THE CASINO HOST

& PLAYER DEVELOPMENT

A Dicedealer.com interactive interview with 

Mr. Dominic Del Vecchio

Thank you very much for your time Dominic. I'm grateful for this interview.  I've wanted to do something like this for a long time. 

So let's begin shall we? I understand you worked as a dealer in Atlantic City before becoming a Casino Host.  Where at?

Scott, I opened up Resorts International Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City in May 1978. I dealt craps followed by the box and then to the floor. I was in the pits there for seven years. Your interview with Bobby Jones defiantly portrays what it was like opening Atlantic City back then.

Yea, I still hear the stories from the guys I work with from back there. They say it was absolutely nuts in the beginning but you had a good time didn't you?

Yes, I have fond memories of the people I worked with back then. When we opened up Resorts it was a zoo. I had craps experience that I received where I lived in Trenton, NJ. (Nothing I will elaborate on for legal reasons) but most of the kids who were dealers were 18, 19, and 20 years old and never saw a crap table before they went to Resorts Dealers School, but they all turned out to be good dealers, they had no choice, these East Cost wise guys new the payouts on the bets before the dealer could figure it out, we learned quick!  I heard a dealer ask a boxman from Vegas what an unusual bet paid and the boxman said..............

"keep paying him until he smiles........then take one back"

Those Vegas guys we worked with were very laid back.

That's a good one!

What made you decide to get involved in Player Development?

Well one day I was just shooting the breeze with the customers, when our Vice President of casino operations whom at the time was Jack Johnston, came to me and ask me if I knew anything about New York City. I told him I new the city very well. He said he liked the fact that I was very personable with the players, and would I like to go to Resorts marketing office in New York City and try to develop players? I said I would. But if I fail, I could have my job back in the pits? He said no problem that I could come back as a pit boss.  17 years and 4 Casino's later,..........................

Jack Johnson arranges for you to go to New York. What happens after you arrive?

I arrive in the New York office with an old list of players with a 500 earning potential or better, and these players are at least one year inactive. I begin to call these people and get responses of who's broke, who's deceased, and who's incarcerated.  The list gave up a few players, but it's not good enough for me so I grab the New York Business to Business yellow pages phone book, and began to call all the company's in trash hauling, and cement business.  I would ask the secretary if I could speak to the owner? The secretary would say who is calling and I would say Dominic Del Vecchio. I guess because of my Italian name I got through to the owners. Probably because these business are Italian owned I guess? And believe it or not all of these owners were players!

Sure seems to me the Italians get all the breaks in this business!!!!!!

Oh well, let me ask you this; Would it be fair to assume that If I were considered for promotion (yea, right) as an 'entry level' (non-Italian) Casino Host,   would I begin my new career on the phones or would I develop relationships with new players on the floor? 

First I would advise anyone who is in the pits to stay there. It is safe in the pits. In host positions and player development job security is not that great, after about three years in one casino it is usually time to move on to another casino, this isn't a bad thing, because every new joint you go to you pickup new customers, and this makes you stronger. Now for your question. If you become a casino host you would work the floor when it is busy, cutting into good customers and introducing yourself and asking if there is anything you could do for them. And when it is slow you will be calling customers inviting them to special events that are going on at your casino, and calling customers that haven't been in the casino at least six months. 

On the East cost if you are a Player Development Executive you are not allowed on the casino floor cutting into customers, unless they are your personal customers. A player development executive should be on the phones and off property golfing with customers going to off site special events, and begging these customers for leads to new customers. In marketing you can bring in a million dollar customer and he can loose a million and next month the casino expects you to do it again. There's no let up in player development. 

But I love it!

Reminds me of my wife.

How many hours a week do you guys work on the average?

As a Casino Host you would work 5 to 6 days a week and 8 to 12 hours a day. The more time you put in on property the more successful you will be. A player development executive works 6 days a week 10 to 12 hours a day, usually with Monday off.  You are never really away from your job, I have been awaken out of bed at 3am in the morning because I had a customer wanted a bottle of Dom and no one on property would OK it until they got the OK from me.  So you are on call 24 hours a day. If you have a family and care about them don't become a player development executive because it keeps you away from home often.

