SEEING GOLD - Mississippi Gaming News

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Official Newsmagazine of the Mississippi & Louisiana Gaming Industries
JANUARY 2015
www.msgamingnews.com
SEEING GOLD
Golden Nugget opens
in Lake Charles
EMPLOYEES SALUTED
AT SILVER SLIPPER
FITZ BRINGS CHRISTMAS
CHEER TO THOSE IN NEED
L’AUBERGE CASINO DONATES
TO AREA FOOD BANK
Table of Contents
JANUARY 2015
I NS I DE
COVER STORY
8 Lake Charles
Sees Gold
EVERYISSUE
Golden Nugget brings
Vegas feeling to town.
27
THISISSUE
FEATURES
6 Newsmagazine
Expands
Gaming News now includes
coverage of Louisiana
casino industry.
9 Keynote Named
Body Gaming CEO to open
Southern Gaming Summit.
4 From The MGHA
10 Looking Back
Rising to regional challenges.
2014 had ups, downs.
5 Gaming Revenues
15 Shining Bright
States see overall decline.
Golden Moon to reveal
renovations in January.
22 Celebrating The
Holidays
Casino employees have
jolly fun.
7 Five Minutes With...
21
Barry Regula, Margaritaville
Resort Casino, Bossier City, La.
12 Moving Ahead
22
Silver Slipper names hotel
manager.
On The Cover
(From left) Lake Charles Mayor
Randy Roach; Colonel Mike
Edmonson of the Louisiana State
Police; State Representative
A.B. Franklin; Tilman Fertitta,
owner of Golden Nugget Casinos
and sole owner, chairman and
CEO of Fertitta Entertainment
Inc.; State Representative
and Louisiana Speaker of the
House Chuck Kleckley; and
Ronnie Jones, chairman of the
Louisiana Gaming Control Board.
14 Added Attractions
Boomtown Biloxi to welcome
daiquiri bar.
18 People In The News
Employees receive monthly
honors.
24 Contributions &
Donations
Holidays are time for sharing,
helping others.
JANUARY 2015
MISSISSIPPI/LOUISIANA GAMING NEWS
3
Mississippi Gaming and Hospitality Association
Mississippi rises to regional
gaming challenges
By Larry Gregory
Anyone who follows the
gaming industry knows
this has been a challenging
past five years for
regional gaming markets.
Mississippi and Louisiana
are no exceptions.
More than 20 years
ago, Mississippi and a
small number of other
Larry
states, which were then
known as riverboat gaming
markets, broke the hammerlock that
Nevada and New Jersey had on the
commercial casino business. Along
with tribal gaming operators in states
like Connecticut and regions such as
the Midwest and Southwest, a national
industry was born.
So much has happened in the
meantime, but three things stand
out in particular. There has been
exponential growth in casino gaming
supply; economic growth and individual
discretionary incomes have stagnated;
and technology has put a world of
entertainment at everyone’s fingertips.
As a result, our business has become
product driven and marketing intensive.
Simply put, individual operators have to
constantly give people new and better
reasons to visit their facilities, and we
have to sell those reasons skillfully and
aggressively.
In Mississippi, this challenge is being
met both by individual operators and at
the industry level. In the past two years,
numerous properties have reinvested in
their businesses. Some examples are
the new hotel tower at Hard Rock, the
new Golden Nugget and the renovated
Harrah’s Gulf Coast. Silver Slipper
Casino in Bay St. Louis recently added a
hotel and Island View Casino Resort in
Gulfport is currently adding a new hotel
along with restaurants and convention
space. There are new celebrity chef-run
restaurants, new clubs and lounges
and updated pools, spas and other
amenities in many of our gaming
facilities.
4
In December, Louisiana
opened its new $700
million casino, the Golden
Nugget Hotel and Casino
in Lake Charles. The
project, built by Tilman
Fertitta, is expected to
draw large crowds from
Houston, Texas. The 247acre property includes
an 18,000-square-foot
ballroom, meeting space,
Gregory
restaurants, bars and
boutiques, as well as a top
notch golf course.
The examples listed above should
be an indicator that stagnancy doesn’t
sell. We should encourage further
investments and initiatives. Louisiana
and Mississippi should consider a more
dual, regional approach to marketing, so
that we can jointly capture these visitors
to our properties and keep them longer.
Actually, when you combine the gaming
revenues of Mississippi and Louisiana,
it makes us the second largest gaming
jurisdiction in the country! We need to
capitalize on that.
As you know, the Mississippi Gaming
& Hospitality Association hosts the
Southern Gaming Summit each May
at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum
and Convention Center. We will be
addressing these topics and more at
the 2015 event, which will be held May
5-7, and we will be inviting industry
leaders from around the country to talk
about them. Our goal is to make the
Southern Gaming Summit the leading
educational event for regional gaming
operators everywhere. We have so
much to learn from each other, and
there’s no better place in the industry to
do it than here. We hope that Louisiana
will join us in great numbers for the
greatest gaming show our region has to
offer.
MISSISSIPPI/LOUISIANA GAMING NEWS
Larry Gregory is the executive director
of the Mississippi Gaming and Hospitality
Association. He can be reached at
[email protected].
JANUARY 2015
Official Newsmagazine of the
Mississippi & Louisiana
Gaming Industry
JANUARY 2015
Volume XII Issue 5
STAFF
W. Michael Sunderman
Publisher
[email protected]
Lori Beth Susman
General Manager / Executive Editor
[email protected]
Mary Sunderman
Associate Publisher
[email protected]
Lori Hutzler Eckert
David Grisham
Contributing Editors
Michael Haynes
Business Manager
[email protected]
Designers
Brian Treadaway
Tim Wall
Missy Mitchell
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Copyright, 2015
Mississippi/Louisiana Gaming News
(MSLAGN) is owned and published by
M2 Media Corp., 12268 Intraplex
Parkway, Gulfport, MS 39503.
MSLAGN is produced in
cooperation with the Mississippi
Gaming and Hospitality Association and
the Louisiana Casino Association.
The contents of MSLAGN are
copyrighted. All rights are reserved.
Reproduction in part or whole without
written permission of the publisher is
strictly prohibited.
MISSISSIPPI GROSS GAMING REVENUES
RIVER CASINOS
Nearly 475 associates featured in this issue!
States experience lower
revenues in November
By David Grisham
MISSISSIPPI/LOUISIANA — Statewide revenue totals were down
in Louisiana and Mississippi in November of this year compared
to November of last year. A slight Mississippi Gulf Coast revenue
increase couldn’t offset a revenue decrease at river casinos in
the Magnolia State. Some areas gained and some lost revenue in
Louisiana, the sum of which resulted in an overall decline in gambling
revenue statewide.
Upon closer examination, Mississippi casinos took in
$155,880,448 in November, down 4.8 percent from the
$163,709,870 collected in November of last year. Statewide
revenue in November was 6.6 percent lower than the October
revenue figure of 166,880,694.
Mississippi Gulf Coast casinos saw revenue increase by six-tenthsof-one-percent in November 2014 compared to November 2013,
going from $82,233,504 in November of last year to $82,765,828
this November. Compared to October revenue of $90,829,304,
November revenue was down 8.9 percent on the Gulf Coast.
River casinos in Mississippi took in $73,114,619 this November,
down 10.3 percent compared to the $81,476,366 they collected
in November of last year. Compared to an October $76,051,390
revenue figure, river casinos experienced a 3.9 percent decrease in
November.
The story was similar in Louisiana. Riverboat casinos in Louisiana
experienced a 4.3 percent drop in revenue in November 2014
compared to November 2013, going from $144,143,475 to
$137,904,707 in the November-to-November comparison.
Compared to an October 2014 revenue figure of $136,949,484,
Louisiana riverboat casinos saw a slight 0.7 percent increase in
November. The land-based Harrah’s New Orleans saw revenue drop
13.6 percent in November 2014 compared to November 2013,
dropping from $31,039,629 to $26,814,327. The $26,814,327
November figure was 2 percent lower than October’s $27,373,126.
Breaking it down by region for Louisiana riverboat casinos,
Shreveport/Bossier casinos saw revenue dip from $57,906,564
in November 2013 to $51,920,029 November 2014 for a 10.3
percent drop (-3 percent compared to $53,530,655 in October).
