhillon is keeping the company running under its name and website as his elite service tier. “I bought the company because the profit margin was higher and it had a clientele in place with many airport round-trips,” Dhillon said. “The rates are higher than for a normal limousine service because of its elite level clients.”
• In March 2015, Dhillon bought the largest of the acquired companies, Excel Limo & Sedan Service of Mountain View, a 16-year-old operation that added $1.4 million and 10 vehicles to the Ecko fleet. The company did mostly airport runs and group trips.

Combined, the added companies boost Ecko’s overall estimated revenues this year to $5.5 million with a combined fleet of 35 vehicles. Between now and the end of 2017, Dhillon will be upgrading his fleet exclusively to BMW 740i sedans, Mercedes-Benz S Class sedans, Lincoln-Continentals, and Cadillac Escalades. Those premium level luxury vehicles will complement his Grech Motors minibuses and Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Vans.

Ecko’s farm-out business has grown since last year from zero to about 8-10 reservations per day, making up about 12-15% of his annual business. Overall, the client mix divides 70% corporate/business versus 30% retail/leisure. To grow his market reach, Dhillon joined a private aviation association to connect with charter jet providers to serve more FBOs and private aviation markets. Long-term, Dhillon wants to consider buying more smaller limousine operations in the $500,000-plus annual revenue range and grow to $15 million during the next three years.

Complementing his operations, Dhillon launched a start-up in July called Dhillon Enterprises, dba as Hashtag Business Solutions in Chandigarh, India. The five-employee company provides a one-stop shop for all small to mid-sized fleet operators needing 24/7 on-demand answering services, website designs, logo designs, presentation PDFs, and quality checks of operations. Hashtag assigns one employee per client company, who can focus exclusively on that company’s service needs. Dhillon plans to introduce the company at upcoming trade show exhibits.

Keywords

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How To Find A Digital Mentor

If you’re a member of the LCT Fast 40 group of operators, you’re probably looking at our technology coverage with glee and confidence. On the other hand, if you’re a member of the more seasoned crowd, you likely greeted this first part with skepticism, and maybe some concern.

I’ll share an embarrassing secret: the LCT editorial team recently participated in a demo with one of these software companies, and I’m not ashamed to say I had a difficult time following. As a Millennial, I’m adept at adapting to new technologies. But this experience made me realize why some operators hesitate.

I think something people have even more difficulty with than technology is learning it’s O.K. to ask for help. The primary mission of the LCT Fast 40 is to encourage the limousine industry to evolve with the times through innovative practices, tech adoption, and refreshed perspectives. But that’s not just meant to stay among younger operators.

When people choose to pursue a career in luxury ground transportation, I assume it’s because they enjoy providing top-tier customer service and have an honest desire to serve others. This idea of the “servant’s heart” got me thinking: If operators and chauffeurs find true joy in helping customers, why don’t they apply it to their fellow industry members?

It’s probably safe to say everyone has had a mentor at one point in their careers who guided them to where they are today. This is a busy industry, and many operators don’t have much time to devote to other people. However, digital mentorship will provide both parties with benefits and make it easier to learn about evolving programs and software.

Use Your Resources

The first step is to connect with operators who already use the same software as you (or as you plan to). One of the best places to find a potential mentor is through limo groups on Facebook. Don’t be afraid to post your concerns, and don’t worry about whether or not your questions are “stupid.” The only dumb question is the one not asked.

These groups exist to support and encourage members of the industry. We should be building each other up, not tearing each other down. Another fantastic way to find someone willing to help is at trade show networking events or local association meetings.

On the flip side, if someone asks you to mentor them, remember you have struggled at one point as well. Before you say you aren’t interested, consider the benefits that come with sharing your knowledge: Development of management and leadership qualities, gaining a potential new affiliate, and increasing your recognition within the industry through word of mouth.

Patience Is Key

With technology, patience (and practice) makes you better. This goes for the mentor and the mentee. Getting upset because someone needs to see how you dispatched that vehicle three times is not going to help the situation. In turn, getting angry and frustrated because you need the direction repeated will only blind you further. When both parties get mad at one another, the relationship falls apart.

Support One Another

Mentors should remember to praise their mentees strengths and celebrate progress. Mentees should appreciate the time and effort their mentors put in to help. Both should listen to each other’s concerns and respond in a respectful manner. The mentor isn’t any better than the mentee; they are a team.

Once the mentee feels comfortable enough, it is time for them to become a mentor and pay it forward.

LEXI TUCKER is LCT assistant editor and coordinator of the LCT Fast 40, a group of operators under 40 who collaborate and learn from each other about all aspects of chauffeured transportation. She can be reached at lexi@lctmag.com.

Keywords

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TNCs Cozy Up To Regulators To Get More Philly DNC Business

PHILADELPHIA — In cities around the world, the ride-for-hire company Uber repeatedly has clashed with regulators as it seeks to expand. This was one of those cities until a few weeks ago. But as tens of thousands of delegates, donors, protesters and members of the media descended on the city for this week’s Democratic convention, Uber tried a different approach: a partnership with regulators to help get people around and relieve congestion.

Fivethirtyeight.com article here

Keywords

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Vandals Shut Down Alamba Limo Services

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — An Eeast Birmingham limousine service is out of business due to vandals. On July 27, someone broke windows on three expensive limousines. Owner Emma Bearden couldn’t believe the damage.

“I was in shock. I couldn’t believe this had happened. Just trying to figure out why,” Bearden said. She feels this was not a childish prank but it was done with vengeance. She’ll be out of business for at least a month.

