Gambling Updates from Near and Far

The corporate philosophy that has made Jack Binion's Horseshoe Casino Hammond the No. 1 grossing gambling property in the Chicago-area starts at the top.

Horseshoe Gaming CEO Jack Binion himself was present at a banquet held March 26 at the casino to personally congratulate the winners of the 2002 "Jack Binion's Best" awards.

Marquita McIntosh of Country Club Hills, Ill., was honored as Employee of the Year. Marquita has worked as a cage cashier at the casino for two years.

David Hanish, a resident of Hammond, Ind., was the recipient of the Leader of the Year award. David, a 3-year employee of Horseshoe, works as Security Supervisor.

"Each year, the finalists get better and better," said Rick Mazer, Horseshoe's senior vice-president and general manager."These employees are recognized for their outstanding customer service skills, outgoing personalities, and exceptional job performance. At Horseshoe, we take great pride in our employees, and they are rewarded for their contributions to the company's success."

Each award winner received an engraved statue, a $2,000 travel voucher, $500 spending money, 40 hours of paid vacation time, and a 1-year parking pass for the pavilion garage.

Station Casinos, Inc. has announced an exciting marketing incentive to its slot player's club that would be a great idea for a Chicago-area casino to try.

The Jumbo Jackpot Boarding Pass Bonus will give guests playing slot machines at the company's six Station-branded properties in the Las Vegas area a chance to win a bonus jackpot of up to $150,000 just for having their player's club card inserted into the machine.

The Jumbo Jackpot, which commenced on April 1, is guaranteed to hit at each Station property when the jackpot reaches $150,000. It'll be paid immediately in cash even if the guest does not have a winning combination on the machine. After hitting at a property, the jackpot meter at that property will be reset at $25,000.

"We're rewarding our customers for playing with Station," said Stephen C. Cavallaro, COO of Station Casinos. "The Jumbo Jackpot can hit at any time, at any place, regardless of how many coins are played.

In addition to the jackpot prizes, an average of 20 daily Jumbo jackpot consolation prizes will be awarded at each of the six Station properties, totaling over $2 million in free slot play annually.

Sounds like a great alternative to cash prize drawings that are popular at casinos in Illinois and Indiana.

PLAYBACK, the only casino player-to-manager newsletter of its kind, debuted two months ago. In response to one of the articles submitted by a gaming fan, Station Casinos has started putting some "healthy choice" items on its casino menus. It proves that management will listen.

It's time again for interested casino players to make submissions. PLAYBACK editor Norma Foote is looking for articles in three areas:

1. A complete (500-800 word) article on a specific casino subject. Writers will be paid if the article is used.
2. A letter or e-mail mentioning something special that you like at a specific casino or something that you do not like at a casino with specific suggestions for improvement.
3. An answer to this question: Do you feel gift-of-the-month programs are effective? What do you like or dislike about a particular program?

All contributions should be e-mailed to playback@mgci.com

When the Empress Casino Joliet unveils its new permanent barge facility later this month, it'll have a new name, too: Argosy's Empress Casino. There'll be 50,000 square feet of casino area, elevated ceilings and climate control, and a slot inventory that'll include 500 brand-new machines.

The new décor will also feature a state-of-the-art VIP lounge, wide, spacious isles, and a 40-seat deli right on the casino floor. It'll give a great boost to the Chicago-area gaming market on the Illinois side.