Overview
Albuquerque’s Sandia Casino and Resort is owned by the The Pueblo of Sandia, a federally recognized Indian tribe located in central New Mexico. The Resort has a 27,000-square-foot ballroom used for performances and dances, as well as a 4,000-seat outdoor amphitheater. Sandia supports performances year-round, and Jay Mortenson, the Players’ Club Manager and Interim Marketing Director, oversees every aspect of these events for both the ballroom and amphitheater.
Challenge
Prior to using Etix, Jay found that both creating events and training new users was time-consuming and often required external assistance. Jay also wanted extra protection against the number of fraudulent tickets that were appearing at Sandia’s high-demand shows. “I would see four tickets for the same seat at some of our events,” remarked Jay.
Solution
The Etix Client Services and Training teams worked with Jay and his staff to get their system up and running within a few months, while also providing training to create and adjust events as needed. “I really like the ability to customize everything, including VIP seating, on my own.” As an added convenience, Etix’s web-based system enables Jay and his team to sell tickets virtually anywhere with a laptop.
To combat fraud, Jay leveraged several built-in tools within the Etix system that help deter scalpers and bots, such as zip code radius filters, delayed print-at-home ticket delivery, and restricting ticket delivery to will call for purchasers more than 250 miles away from the venue.
Results
Etix has made it easy for Jay to handle the majority of event creation himself. “I like handling all of the programming; I know what my inventory is and I can see what’s happening at a glance in the Etix system.” He continues, “Event creation takes minutes instead of hours, and if I have any issues I know that I can reach out to my wonderful client services rep. I have a direct point of contact, which is critical for my business. I know my rep is always there for me.” He’s also pleased with the learning curve to train employees how to sell tickets, which has decreased from weeks to hours. “I can train you to sell tickets in five minutes,” says Jay. “The Etix system is very intuitive.”
Etix’s anti-fraud tools have also offered positive results for Jay and his team. Sandia books several high-demand acts, including Sugarland, Gary Clark, Little Big Town, and Flo-rida, for which scalping would have been an issue in the past. For a recent sold-out Pitbull concert, Jay believes that real fans were able to enjoy the show instead of scalpers or other bad actors, and no need to worry about four tickets for the same seat.
Advice for Other Venues
Jay recommends: “Don’t be afraid to move to Etix! Any change is difficult, but leverage the fantastic support systems they have, especially the on-site support of the Etix client services team. While you’re at it, learn as much about the platform as you can. Put yourself in the driver’s seat so you can get the big picture of what’s happening with your events.”
