Focus on Gary Platt: Hospitality line takes comfort beyond the casino floor

April 21, 2023 8:00 AM
  • John G. Brokopp, CDC Gaming Reports
April 21, 2023 8:00 AM
  • John G. Brokopp, CDC Gaming Reports

Gary Platt forever changed the casino landscape in properties world-wide by introducing chairs to gaming floors and then adding advanced ergonomic engineering.

Replacing mundane stools and chairs with quality, durable furniture, designed with an emphasis on the comfort of slot and table games players, created appealing and inviting environments never before seen or even experienced.

That same attention to detail and innovation is the driving force behind the Gary Platt Hospitality Division, which is convincing casino operators to take a fresh look at the restaurant, lounge, banquet, convention, administrative, and hotel components for creative solutions.

Eric Segal, recognized globally as a foremost authority in hospitality seating, with over 20 years of executive experience in the industry, serves as president of the Gary Platt Hospitality Division. He is convinced that the impact Gary Platt chairs have had on gaming floors translates just as effectively into hospitality because of Gary Platt’s “special sauce” – its exclusive right to a long-lasting, most comfortable foam.

“We bring a level of comfort that is just something everybody should have,” Segal said. “We take our concept of Gary Platt comfort and put it throughout the rest of the property. You should not only give your customers the opportunity to enjoy sitting in the gaming area. The entire casino should be an experience of comfort throughout.”

Gary Platt Hospitality features more than 100 different chairs for a wide variety of needs across the entire casino operation. The 2023 product line will be showcased at the upcoming Hospitality Design Expo at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas May 2–4. It is the most comprehensive hospitality event of its kind in the U.S.

Segal is enthusiastic about two new chair designs that will be unveiled at the Expo, the Anzano and the Modica, explaining that they are two different concepts but that both fall under the category that Gary Platt calls AlumWood, a blend of a wood finish on a welded aluminum frame.

“The Anzano is a multi-use chair primarily for dining areas, but also appropriate for a bar environment and even a desk chair in hotel rooms,” he said. “The Modica is similar, but is more of what I would call a transitional chair that falls in the Swedish modern look with exposed back. It works really well in dining for food courts and fast-food areas.”

Segal observed that Gary Platt Hospitality’s design and engineering capabilities with AlumWood makes it possible to offer chairs with a modern style constructed with welded aluminum that hold up better and last longer than traditional wood chairs.

The fundamental differentiating factor that puts Gary Platt chairs in an unrivaled position of excellence in the industry is the company’s proprietary foam – or, as Segal proudly references, the “piece de resistance”.

“Gary Platt foam in chairs on casino floors has demonstrated 20 years of use without ‘bottoming out’,” he said. “We have given it a brand-new name on the hospitality side: Pluxe Foam, a combination of Gary Platt and luxury. We are the first to introduce its practical sustainability to hospitality chairs with our unprecedented 10-year warranty.”

According to Segal, the completed product is a chair that looks like wood yet has the durability and longevity of a welded metal chair.

The meticulous manufacturing process requires a heat-treated layering approach with a transparent top coat that minimizes scratching.

“You cannot tell by looking it’s anything other than a wood chair,” he said. “Some customers will send us photos of wood chairs that they are interested in customizing with metal and our wood grain finish.”

He noted that Gary Platt’s casino customers require chairs that are going to last a very long time. Their request is fulfilled with chairs that have a welded aluminum frame with strength, longevity and durability, as well as a classic wood finish with the modern look.

Stackability, portability, and constant use can wreak havoc with banquet and convention chairs, sometimes making them age well before their time. This is not an issue with products from the Gary Platt Hospitality line.

“We differentiate ourselves in construction,” Segal said. “The Forum, our most popular chair, has a thicker aluminum wall than your typical chair, approximately 20 percent thicker. The thicker the wall, the stronger the chair.”

The Gary Platt Hospitality Division builds upon a strong company reputation forged on casino floors, transforming gaming space into recreational environments with the comforts of home.

Segal acknowledged that the majority of hospitality chairs out there are “good enough”, while at the same time affirming that Gary Platt sets the bar higher.

“What’s wonderful about Gary Platt is that we work with the top designers in the world with respect to casino-type chairs, combined with an engineering department that looks at more than just ‘what’s good enough’.

“We strive to develop the better chair or the best chair, as opposed to being just good enough. By employing the combination of design and engineering, Gary Platt has demonstrated and proven it has that capability in the market.”