Fifteen years is akin to a geologic epoch when it comes to tech. That’s how long Fletcher Hickey has been with both the Talking Stick Resort and Casino Arizona — his work with the hotel and casino’s audiovisual department stretches back to the days when bulky coaxial cable was the standard for getting video content from point A to point B. Hickey — now serving as AV manager for the resort — was the third employee hired in that department. “We have around a dozen AV staffers now,” says Hickey, further noting that the resort has an internship program that focuses on tribal members learning the craft. (Talking Stick is independently owned and operated by the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.)
Those interns are starting their careers firmly in the age of AV-over-IP. It’s a technology that now powers vital functions in the resort — most notably, the casino’s new poker room, sportsbook, and showroom. Like all the transitions Talking Stick has undertaken over the last 15 years, Hickey has been heavily involved in the most recent upgrades to the property. “There were weird periods where the technology was ‘sort of’ digital, but now we’re IP-based,” says Hickey.
Those transitions that Hickey has been a part of haven’t been easy — after all, the casino is a 24/7 operation, so the logistics of updating technology while guests are using a space is always a challenge. “We never close, so those transitions generally happen at night,” says Hickey.
The casino’s business model demands regular updates. “It's a very competitive market here — even if you don’t consider Vegas, which we directly compete with too,” says Hickey. Las Vegas is a mere 350 miles from the greater Phoenix area, so in addition to the challenge of keeping local gaming business in town, Talking Stick competes with other tribal casinos. “They're always changing, always adding, always renovating, which is great for me because every five years, I get to play with new toys,” says Hickey.
But how does an AV pro know which “toys” aren’t fads? It is, after all, a tough time to be a specifier, as technology seems to be moving forward at breakneck speed.