November 13, 2021
NJ Casino News: Weekly Roundup
Get the latest casino news and updates in New Jersey for this week (November 6, 2021 – November 12, 2021).
AC Casinos Top a Number of USA Today Lists
Various Atlantic City casinos have been voted as top destinations for a number of experiences, from dining to best hotels to the best place to work in the state. Capriccio at Resorts Casino Hotel is once again the best casino restaurant in the U.S., while Il Mulino at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City and Izakaya at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa are also in the Top Ten. Atlantic City casinos were also recognized for having the highest-rated player rewards programs.
And finally, Hard Rock International was voted as the No. 1 employer in the entire state:
Hard Rock International is N.J.’s No. 1 employer, according to Forbes Magazine. Hard Rock beat out over 89 other major Garden State employers, such as PSE&G, Johnson & Johnson, Merck & Co., and Prudential Financial.
“It is a tremendous honor to receive this prestigious ranking from Forbes, especially as the results were driven by our valued team members,” said David Carroll, senior vice president of human resources for Hard Rock International.
Ocean Casino Resort Gets New Interim CEO
Bill Callahan, who has previously served as executive vice president and senior vice president of Ocean Casino Resort, has recently been promoted to become interim CEO. This is part of a larger shakeup happening at Ocean, including a recent approval to sell half of the casino:
Last month, New Jersey regulators approved a deal to sell half of the Ocean casino to the Ilitch family, which owns professional sports teams, a nationwide pizza chain and a casino in Detroit. The deal is expected to be finalized in the coming weeks.
The New Jersey Casino Control Commission approved the sale, under which Ilitch acquired 50% of the casino for $175 million, and will share equally in major decisions concerning its operation with Luxor.
Of that investment, $70 million will be used to complete 464 hotel rooms that have remained unfinished since the property opened in 2012.
Hard Rock Names New VP of Table Games
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City has tapped Anthony Spagno as its new vice president of table games. His new role will involve overseeing the resort’s table games operation:
“Anthony Spagno brings more than four decades of northeast gaming experience to the table,” said Joe Lupo, property president, in a statement. “We are thrilled to welcome him to the Hard Rock Atlantic City team where we know he will have a positive impact on our team members and market-leading table games growth.”
Spagno began his career as a dealer for Caesars Atlantic City in 1980 and worked his way through the ranks with a wide range of management promotions. Most recently Spagno was the Vice President of Table Games and Vice President of Gaming Operations at Valley Forge Casino in King of Prussia, Pa. where he oversaw both the domestic and Asian player development teams.