Lake Charles experienced a 4.9 percent increase in November
2014 compared to the same month the prior year, jumping from
$41,382,857 to $43,392,205 (+7.7 percent compared to
$40,273,372 in October).
New Orleans gained 0.9 percent in revenue in November 2014
compared to November 2013 — $20,869,740 vs. $20,692,712
(-2.2 percent compared to $21,345,532 in October).
Baton Rouge experienced a 10.1 percent drop in revenue, bringing
in $21,722,733 in November 2014 compared to $24,161,341
in November 2013 (-0.4 percent compared to $21,799,925 in
October).
Month
NOV
OCT
SEP
AUG
JUL
JUN
2013
$81,476,366
$82,225,655
$76,095,033
$89,037,374
$95,027,999
$89,054,463
$512,916,890
Month
NOV
OCT
SEP
AUG
JUL
JUN
2014
$73,114,620
$76,051,391
$71,647,624
$80,956,794
$84,768,029
$77,555,213
$464,093,670
Increase % Increase
(Decrease) (Decrease)
$(8,361,746)
-10.3%
$(6,174,264)
-7.5%
$(4,447,409)
-5.8%
$(8,080,580)
-9.1%
$(10,259,971)
-10.8%
$(11,499,250)
-12.9%
$(48,823,220)
-9.5%
GULF COAST CASINOS
Month
NOV
OCT
SEP
AUG
JUL
JUN
2013
$82,233,504
$83,231,403
$88,169,692
$89,980,470
$96,441,106
$84,676,084
$524,732,258
Month
NOV
OCT
SEP
AUG
JUL
JUN
2014
$82,765,828
$90,829,304
$88,453,583
$94,139,559
$95,489,386
$98,544,819
$550,222,479
Increase % Increase
(Decrease) (Decrease)
$532,324
0.6%
$7,597,901
9.1%
$283,891
0.3%
$4,159,089
4.6%
$(951,719)
-1.0%
$13,868,735
16.4%
$25,490,221
4.9%
LOUISIANA GROSS GAMING REVENUES
SHREVEPORT/BOSSIER CASINOS
Increase % Increase
Month
2013
Month
2014
(Decrease) (Decrease)
NOV
$57,906,564
NOV
$51,920,029
$(5,986,535)
-10.3%
OCT
$52,275,037
OCT
$53,530,655
$1,255,618
2.4%
SEP
$49,957,175
SEP
$50,817,892
$860,717
1.7%
AUG
$61,269,863
AUG
$65,635,398
$4,365,535
7.1%
JUL
$60,566,293
JUL
$58,244,825
$(2,321,468)
-3.8%
JUN
$57,244,932
JUN
$55,725,603
$(1,519,329)
-2.7%
$339,219,864
$335,874,402
$(3,345,462)
-1.0%
LAKE CHARLES CASINOS
Month
NOV
OCT
SEP
AUG
JUL
JUN
2013
$41,382,857
$38,007,466
$37,098,626
$45,540,639
$45,075,276
$38,097,264
$245,202,128
Month
NOV
OCT
SEP
AUG
JUL
JUN
2014
$43,392,205
$40,273,372
$37,999,265
$44,496,004
$47,328,643
$43,232,632
$256,722,121
Increase % Increase
(Decrease) (Decrease)
$2,009,348
4.9%
$2,265,906
6.0%
$900,639
2.4%
$(1,044,635)
-2.3%
$2,253,367
5.0%
$5,135,368
13.5%
$11,519,993
4.7%
NEW ORLEANS CASINOS
Month
NOV
OCT
SEP
AUG
JUL
JUN
2013
$20,692,712
$20,595,030
$20,274,831
$22,587,502
$23,911,170
$23,440,050
$131,501,295
Month
NOV
OCT
SEP
AUG
JUL
JUN
2014
$20,869,740
$21,345,532
$19,701,260
$22,155,498
$21,871,876
$20,925,852
$126,869,758
Increase % Increase
(Decrease) (Decrease)
$177,028
0.9%
$750,502
3.6%
$(573,571)
-2.8%
$(432,004)
-1.9%
$(2,039,294)
-8.5%
$(2,514,198)
-10.7%
$(4,631,537)
-3.5%
BATON ROUGE CASINOS
Month
NOV
OCT
SEP
AUG
JUL
JUN
2013
$24,161,341
$21,393,466
$20,930,113
$24,327,697
$24,031,392
$23,597,303
$138,441,312
Month
NOV
OCT
SEP
AUG
JUL
JUN
2014
$21,722,733
$21,799,925
$21,092,667
$24,413,815
$24,124,619
$22,481,067
$135,634,826
Increase % Increase
(Decrease) (Decrease)
$(2,438,608)
-10.1%
$406,459
1.9%
$162,554
0.8%
$86,118
0.4%
$93,227
0.4%
$(1,116,236)
-4.7%
$(2,806,486)
-2.0%
+$55$+·61(:25/($16/$1'%$6('&$6,12
Increase % Increase
Month
2013
Month
2014
(Decrease) (Decrease)
NOV
$31,039,629
NOV
$26,814,327
$(4,225,302)
-13.6%
OCT
$25,938,473
OCT
$27,373,126
$1,434,653
5.5%
SEP
$23,857,960
SEP
$24,037,906
$179,946
0.8%
AUG
$27,881,192
AUG
$27,203,002
$(678,190)
-2.4%
JUL
$25,350,462
JUL
$28,502,826
$3,152,364
12.4%
JUN
$27,128,219
JUN
$29,927,133
$2,798,914
10.3%
$161,195,935
$163,858,320
$2,662,385
1.7%
JANUARY 2015
MISSISSIPPI/LOUISIANA GAMING NEWS
5
Gaming News expands to Louisiana
GULFPORT — Mississippi Gaming
News, the official newsmagazine of
the Mississippi gaming industry, has
expanded its coverage to include the
Louisiana gaming industry. MGN was
recently approved by the Louisiana
Casino Association to become their
official external source of news and
information for its gaming industry
executives and employees.
“We are honored to be selected
as the publisher of Gaming News
for both Mississippi and Louisiana,
and after input from Wade Duty,
executive director of the Louisiana
Casino Association, and Larry Gregory,
executive director of the Mississippi
Gaming & Hospitality Association, we
have all agreed to publish one large
issue to cover both states,” said Michael
Sunderman, president of M2Media,
which publishes Gaming News.
The expanded Gaming News, which
debuts with this January issue, will have
a circulation of 10,000 copies monthly
that will reach approximately 50 gaming
establishments in Mississippi and
Louisiana. The magazines will be shipped
directly to all executives and managers,
and bulk copies will be delivered to
employee lounges and dining rooms.
Gaming News will also be shipped to
key state and local legislative leaders,
industry vendors and others with an
interest in gaming.
“The Louisiana Casino Association
views this as an exciting opportunity
to more broadly distribute the good
news about Louisiana gaming. Through
Gaming News we will reach not only
industry executives and our thousands
of employees, but we will also use it to
enhance awareness of our significant
positive economic impact to Louisiana
policy makers and public officials,” said
Duty.
Added Gregory, “In an increasingly
competitive market, the benefits of
expanding this magazine are twofold. It
will allow us to broaden our message to
legislative, business and tourism leaders,
and it will afford our gaming executives
better insight into current regional
trends and forecasts in our industry.”
Content of Gaming News will continue
to focus on industry news, executive
interviews, charitable giving, legislative
updates, gaming revenue and analysis,
monthly reports from both Gregory and
Duty, along with industry trends and
vendor profiles.
Gregory and Duty agree the new
Gaming News is by far the best way to
target and reach decision-makers in
the Mississippi and Louisiana gaming
industry.
Research reveals magnitude of industry
MISSISSIPPI/LOUISIANA — A new study conducted by
Oxford Economics examines the vast, positive economic
impact of the gaming industry on the Mississippi and
Louisiana economy. The American Gaming Association
released the first-of-its-kind study, which measures the
industry’s significant ripple effect on the supply chain,
including local businesses.
Oxford’s study found the gaming industry contributes $4
billion to Mississippi’s economy and $3.7 to Louisiana’s
economy. In Mississippi, the industry supports approximately
37,000 jobs and nearly $1.5 billion in income, while in
Louisiana, the gaming industry supports nearly 32,000 jobs
and more than $1.4 billion in income.
