As the gaming industry goes, so goes the state of Nevada. All things considered, that’s a pretty good thing.

The gaming industry is growing explosively. The initial fear that the expansion of tribal casino operations throughout the country would curb the nation’s appetite for the Nevada gaming experience has given way to the realization that nothing can replace the excitement of the state’s gaming industry, particularly in Las Vegas.

Las Vegas will see some of the most exciting projects both on and off the Strip, but the northern part of the state will also see a number of new casino projects. This growth will bring more jobs and more prosperity to the state, but nothing ever comes easy.

The exploding population places a strain on essential services and natural resources. Our public education is facing hardships and the gaming industry is currently being targeted to address the financial shortfall with which the state’s schools are dealing. Rapid growth forces community leaders to make difficult decisions, and truly tests their mettle.

Our honorees this year include people from all aspects of the community. Gaming is Nevada and Nevada is gaming, so it’s hard to get around. From county commissioners to various casino executives to the head of the state teacher union, no one in Nevada is untouched by gaming, and conversely, everyone has the opportunity to improve upon the prosperity the state’s gaming industry enjoys.

The next couple of years will be both exciting and challenging for Nevada’s casino industry. But with leaders like those profiled in the following pages, it’s hard to expect anything but continued growth and success.



Lawrence Weekly
Clark County Commissioner

Not all of our “People to Watch” come from the gaming industry. While gaming is a very important part of our lives and our community, there are people outside the industry who are working to effect changes in other areas that are, on some levels, far more important.

Everyone who lives in Clark County has been impacted by the explosive growth of the casino industry. Along with the new jobs created—both at the casinos themselves and in various support services—have come some other social issues that must be addressed.

The massive influx of people who continue moving here to take advantage of the prosperous economy is taxing infrastructure and precious resources—like water, which is more valuable than gold in the desert.

Lawrence Weekly is a former Las Vegas city councilman who was appointed in March 2007 to serve as the representative for District G on the Clark County Commission. For those unfamiliar with the district, it stretches east from Rancho Drive to Lamb Boulevard and north from Sahara Avenue to Craig Road.
Weekly is a Nevada native who has been living in Las Vegas since he was four. He’s seen the city grow and mature, he’s seen areas like the Strip prosper while other areas started to experience hard times.

“My district deals with a lot of social issues,” Weekly said. “As we deal with this massive growth in Clark County, there are many people who are not advancing with the growth. They’re finding themselves homeless or forced to go without adequate services, and I have to speak for those people, the people who feel voiceless.”

While he will certainly be instrumental in determining the future of any casino projects proposed throughout the area through 2009 when his term expires—and possibly beyond should he decide to seek reelection—his biggest focus is to bring a better quality of life to Clark County and his constituents. Whether that is accomplished through opening lines of communications between casino developers and area residents in cases of proposed new locals casino projects, or through his support of a plan to rebuild the historic Moulin Rouge Casino to bring more jobs to a part of the community looking to get back on its feet, Weekly is driven to make the county a better place not as much for our valued visitors as for the invaluable residents.

“When you fly in to Las Vegas and see those beautiful shining lights, there is someone out there working their butt off to keep those lights on,” Weekly said. “Those are the folks who need to be applauded. I grew up around the industry. My mother worked in the hotel industry until she passed away. I’ve seen when they went on strike; I remember sitting on the picket line. I know what those men and women do.”

He also knows what they deal with when they go home, and what he wants for the residents of Clark County is the opportunity to enjoy open spaces, relax in parks or take advantage of the great weather we have and play tennis, golf or basketball.

“Quality of life issues have been placed on the back burner, and as a native, that bothers me,” Weekly said. “Our kids can’t play on the freeway, so when we’re talking about new developments, we need to enforce conditions so there are open spaces and parks and places where people can recreate.”

Whether it’s planning for smart growth, improving recreation options and increasing the number of parks in the county, improving conditions for students and teachers in the Clark County School District, or dealing with anything else that affects the quality of life in our community, for Weekly, it ultimately comes down to one simple word: respect.

“With everything that’s going on in Southern Nevada, people still see us as a tourist destination. This is more than just a tourist destination, for many people, this is a final destination. In that, we deserve a little more respect.”

—Greg Jones



Jeffrey Victor
President, Fremont Street Experience

Jeffrey Victor is a talented liaison. His resume speaks volumes of his knack for creating mutually profitable relationships out of seemingly disparate worlds. Back in the 1980s, a college-aged Victor studied management in Oklahoma. But his natural gifts for company turnaround and diplomacy really came to the fore when he took on the role of president and general manager of the Fremont Street Experience. The job landed him with seven very different bosses and 10 casinos to look after, but it’s a role that he seemed destined to fulfill.

