Caesars Entertainment recently brought its innovative approach to wellness programming to Arizona’s historic Taliesin West as part of a 6-city national roadshow targeting meeting professionals.
The Frank Lloyd Wright-designed desert laboratory provided an inspiring backdrop for an evening focused on integrating wellness into corporate gatherings.
Kelly Gleeson Smith, SVP of Sales for Caesars Entertainment, established the evening’s tone by emphasizing the company’s authentic commitment to attendee wellbeing: “[Wellness] is not a trend. We believe it. It engages attendees and we believe it will be important for you down the road to have a template to use.” Reina Herschdorfer, Director of Marketing, National Meetings and Events with Caesars Entertainment, and Gabrielle Weiss, Marketing Manager Communications and Advertising, Meetings & Events, were also in attendance.
The Scottsdale event assembled local event marketers, meeting planners and industry media (including Prevue) for a hands-on demonstration of Caesars’ wellness-focused event offerings. Over the course of four hours (that flew by), we experienced tailored activities while gaining practical insights from two prominent wellness authorities.
David T. Stevens, Wellness Architect at Olympian Meeting, was the evening’s master of ceremonies. His presentation emphasized how strategically implementing diverse wellness activities creates more impactful events, highlighting the correlation between customized wellness programming and enhanced attendee engagement and noting that thoughtfully designed wellness moments contribute to both event memorability and participant well-being.
Fortune 500 speaker Nolan Nichols, founder of A Million Dreams, followed with a close look at personal wellness practices for professional success. He focused on practical strategies for incorporating wellness moments into daily routines and the importance of relationship-building as foundations for both individual health and career advancement.
His was, in fact, one of my favorite quotes of the evening: “[W]ellness is recentering. It’s how we come back to center when we feel like we’re two degrees or 20 degrees off. [W]ellness is the rising tide that helps us elevate our own personal well-being at work and beyond. We believe that you need to plan for moments of wellness. We don’t have to live just minute by minute, but we can live moment by moment so that we can posture ourselves for the amazing things that happen around us.”
The evening ended with an experiential component. We gathered outdoors for a sunset sound bath led by Svetlana Esposito, a Reiki Master and Kundalini Yoga Teacher. As we lay on our mats with our eyes closed under the amazing Arizona sky, Esposito treated our ears to an array of soothing notes from crystals and singing bowls. Afterwards, a reception featuring locally sourced food and beverages complemented the wellness theme.
Caesars extended the evening’s impact through thoughtfully curated take-home items that aligned with the company’s values. We received essential oil samples from Essence, tea samples from Teas of the Earth and brightly colored cloth bags from Sudara—a Benefit Corporation supporting women at high risk of or survivors of sex trafficking in India. These elements reinforced Gleason Smith’s observation that “any of your events can always be intentional.”
This Scottsdale gathering represented just one stop in Caesars’ multi-city initiative to showcase its comprehensive approach to integrating wellness into meetings and conventions across its portfolio.
For more information, visit caesars.com.
