Vol. 4, No. 1, January 2008
RSS Feeds
Yale Rowe
Vice President and General Manager Silverton Hotel and Casino
But to truly capitalize on the valley’s southern expansion, and the property’s location as one of the first casinos visitors arriving from Southern California see, the Silverton is making the transition to more of a hybrid property. A $130 million expansion will add casino and retail space, build a hotel tower and open a centerpiece pool and entertainment area.
With Silverton president Craig Cavileer overseeing the expansion project and managing the property’s credit, he had to bring in someone to manage the day-to-day operations of the casino. Yale Rowe, a 15-year veteran of the gaming industry, has worked with Station Casinos, the Sahara, Hard Rock and the Luxor, and most recently Paragon Gaming. Rowe recently sat down with Casino Connection Publisher Roger Gros to discuss the Silverton’s expansion and marketing plans, and how Las Vegas has changed in the last 15 years.
Casino Connection: Were you familiar with the Silverton before you sought a job here, and what attracted you about the property?
Rowe: Sure, when I was living in Las Vegas, the Silverton was one of the places where my friends and I would visit. I always appreciated the laid-back environment and the great service. So I knew what I was getting into for the most part.
The Silverton has just started a $130 million expansion project that will increase casino space, retail and dining options, add a $15 million entertainment venue and an expanded pool area with five pools and three bars; what is the current status of that project?
The project is off to a great start. Twin Creeks, our signature dining experience, re-launched December 4 and is getting fantastic reviews. The 35,000 feet of casino space that we are adding is the most visible change one can see at the moment. Early in ’08 we will begin the parking structure and the pool area. We anticipate the casino expansion and the parking structure to be complete late in ’08 with the pool ready to go in late spring ’09.
What will your role be in that project?
Our owner, Ed Roski, and our president, Craig Cavileer, are really driving this project, but they do give me the chance to offer my input, which I greatly appreciate. I think the team developing this property is extraordinary and it’s going to be one of the nicest facilities in Las Vegas. My primary role is to keep the existing operation in great shape and to keep the construction disruption to a minimum.
Have you experienced any drop-off in visitation as a result of the construction work?
Surprisingly, no. I think we designed how we were going to expand very well, so there isn’t much impediment to getting to the casino and the rest of the property. It’s down at the far end of the property so if you’re looking for it, you can find it, but it doesn’t keep anyone from getting in and all of our guests’ familiar favorites will continue to operate through the process.
How about the redesign of the roads? What is now known as Dean Martin Drive has been realigned so it doesn’t run as close to the hotel as it did in the past, but it now makes a great statement when you enter the property.
There are people who got stuck in traffic right by our property who are very pleased about the new roadway because it has cleared up all that congestion. So now, our guests have easy access to the property and have had no problem getting in to see us.
But the re-routing of the roads gives us the room for the master plan for the acres that we control. It’s the first step in making this a true resort facility.
How would you describe the direction in which the Silverton is heading? Do these new amenities move it away from catering to the locals market, or help enhance its position as a locals casino? Will it be more of a hybrid property catering to locals during the week and tourists on the weekend?
I think hybrid is a good word. We’ve got a strong locals following, but at the same time, visitors recognize the value of our rooms and our proximity to the Strip. When it comes to giving the locals what they want, we’re very attuned to the marketing efforts made by the other locals casinos and we will remain very competitive in that area.
Ultimately, once we get our hotel tower up, we’ll become more of a visitors’ destination because we’ll have more rooms and great amenities such as our pool area and a terrific spa. But we’ll never lose track of our core market, being the locals.
You’ve got some great plans for the property, but the success of any property, no matter how impressive the amenities, always depends on the employees. Tell us about the folks who were here when you came on board.
You’re so right. And in many properties, it’s only lip service. But at the Silverton, we really believe that the success of this facility is completely due to the team members. We’ve spent time and money developing them and they’ve responded very well.
When you walk through the casino, you see dealers who are friendly and professional. In the restaurants, you see chefs and servers who strive to provide the best service no matter who they are serving. Some of these people have been here for years and they are the reason that we have so many loyal customers. They tell me all the time they could go anyplace in the valley they choose the Silverton because they feel at home here. They are a special bunch of people and I am honored to work beside them.
How many employees do you have?
Right now, it’s about 1,100. We’ll of course add a few when the expansion opens.
Will those employees have a chance to be promoted?
Yes, we do promote from within in most cases. We believe that extra effort deserves extra rewards, and those team members who have been loyal and demonstrate an ability to learn and lead will have every opportunity to expand their roles.
You’ve held a number of marketing positions at different kinds of properties—locals casinos with Station Casinos, Strip operators at the Sahara and boutique properties with Hard Rock. How will the different kinds of marketing strategies used by those properties help in your new position?
I’ve been lucky to have been able to work for some great properties and companies. I learned different things at my various stops and I’ve been able to apply these lessons at the Silverton.
Station Casinos has been a leader in marketing to locals I learned how important it is to get your customers into the players club, so that’s a big push we use here.
At the Hard Rock, slots weren’t that important but I learned a lot about table games and how customer service there is important. I also learned how important the food-and-beverage revenue can be.
And when I was with Paragon Gaming just recently, I got an overview of how individual properties operate overall. I was in charge of operations at several different properties in Canada. I spent much of my life on the road, traveling from property to property and talking to the GMs about their particular markets. And that was very enlightening for me as well.
But just as I was getting tired of all the traveling, this opportunity came up to operate a great property like the Silverton, and I believe all my experience has led me to this moment.
How closely do you monitor the marketing programs of your competitors and how do you respond to them?
Very closely. We have staff meetings every day to discuss what our competitors are doing. The good thing about being a small property is that we can respond almost immediately. We don’t have a huge ship to turn around, we can change directions almost overnight. So the advantage of being a small, independent property really comes into play at that time.
You got your start in the gaming industry with the Luxor in 1992. The city was very different than it is now. How has gaming changed since you first started in the industry, and where do you see the city heading and what role will the Silverton play?
It’s amazing to think how much the city has changed since those days. It truly is a completely different city. I believe it will continue to grow, and if you look at the properties scheduled to come on line in the next few years, it will look nothing like it looks today. The increase of non-gaming revenues will accelerate and people will continue to come here in record numbers.
As for the Silverton, I envision an off-Strip property that is fun, relaxing, and yet has an excitement that is quite unique to Las Vegas. We’ll never be a property like the Palms, as this wouldn’t work for us, but we’ll be a property that offers visitors and locals a different, compelling resort experience.