When Victor came on board in April of 2006, he was taking the reins from Joe Schillaci, who had initiated a reversal of negative trends happening at the Downtown attraction. It was Schillaci’s job to find talented management that would succeed him, and continue with the repositioning efforts that would further grow the Fremont Street Experience into a world-class destination.

The Fremont Street Experience always seemed poised right at the edge of success, dating back to 1995 when the road was first closed to vehicular traffic and fitted with its spectacular canopy of light and sound. And it’s not just a singular draw. The Fremont Street Experience has multiple entertainment, events and restaurant venues, which creates a unique obligation for the president and general manager.

Victor must be able to wear many hats, including overseeing a staff of 100, sitting on various boards and committees, working with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, the city government, Las Vegas Events, police and fire departments—the list goes on and on. And what does that all add up to?

According to Victor, “An improved casino product that is safe, clean, and has a high level of entertainment.”

Even with the veritable renaissance that Downtown is experiencing, the Fremont Street Experience continues to refine itself. Fremont Street East was recently unveiled across Las Vegas Boulevard as the pedestrian mall looks to expand. Fremont East is more a connection of small eateries and bars/taverns stretching toward the El Cortez. Fremont East adds to the offerings in the area, and gives both tourists and locals a reason to head Downtown.

“The idea is that we do a better job of inviting people Downtown, a better job of letting them know why they should be coming down, and a better job of showing them a good time there.” This strategy, which “will pay dividends for years to come,” has already started to show signs of success.

Roughly half of all visitors to Las Vegas went Downtown last year—that’s a whopping 18.7 million people—nearly twice the visitors who went to Disneyland. As the Fremont Street Experience continues to expand, those numbers can only go up.




Joe Magliarditi
COO and Executive Vice President, Colorado Belle and Edgewater Casinos

New York native Joe Magliarditi currently serves as the chief operating officer and executive vice president at Anthony Marnell’s Laughlin gaming properties. While he isn’t much into the spotlight, he can talk endlessly of the improvements being made to his casinos, the Colorado Belle and Edgewater, which were acquired by Marnell–Sher Gaming last year for $200 million.

“The more we looked, the more we realized there was big opportunity down there,” Magliarditi says of the properties, which are undergoing extensive improvements after a six-month assessment by him and his team.

So far they’ve consolidated management of the two properties, and made major improvements to their slot floors. They’ve also completely revamped the food programs and refurbished the hotel rooms, for starters.

The Edgewater, according to Magliarditi, required more extensive renovation than its sister property the Colorado Belle, and it recently underwent a multi-million dollar remodel, the first phase of which was completed in December of last year.

Two thousand new ticket in/ticket out machines were brought in, and instant free play was added for members. According to Magliarditi, the new slot program, which has only been in place for six months, is already translating into big returns on Marnell-Sher’s investment.

Among the improvements at the Colorado Belle, 1,168 rooms were also refurbished, and along with the Edgewater, it has seen an immediate upgrade to its food services. Magliarditi estimates that 25 percent to 30 percent of customers come from other casinos to patronize a specific buffet, so “food is a big part of the strategy.”

And if the overall goal of his strategy is to make Laughlin a destination that you can sink your teeth into, Magliarditi is that much closer to seeing it become a reality. It is his hope that, together with the Laughlin Tourism committee, Laughlin and Las Vegas locals both will soon be able to enjoy new entertainment options in the river town like never before.

Repeatable events, such as a concert series, or even off-road events and boxing matches are all on the roster.

“We’re now seriously considering bringing an entertainment venue to Laughlin,” Magliarditi says. And with all the mojo backing him, it looks like Magliarditi needn’t say much more.




Paul Chakmak, Executive Vice President and COO
Boyd Gaming Corporation

While Boyd Gaming is sometimes classified as a locals casino operator, this description isn’t entirely accurate. Yes, the company is one of the largest operators of Las Vegas locals casinos, but the company does so much more, operating 17 casinos in Nevada, New Jersey, Louisiana, Indiana, Illinois, Mississippi and Florida. Borgata in Atlantic City—operated in partnership with MGM Mirage—was the company’s first foray into the high-end gaming resort world, and Boyd Gaming is following up with construction of Echelon on the Las Vegas Strip.