Additionally, the industry generates $944 million in
tax revenues to local, state and federal governments in
Mississippi, and $1.3 billion in tax revenues in Louisiana.
Those amounts are enough to pay nearly 30,300 teachers’
salaries in Mississippi and 33,301 teachers’ salaries in
Louisiana.
“This study shows that gaming is driving big results
in Mississippi and Louisiana,” said Geoff Freeman,
president and CEO of the American Gaming Association.
“However, given increased competition and changing
consumer demands, our future success depends on strong
partnerships with policymakers that allow us to innovate,
reinvest and create more jobs.”
6
MISSISSIPPI/LOUISIANA GAMING NEWS
JANUARY 2015
Louisiana gaming by the numbers
Mississippi gaming by the numbers
“The research reveals a vast industry that boosts local
communities across Mississippi by supporting jobs and
generating customers for businesses,” says Adam Sacks,
director, Oxford Economics.
According to a recent poll conducted by respected
pollsters Mark Mellman and Glen Bolger, voters across
the political spectrum view casino gaming more favorably
than ever before. Further, the vast majority recognizes that
casino gaming creates jobs, strengthens local businesses
and benefits communities.
Nationwide, casino gaming in the United States is a $240
billion industry that supports 1.7 million jobs and generates
$38 billion in federal, state and local taxes, according to a
study by Oxford Economics.
5 Minutes With... Barry Regula
What, where, when was your first job
in the gaming industry?
My first job in the gaming industry was
playing bass guitar in the production of
“American Superstars.” We did 13 shows
a week at Harvey’s Lake Tahoe in 1991.
In 1994, I began working at the Palace
Casino in Biloxi as a part-time marketing
rep working in the club, greeting junkets
and handling box office duties.
What do you like best about your current job?
Helping develop the next generation of
leaders. The most rewarding part of my
job is helping young managers and supervisors focus on what is truly important
to the business, and then watch their
confidence grow as they learn from their
successes and failures.
What is the best piece of business advice you ever received and from whom
did you receive it?
Anyone can succeed in this industry
if they are smart, work hard and are always learning. Opportunity doesn’t come
knocking on your schedule. Be ready for
it when it chooses you. That came from
Ferenc Szony who was at the time the
GM of the Flamingo Hilton Reno, where I
was working in the showroom.
Name Barry Regula
Current Title Senior Vice President & General Manager
Company Margaritaville Resort Casino, Bossier City, La.
Years In The Gaming Industry 23 Years
What advice do you have for those
just starting in the gaming industry?
For those who want to make a career
in the gaming industry, anyone can accomplish what I have done in my career
if they are willing to spend their own
time to learn how the business works.
You can get foundational knowledge
through gaming books, publications and
other business manuscripts. Then focus
specifically on everything you need to
know to fill your current boss’s position.
How do you define “success”?
I define success as continuous incremental improvement. Whether it’s to increase revenues or profits, guest service
scores or crew member engagement,
success occurs when you can perform
just a little better every day, lock it in and
set your targets higher for tomorrow.
JANUARY 2015
What is something you do each day
just for yourself?
I like to get my half hour or more of
exercise in daily, whether getting out for
a run or a bike ride, or just some time in
the gym.
What is it about the gaming industry
that makes it a good industry?
When you are in the casino business
you can’t imagine doing anything else.
You are continually trying to come up with
new ways to attract and delight guests
all while providing jobs and opportunity
for people in your community. And since
a significant portion of the tax revenue
generated by our regional casinos goes
to local governments, there are many
improvements and developments that you
can point to and say, “The casinos made
that happen.”
MISSISSIPPI/LOUISIANA GAMING NEWS
7
Golden Nugget Lake Charles now open
By Lori Beth Susman
LAKE CHARLES — When the Golden
Nugget Hotel and Casino Lake Charles
opened Dec. 7, the comparisons to Las
Vegas began almost immediately. From
the lavish interior design, the boutique
shopping
and the
contemporary
casino floor,
the property
had everyone
saying it felt
like Las Vegas.
Even Tilman
J. Fertitta,
chairman,
CEO and sole
shareholder
Tilman J.
of Fertitta
Fertitta
Entertainment,
Inc., owner of
Golden Nugget, made the comparison.
“Golden Nugget Lake Charles is like
no other gaming resort offering a first-
8
MISSISSIPPI/LOUISIANA GAMING NEWS
The casino
at Golden
Nugget Lake
Charles
features a
high limit
area looking
into the main
casino, which
has 1,600
slot and video
machines
and 70 table
games.
class, Las Vegas-style atmosphere right
here in the South,” said Fertitta. “We
know our strong Texas and Louisiana
customer base will enjoy having these
unbeatable, luxury amenities closer
to home. This marks our fifth Golden
Nugget opening. Our Vegas, Laughlin,
Atlantic City and Biloxi properties, each
required a dramatic renovation and
rebranding; whereas Lake Charles is
JANUARY 2015
our first ground-up development and
articulates our style through and
through.”
Located two hours from Houston,
this 1.3 million-square-foot property
marks the fifth Golden Nugget and the
closest to Texas. The $700 million
hotel and casino features 740 luxury
hotel rooms and suites; a worldclass spa; extensive retail options; an
Boyd CEO to open Southern Gaming Summit
BILOXI — Keith Smith, president
and CEO of Boyd Gaming, will deliver
the opening keynote address for
the 22nd annual Southern Gaming
Summit, held at the Mississippi Coast
Coliseum in Biloxi Tuesday through
Thursday, May 5-7. Boyd Gaming
owns two properties in Mississippi and
five properties in Louisiana.
Smith is scheduled to speak on
Wednesday, May 6, the first full
day of conference sessions. Sixteen
educational and informative breakout
sessions will be held during the
mornings of May 6 and May 7, and
registrants will also want to visit the
exhibit floor where the latest products
and services for the gaming industry
will be showcased.
Those attending the Summit will
enjoy the networking events and
receptions, beginning with the
welcome reception on May 5 at IP
Casino Resort Spa. A golf outing,
Global
Gaming
Women
luncheon and
opening night
reception,
hosted by
Beau Rivage,
are also
part of the
Summit,
which is coKeith Smith
produced
by the
Mississippi Gaming and Hospitality
Association and BNP Media Gaming
Group.
The Southern Gaming Summit is
attended by executives and officials
from all types of gaming operations,
including commercial and tribal
casinos, racetracks, racetrack
casinos and charitable gaming,
along with regulators, legislators,
Corner Suite
18,000-square-foot ballroom; 30,000
square feet of meeting space; a oneof-a-kind pool; and private beach front
and marina. An innovative casino floor
featuring 70 table games, a state-ofthe-art poker room and 1,600 of the
newest slot machines help to redefine
the gaming experience across the
industry.
There are also seven Landry’s
signature restaurants, including Vic
local officials, tourism and hospitality
leaders, consultants and analysts
and gaming and hospitality industry
suppliers.
The Summit’s companion show,
Bingo World Conference & Expo
Bingo, will offer a number of breakout
sessions, plus its popular Bingo U
workshops. All Southern Gaming
Summit & Bingo World conference
attendees will have access to the full
program.
There is a new pricing schedule this
year, allowing attendees to purchase
a one-day pass or single sessions in
addition to full conference registration.
Discounts will be extended to
Louisiana Casino Association
members along with members and
associate members of the Mississippi
Gaming & Hospitality Association.
The exhibit floor is free with advance
registration. Registration is available
online now at sgsummit.com.
King Room
& Anthony’s Steakhouse, Grotto
Italian Ristorante, Lillie’s Asian
Cuisine, Saltgrass Steak House, Claim
Jumper Restaurant, Cadillac Mexican
Kitchen & Tequila Bar and Landry’s
Seafood House. Five bar and lounge
spaces provide guests with non-stop
entertainment. Ice Bar and Bar 46
offer relaxing lounge seating and
delicious cocktails. Blue Martini, Rush
Lounge and H20 Pool & Ultra Lounge
JANUARY 2015
feature live music and dancing.
A popular spot for Texas gamblers
and the closest in proximity, Lake
Charles is located hours away from
three of the largest, top-tier Texas
markets — Houston, San Antonio and
Austin, which generate almost 65
percent of the gaming revenue in Lake
Charles.
