“The fact that SAS had certified and worked with Progress DataDirect in the past really reduced the risk for us.” “Additional research revealed that DataDirect has a solid reputation as a good source of connectivity software and proven technologies,” Laudig recalls. SAS recommended Progress DataDirect as its preferred driver for data access. “So we needed to read data from that database, decide what offers to make, then write the order reference back to the database.”īecause plans were to connect to Windows-based data sources for a variety of applications, seeking a third-party ODBC connectivity vendor seemed the best approach. “We needed to connect to the SQL Server database underpinning the MGM Grand at Foxwoods website in order to create entertainment package offers for our customers,” Laudig says. The first such project involved data from the MGM Grand at Foxwoods-a mega-entertainment venue showcasing major performing talents, concerts, sporting events, and popular off-Broadway shows. But we lacked an ODBC driver to connect from SAS to the Windows-based data sources.”

The SAS technology provides us with connectivity with Netezza and other UNIX databases. “For instance, retail sales and food and beverage-there are a bunch of them. “A lot of the other additional data sources that we planned to access going forward are in Microsoft SQL Server,” explains Bonnie Laudig, Senior Database Administrator at Foxwoods. The primary IT environment used by the hospitality systems division runs on an AIX UNIX platform with SAS business analytics software and a Netezza data warehouse appliance as a data warehouse solution however, a challenge arose that threatened to prevent extension of the BI initiative beyond its initial scope. “We wanted to gather data on visitor activity outside of gaming including reservations, ticketing, point of sales, etc.” “The way you do that is by getting data to a data warehouse and using the tools that are out there to compile and analyze that data,” says Mike Kutia, Director of Hospitality Systems. However, the organization lacked information about patrons’ nongaming activities-hotel stays, shows, dining, leisurely pursuits-and whether or how that data correlated with the gaming. Like all casinos, Foxwoods has long been collecting data on the gaming activities of its patrons.

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