Casino

The casino player development team has always been and remains the heartbeat of the casino. It is this team consisting of the director, host manager, executive hosts, casino hosts, slot hosts and player development reps that cater to the players who produce the most revenue for the casino. This is the instrumental group that is most often at the forefront when the player first arrives on property and throughout their stay at the property. It is the many faces of the PD team that many guests will repeatedly verify makes them feel the most ” wanted ” and ” valued “. And feeling wanted and valued is instrumental in developing loyalty from the guest.

The casino player development organization must be a well-oiled team that has systems and programs in place that provides the guest with an experience that is seamless and flawless. From the moment the guest calls in and books a room to the time they get in the limo to return to the airport, the player development team must not skip a beat. No ” I ” can go uncrossed and no ” I ” can go un-dotted. It is the most simple details that must be checked and double checked to insure that the guest has an experience that is not just pleasing, but most importantly, extraordinary.

This team of executives must be led by a dynamic leader, most often the player development director, who understands not only the importance of having a systematic, analytic method for tracking the performance of the department, but also the intricacies and delicacies of servicing players in a way that is personal and efficient, yet fun and lively. This director must have the capability of putting themselves in the position of the general manager who must account for all the dollars being spent to recruit and retain the high roller and yet, they must also understand the position of the host who has to face the player and serve as the representative of the casino who’s loyalties must at least appear to lie with the player even though the casino is actually the employer of the host. It is a fine line to walk for any and all player development executives. And as the casinos become more cost-conscious, this line does not become easier, but rather tougher.

Nonetheless, the group of player development folks is inevitably the most personable and noticeable of any of the employees at the casino property. They are the ones who love what they do so much that they are willing to answer their phones 24/7 just to make certain that a player never goes unnoticed or unappreciated and always has someone to call about any desire or demand they wish to be fulfilled.

It is the casino player development team that truly does serve as the heartbeat of the casino. They are in the middle of the action, whether it be the VIP Party, the sporting event, or the hot action on the casino floor. They constantly strive to maintain the loyalty of their current players while relentlessly seeking new players as well. They are known by name more than any other employee on the property. It is these loyal casino employees who make the casino a place high rollers wish to be.

By: Betsy Modglin

After fighting the issue for years, Alabama now has casino slot style gaming. Although these are classified “Electronic Bingo Parlors” make no bones about it, these are casinos filled with slot machines. The only difference? Instead of just inserting your money, pushing a button or pulling the handle then watching the wheels spin, you get to select a bingo card and based on certain “bingo’s” you win. This act alone, allows you to participate in the potential outcome of that particular spin on the wheel. Thus, according to the casino owners, it is no longer just a game of chance.

The Poarch Creek Indians got the wheels spinning opening the initial casino in Wetumpka, Alabama to the dismay of the locals. However, their attitudes have changed a little since many of the locals have been hired to work in the casino, plus the additional traffic brought into the area has increased revenue for other local business. The Riverside Casino in Wetumpka just completed an addition to the facility and now offers up nearly a thousand machines, affordable buffet, and a large screen bar area where you can watch sporting events.

Along with the Riverside Casino, the Poarch Creek Indians operate the Tallapoosa Casino located along the Tallapoosa River just outside Montgomery, Alabama and are about to complete the upgrade to their Atmore, Alabama facility with the Windcreek Casino and Hotel. According to the PCI, the Windcreek Casino and Hotel will be a full-blown a first class operation. Fine dining, thousands of machines, lodging and entertainment. The Windcreek Casino and Hotel is scheduled for a January 2009 opening.

Not to be outdone and for a fight for survival, the area dog tracks have gotten into the action. Both Greene and Macon counties voted to change their constitutions to allow for “Electronic Bingo” for the much beleaguered dog tracks that were in jeopardy of shutting down.

Greenetrack located off Interstate 59/20 neat Eutaw, Alabama has just over 1500 machines and should you get tired of playing the machines, you can head upstairs and bet on the greyhound races that occur every evening.

The big dog in the state is Victoryland. Located on Interstate 85, twenty miles east of Montgomery, Alabama, is nearing completion of its fourth expansion. Currently nearly 5000 machines are available for play, Victoryland is closest you will come to the casino gambling experience outside the Mississippi Gulf Coast or Tunica. The facilities at Victoryland are first-rate. The Oasis Buffet serves up a decent variety of food, from southern fried chicken to crab claws and the recently opened Race and Sports Book Entertainment Center provides you with the ability to bet on the on-site greyhound races, or pari-mutuel wagering for over forty tracks across the country. Want to watch sporting events, take your pick with 7 large projection and 38 plasma screens you can sit in comfort order up a beverage, sandwich and watch current events.

There you have it, casino gaming in Alabama, maybe sometime soon, they will be offering table games, but for now if slots are your passion then there is plenty to choose.

By: Murray Edwards