The Discovery channel has a few stories "on the inside" about casinos and Player Development, (I think it was the Rio Hotel here in LV) did you get a chance to view these programs? If so, any comparison to Atlantic City?

Scott, I saw that program and the host involved in that program was Lou Pascale, a gentlemen I worked with at the Tropicana in Atlantic City. We handle our customers as you do in Vegas. In Vegas most of the customers fly in, so you know that their there for one reason and that is to gamble. In Atlantic City, we might have a million people on any 
given day and only half of them are players the rest are walking the boardwalk or on the beach. So we have to be very aware of whom we comp, because they might be down for the day to go to the beach. I have one customer that we have to give him a gold Rolex Watch just to get him in. I ask him what he dose with all these gold Rolex watches he gets from all the casinos and he said he gives them to his brother-in -law who is in the jewelry business to sell for him.

When it comes to hiring a Casino Host, what are your thoughts on a college graduate with no dealing experience verses a knowledgeable Floorperson without that degree?  

I am a strong advocate of a good education, but it is not necessary to be a host or a player development executive. I think it best if you have games knowledge so that you know when a customer is trying to con you about how long he played and how much he lost and the casino win percentage on that game and is he profitable.

Casino Hosts work on salary and or commission? 

Casino Host usually work on salary, Player Development Executive's use to work on salary and commission, but the casino's in Atlantic City cut out the commission. Now you get a bonus with your salary if you meet your figures for the year.

Final Question: 

Dominic, lets talk Entry-Level Casino Host  

How much income could I expect to make in a small, mid-level and mega resort casino?

As a rule of thumb you could count on about the same pay scale of a Table Games Supervisor give or take a little for entry-level training. The Player Development Exec makes twice the money of an average Casino Host. Depends upon the casino.

YOUR QUESTIONS

M.J.  DR  from Las Vegas NV writes:

I wouldn't blame you for not publishing this question to Mr. Del Vecchio but I'll roll the dice.  Sir, I have eight years in and I personally enjoy my position as a Boxman and craps dealer. I love the business for the most part and I can get along with most people just fine except for those "gangbanging thugs" that play big money.  You know exactly what I'm talking about here. 

My question is, would a Casino Host or an Exec in Player Development have a choice upon who they want to associate with?

I understand exactly what you are saying. Well, your job is to try and get as much revenue as you can for yourself, the stronger your numbers are the better you look and the more money you can earn and the bigger your book the better shot you have of moving on to another casino. But if the customer is a real asshole and you can't deal with him there are other Host or Player Development People who would be glad to take him off your hands.

S.W.   TGS from Biloxi MS writes:

Would a Slot Host be considered entry-level? Or is that another ball game?

Yes, you could be an entry-level slot host. These days of 75% revenue from slots and 25% revenue from table games, it is best to get into the slot end of the business anyway in the beginning.

M.S.  Dealer from Horton KS writes:

How often do you play golf with players and would you consider playing golf a prerequisite? 

Also must you lose all the time?

Golf is very important but not a prerequisite, and you don't have to lose. The customer appreciates it when he plays with a better player, feels like he is getting a free lesson. I may golf three times a week with customers, it is a great way of bonding with these customers, and if you move on to another casino it's easier to have him follow you to your new place of employment when you call him and invite him to play golf.

Pete, TGS from Las Vegas NV writes:

I work at the _______ in Las Vegas.  Why is it that our "typical" players must ask for a meal comp? The Floor is only to rate players and supervise craps and all inquiries toward bullshit $25 meal comps must go through a host.  I know these players better than you. You were on the Floor once you know what I mean. Some of these players are agitated having to ask for a small comp then they must wait around for a host!  Sometimes I feel like an Idiot! This isn't right........Agree?

I agree with you Pete, there are times that the Floor supervisor does know a "typical" player better but unfortunately the casino's feel that when pit personal write comps the comp ratio is to high. To many fleas and friends get comps from the pit and a lot of pit personal might take favors for comps. So the pressure is on the host to justify the comp on his comp exception report. When I was in the pits in 1978, floor people could write comps, but they stopped that a long time ago.