An 18-hole championship golf course
is set to open later this year.
MISSISSIPPI/LOUISIANA GAMING NEWS
9
2014 was year of ups, downs in Mississippi
By Lori Beth Susman
MISSISSIPPI — 2014 was a year
of ups and downs for the Mississippi
gaming industry. Two casinos,
one in the Northern part of the
state and one down South, closed,
and revenues in the River Region
continued to decline. On the Gulf
Coast, new amenities opened, ground
was broken and one casino reopened
after a multi-million renovation and
rebranding.
Early in the year, Hard Rock
opened its new Platinum Tower
and Horseshoe Tunica expanded its
poker room. May saw the opening of
Hollywood Casino Gulf Coast’s Lazy
River and the rebranding of Grand
Casino Biloxi into Harrah’s Gulf Coast,
featuring new restaurants, including
the popular Magnolia House by Kelly
English. Also in May, the $100 million
transformation of the Golden Nugget
Hotel & Casino Biloxi was completed,
turning what was once the Isle of
Capri Casino Hotel and Biloxi’s first
casino into a shining new resort.
Harrah’s Tunica, once billed as the
largest casino between Atlantic City
and Las Vegas and home to 1,300
employees, closed in June due to
financial reasons. Down the road in
Tunica, Resorts Casino was nearing
the end of its million-dollar renovation,
Horseshoe Tunica executives cut the
ribbon in January on the resort’s expanded
poker room.
which included opening a new buffet
and steakhouse, changes to the casino
floor and hotel remodeling.
In August, Margaritaville Casino &
Restaurant executives announced the
property would close in mid-September
unless a deal could be arranged with
the landlords to build a hotel. An
agreement could not be reached, and
the property, which had only opened
two years earlier, closed for good.
Meanwhile, in the city of D’Iberville,
construction began on what will be
the Scarlet Pearl Casino, set to open
in late 2015. Pearl River Resort
announced $70 million in renovations
Magnolia House by Kelly
English opened at the
rebranded Harrah’s Gulf
Coast.
to the Golden Moon Hotel & Casino,
which will reopen at the end of
January.
As the year continued, so did
work on Island View Casino Resort’s
$58 million expansion project, which
includes a 16-story hotel on the south
side of Beach Blvd. And, Silver Slipper
Casino held a topping off ceremony
for its 142-room hotel in November.
The six-story hotel located adjacent to
the casino is set to open in March.
Although there were downfalls
in 2014, the industry saw positive
growth with renovations, rebranding
and construction.
Golden Nugget opened in Biloxi in May.
Resorts in Tunica
underwent
an extensive
renovation that
General Manager
Tony Scudiero
proudly shows
off.
10
MISSISSIPPI/LOUISIANA GAMING NEWS
General Manager John
Ferrucci signs the beam that
is placed on top of the Silver
Slipper Casino’s hotel.
JANUARY 2015
Casino executives and local
officials smash guitars as Hard
Rock Biloxi opened its new
Platinum Tower in early 2014.
Moving Ahead
Silver Slipper names
new hotel manager
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HANCOCK COUNTY — Silver
Slipper Casino named Rich
Chase as hotel manager. Chase
will oversee the opening of the
property’s new hotel in March
2015.
Originally from the Kansas City,
Kan., area, Chase has more
than 27 years in the gaming and
Rich
hospitality industry. He started
Chase
his career with the Marriott
Corporation prior to entering the
gaming sector.
Chase has spent the past nine years working on
the Mississippi Gulf Coast at Island View Casino
Resort in Gulfport and Hollywood Casino Gulf Coast
in Bay St. Louis.
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JANUARY 2015
One company. More choices.
Added Attractions
Hard Rock Biloxi to add Half Shell Oyster House
BILOXI — Hard Rock Hotel & Casino announced a new
restaurant will open in the Biloxi resort in February 2015.
Half Shell Oyster House, which has locations along the Gulf
Coast, will bring local flavor to resort with its varied menu
featuring its popular char-grilled oysters.
“While visiting the market, we dined
ed
at many different establishments.
When we dined at the Half Shell,
we experienced one of the most
outstanding seafood restaurants in
the area and wanted to bring that
concept to Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
no
Biloxi,” said Phil Juliano, chief
marketing officer of Twin River
Management Group, which owns
Hard Rock Biloxi.
Added Hard Rock General Manager Todd Raziano, “The
Half Shell fits our model of partnering with well-established,
high-quality restaurant brands and perfectly complements
our other dining outlets. We know it will be a great addition
to our property.”
Half Shell Oyster House joins several dining outlets at
the resort, including the Hard Rock Cafe, Ruth’s Chris
Steakhouse, Satisfaction Buffet, 24/7 Grille, Ben & Jerry’s
and Starbucks. The restaurant at Hard Rock will mark the
second Biloxi location for Half Shell,
which offers monthly specials, soups,
salads, a myriad of seafood offerings,
steak, chicken, pasta and more.
“We are delighted to be opening a Half
Shell Oyster House at Hard Rock Hotel
& Casino Biloxi,” said Kevin Fish, Half
Shell owner. “We see this as a great
opportunity for us tto provide more options for our guests.
Our llocation
att th
the Hard Rock will feature a beautiful French
O
ti
Quarter- and jazz-themed dining area, a private dining area
for parties and the opportunity to host large events that
we’ve not been able to in the past.”
Half Shell Oyster House, to be located in the space
currently held by Vibe, is slated to open Feb. 1.
Daiquiri bar soon to open
at welcome center site
BILOXI — Boomtown Casino Biloxi is converting its welcome
center, located on Beach Blvd. in Biloxi, into the Fat Tuesday at
Boomtown Daiquiri Bar and Welcome Center.
Fat Tuesday at Boomtown, which will offer more than 12
varieties of New Orleans-style daiquiris, will include a bar and
outdoor patio. Both areas will be equipped with music and
televisions, and quick food options will be available for purchase.
Additionally, Fat Tuesday at Boomtown will sell Mardi Grasinspired souvenir cups and T-shirts.
“We are excited about our new amenity,” said Tony Carlucci,
general manager of Boomtown Casino and its sister
property, Hollywood Casino Gulf Coast in Bay St.
Louis. “With the opening of our new event
center at the casino property, increased
variety of food options and more
exciting additions that will happen in
2015, we are well positioned for longterm success and a strong tourism
partner for the Mississippi Gulf Coast.”
Fat Tuesday at Boomtown is in close
proximity to the new MGM Park, where
the Biloxi Shucker’s baseball team will
play. Boomtown Casino will continue
to offer shuttle service between its
casino location on Bayview Ave. and the
Fat Tuesday at Boomtown location on
Beach Blvd. This location is the only Fat
Tuesday daiquiri bar in Mississippi.
The new daiquiri bar is
expected to open in February.
14
MISSISSIPPI/LOUISIANA GAMING NEWS
JANUARY 2015
New stores open
L’Auberge Casino Resort in Lake Charles recently
held a ribbon cutting to unveil two new retail outlets,
Stiletto and Major Denim. These latest stores expand
the popular Shops at L’Auberge. Major Denim is the
Lake Area’s new hub for high end designer denim,
and Stiletto features chic shoes along with designer
handbags and accessories. Pictured with L’Auberge
Senior VP and General Manager Keith W. Henson
(center) are casino executives and community officials.
Golden Moon $70M renovation to open Jan. 31
By Lori Beth Susman
CHOCTAW — Pearl River Resort is
set to reopen its Golden Moon Hotel
& Casino at the end of January.
A ribbon-cutting event, set for
Saturday, Jan. 31, will be open to
the public and will feature remarks by
Tribal Chief Phyliss J. Anderson and
Holly Gagnon, president and CEO of
Pearl River Resort.
“The Golden Moon renovation
utilizes design and technology
to create an unparalleled
entertainment, gaming and lodging
experience for our guests,” Gagnon
said. “The efforts to enhance Golden
Moon will benefit our guests, our
employees, the community and the
tribe.”
The $70 million renovation plan,
designed by architecture group
Marnell Companies of Las Vegas,
includes remodeled hotel rooms and
an approximately 70,000-squarefoot gaming floor that creates what
Gagnon called “a more exciting and
welcoming space.” The casino will
have 1,150 slot machines, 25 table
games, an elevated 14-table poker
room, a one-of-a-kind video wall and a
new center bar.
