• by Erik Sass , June 9, 2006

In what may well be the most ambitious magazine brand extension to date, the best-selling "lad mag" owned by Dennis Publishing announced Monday that it will partner with a large real estate developer, Concord Wilshire Partners, to build a 2,300-room Maxim-themed hotel and casino on a 9-acre plot on the famed Las Vegas strip. Ground-breaking on the luxury gaming complex is scheduled for 2007, the grand opening for 2010. The 60,000-square-foot casino will have all the requisite Las Vegas amenities, including concert spaces bearing the brand of fellow Dennis Publishing title Blender, swimming pools, a spa and retail establishments, and restaurants. The complex will also be fitted out for television and radio production, as Maxim hopes to use it for special promotional events. "We have received numerous offers to take the Maxim brand to Las Vegas," according to Dennis Publishing president and CEO Stephen Colvin, who intends to build "first class property that reflects the core values of the Maxim brand."

Ziff Davis Brings Electronic Gaming Monthly to Thailand

Ziff Davis announced last week that it is partnering with a Thai partner, Future Gamer Company Ltd., to launch a new Thai edition of Electronic Gaming Monthly--adding to an international portfolio of national editions in Mexico, Brazil, and Singapore. The magazine will launch with an initial rate base of 30,000, with 11 issues per year. According to Suk Park, Ziff Davis International's managing director: "As the video gaming market grows internationally, our goal is to provide gamers from all over the world with the latest, most relevant, and entertaining content available," and EGM is indeed planting a foot squarely in Asian game culture--perhaps the most innovative and developed in the world. In fact, in Thailand, one massively multiplayer online game from Ragnarok became so popular--with over 600,000 members--that in 2003 the Thai government announced a game "curfew" by blocking the game servers.

ValetNoir Launches Gambling Mag

In more gambling-magazine news, ValetNoir--a marketing organization that has partnered with 26 casinos and four cruise lines and has amassed a database of 410,000 gambling enthusiast members--announced Tuesday it would launch an "elite" closed-circulation lifestyle magazine called RFB (for "room, food, and beverage"). RFB's initial launch will circulate to ValetNoir's 60,000 "top tier" members. "RFB will serve as an insider's guide to gaming, resorts, nightlife, and fine dining," according to George Nassef, president and founder of ValetNoir. "The publication will be mailed directly to our clients, who have significant disposable income." The magazine will cover lifestyle areas including travel, nightlife, fine dining, professional services, golf, cigars, shopping, and sports.

Arbitron: Frequent Flyers Engaged With In-flight Mags

A new study suggests a high degree of engagement among business travelers presented with free in-flight magazines, Arbitron announced on Thursday, which reported that 80 percent of frequent flyers had looked at an in-flight magazine in the last month. Meanwhile, 52 percent of travelers whose flights have in-flight television say they watch TV.

Blender Leads Music and Men's Lifestyle Mags

According to a syndicated research study from the Magazine Research Insight (MRI), Dennis Publishing's title Blender leads the music and men's lifestyle categories in its audience of young male readers, Blender announced Tuesday. The median age of readers is 26--and it reaches more male readers ages 18-24 than competitors like Rolling Stone, Spin, Vibe, FHM, Maxim, Stuff, ESPN the Magazine, and GQ. According to Blender Publisher Lee Rosenbaum, "The iPod, downloading, MP3 generation has clearly found a music magazine they can call their own. Blender's authenticity and connection to the culture has been proven in the magazine's first syndicated study."