THE CHIP STORY YOU NEVER HEARD…….UNTIL NOW
IN 1994 my newly formed marketing consulting business was just getting off the ground, Hilton Gaming and Aztar Gaming had just enlisted my services. Those two clients would prove to be all I needed, however I did do some pro bono work for friends. This story is about two of those friends. Marc Curtis was the general manager of the Pioneer Club at the time and he needed some help. Fremont Street was closed and under construction, for the soon to be completed Fremont Street Experience and foot traffic was non existent. The Pioneer Club did not have hotel rooms so it was very difficult to compete with the larger downtown hotels that offered many amenities. I suggested that he put some type of attraction in the casino to draw what little foot traffic there was. The Pioneer Club was very small and didn’t have much space. After reviewing his books I saw that the two pool tables generated about $200 a month and brought in a bad crowd. I also noticed that the high limit slot area got little to no play. The solution was simple, get rid of the two pool tables and move the slots into that area. That freed up about 500 sq. ft. in the center of the casino. He allowed me to use this space for a free attraction, it would be a display of Nevada Gaming Artifacts. This attraction was comprised of items from my personal collection and we called it the Nevada Gold Museum. Another good friend, Paul Endy, owner of Paulson Gaming, was experimenting with a new product. His business was manufacturing gaming equipment, including chips. That product was the full graphic casino chip. I loved this new product and worked with him in development. I told him I was helping a friend out and I put together a small attraction for him and wanted to create some chips for him. I worked with their graphic artist Will Hart. I would give him the concept and he would make it come to life. I created the first set of limited edition chips, a 12 piece set highlighting different Nevada historic events. All of these chips ($5.00 denomination) were sequentially serial numbered, this was also a first. In addition I also was responsible for a six piece set commemorating their 50th Anniversary. This set was comprised of $.25-$100 denomination and also was sequentially serial numbered, another first. Marc thought I was crazy. He said “Who would buy these chips and not cash them in”. My answer was simple “Chip collectors”. I scheduled the release of these chips to coincide with the CC>CC National Convention. We limited the quantity to two sets per person. The line at the cage went through the casino and onto Fremont Street. We made the six o’clock news and all the matching serial numbered sets sold out in about one hour. Over the next ten years I was responsible for bringing hundreds of orders to my friend Paul and insured the future of the full graphic chip as this became the style of choice. Sadly The Pioneer Club could not compete and was purchased by the ABC Store and flourishes as a souvenir store today.
