Rainmaker Group Client Committee Taps Analysts for Revenue Think Tank

Wall Street analysts urge adoption of technology to drive greater revenue

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. October 14, 2008

ATLANTA, GA, October 1, 2008. The Rainmaker Group, the world leader in automated revenue management software and services to the casino gaming, hospitality and multi-family housing industries for total property profitability, announced that its fifth annual gaming and hospitality Client Steering Committee Meeting received record high marks from hotel and gaming executives. The event delivered value in stressful times, according to attendees and presenters alike-including Wall Street financial advisers who urged greater adoption of technology to drive new revenue streams.

"The Rainmaker Steering Committee meeting was the most productive, valuable conference I have attended," said Kelly Gunnoe, director of revenue management for MGM MIRAGE's Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. "Each session provided useful and pertinent information for our bottom line. A particularly strong presentation came from financial analysts on trends that will affect our markets." The Rainmaker Steering Committee reviews, validates and sets priorities for Rainmaker's "Project Roadmap," which is a constantly evolving plan for future system development.

Analysts predict comeback in 2010

Rainmaker hosted the event September 8 - 11 at the luxury beachfront Bacara Resort and Spa in Santa Barbara, California. The company invited a panel of three Wall Street analysts who predicted:

o Regional markets will recover more quickly from the softening economy than destinations like Las Vegas and Atlantic City as commodity prices pull back

o 2009 will be another challenging year for the gaming hotel industry

o The industry will come back with renewed strength in 2010.

Go beyond cost cutting to revenue optimization

The analysts underlined the importance of revenue optimization solutions for a hospitality gaming industry that has already "trimmed its fat" through effective cost-cutting practices. "Since gaming is still a people business, operators are reluctant to reduce labor levels beyond current levels and, as a result, will look to technology to drive top- and bottom-line improvements," said panelist Joel Simkins, senior vice president of gaming and leisure for Macquarie Capital (USA) Inc.

'Moneyball' author delivers keynote

Rainmaker's keynote presenter was Paul DePodesta, special assistant for baseball operations for the San Diego Padres. When DePodesta was assistant GM of the Oakland Athletics, the team's remarkable success on a shoestring budget flaunted conventional wisdom that wealthy teams win out. That success was documented in the best-selling Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game. DePodesta coached attendees on how to create innovative business strategies similar to those he used to build a winning baseball team.

Build a revenue management culture

The event featured breakout sessions on building a revenue management culture, with tips on how operators can embrace revenue management and foster cooperation from all departments. "Our meeting is a forum for industry leaders to share ideas on best practices," said Rainmaker President Bruce Barfield. "Professionals in our business want to leverage every opportunity from meetings like this. Our goal is to provide clients with content that benefits their companies and their careers."