Marnell Companies utilized
design features such as a dramatic
architectural ceiling treatment to
create a more intimate atmosphere,
warm cove lighting, colorful
decorative fixtures and beautifully
designed carpet that pay tribute
with a contemporary spin to the
Choctaw culture. The center bar will
exude energy to the gaming floor and
create a focal point to which guests
are sure to be drawn. Whether
guests enjoy a video experience or an
array of beverage offerings, they will
be in the heart of the casino action
at the center bar.
The resort’s guest rooms and
suites remodel and renovation
includes new in-room amenities,
42-inch flat-screen televisions, new
furniture and custom-made Choctawinspired artwork. The new rooms will
feature clean lines with finishes that
are timeless and comfortable making
them fresh and stylish.
Not only has the resort enhanced
the makeup of the properties, but
JANUARY 2015
technology upgrades are also a large
part of the renovation project. Both
Silver Star and Golden Moon casinos
now feature Konami Gaming Inc.’s
award-winning casino management
system, SYNKROS, allowing guests
to enjoy new slots and an integrated
gaming experience like never before
at the property.
Additionally, guests can now
receive a text notification when their
hotel room is available for check-in
and when their table is ready at any
of the resort’s restaurants. Kiosks
will also be in place to handle various
transactions such as reprinting cards
and comps. The introduction of the
new technology provides greater
conveniences to guests, giving them
the freedom to enjoy themselves in
the casino without waiting in lines.
Pearl River Resort is also home
to Silver Star Hotel & Casino, which
is connected to Golden Moon via
a skywalk and boasts the awardwinning, five-star restaurant, Phillip
M’s. The resort also includes
Dancing Rabbit Golf Club.
With these amenities, Gagnon
added, along with the renovations,
new gaming systems and technology
enhancements at Golden Moon,
guests will always have a compelling
reason to visit Pearl River Resort.
MISSISSIPPI/LOUISIANA GAMING NEWS
15
People In The News
Beau Rivage names top employees for November, December
BILOXI — Beau Rivage Resort &
Casino named Vickie Schiefelbein and
David Lamarca as Employees of the
Month for November and December.
Schiefelbein is a table games dealer, and
Lamarca is an entertainment technician.
Schiefelbein, who has earned many
attendance and guest commendations,
has been a Day One employee since the
Beau opened in 1999. “Vickie is very
dependable and always willing to deal any
game. She frequently is scheduled for
baccarat and blackjack in the High Limit
area and does an impeccable job dealing
to our High Limit guests,” said Connie
Jarrett, table games floor supervisor.
“The players love Vickie and always seek
her out. She is one super dealer and
an over-the-top ambassador for Beau
service and teamwork.”
November Employee of the Month
nominees were Sheri Crenshaw, front
desk clerk; Hal Fountain, engineer,
Melissa Jeffreys, compliance specialist;
Vickie
Schiefelbein
David
Lamarca
Judy Shallenberger, customer care
coordinator; and Candance Wells, room
service salesperson.
Lamarca has been at the Biloxi resort
for more than eight years and brings
with him years of experience in the TV
broadcast industry. He was nominated
by Video Production Manager Michael
Magandy, who said Lamarca is the
whole package. “As many know, the
entertainment industry is 50 percent
creativity and 50 percent execution.
David is fluent in both. David excels
in our video division with his ability to
create packages. Armed with just a
camera, he is able to create, shoot
and edit content that is worthy of Beau
Rivage and any other major network,”
said Magandy.
December Employee of the Month
Nominees were Jennifer Crawford,
table games dealer; Luisa Edelman,
pit clerk; Sheila Lirazan, front desk
representative; Dwayne Morgan,
Terrace Café cook; and Erwin
Scheibengraber, security officer.
All nominees receive $200, dinner for
two at the Beau Rivage restaurant of
their choice, a day off with pay, a floral
centerpiece and a framed certificate of
recognition. Schiefelbein and Lamarca
received an additional $500, a Beau
Rivage jacket, a hand-blown glass
sailboat, a designated parking spot for
one month and tickets for two to any
Beau Rivage headliner show.
IP Casino presents monthly award to team members
BILOXI — IP Casino Resort Spa
recently recognized top team members
as Team Members of the Month.
Receiving the award for October were
Marshell
Roberts
Dottie
Clark
Marshell Roberts, slots floorperson,
who won for front of house, and Dottie
Clark, reservations agent, who won for
back of house.
Nominees for the October award
were Melissa Huska, table games pit
clerk; Bruce Insalaco, finance count
room attendant; Jesse Jones, lead
maintenance engineer; Kayla Lewis,
thirty-two lead line cook; Shawn Lor,
table games dealer; Tiar Morton, IT
technician; Darlene Perrone, banquets
cook; Lynn Tanner, custodian; Nancy
Tran, Back Bay Buffet cashier; Steven
Twinn, security officer; and Nekiaya
Williams, guest room attendant.
Each month, an IP selection
committee names two team members
as Team Members of the Month. All
recipients are invited to an awards
ceremony, where they receive cash and
prizes, including a day off with pay, an
IP dining gift certificate, show tickets,
VIP parking and a jacket.
Individuals selected as Team Member
of the Month attend an end-of-year
banquet with Boyd Gaming Executive
Chairman Bill Boyd, and have a chance
to be named the property’s Team
Member of the Year.
Team members lauded at Harlow’s Casino Resort & Spa
GREENVILLE — Harlow’s Casino Resort
& Spa recently named its Team Members
of the Month for December and its Team
Leader of the Quarter.
Linda Taylor, dealer, received the
award in the gaming division; Sara Louis,
cook, received the honor in food and
beverage; and Edwina Jordan, general
ledger accountant, received the award
in the support division. Tracey Bennett,
food and beverage manager, was named
Team Leader of the Quarter.
18
MISSISSIPPI/LOUISIANA GAMING NEWS
Also nominated for the monthly honors
were Larry Fountain, security officer;
Rozenia Hannah, slot attendant; Amber
Pam, prep cook; Cleaster Love, Sand
Bar cashier; Brian Thompson, count
member; and Cynthia Murphy, lead
surveillance agent. Rhonda Matheney,
floor supervisor; Melissa Martin, security President and GM Greg Hinton (left)
shift supervisor; and Jessica Williams,
with Team Members of the Month,
surveillance supervisor, were nominated
Linda Taylor, Edwina Jordan and
for Team Leader of the Quarter.
Sara Louis, and Team Leader of the
Quarter, Tracey Bennett.
Each winner received $250.
JANUARY 2015
People In The News
Gold Strike honors best employee
TUNICA RESORTS —
Gold Strike Casino recently
named its Employee of
the Month for November.
Terrence Hardiman, hotel
front desk clerk, received
the honor.
Even though Hardiman
has only been with the
company for a little more
than a year, he has made
Gold Strike Employee of the Month nominees and
a huge impact at the front
winner Terrence Hardiman (second from left).
desk said Sabrina Howard,
assistant hotel manager.
“Terrence always comes to
work prepared by bringing
All nominees received $200,
a smile, positive attitude and the
dinner for two at the Gold Strike
eagerness to learn and grow. He is
restaurant of their choice, a framed
extremely coachable and reliable, and
certificate of recognition and a floral
that is critical for the success of a shift
centerpiece. The winner received an
that has very few employees.”
additional $500, reserved parking on
Employee of the Month nominees
the executive level for one month and
included Tonia Eckford, finance; Tonya
two tickets to a Gold Strike headliner
Hayes, slots; Katie Rucker, food and
show of their choice. Plus, winners
beverage; and Jimmy Simon, table
are eligible to be named the 2014
games.
Employee of the Year.
JANUARY 2015
Happy Heroes
Riverwalk Casino’s Happy Heroes
for November are Angela Johnson,
food and beverage, and DeFrancis
Harvey, gaming operations. Happy
Heroes each receive $250, one
day off with pay and special parking
for the month.
MISSISSIPPI/LOUISIANA GAMING NEWS
19
People In The News
Supervisor shines at Beau Rivage
BILOXI — Beau Rivage named
Doug Gaberty, retail store manager,
as Supervisor in the Spotlight for the
fourth quarter.