Paul Chakmak, who was promoted from chief financial officer to chief operating officer effective January 1, sees Echelon as a property that will round out the company’s gaming portfolio. It raises the visibility of the company throughout the world, while giving Boyd Gaming a true flagship property in Las Vegas.

And even though Boyd Gaming has a sterling reputation as a world-class casino operator, it would be foolish to think that embarking on a $4.8 billion project doesn’t entail some degree of risk. However, thanks to a number of strategic partnerships to develop Echelon, Chakmak and Boyd Gaming have found partners who are able to supply additional capital—and, perhaps more importantly, expertise and well-respected brands.

“We look at these deals as a way to bring in strategic partners to make this a better project. With the partnerships, we’re able to monetize some of the value in our project, but at the end of the day, it’s more about bringing some added value in terms of recognized brands within the hospitality world – well recognized ones at that.”

Of course, Chakmak can’t devote all of his attention to the Echelon project, having to keep track of operations at 17 other casinos throughout the country. He is able to do that by staying involved with the day-to-day operations at all properties, by knowing and trusting in his regional and property management and talking with the front line employees. It’s all a part of the heralded “Boyd culture” that many of the company’s employees talk about—working for Boyd Gaming feels as much like joining a family as anything, they say.

Chakmak knew that going in, and decided it was a perfect fit. After 18 years as an investment banker focused on gaming and hospitality, he knew what he was getting into when he joined Boyd Gaming in February 2004. Going forward, his aspirations are similar to those of employees throughout the company.

“I have really enjoyed being a part of the team that has put together the acquisition of Coast Casinos, successfully opened Borgata and now, among other things, is embarking on a project like Echelon,” he said. “My goals are to continue the success of the company and the culture that sets this company apart in the gaming industry. I look forward to continuing to support the team that makes all of this possible.”
Boyd Gaming President and Chief Executive Officer Keith Smith rose to his position from the financial side of the company, but Chakmak seemed reluctant to draw any comparisons or talk about having similar aspirations himself.

“I just look forward to doing more and making this a successful company,” he said.

—Greg Jones



Kathleen McLaughlin-Harris
Managing Director, Global Slot Marketing and Operations Las Vegas Sands Corporation

Kathleen McLaughlin-Harris is of a rare breed in the slot industry—an executive with extensive experience on both the supplier and operational sides of the business.

After several years as a marketing executive at WMS Gaming, Harris joined Harrah’s Entertainment as an assistant vice president of slot operations, working with Bruce Rowe.

In what would become a career trend for Harris, the operator created a new position to fit her particular skill set—she was made corporate vide president of slot research and development, a position in which she worked with slot manufacturers to develop new games that would be launched at Harrah’s properties on an exclusive basis.

She eventually was made corporate vice president of strategic sourcing at Harrah’s, a position she held until last April, when Las Vegas Sands Executive VP Brad Stone and Senior VP Kevin Kelley decided to take a new look at the slot strategy of their rapidly growing company.

Repeating history, Harris took on a position designed specifically for her—managing director of global slot marketing and operations for Las Vegas Sands Corporation.

In the next few years, Harris will determine how to best maximize profits on the slot floor in markets as divergent as Las Vegas, Pennsylvania and Macau, in new and existing properties.

In Las Vegas, the Palazzo’s grand opening this month will add thousands of games for the operator’s Las Vegas Strip customers already accustomed to continuing expansions at the Venetian. In Pennsylvania, a variety of slots will serve a new market with a completely new style of property, as the company transforms a shuttered steel mill in Bethlehem into Sands BethWorks, a combination resort casino and industrial museum.

The biggest challenge, though, may lie in the company’s two Macau properties, Sands Macao and the new Venetian Macao, as well as several other Asia properties opening there and in Singapore. In Southeast Asia, the challenge is to create successful slot floors in a traditional table-game market.

In all, it’s a challenge Harris relishes.

“If you love gaming and love everything about slots, Macau is where everything is happening,” she says. “Mr. (Sheldon) Adelson put a vision out there, and Brad Stone is phenomenal at making it happen. There is some serious talent in this company, and I have the pleasure of working with all of these talented folks.”

Harris, in fact, deflects praise to the people at Las Vegas Sands Corporation at every turn. As far as slots for the corporation in the foreseeable future, though, the credit will belong to Harris. It should be a fun ride.

— Frank Legato



Terry Caudill
Owner, Four Queens

Things are changing in Downtown Las Vegas. Where once gaming numbers were flat at best, or worse yet, declining, they are now on the rise. The four months leading up to December saw improvements over numbers from the previous year, and it’s not simply a coincidence.

