After Katrina, Biloxi’s Imperial Palace Reopens with Image Overhaul, New Uniforms

It has been eight months since Hurricane Katrina struck Biloxi, and yet the city and the entire Coast remain severely devastated. FEMA trailers still dot the landscape, displaced families are still housed in tents rather than homes. Visitors, unprepared for the level of destruction, remain awestruck at the damage.

Yet amid the turmoil there are signs of life. Several of the region’s 13 casinos, which employed 17,000 workers before the storm and had annual revenue of $1.2 billion, have reopened, and more are slated to be open for business in the coming months.

Last December, almost four months to the day that the hurricane struck, the Imperial Palace Hotel & Casino reopened for business, becoming the first in the region to do so. Located on the Back Bay of Biloxi, the hotel suffered less damage than any of the area's floating gambling barges when Katrina hit on August 29, and was even used by FEMA during the initial stages of the crisis.

Owned by the Las Vegas-based Ralph and Betty Engelstad Trust, the Imperial Palace barge suffered minimal water damage, although the passageways leading from the land-based lobby to the casino had to be rebuilt. Flood waters washed through the hotel lobby, leading to a remodeling of the public areas and a new layout for the casino.

The commitment to upgrade the property was actually made several weeks before Katrina struck, but the pace was quickened significantly after the storm. “We were asked to meet an aggressive four-week design and production schedule, which we met,” said Judy Anderson, president, Creative Specialty Apparel (CSA), a design and manufacturing company specializing in gaming and hospitality wear. “Since the maintenance and laundering of uniforms was left to employees, many, if not most, of the previous garments were destroyed by Katrina, so using those were not an option. And the hotel was undergoing a complete redesign anyway, so it made sense to update its uniform program for the reopening.”

The result is a sleek, contemporary design which is reflected throughout the property and the new uniforms worn by employees. To complete its image makeover, the hotel now markets itself by its new, abbreviated name - IP. “We’re using IP to represent us in the future,” said Jon Lucas, the hotel’s general manager.

Returning hotel guests will immediately notice that the no-frills rooms have been upgraded into resort lodging. The cafeteria-style buffet has become a food performance venue, where diners can watch Asian dishes cooked in a wok or see pizzas come fresh out of the oven. And the drab elevator lobbies from the parking garage have been transformed into inviting foyers.

Some of the most significant changes have occurred in the casino. It now has a high-stakes table games area with its own bar and buffet, all coinless slot machines, a non-smoking third floor and a poker room with 16 tables.

With the changes, the IP is positioning itself to be the new market leader and maintain customer loyalty. High rollers will have their own "elite" card service complete with a lounge offering food and beverages. "We're going after a different level of customer," Lucas said. "They expect a different level of service."

The move to a more upscale image is evident in the IP’s new uniforms, according to Anderson. The garments Asian-inspired theme, while still evident, has been toned down, and is now more subtle and streamlined. “The colors are very earthy and the styling is simple and straightforward,” says Anderson.

CSA designed uniforms for several of the property’s departments including cocktail servers, dealers, cage, players club, buffet and slots. “Comfort, durability and easy care were important factors in this project,” notes Anderson.

The look reflects the current trend going on in the hospitality industry -- programs heavily influenced by retail designs. “Eventually, the industry will embrace something else, but for now, retail looks are hot, and here to stay,” notes Anderson.

This, of course, presents challenges for those who manufacture the garments, which after all, are uniforms. Says Anderson: “Not all fabrics can withstand the rigors of the tasks performed by hospitality employees, and it’s our responsibility to explain this to the customer and to supply them with fabric options that have a proven track record for the type of look they want. Is it frustrating? Yes, at times, but it’s also our job.”

CSA was asked to design a look that would utilize rich, warm colors and would also work well with the black bottom pieces that are universal to the program. “We were able to supply the slacks and skirts from our instock program, which is less traditional than most lines of its kind,” notes Anderson. “It also served as a cost-saving measure given the high turnover nature of the business.”

There are, however, plenty of customized features to be found, and CSA used color and various accents to create this effect. The pit dealers’ shirts are customized, and include a brocade trim. Dealers shirts are colored in terra cotta, as are those worn by cage employees, who are distinguished by a different trimming. Buffet workers utilize the same styling but the shirt is constructed in a more durable poly/cotton fabric. Cocktail servers wear solid black satin outfits, bejeweled with rhinestones. “This is a very clean, simple look, not soft and fluffy as had been the norm in casino wear,” says Anderson.

That is because the push toward retail styling has brought with it a design that is more masculine in nature. Today’s color palette centers around subdued colors like chocolate, terra cotta or ruby -- colors found throughout the redesigned IP. And the designs are decidedly understated, another departure from the over-the-top-nature of casinos past.

“Our lives today are so busy and full that people are looking for simple approaches to their apparel needs,” believes Anderson.

Many of the barges from the casinos along Highway 90, the main Gulf Coast highway, were washed off their moorings by the hurricane and came to rest on the other side of the four-lane roadway. “It is tremendous what this hotel has been able to accomplish in such as short timeframe,” notes Anderson. “We feel honored to have been part of the process, and hope it contributes to the overall revitalization of the region.”

To learn more about Creative Specialty Apparel, visit www.csaconcepts.com