Gaberty was nominated by Cheryl
LeMasters, retail operations manager.
“Doug manages five stores, Beau Mart,
Impulse, BR Emporium, B*Iconic and
BR Etc. He is always willing to go above
and beyond to accommodate a guest
or assist a staff member whenever he
can. Doug’s ability to manage people,
finances and budgets, along with his
enthusiastic attitude and commitment
to service and the Beau Rivage, makes
him an asset to the company,” said
LeMasters.
Supervisor in the Spotlight nominees
for the fourth quarter of 2014 were
James Balster, BR Prime chef;
Traicy Michales,
table games
floor manager;
and Denise
Moore, national
marketing
supervisor.
Each Supervisor
in the Spotlight
Doug
nominee receives
Gaberty
dinner for two at
the Beau Rivage
restaurant of their choice, $200, a day
off with pay or spa package, a framed
certificate of recognition and floral
centerpieces. The Supervisor in the
Spotlight receives a handmade Murano
glass sailboat, an additional $500 and
a designated parking space for one
quarter.
Boomtown, Hollywood honor employees
BAY ST. LOUIS — Hollywood
Casino Gulf Coast and
Boomtown Biloxi held a luncheon
to honor Employees of the
Quarter and Supervisors of
the Quarter. The event was
held in the Cypress Ballroom at
Hollywood.
General Manager Tony Carlucci (center)
Employees of the Quarter
congratulates Employees of the Quarter
for Boomtown Casino were
and Supervisors of the Quarter at
Curtis Bracks, EVS; Derrick
Boomtown
Casino and Hollywood Casino
Bishop, stewarding; and Jessica
Gulf Coast.
Campbell, receiving/warehouse.
Margaret Allen, slots
supervisor, was named Supervisor of the Quarter. At Hollywood Casino, Roy Fitts
Jr., buffet; Annette Bermond, facilities; and Branka Popovic, slots, were named
Employees of the Quarter, while Jennifer Watzke, housekeeping supervisor, received
the Supervisor of the Quarter award.
Winners each received a trophy, buffet and steakhouse gift certificates, a one-night
hotel stay, VIP parking, an invitation to the 2014 Extravaganza and $200 cash. Each
recipient also receives a nomination for Employee/Supervisor of the Year.
Silver Slipper General Manager John
Ferrucci (center) congratulates
Employee of the Month and
Supervisor/Manager of the Month
nominees and winners.
Employees, supervisor
saluted at Silver Slipper
HANCOCK COUNTY — Silver Slipper
Casino recognized its November and
December Employee of the Month and
Supervisor/Manager of the Month
nominees and winners during a recent
luncheon held in the Blue Bayou Bar &
Grill.
Amanda Humfress, keno, and Lainey
Perrot, surveillance, were named
Employees of the Month for November,
and Cynthia Fuller, Jubilee Buffet,
and Regina Coleman, revenue audit,
received the honor for December.
Supervisor/Manager of the Month
for November was David Hilbert,
events and promotions manager and
the December Supervisor/Manager
of the Month was Nino DiFiore, F&B
supervisor.
Also nominated for the November
and December honors were Patrick
McKenna, EVS; Betty Watts, Jubilee
Buffet; Debra Burton, security;
Meredith McCann, table games; and Al
Warren, cage.
Nominees and winners receive prizes,
including cash and gift certificates.
Winners from each month become
eligible for the title of Employee of the
Year.
Shining bright
DiamondJacks Casino and Hotel Vicksburg named Ethel Bolton,
front desk clerk, the Diamond of the Month for November.
Yonkardia Lewing-Thomas, senior casino host, and Tommie Hill,
security guard, both received the honor for December. These
team members are dedicated, loyal and have excellent guest
service skills, going above and beyond their job descriptions each
day. Their efforts continue to make DiamondJacks successful.
Diamonds of the Month receive a designated parking space for
30 days, a day off with pay and dinner in DJ’s Steakhouse. The
winners are also eligible for the Diamond of the Year Award,
which is announced at the end of the year.
20
MISSISSIPPI/LOUISIANA GAMING NEWS
JANUARY 2015
Ethel
Bolton
Yonkardia
Lewing-Thomas
Tommie
Hill
Spain earns accreditation in public relations
BILOXI — Mary Cracchiolo Spain,
regional public relations director with
MGM Resorts International’s Mississippi
Operations, has successfully completed
the Examination for Accreditation in
Public Relations, entitling her to use
the APR professional designation.
The announcement was made by
the Universal Accreditation Board,
a consortium of nine professional
communication organizations that
directs the competency certification
program.
The Accreditation program aims to
improve the practice of public relations
by assessing competence in 60 areas of
knowledge, skills and abilities associated
Mary Cracchiolo
Spain
with the
profession.
The
examination is
designed for
public relations
professionals
with 10
years of job
experience
and/or a
bachelor’s
degree in a
communication field. Candidates who
successfully complete the rigorous
They did it
process, including presenting his or her
portfolio to a Readiness Review panel of
three peers and sitting for a computerbased examination, are granted the
APR.
“Earning the APR reflects a mastery
of the knowledge, skills and abilities
needed to succeed in our increasingly
complex profession,” said Bey-Ling
Sha, APR, 2014 chair of the Universal
Accreditation Board. “Practitioners
who achieve the designation are
demonstrating their commitment not
only to our profession, but also to
a strong code of ethics and to the
betterment of their organizations and
clients.”
SDP graduates
Asia Davis
Catandra Sims
Judy Shiadek
Three employees at Lady Luck in Vicksburg were recognized with the
You Did It award. Employees who are noticed excelling at their job by
a director or manager are given a recognition card, which they drop
into a drawing drum for a chance to win $100 and front-row parking
for a month. The three December winners are Asia Davis, Farmer’s
Pick Buffet cashier/hostess; Catandra Sims, EVS; and Judy Shiadek,
Farmer’s Pick Buffet supervisor.
SDP graduates Five Gold Strike
employees graduated from the
Supervisor Development Program.
Front-line employees Natasha
Townsend, LaTanya Murphy, Carmen
Kesel, Bertha Pereira and Sheila
Sanders completed the six-month
program that gives them the tools
and skills to become supervisors.
Continuing education is a priority at
Gold Strike.
Leadership graduate
Victoria
Danish
Beau Rivage employee Victoria Danish recently
graduated from the Leadership Mississippi
program along with 50 classmates at a ceremony
held at the Mississippi Museum of Art in Jackson.
A table games shift manager at the Biloxi resort,
Danish attended sessions in cities across the
state learning about the state’s government
and public affairs, economic development,
environmental resources, health and education
and quality of life. “Every session taught me
much about leadership and many things I didn’t
know about Mississippi. What struck me most
was, no matter where in the state we were
visiting, Mississippians are hugely proud of their
communities,” Danish said of her experience.
JANUARY 2015
Richard Aiello (left), security shift
manager, and Scott Gray (right),
director of security, congratulates
the three SDP graduates from
the security
department,
while Alicia
Dobson (left),
special events
manager, gives
a thumbs up to
SDP graduate
Carmen Kesel.
MISSISSIPPI/LOUISIANA GAMING NEWS
21
Seeing the show
Riverwalk celebration
Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus showed
up at the holiday celebration hosted
for Riverwalk Casino employees. This
celebration was full of fun and laughter,
and employees were given a gift card
and a chance to win gifts in a Christmas
raffle. Portraying Santa was Preston
Romero, director of security, while Holley
Hood, human resources manager, took
on the role of Mrs. Claus. Also pictured
with the Clauses are Ronald Dixon,
drop count, Thelma Claiborne and Mary
Burns, gaming operations.
Gold Strike employees and their
families were invited to see the
Holiday Ice Spectacular show,
performed in the resort’s theatre
in December. Employees, who also
had the chance to meet the cast
members, donated more than $300
in concession sales to the MGM
Resorts Community Grant Fund.
Boogie on down
Breakfast with the Jolly Guy
Hard Rock
employees and
their guests
marked the
holidays with
a party in
Boogie Nights,
the resort’s
new nightclub.
Employees
experienced a
real ’70s disco
during their
celebration.