Downtown operators, like Terry Caudill who owns the Four Queens, have been investing in their properties and they’re starting to see the returns. The reinvestment comes in many forms: updating hotel rooms, freshening up the casino floor, putting in new carpeting, adding new restaurants, and, in the case of the Four Queens, adding a night club/concert venue to expand on nighttime entertainment options.

“The Canyon Club, which is as much a concert venue as a nightclub, is helping us bring people Downtown and keep them Downtown,” Caudill said. “It’s helping us draw more local business, too.”

Promotional developments in the area, like the expansion of Fremont Street with the Fremont East area, and the opening of new bars in the area of the Fremont Street Experience are also helping. While it’s a little early to judge just how successful those ventures will be, Caudill expects that given time, they will only add to the newfound success of the historic gaming district.

And with new money coming to the area from outside developers looking to revitalize properties like the Lady Luck and Gold Spike hotel casinos, Caudill sees the Fremont Street area becoming a viable and attractive alternative to the Strip, offering many of the same amenities, with the added bonus of a high concentration of gaming and entertainment options.

In fact, Caudill believes so strongly in the viability of the Downtown market that he is buying Binion’s from MTR Gaming. He is expecting to finalize the transaction and take over the property in January or February, at which point he is planning to capitalize on the untapped potential of the property.

“We plan to do a lot of things over there that we did here at the Four Queens,” he said. “We’ll clean up the property, update things, add an entertainment venue. The property has a storied history and a legendary name, it just needs some pizzazz.”

Binion’s will also allow him to offer amenities that he can’t add to the Four Queens through an expansion project because of the size and building limitations imposed by the geography of the area.

“We’ll be able to take advantage of synergies between the two properties and give our customers a broader experience in the Downtown area,” he said. “We don’t have a pool or poker room at the Four Queens, but Binion’s has a spectacular view from its rooftop pool and is legendary for its poker action, so those are two ways right there that we can benefit from cross-marketing these properties.”

Between the reinvestment of capital from current operators, the influx of outside cash and, of course, the backing of an extremely supportive mayor and city council, it’s hard to imagine anything but a bright future along and around Fremont Street.

“Downtown is becoming the new hip place to go, especially for the value-oriented customers,” Caudill said. “The Strip has fabulous properties, but it’s a little pricey for some people who maybe want to budget more money for gambling and less for hotel rooms and food.

“As more people start taking a look at us, with all the new things going in and the new money flowing into the area, I’d say that in three to five years, you won’t even recognize Downtown Las Vegas.”

–Greg Jones



Robert A. Cashell Jr.
General Manager, Fitzgeralds Casino, Reno

You would be right to say that the Fitzgeralds in downtown Reno hasn’t seen its fair share of luck lately. It’s spent the last seven years in the doldrums of bankruptcy, while other casinos on Virginia Street have continued to thrive. But Robert A. Cashell Jr., son of Mayor Bob Cashell and partner in Cashell Enterprises, has just signed on to change all that.

As the sole principal of RAC II LLC, Cashell Jr. has part ownership of the long belabored Fitzgeralds property, along with Fernando Leal and Donald Wilson of L3 Development from Chicago. The Chicago developers first purchased the aging Golden Phoenix across from the Fitzgeralds on Virginia Street in order to create luxury condominiums, the Montage Residences, but contacted Cashell eight months ago when they became convinced that there may be gold under the Fitz’s crackling neon rainbow.

The Irish-themed casino has changed hands several times since original owner Lincoln Fitzgerald passed away in 1981. One of the things Cashell is most proud of, as he states in his open letter to the Reno community (published on the Fitzgeralds website) is that the casino is now in private hands again for the first time in decades. According to Cashell, that will make a big difference in the Reno community.

“We have a full perspective on the market and the role the Fitzgeralds plays,” he says. “It sits at the epicenter of downtown Reno—it’s a piece of the puzzle.”

And putting back the pieces may be what Reno needs to keep the lights on, as California casinos continue to encroach upon Reno’s reputation as the major northern gaming destination.

“I think we are direct competitors in a group with California Native American gaming” Cashell says, adding that Reno’s off-strip casinos, like the Atlantis and Peppermill, are not.

Instead, he sees them as partners in a community that will benefit from the upcoming Triple AAA baseball park, and the myriad changes happening downtown.

