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As a British-trained demographer, geographer and economist, Paul Girvan's depth of study in these interconnected disciplines enables him to recognize key trends and patterns that are often overlooked by traditional research alone. Since joining The Innovation Group in 1992, Paul has conducted an extraordinary array of gaming, leisure and hospitality industry research projects, often pioneering new techniques and combining existing research tools to provide more insightful, reliable analysis. His wide range of experience and visionary approach ensures Innovation Group clients of a well-conceived and comprehensively-managed project from the outset. The insight and accuracy of Paul's reports have assisted clients in obtaining government approvals, management contracts, financing for facilities and the acquisition of strategic properties.
Paul's studies have covered every major U.S. gaming and hospitality market and several international markets as well. For the Government of Panama, he directed the analysis of state-run hotel-based casinos that ultimately led to their privatization and upgrading. In El Salvador, he conducted an in-depth analysis of national lottery operations, which lead directly to our client's obtaining a nationwide operating contract. Paul assisted the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation in a province-wide strategic planning process designed to determine the optimal future development of provincial wide gaming properties. In addition, Paul was the Project Manager in charge of the analysis of the proposed expansion of Casino Windsor which resulted in the definition of the building program and its subsequent testing in terms of revenue generation and ROI.
Paul is in the unique and highly trusted position, of being entrusted with player database summaries from a number of casino properties across Canada and the US. Using GIS software, these have been mapped and competitive advantages identified. In this he has gained a unique perspective into the geographic distribution of casino gamers that few, if any, in the industry can match. Paul also was in charge of the development of research tools that analyzed the smoking preferences gamers in Ontario and the expected impacts of smoking bans in the province. The study estimated estimate the long term effects of the province-wide smoking ban on revenues at gaming facilities, in the absence of historical data from within the province, necessitated the construction of a model using impacts of other bans on gaming and other hospitality facility revenues in comparable jurisdictions.
Paul has also conducted market analyses for numerous racetrack-racino conversions, including the Woodlands, Dover Downs, Colonial Downs, Prairie Meadows and Mountaineer Park, and for racing associations in Michigan, Florida, Maryland and in New York. In New York, Paul's analysis resulted in changes in legislation to permit video lottery terminals in the state's harness racing tracks. In these areas Paul worked with large groups of stakeholders to forge common ground and a unified approach to gaming development.
Paul's depth of experience in research techniques extends to his development of tailored customer surveys and intricate statistical analyses. His interpretations often lead directly to operational changes to improve customer service, to new promotional programs, to modification in physical facilities and ultimately to increased market share and revenues. He has also innovated a number of analytical techniques using GIS software, developing a proprietary technique utilizing player-tracking data to map market penetration by zip code. By segmenting the player database and assigning lifestyle cluster codes to the segments, Paul has been able to target not only geographic areas, but also to target customers likely to be similar to those in a specific segment of the existing database. Building on this approach, he has been able to aid clients in the development of customized marketing and media programs.
As a consultant to the Philadelphia Gaming Advisory Task Force, Paul performed a very comprehensive study of the proposed slot operations in the city which included analyses for 11 sites, developing market assessments and revenue projections for 14 scenarios, developing 28 pro formas, estimating local and overnight modal splits, estimating the fiscal impacts of problem gambling and impacts of crime and providing secondary research on trends in gaming. As primary consultant, he also oversaw the work of other consultants involved in the design and analysis.
Paul has a master's in Urban and Regional Planning with a specialization in Economics. He also holds an associate's degree in Economics and a Bachelor of Science with Honors in Geography and Geology. | 