M.P Dealer from Las Vegas NV writes:

My good friend is currently a Host at ________  and he always complains about the frustrations associated with internal departmental breakdowns. His (your) job isn't always a smooth sailing ship is it?

Your friend is correct! Some of our biggest bitches are with other departments. When you have a good customer in all the departments have to work together to make his trip a pleasurable one, such as room service, entertainment, food and beverage and limo's. We are always in a argument with these people about room service is not in the room, he needs front row at the show, he needs a 7PM dinner at a sold out restaurant. The directors of these departments think that their department is what keeps the casino running. Wrong, if it were not for the Host and player development executive bringing in these good customers these departments would not exist.

Anne  TGS from Las Vegas writes:

If you develop a good working relationship with your players and god forbid you get the pink slip, what recourse does the casino have to prevent you from taking those players with you  to the casino "next door?"

Anne, well if they give you a severance money when you leave they will ask you to sign a severance agreement before you can get your severance pay, and in the agreement it may say that you are not allowed to solicit their patrons. I have know a lot of people who moved on to other casino's and called all the customers that they had at other casino's and nothing happened to them, the were never told by other casinos to cease and diciest.

Brad, "Long time Dealer" from Henderson NV writes:

On the casino floor in today's corporate world we call Las Vegas, our pit managers and even many shift managers have little say so upon who they hire. Most dealers for example are the product of HR Dept. (young kids) thereby we have little choice anymore. How about a Director of Player Development. Do you hire who you want as a Casino Host or could you get stuck with lumps like us down here in the pits?

Brad, We hire who we want, we try to get a Player Development Executive that has a good following and can bring us a lot of revenue. If someone like that exist and is coming through our HR Dept. then very good, if not we go out and find who we want. As for host, most host come form within the casino itself. 
You can be a Host and a lump at the same time, but you could not be a Player Development Executive and lump. No way, never.

Richard, Craps Dealer from Las Vegas writes:

I've only been a dealer for three years, would you advise me to go on the Floor for a couple of years before applying for a position as a Host? Or does it matter? It seems to me you simply need to be personable with the players and have an understanding of the table games. I'm a people person! I'm willing and ready to learn!

Richard, many a Host came right off a game, you are correct, all you need to be is personable 
and be willing to work hard and apply for the next Host spot that's open.

L.W.  DR  from Lake Tahoe, NV writes:

What about being a Casino Host or Player Development Executive Indian Casinos? Any difference you know of?

There is no difference at all, I have friends in Foxwoods casino and Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut, who are Host and Player Development Executives. Their job is exactly the same as mine, the same rewards and the same problems.

Jack,  TGS  from Washington,  writes:

Do Player Development Executives like yourself  belong to some type of an association in order to meet and stay in contact with your peers in Las Vegas?

END OF INTERVIEW

YOUR FEEDBACK

KT, Casino Host from Las Vegas writes:

One of the dealers in the Casino Host section (interview) of your web site asked if he should become a floorperson before applying for a position in casino marketing. It's not that I disagree with Del Vecchio's reply when he wrote that it is not necessary to supervise games first, he is correct. However, considering the pay is about the same I think any dealer should become a Floorperson first. You will develop relationships with players that could last a long time. Use your Floor job to fine tune your communication skills. You will be in direct contact with Hosts as a Floorperson (as opposed to dealing) therefore the opportunity will invariably arise to 'learn the ropes' firsthand so that the transition will be much smoother into the marketing side of the business. 

M.K. Craps dealer from Las Vegas writes:

I always thought a Casino Host made a shitload of money. I couldn't believe the answer the gentleman gave in your interview. When I went to work Thursday night I asked a couple of the hosts around here if they would read the interview and on Friday they said they did and that the information is indeed correct. For what it's worth, those guys said not only did they enjoy reading the interview, they liked our 'Tales from the dice pit" In fact one of the hosts said that he sent a link to all of his buds back home that work in Atlantic City, and the other was mad that he didn't get to be interviewed! Oh, and another thing, they all agreed "take his advice and stay in the pits!"