Cashell is on the frontline of a major redevelopment effort that will reposition the “Biggest Little City in the World” for a changing demographic; one that will come to stay and play in larger numbers than ever before.

The city needs him, too. Reaching out to the customers who have been through some of the Fitzgeralds more turbulent times is an important selling point to the entire gaming community in Reno; and it’s also a gesture that Cashell makes genuine.

He just turned 42—the same day the Nevada Gaming Commission gave its final approval for the Fitzgeralds—and he can now look toward the future as general manager of one of Reno’s landmark properties, and watch as his city evolves with him.




Joe Hasson
General Manager, Aliante Station

With the city of North Las Vegas growing as fast as it is—the fastest in the nation, in fact—it’s no small surprise that Station Casinos decided to embark on its newest casino development north of the 215 beltway. Nor, for that matter, is the man the pegged as general manager for Aliante Station a surprise.

Joe Hasson has 25 years of gaming industry experience managing casinos throughout the country. He worked for the Trump Organization and Harrah’s Entertainment before he joined Station Casinos in 2003 and being assigned as general manager of Green Valley Ranch in 2004. At Green Valley Ranch, he helped guide the property through the master-planned phase II and phase III expansions, bringing the hotel to 500 rooms, expanding the size of the casino and adding restaurants, banquet and catering space and the sports book that has since served as the model for all other Station properties.

“What we’re doing with Aliante Station is building another casino that, at least from my perspective, is similar in scope to what the original Green Valley Ranch was,” Hasson says. “It’s a fabulous casino that is master-planned to allow for more additions should the demand present itself.
“Like Green Valley, this is also a partnership with the Greenspun family. To the extent that I had a relationship with the partners there, it’s a natural transition for me to come here.”

Hasson is hoping Aliante Station will be the success that Green Valley Ranch was and continues to be. He has many things working in his favor.

There are only a handful of casinos in North Las Vegas, and not really anything within five to 10 miles of Aliante.

“There’s not really a lot of food or beverage options out here right now, so we’re providing something that doesn’t yet exist in the proximity we like to provide it,” Hasson said.

In addition to the advantage of being the first operator in the area, Aliante stands to gain from several other factors, too. Not only do the Station mainstays of convenient parking, plenty of slot and video poker machines and easily accessible sports books come into play, but the design of the property gives the property a leg up over future competition.

“We find ourselves in a great position strategically and competitively because we build and operate terrific facilities that are hard to overcome if you’re the next person looking to come into the fray,” Hasson says. “I’m not sure who might be coming next, but the first thing I think about is if you look at the investment being made here and the attributes that are a part of this facility, one of the questions you would ask is, ‘Who would want to take this on as a competitor?’ Especially considering we already have plans to build out from here.”

The ongoing construction—which has the property on-track for a late 2008 opening—is not something new for Hasson. In fact, it is something he enjoys. If a casino isn’t growing, if there aren’t constantly new amenities being added, it suggests a property is stagnant.

“If you’re growing, there is no greater vote of confidence than when the owners say, ‘Let’s build it bigger.’”

Those are words Hasson hopes to hear shortly after Aliante Station opens. And he is prepared for a rapid progression of expansion phases that will seamless grow the property out to its full, master-planned expectations. And whether he is overseeing construction, making the hires in preparation of opening the casino, or maximizing profits once it is open, Hasson is comfortable doing whatever is necessary.

“There are some people who simply like to operate casinos, some who like to build them and some who like to open them. I like to do it all,” he says. “And at the end of the day, opening casinos is something that I’ve had good fortune with.”

Seeing that he was pegged by Station Casinos to open the company’s newest property, there are really no surprises there, either.

–Greg Jones



Lynn Warne
President, Nevada State Education Association

Unless you pay absolutely no attention to the local news and care absolutely nothing about keeping current on happenings in the state’s gaming industry—and shame on you if that’s the case—you know who Lynn Warne is, and what the Nevada State Education Association wants to do to improve public education in the state. The proposal to increase the top-tier gaming tax—the tax rate paid by casinos that generate revenue in excess of $1 million every month—from 6.75 percent to 9.75 percent has sparked all kinds of debate.

Folks on the gaming side of the argument say that Nevada’s generous tax rate is the reason for the explosive growth the casino industry has seen, particularly in Southern Nevada. Higher taxes would force them to scale back development and investment plans, maybe even force them to reduce their workforces in order to generate the profits investors expect. They agree that public education is a problem, but think the solution should involve all the businesses and industries in Nevada.