22
MISSISSIPPI/LOUISIANA GAMING NEWS
JANUARY 2015
Lady Luck Casino employees and
family members got to enjoy
breakfast with Santa Claus during
an event held in the Lady Luck
Arena. Along with taking pictures
with Santa, Mrs. Claus and their
elves, guests made ornaments
and played games. The breakfast
was hosted by the casino’s GRIN
Committee.
Decorated for the holidays
Partying with Santa
Santa Claus arrived at Resorts
Casino in Tunica just in time
to join the Christmas party
held for employees’ children
and grandchildren. Along with
Santa and his elf, characters
from “Frozen” were also there,
along with a duck pond, games
and gifts. The children enjoyed
a variety of food, including
pancakes, hot dogs, cupcakes,
cookies, candy and fruit. Resorts
General Manager and Vice
President Tony Scudiero even
took time to visit with Santa.
DiamondJacks Casino in
Vicksburg held a Christmas door
decorating contest. Winning first
place was the hotel front desk
team, while the VIP department
came in second place and human
resources came in third. Clerk
Amber Sims is pictured with the
front desk decorations.
JANUARY 2015
MISSISSIPPI/LOUISIANA GAMING NEWS
23
Contributions & Donations
Golfers give back
Stephanie Piper (front, right) with
the Gulf Coast Women’s Center for
Nonviolence, was happy to accept
the gifts donated through Boomtown
Casino’s gift drive. Casino employees
with Piper are Trisha Royals,
Natasha Dronet, Laura McNabb,
Monica Scott, Darlene Halsell,
Wendy Bosarge, Patrick Loftus
and Shirley Lloyd and (front) Kathy
Stover.
Boomtown Casino
gives back during
holidays season
BILOXI — Boomtown Casino Biloxi
recently held two charitable events
to give to those in need in the local
community.
A Christmas gift drive was held with
Boomtown Casino employees bringing in
a variety of gifts ranging from toys and
board games to diapers, toiletries and
perfumes. All donations went to support
the Gulf Coast Women’s Center for
Nonviolence in Biloxi, which helps women
and children who are victims of domestic
violence. Residents of the shelter are
provided with food, clothing, childcare,
transportation and personal hygiene
items.
Boomtown Casino also provided Feed
My Sheep with $540 worth of food
vouchers to purchase turkeys and hams
for the holiday season. Feed My Sheep,
a faith-based program based in Gulfport,
is dedicated to providing nourishment to
the homeless, homebound and needy.
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MISSISSIPPI/LOUISIANA GAMING NEWS
Members and
employees at
the Bridges Golf
Club at Hollywood
Casino Gulf Coast
participated in
a toy drive for
needy children in
Hancock County.
As part of their
entry fee for the
annual Kris Kringle
golf outing held on
Dec. 12, members
donated new, unwrapped toys to
help make Christmas morning a
little brighter. Donations, which
included bikes, games, dolls and
DVDs, were distributed to Hancock
County children through the Angel
Toy Drive program sponsored by
Hope Haven, a local nonprofit
organization. Pictured are (from
left) Vincent Henderson, Bridges
cart attendant; Billy Baumgartner,
golf operations manager; Terry
Lathan, Hope Haven; Stacey
Toles, Hollywood Casino human
resources generalist; and Cody
Seal, golf shop attendant.
Community Aces
Employees at Isle of Capri Casino in Lake Charles donated hundreds
of toys to the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program. The
employees, known as Community Aces, collected 529 toys. Pictured,
Chris Lorio (left), Isle of Capri strategic development manager, and John
Lamar, local community organizer of the Lake Charles Toys for Tots
chapter, along with other Community Aces, presented the toys to Cpl.
Jordan Newport and Pfc. Blaken McGee of the U.S. Marine Corps.
Toys for Tots
L’Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles donated more than 600 toys to
the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program. The toys will be
distributed to families in Southwest Louisiana. Pictured in front of L’Auberge’s
holiday Gingerbread Toy Factory display are team members representing the
departments that participated in the property-wide drive. This year marked
the casino’s eighth year of support for the holiday toy program.
JANUARY 2015
Contributions & Donations
Showing support
Toy giveaway
Harlow’s Casino, Resort & Spa once
again supported the Ward 6 Holiday
Toy Giveaway, sponsored by Greenville
Councilman Errick Simmons and
Mississippi State Sen. Derrick Simmons.
Harlow’s team members, friends and
guests donated gifts, including bicycles,
dolls and games, for the seventh annual
giveaway held Dec. 23.
Books on tape
Kris Norton (right), director of hotel
operations at IP Casino Resort Spa,
and the hotel operations team felt
compelled to show support for the
Salvation Army and the Harrison
County Children’s Emergency Shelter
after learning what was needed.
The group of eight team members
purchased or gathered clothing,
blankets, shoes, toys, sundry items
and other necessities in an effort to
provide comfort to those in need.
With Norton is Andrea Argroves,
front desk manager, and Leslie
Barfield, director of sales.
Corporate Social Responsibility and Diversity team leaders at Gold Strike
recently delivered MP3 players books on tape for the kids of St. Jude’s
Children’s Hospital. In October during MPACT Week, casino employees
recorded the books on tape. Pictured are Gold Strike employees (from
left) Neal Rogers, Holly Townsend, Keisha Oliver, Tammy Matous, Bouba
Samba and Robert Leise.
JANUARY 2015
MISSISSIPPI/LOUISIANA GAMING NEWS
25
Contributions & Donations
Treasure Bay crew members busy with projects
BILOXI — Treasure Bay Casino and Hotel crew members were
busy over the holiday season with several charity projects.
For the fifth consecutive year, Treasure Bay adopted the Gulf
Coast Women’s Center for Nonviolence and collected holiday
gifts for the women and children staying at the shelter. Items
included games, toys, bicycles, clothing and household items.
Crew member donations set a record this year and will help many
families in need.
Treasure Bay’s annual
Holiday Food Drive raised
a record number of
nonperishable items and
canned goods. Donated
by crew members, family
and friends, the food
was given to St. Vincent
de Paul food pantry. The
drive began in November
and several deliveries
were made to help
Crew members Andy Davis, Rodney
keep the pantry stocked
Foster and Shane Seymour with a
throughout the holiday
truckload delivery of goods from the
season.
holiday food drive.
Trees of Hope
Learn with Santa
Sam’s Town Tunica gave away $5,000 to local charities
through the Trees of Hope contest. Five area charities
decorated Christmas trees in the resort, and the tree
that received the most casino guest votes received the
largest donation. Second- and third- place trees also
received donations. More than 6,000 votes were cast.
Garry Potts, human resources and security manager,
and Melinda Young, team relations manager, presented
the checks to the winners: Healing Hearts Child
Advocacy Center, $2,500; Search Dogs South, $1,500;
and Sacred Heart Southern Missions, $1,000.
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MISSISSIPPI/LOUISIANA GAMING NEWS
Treasure Bay crew members made a special delivery of
holiday cheer for the Gulf Coast Women’s Center for
Nonviolence. Pictured (from left) are crew members
Andy Davis, Jamie Mitchell, Andrew Toth, Pat
Shineflew, Caroline Jacobs and Lawrence Hays with
the gifts collected at Treasure Bay.
JANUARY 2015
Beau Rivage Resort & Casino partnered with the
city of Biloxi and Excel by 5 to host Come Learn
with Santa at Lopez Elementary School. The event,
open to children ages birth to 5 years old in South
Mississippi, encouraged the spirit of the season
while reinforcing the importance of early education
through crafts, coloring and activities designed
with younger children in mind. The children engaged
in hands-on crafts that are age appropriate, took
pictures with Santa, enjoyed juice and cookies and
had a sing along and story time with Santa Claus
and his friends. Beau Rivage employees volunteered
to help with the crafts as well as dress up as the
characters. This is the fourth year Beau Rivage
participated and supported this community event.
Contributions & Donations
B-I-N-G-O
DiamondJacks Casino team members and members of
the Culture Club spent time playing bingo with senior
citizens at Some Place Special, an adult day care center
in Vicksburg. Volunteering to assist with bingo are Tonya
Nelson, Darlene Heard, Shawn Jinkins, Martha Divine,
Gerald Washington, Sharon Ames, Sandy Goudelock,
Michelle Collins, Kristy Griffin and Amber Sims.
