Whatever one thinks of The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas‘ business plan, the $4 billion resort seems bound and determined to position itself as a lifestyle-oriented hangout for the upwardly mobile, with casino gambling just one amenity among many others. But perhaps you looked out over the pool deck last weekend and thought, “Wow, that looks like the largest multi-day yoga festival in the world!” And you’d be right. It was something called Wanderlust and obviously drew a bevy of yogini. The jury’s still out on whether this kind of niche marketing will work but it has the virtue of apparently being previously untried.
(Photo: RETNA/Erik Kabik)
As a visitor to the Cosmopolitan this weekend, I can assure you that there was a lot more action on the roof than in the casino. I’ve written many good things before about the architecture and design of the Cosmopolitan, but all of that faded in the face of some very poor customer service. If the Cosmopolitan wants to bring new business to Las Vegas, the yoga festival is a good idea. But if Cosmopolitan ever plans to attract repeat players who visit there to gamble, then they need to get back to basics. The two are not mutually exclusive–they can do a better job in the casino as they also stretch the resort with yoga festivals.