Those who support the tax, and a number of independent polls show this is roughly 70 percent of Nevada voters, say something has to be done to increase spending on public education in the state. And unless a better proposal is put forth—one that doesn’t involve taxing them—that extra money will come from the gaming industry.

“Public education in Nevada is woefully under funded,” Warne said. “We currently sit 49th in per pupil expenditures, and we’ve been at the bottom of the heap for quite a while. We’ve worked with the legislature and legislators to try and move that woeful statistic in a positive direction, and we’ve not been able to make any progress.

“We took a public poll and overwhelmingly, the public supported a gaming tax increase.”

The NSEA proposal is a ballot initiative, and the organization is currently working to collect the approximately 56,000 signatures necessary to have the initiative placed on the ballot in 2008. If approved, it will go on the ballot again in 2010 for final approval.

Warne says the increase could generate as mush as $250 million a year for public education, with 40 percent of that money going to improve teacher salaries. It’s not a panacea by any means, Warne admits, but it is a start in the right direction.

As for targeting the gaming industry, well, it seems that it’s not only a safe target—imagine the public support for implementing a personal income tax—but one that is partly to blame for worsening conditions in public schools, at least in Clark County, according to Warne. She’s not too persuaded by the arguments coming from the opposition, either, including the statement that taxes generated by the gaming industry account for roughly 33 percent of the public education budget.

“I chuckle at those ads,” Warne says, “because I don’t know that it’s anything to brag about. When we’re nearly last in the country in terms of what we pay per student, paying a third of nearly nothing isn’t much to brag about.”

With the opinions of some experts, economists and investment bankers saying the gaming industry can absorb the 3 percentage point tax increase, Warne and the 28,000-member NSEA is moving ahead with its initiative. And with what seems to be overwhelming support from the public, the initiative look to have a pretty good chance of passing the first test in 2008.

—Greg Jones



Dan D’Arrigo
Executive Vice President & CFO, MGM Mirage

For Dan D’Arrigo, the timing couldn’t be better to step into the shoes of MGM Mirage President Jim Murren. As CFO, Murren gained the confidence of Wall Street over the years and sold the company as a pure gaming play. D’Arrigo now has the responsibility to sell the diversified revenue streams that will begin flowing now that MGM Mirage has partnered with several non-gaming entities, including Dubai World and Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. Each of these joint ventures will include non-gaming resorts and hotels, with one getting under way soon in Dubai, Abu Dhabi.

“This development will be very similar to any mixed-use project we’d do in any other market, minus the gaming,” he says. “There’s a thirst for entertainment in these regions and we’ll provide it.”

D’Arrigo’s challenge will be to convince Wall Street that MGM Mirage will become a diverse player in the entertainment industry, not just gaming. He says he’s been developing relationships for years and is confident that he’ll be able to negotiate some of the new communications regulations to succeed.

“We’ve taken great care to understand how you can communicate to Wall Street,” he says. “It’s changed on both sides, so we follow the rules very closely. Disclosure needs to be widespread publicly and I feel I have a pretty good relationship with the folks on Wall Street.”

Partnerships are a big part of the MGM Mirage business model. From New York-New York and the Borgata, to CityCenter and the new Kerzner development on the north Las Vegas Strip, D’Arrigo compares them to marriages.

“There’s a little bit of give and take on both sides,” he says. “We have several reasons for entering into partnerships. Quite frankly, we don’t know it all, so we rely on our partners to bring in some expertise that we may not have. In the Kerzner partnership (with Dubai World), we had that land and probably wouldn’t get to it on our own for five to seven years. By creating this partnership, we can be part of a very exciting development that will open within that time frame. So it works for all the partners involved.”

One partnership bore fruit in December when MGM Mirage Macau opened, in partnership with Pansy Ho, daughter of Macau gaming magnate Stanley Ho. D'Arrigo says Pansy brought a lot to the table.

“It’s been a while since we were back on the international front,” he says. “It’s an exciting project and the market is very dynamic. We’ll be able to showcase our management talent, our brands and most of all our service standards.

“Pansy Ho has been helping us get to know the cultural aspects and that’s been a great asset to have in that marketplace.”

In Nevada, MGM Mirage’s home turf, D’Arrigo warns that current moves to increase the gaming tax could have serious consequences.

“Investors looking to come into Nevada will have a different view of the state, which has always been favorable,” he says. “Companies that operate here will be revisiting how they re-invest their capital. Liquidity in terms of investing in these projects will change and none of those things are good for this industry or this state.

—Roger Gros

By Casino Connection Staff

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