Milwaukee Talks: Don Voss, VP of marketing for Treasure Island

March 12-18 is Milwaukee in Las Vegas Week on OnMilwaukee.com. Last month, Funjet Vacations sent our editorial team to Vegas, where we sought out connections between Brew City and Sin City. These are our stories...

LAS VEGAS -- It's a brisk evening on the Las Vegas strip and a shoulder-to-shoulder crowd of tourists stands outside Treasure Island, watching the famous pirate show, officially known as "Sirens of TI," which recreates a 17th century battle between beautiful sirens and a band of renegade pirates with a backdrop of 21st century music, dance and production values.

As the show ends, the crowd begins to scatter and many people head toward the hotel -- a scene that will be repeated three more times during the night.

"That's pretty good marketing for the hotel, isn't it?" a middle-age woman says, drawing nods from her husband as they follow the crowd inside the casino.

Treasure Island has eight restaurants, an indoor-outdoor nightclub, a spa and salon, tropical pool and an ultra-popular Cirque du Soleil show "Mystere," but many people find that their first introduction to the property is through "Sirens."

That's OK with Don Voss.

In the ultra-competitive world of Vegas casinos, attracting foot traffic -- and, more important, guest traffic -- is vital to success. The man who in charge of creating the "buzz" for Treasure Island is Milwaukee native Voss, the vice president of sales and marketing for the hotel. Enjoy this Milwaukee Talks interview with Don Voss:

OnMilwaukee.com: Tell us about your background and Milwaukee connections. Where did you grow up, go to high school, etc. How often do you make it back to Milwaukee? Do you still have family there?

Don Voss: I was born in Milwaukee, and raised in Greendale, where I attended Canterbury Grade School, Greendale Intermediate, and Martin Luther High School. I was the fourth child in a family of one girl and four boys that my parents, Donald and Kay Voss, raised while owning and operating Parkland Travel (now Carlson Wagonlit) in Hales Corners and South Milwaukee. My parents currently live in Franklin, and my two older brothers (Dean and Dale) have families in Brookfield and Greendale.

My wife, Amanda, and I are fortunate enough to visit Milwaukee at least twice per year to see my family and friends -- usually around Summerfest and one of the warm-weather holidays to enjoy some great cheese, brats, music and the lush green hills that do not exist in Las Vegas.

Amanda and I visited Madison last September to watch my father be inducted into the University of Wisconsin Hall of Fame as an All-American defensive end for the 1952 UW Badgers.

OMC: What was the career path that landed you in Las Vegas and at TI?

DV: I earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from the University of Wisconsin-Stout in 1990. My plan was to develop a resume through experience in a strong tourist destination before attempting to obtain a management position with one of the major hotel chains in southern California. At the time, I read and learned a lot about The Mirage in Las Vegas. Since it was a strong tourist destination, offered a reasonable cost of living, it was an easy choice to begin my career in "The Entertainment Capital of the World."

I began with a front desk position through an employment agency at The Jockey Club condo-hotel, which was the only timeshare resort on The Strip. I was promoted a few times before the same company provided me with the opportunity to open Polo Towers in 1992 as the Front Office Manager.

In December 2003, I decided to leave the timeshare company and had the opportunity to help my parents' travel agency with what would be their largest travel group ever to see the Wisconsin Badgers in the Rose Bowl. We coordinated travel for more than 2,000 Badgers fans. Despite several challenges with little time to prepare, not only did everyone in our group receive their game tickets, but we ended up helping out several other Wisconsin fans who didn't receive theirs.

After my time in Vegas and the Rose Bowl group, I felt I had the experience necessary to obtain a management position in California and was hired as Assistant Hotel Manager at the Westin South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, Calif. However, when the income was not significantly different to Las Vegas, and the cost of living was much higher, I realized I may have to look at other opportunities in the industry. At the same time, the Group Director position opened up at my parents' travel agency, and I moved back to Wisconsin in 1994.

After four rewarding years in the family business, I decided to return to Las Vegas after learning about some new and exciting opportunities with the opening of Bellagio in 1998. While they did not have any openings at that time, I was able to obtain an entry level position as Sales Coordinator with Bellagio's sister property, Treasure Island. After a few months, I was promoted to Sales Manager and several additional sales management positions between 1999 and 2006 until my most recent position of Vice President Sales & Marketing in 2007.

OMC: Why do you think Las Vegas holds such a special attraction for the people of Milwaukee and Wisconsin? We've heard that Wisconsin sends more people to Vegas than any other state. Have you experienced this? Outside of the obvious -- gaming and drinking -- why do you think Cheeseheads love Vegas?

DV: I believe the down-to-earth people of Milwaukee and the entire state of Wisconsin love Las Vegas since it offers a complete escape from the standard Midwestern life at a relatively affordable price. It's a 24-hour town in which you can and do experience just about anything at anytime. You see all kinds of interesting people literally from around the world, and just about anyone feels comfortable at all the incredible places to experience world-class dining, shopping and entertainment. Of course, the 70-degree weather we are having right now is pretty nice draw for those from the frozen tundra, as well.

It is true that we see a huge number of guests from Wisconsin. Although the largest amount of the nearly 40 million annual visitors to Las Vegas are from California and Texas, I would guess that, per capita, Wisconsin is right up there. We also know that one of our largest wholesale partners, the Mark Travel Corporation (a.k.a. Funjet Vacations), is headquartered in Milwaukee, and has helped to bring in thousands of customers each year.

OMC: If someone asked you "What should I do in Vegas? It's my first time," what are the "can't miss" attractions you'd tell them about? For regular visitors, do you have any "insider's tips" that can help avoid mistakes, headaches and other snafus that hamper the Vegas experience? When are the best and worst times to visit the city?