Bearden also has surveillance video of someone attacking her nephew’s limousine company, Diamond Limousine Service in Bessemer, in May. Owner Willie Hudgins believe the two attacks are related.

WBRC FOX 6 News article and video here

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California Operator Rocks A Tesla Fleet

SAN DIEGO, Calif. — A few words come to mind when one hears the word “Tesla”: Beautiful, modern, luxurious, and…expensive. Most operators would consider it difficult to incorporate them into a fleet that’s constantly on the go.

However, Neil Spenta, president and CEO of American Corporate Sedan and Limousine in San Diego, proves it can be done through careful planning and collaboration with his chauffeurs.

For The Love of Tesla

Spenta has always been passionate about technology and electric cars in general, but the Tesla holds a special place in his heart. So much so that one of the reasons he moved to the U.S. from Australia in 2014 was because the vehicle is cheaper here than down under. 

“I had a Tesla on order there, but then they released the pricing and it was so expensive because of taxes,” he explains.

Although he first worked for the Australian government in digital forensics, he decided he would begin his new life in the U.S. by buying a business and starting fresh. The company he took over was American Corporate Sedan and Limousine, which was originally a family-owned business started in 2001.

The owners decided to retire, and Spenta began his journey in the luxury ground transportation industry.

Spenta praises the Tesla’s low maintenance, affordable charging costs, and clean operation, which benefits the environment. “We were looking at European sedans and warranties were an issue. Tesla’s warranty covers all commercial use. On top of that, they have an eight-year unlimited warranty on the powertrain, which also includes commercial use. To have an unlimited mile warranty on any part of a vehicle is insane, especially for commercial use. The motors are also rated for a million miles.”

Benefits Outweigh The Costs

Spenta started the company with two Model S sedans, and then bought a 2016 Cadillac Escalade last year because he needed an SUV. He’s since retired the sedans, but keeps one on hand in case of an emergency. Now, the company uses two Tesla Model X SUVs and the Escalade.

“The Tesla is a fairly expensive luxury vehicle, but you’ll find the cost of ownership is quite low,” Spenta says. “When I purchased the company is April 2015, they had a couple of Town Cars and a Ford van. We were spending about $7,000-8,000 a month in gas and maintenance bills.”

While Teslas cost more than gas-powered vehicles, “Even though the Escalade was cheaper than our Model X SUVs, the money we are going to spend on gas and maintenance over the next five to eight years in itself is more expensive than the car payment for the Tesla,” he says. “You are probably looking around a similar price range to buy a fully loaded BMW 7 Series or Mercedes S Class anyway.”

When charging the vehicles, Spenta uses Tesla Supercharger stations, which are free, and supposed to remain that way. These nationwide stations — mostly near shops, restaurants, and restrooms — require about 40 minutes for an 80% charge. A full battery provides about 260 miles of range. Charging costs are rolled into the cost of the vehicle. “It’s very convenient and works out well for our chauffeurs,” he says.

Learning To Adapt

Because most chauffeurs are unfamiliar with driving all-electric vehicles, Spenta has trained them to balance the distance of runs with charging time.

“Training basically consists of informing the chauffeurs about how electric vehicles work,” he says. “It’s taken them a little while to get used to it, but it works perfectly when they do. They time everything and get plenty of breaks. If they’ve been driving for three or four hours, I want them to rest a bit anyway.”

On an eight hour job, for example, a chauffeur can take a couple of hours for a break while the car is parked at the Supercharger station. “We’re not going to be driving for eight hours straight,” Spenta says. “The chauffeur will take a breather and grab a coffee, lunch, and then head back.”

Keywords

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Uber Puts Drivers On Time-Out, Some Deserve Worse

Uber Drivers Say When They Turn Down Ride Requests, They Get Timeouts: Just like when your mom told you to go sit in the corner for refusing to pick up your toys, Uber drivers say when they repeatedly turn down ride requests, they’re given timeouts. CNNMoney spoke with drivers who say after they’ve refused a few ride requests, they’re locked out of the Uber system for up to 15 minutes. Consumerist article here

Lyft Driver Arrested in Attempted Kidnapping of Jogger in San Diego: Police have arrested a 21-year-old man in connection with an alleged attempted kidnapping of a woman as she was jogging the afternoon of July 27 in the University City area. Patch article here

California Man Warns Others About Fake Uber, Lyft Drivers: An Ocean Beach man is warning others about fake Uber and Lyft drivers targeting drunk women walking alone at night. ABC 10 article here

Georgia Uber Driver Accused Of Pointing Gun At Gay Passengers: Corthell Williams said he and his friend were picked up by an Uber driver outside of a gay night club. They started making conversation, and Williams said, “We told [the driver] he was cute.” According to the incident report from Atlanta Police, the driver started yelling profanities at the men and pulled out a gun. They then jumped out of the vehicle and the driver followed, pointing the gun at them. CBS46 News article here

Uber Driver Gets State Prison For Sex Assault Of Passenger: Abdellah Elkaddi, 47, was sentenced July 26 by Montgomery County Judge Thomas P. Rogers after an emotional sentence hearing to 7½ to 15 years in state prison. He was convicted in April of sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault and indecent assault. The jury found Elkaddi not guilty of rape. Daily Local News article here

Uber Hired CIA-Linked Research Firm To Investigate Union Politics: For months, Uber has been fending off fraud allegations related to an investigation into one of its legal opponents, which the company commissioned from a secretive CIA-linked research firm called Ergo. The Verge has now found evidence of a separate Ergo project investigating union politics in Seattle. The Verge article here

Keywords

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