INN OF THE MOUNTAIN GODS
The Market at the Mountain
To create a memorable new destination point for their New Mexico casino resort, Inn of the Mountain Gods wanted to transform their old buffet space into a new food court concept: The Market at the Mountain. I-5 partnered closely with the casino management team to design a food court complete with four franchises and an arcade. The exciting new culinary offerings have added further name-brand recognition and appeal to the resort, and are helping draw both new and repeat customers from specific locales across New Mexico.
Location: Mescalero, New Mexico
Duration: 16 Weeks
Project Size: 8,700 sf
Services: Design-Build Remodel
Project Approach
WATCH
Diverse Brands, Unified Design
To increase customer draw and impact, I-5 worked with casino management to implement nationally known franchises into the new design of Mountain Gods’ food service area. Creative design solutions allowed the casino to highlight the unique brand standards of the new restaurants, while still staying true to the signature design motifs of this unique venue. Everything from the color palettes of the seating areas, to the consistency of the new wood finishes, help tie together these unique brands into a unified design that offers diverse culinary focal points for customers.
Improving Efficiency with Creative Construction Solutions
Onsite, I-5 worked around pre-existing structures and building limitations to implement the new franchise venues into the old buffet area. Custom artwork was created offsite, which not only ensured maximum quality but allowed specific franchise specifications and casino design motifs to be incorporated into these new elements simultaneously. This creative approach to collaborative onsite and offsite construction allowed us to make custom solutions that expedited the timeframe of this comprehensive project.
Since I-5 assumes full responsibility as both the designer and builder, we were able to make several major design changes even as the project commenced with no change orders or cost increases. Changes in direction from casino management were met with efficiency and flexibility, largely through the power of regular, transparent communication. Providing a single point of contact further removed headaches and improved efficiency for the client.
Better Operational Control and Excellent Customer Experience
Transforming Inn of the Mountain Gods’ underperforming buffet area has allowed them far greater control of the venue, and unlocked a new “choose your own adventure” optionality that keeps guests engaged and excited to come back. Management is thrilled with the success of the project, so much so that they are partnering with I-5 for additional project design services.