Playing Santa
Hard Rock Biloxi adopted 50 children from CASA of
Harrison County. Casino employees stuffed red and
green Santa bags full of toys and clothes for the
children in need. On Dec. 12, CASA advocates were
provided lunch in the resort’s buffet before picking
up the bags along with a turkey for each child and
their family. This is the second year Hard Rock has
partnered with CASA for this project.
Holiday lunch
Donating to a good cause
L’Auberge Casino Lake Charles and the Pinnacle
Entertainment Foundation recently donated $25,000
to Abraham’s Tent, a Lake Charles food bank that
moved into a newly constructed facility in November.
Pictured with the donation are (from left) Robert
Piper, Abraham’s Tent board member; Kerry
Andersen, director of public relations for L’Auberge
Casino Resort; Pearl Cole, executive director for
Abraham’s Tent; and Keith W. Henson, senior VP and
general manager at L’Auberge.
Community donations
IP Casino Resort Spa made several donations recently
to local nonprofit organizations. The Mississippi Gulf
Coast Senior Prom Committee, which works to improve
the quality of life for senior citizens, received a donation
of $30,000. Gulf Coast for Kids, with a mission to
help needy children have a better Christmas, was given
$25,000. The volunteer-based charity was founded in
1992 by Johnny and Kim Beck (center), who are pictured
accepting the donation from IP Casino executives Duncan
McKenzie, vice president and general manager, and Kim
Goetz, director of marketing. (Below) The Mississippi
Center for Autism receives a check for $10,000.
Boomtown Casino Bossier City team members
served a holiday lunch prepared by the Boomtown
culinary team for the senior citizens at Bossier
Council on the Aging. In addition to serving lunch,
team members enjoyed dancing and mingling with
the seniors and giving away door prizes.
JANUARY 2015
MISSISSIPPI/LOUISIANA GAMING NEWS
27
Contributions & Donations
Donating toys
Ameristar cares
L’Auberge Casino & Hotel Baton Rouge donated
numerous toys along with $3,500 to the U.S.
Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program.
Ssgt. Codie Lewis (second from left) accepted
the donation from L’Auberge employees Martina
Malone, career development manager; Daniel
Hutchinson, hotel manager; Casey Lowe, team
member engagement specialist; Nikki Willis, team
member relations manager; and Meagan Rogers,
benefits and team member relations representative.
Ameristar Casino team members showed how much “Ameristar Cares” by brightening the holidays for others in Vicksburg. Team members sorted and distributed toys at the
Salvation Army Angel Tree distribution center and adopted
angels themselves. Ameristar also made a donation to Salvation Army Red Kettle campaign. Additionally, team members volunteered at Good Shepherd Community Center and
served lunch to the seniors of Vicksburg Senior Center.
Spreading cheer
Filling up with gifts
Golden Nugget Biloxi adopted 48 children in the Jackson County CASA
program, providing them with rolling backpacks filled with holiday gifts.
“I am so overwhelmed by the generosity of our employees to help these
children that may not have had a Christmas at all,” said General Manager
Chett Harrison. “It really shows what a great team we have.”
Season of Wishes
For the third year, Gold Strike volunteers braved the cold to help the Mid
South chapter of Make A Wish Foundation’s A Season of Wishes. In two
hours, volunteers collected more than $900 from passing motorists. The
money collected will go directly toward granting the wishes of children with
life threatening medical conditions in the Mid South. Employees participating
included Michael Mavromatis, Terry Littleton, Scott Gray, Shontina Jones,
Coreen Richardson, Josh Rhodes, Eric Duffy, Holli Carlisle, William Green,
Chanel Alnasan, Carolyn Wright and Jessica Toledo.
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MISSISSIPPI/LOUISIANA GAMING NEWS
JANUARY 2015
Horseshoe Tunica and Tunica
Roadhouse employee volunteers,
known as HEROs, recently
spread holiday cheer at the
Memphis VA Medical Center by
distributing treats, beverages
and jackets. While some HEROs
set up a station in the medical
center’s lobby and passed out
Christmas cookies, coffee, hot
chocolate and lemonade, others
dressed in festive holiday attire
and went to throughout the
medical center to distribute
donated jackets to approximately
200 patients.
Contributions & Donations
Feeding those in need
Christmas dinner is served
Fitz Casino & Hotel employees provided Christmas dinner
for the residents of Dehon Village. The dinner, which
included turkey, ham, dressing, sweet potatoes, corn, gravy,
rolls, desserts and drinks, also featured special guests:
Santa Claus and his helper, portrayed by Fitz employees
Kevis Harpert and Tika Wilburn. Dehon Village, part of
Sacred Heart Southern Missions, is a transitional housing
community of 38 homes in Walls, Miss., that provides
transitional housing for homeless families, job and moneymanagement training and job-search help. Along with
Harpert and Wilburn, Fitz volunteers included Cecil Hanks,
Cameron Staubin, Ken Staubin, Destiny Staubin, Arianna
Moore, Caroline Moraczewski, Michael Moore, Hunter
Trimbell, Wyatt Williams, Darlene Kirkland, Jason Hunter,
Chris Dunning and Greg Crowder.
Members of IP Casino Resort Spa’s management team
and their family members volunteered at Harrison
County Feed the Needy on Christmas Day. Pictured
at the event are Connie Mackay, director of human
resources; Vice President and General Manager
Duncan McKenzie and his wife Margaret; Mark
McCrindle, director of casino operations; and Alfred
Sexton, director of security and transportation.
Playing Santa
JANUARY 2015
Employees at Lady Luck
Casino in Vicksburg collected
nonperishable food items
throughout December. Canned
goods, pasta, rice, beans and
much more were donated to
a number of area agencies,
including the Warren County
Children’s Shelter.
MISSISSIPPI/LOUISIANA GAMING NEWS
29
Contributions & Donations
Employee angels
Serving those in need
Harrah’s Gulf Coast team members recently volunteered at
Loaves & Fishes in Biloxi. While one group of workers served
eggs, sausage and biscuits and gravy for breakfast, and another
group worked at lunch, serving spaghetti, vegetables, garlic bread
and cake. The team members also volunteered at the community
kitchen in November.
Imagining no hunger
Hard Rock Biloxi raised $971 for
the Imagine There’s No Hunger
2014 Campaign, a global program
that helps in the fight against
hunger and poverty through
support of sustainable agriculture
education and nutritional feeding
programs for children in need
around the world. Hard Rock
employees were encouraged to
make a small donation to the
organization and were given a tag
to hang on the wish tree, displayed
in the employee dining room. All
wishes were collected at the end of
the year and mailed to Yoko Ono’s
Imagine PeaceTower where they
will be placed in a tower sculpture
for posterity in Iceland.
Adopting angels
Resorts Casino hosted an employee angel
tree allowing employees to request gifts
for their children. More than 65 employees
participated, and toys were purchased and
wrapped for more than 130 children. The
gifts were distributed to the children’s parents
or grandparents on Dec. 19. Pictured are
Melissa Lofton, gift shop manager; Tony
Scudiero, vice president and general manager;
and Miranda McGovern, human resources.
Recycle for good
Palace Casino Resort donated more than
350 telephone books to Gorenflo Elementary
School in Biloxi for recycling. Mississippi Gulf
Coast schools have been recycling phone
books for over a decade as a way to raise
money for classroom materials and to teach
students a valuable lesson about recycling.
Providing holiday spirit
DiamondJacks Casino employees and members of the casino’s
Culture Club were busy during the holiday season. Employees
adopted 10 children and five senior citizen “angels” through
the Salvation Army Angel Tree campaign. Culture Club
members wrapped presents at the United Way of West Central
Mississippi’s CAP Center, where they also donated toys to six
children. Culture Club members were Tonya Nelson, Darlene
Heard, Mary Parker, Darryl Sanders, Rosia Wilson, Chandra
Cole, Tracy Franklin, Mark Luke, and Jennie Smith.
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MISSISSIPPI/LOUISIANA GAMING NEWS
JANUARY 2015
Gold Strike employee volunteers partnered
with Sacred Heart Southern Missions to help
provide holiday spirit for 42 families in need.
Employees bought toys, bicycles and games
for the children. Participating departments
included security, food and beverage, slots,
table games, human resources, IT, player
development, marketing, engineering, hotel,
hotel housekeeping and accounting.