DV: First timers to Las Vegas should plan a minimum three-night stay. Only then will they be able to scratch the surface of everything the city has to offer. I would also recommend they plan on pacing themselves. So many want to dive in the deep end of all the action right away and burn out after several intense hours. During the day, the ladies should plan an afternoon of shopping and / or the spa, while the guys hit the links or check out the sports book. Then, everyone should plan at least one meal at a gourmet restaurant before experiencing one of the amazing large production shows.

The can't-miss (free) attractions include the Fountains of Bellagio as well as the Bellagio Conservatory, the Sirens of TI outdoor production at Treasure Island, the volcano eruption at The Mirage, the views from MIX Lounge at Mandalay Bay and the Freemont Street Experience downtown.

I still truly believe that Mystère by Cirque du Soleil is one of the most amazing shows in Las Vegas, if not the world. I have now seen it eight times and I am always inspired to give a standing ovation to the Olympic-caliber athletes, the fantastic costume designers, lighting engineers, musicians and all those who create a show that is ideal for any audience. Otherwise, if I were to recommend only one "must-see" show, I would suggest just about any one of the other Cirque du Soleil shows which all perform on multi-million dollar, custom-built stages.

There are so many incredible dining experiences in Las Vegas that I could literally recommend dozens. The Buffet at TI has been rated as one of the best in Las Vegas. We have also seen several celebrities dining at Social House Restaurant in Treasure Island including Eva Longoria, Enrique Iglesias and most recently Tiger Woods. It's a sushi and sake restaurant that also offers exotic fish and meat dishes served in one of the most unique atmospheres with an outdoor dining option facing the Strip. TI also features the best Mexican food in Las Vegas at Isla, which also serves over 90 different tequilas.

Regular visitors can't go wrong with any restaurant in MGM Grand, and my Wisconsin friends usually enjoy The Steak House at Circus Circus, which has received numerous awards.

Based on weather conditions, the best time to visit Las Vegas is during the early spring or late fall. However, you'll also have to pay premium rates since it's high demand. I'm certain those from Wisconsin will find the winter season very mild as well as the very best rates in mid-December. Other times that rates are lower than average are Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day, and mid-June to early September, unless there is a large convention in town.

OMC: When you make your living working on The Strip, is it hard to "get away?" Do you find that your social life and personal entertainment options are wrapped up in what's happening on The Strip, or is it easy to stay away and find other things to do? On a similar note, is Las Vegas a good place to raise a family? Can you find pockets of the "Midwestern values/work ethic/etc." that we like to champion in these parts?

DV: While the Strip is a huge employer of the residents, it is not at all difficult to experience "real life" in Las Vegas. There are several master plan communities like Summerlin, Mountain's Edge and Green Valley which offer a suburban lifestyle that anyone from Wisconsin could relate to (less the cold weather). Amanda and I enjoy nice neighbors, parks, movie theaters, church, and all the other benefits of a community with the added bonus that many places are open 24 hours. While Las Vegas has been the fastest growing U.S. city for several consecutive years in terms of the amount of people that move here, we also have a large amount of people that move away for various reasons. However, it has been my experience that those with the "strong Midwestern values" are the ones that stay to raise families and grow roots in the community.

OMC: What do you like most about your job? What is the most difficult part?

DV: My job is extremely rewarding in that I am given the opportunity to lead dedicated individuals that truly enjoy working together as a team to achieve sales and marketing goals at a unique hotel in the most exciting tourist destination in the world. We are fortunate to work for a company that values all employees, and provides plenty of opportunity for growth. In addition, MGM/MIRAGE allow us to be involved with our communities through the Voice Foundation which provides support to several non-profit and charitable organizations.

The most difficult part of my job is keeping up with the constant change in Las Vegas. In addition to the multiple changes we have each year at our own resort, it's very challenging to keep track of all the new dining, shopping and entertainment venues throughout the city in order to understand our competition.

OMC: When walking on the floor or through the sports book, can you spot Wisconsinites? Are the Packers/Badgers sweatshirts and accents unmistakable?

DV: The usual dead giveaways to pick out visitors from Wisconsin are the red or green and gold shirts. Also, if I see someone ordering a Bloody Mary cocktail at 8am by the pool in December, hear an order for any drink with brandy, or ask for the "bubbler," they are almost always from Wisconsin.

OMC: Do they really pump oxygen into the casinos to make you more alert?

DV: To my knowledge, the casinos do not pump in oxygen, but they do have some of the best air filtration systems in the industry. They also keep it nice and cool and provide plenty of audio-visual stimulation to keep the players as alert as they may or may not want to be.

OMC: What do you miss most/least about Wisconsin and the Midwest?

DV: I mostly miss spending time with my family, nieces, nephews and friends in Wisconsin. However, I definitely do not miss the long, snowy, frigid cold winters.

OMC: Give us one of your best stories of a brush with celebrity or recount the most unusual things you've seen or experienced during your career.

DV: I've had several close encounters with celebrities in Las Vegas including Nicholas Cage, Mickey Rourke, George Clooney and Jamie Foxx, to name a few. However, my most memorable experience was with Robert Craig a.k.a. "Evel" Knievel. Mr. Knievel was attempting to contact a friend when I was a front desk agent at the Jockey Club. As he was one of my early childhood heroes, it was a privilege to make every effort to help him out. I found his friend by phone, and Evel Knievel offered me tickets to see the grand opening of the Hard Rock Café restaurant, which featured his bent up rocket from the famous Snake River jump as well as a live performance by Aerosmith in a very intimate setting. Unfortunately, Mr. Knievel forgot about his offer. I never did get the tickets, but I will always have the story.