Page 30 - Mississippi/Louisiana Gaming News - Spring, 2022

New GM one of many developments at Gold Strike
By David Grisham
TUNICA RESORTS — There is a
lot happening at Gold Strike Casino Resort. The property has a new general manager, a new spa, a re-imagined loyalty program, more
dining options, live nightly
entertainment and is
expanding its workforce.
These changes are on top of
other added amenities, such
as on-property mobile sports
betting, which was launched
last September.
The new GM is one of
Gold Strike’s more recent developments. In February, MGM Resorts International appointed Max Fisher to the post. Fisher comes to the resort from MGM National Harbor in Maryland, where he served as the senior vice president and chief financial officer.
“What’s always impressed me about the property (Gold Strike) from an MGM Resorts perspective, is the continual investment in the business,” said Fisher, in a recent interview with Mississippi Gaming News. “We’re opening amenities, changing, evolving, training, keeping things fresh in the interest of our customers.”
The employees at Gold Strike, however, have made the biggest impression on Fisher since he arrived
in Tunica. “What is most impressive is the staff. The service levels they deliver, the excitement they have, the pride they have in their job, is something they convey. It is a real advantage for us.”
With more than 20 years of gaming and hospitality behind him, Fisher’s most recent experience at MGM National Harbor should prove especially useful when it comes to human resources. Finding and hiring staff in the DC area, where unemployment is low, was always a challenge at National Harbor, Fisher explained. “My experience in working through partnerships and using creative ways to attract employees will be very helpful given the times were are in now; we need to hire quite a few people.”
In regard to staffing efforts, Gold Strike initiated Hiring Wednesdays in March, an ongoing weekly open-house hiring event every Wednesday from
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. where walk-ins are
welcome and interviews and same-day offers are possible.
A dealer training school was also running at Gold Strike. Through the free Blackjack Dealer Training School, participants learned rules, techniques,
procedures and equipment utilized in each hand of blackjack. At the completion of the course, students had the skills and abilities necessary to audition for a part-time dealer position at Gold Strike.
Additional staffing goes hand-in-hand with increasing amenities and providing guests with more daily options, said
love. It creates an energy and ambiance on the floor.”
The casino has reactivated its showroom as well, with such performers as Ronnie Milsap and The Temptations listed among the headliners. Gold
Strike is also now sponsoring big-name performers at the nearby Lander’s Center in Southaven, Mississippi. In April, Hank Williams, Jr. was the first “Gold Strike Presents” performer to appear at Lander’s.
Fisher said guests should look for more Gold Strike-sponsored acts to appear at the center in the near future as the casino brings big names to the area, providing yet another amenity and value point.
“Entertainment is a very big part of the overall gaming experience. It’s part of the DNA of our company; it’s going to be a big part of what we do here.”
We received a tour of the latest
Max Fisher
Fisher. “A big part of our push and focus is to have more venues open so that our guests have options to choose from on any given day of the week. Obviously on the weekends we have more open. It’s going to be an evolution.”
Buffet Americana is now open five days a week, Wednesday through Sunday. In light
of the fact that many believed buffets would never return, Fisher said the reopening of the buffet at Gold Strike has been
an important
development. “From
the perspective of
having a reopened
buffet, it is
something we are very proud of, and we’re pleased with the response.”
BetMGM Book, Bar & Grill has extended its dinner hours of operation to five days a week, now open Friday through Tuesday. The BetMGM express lunch menu continues to be available every Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
In addition to buffets, one feature
of casinos that has been missed for the past couple of years has been
live entertainment, which has slowly returned to some properties on
select nights, primarily on weekends. At Gold Strike, live entertainment
is now available every evening. “We have entertainment every night at our STAGE2 bar. It’s something our guests
30 MISSISSIPPI GAMING NEWS SPRING 2022
Gold Strike’s Buffet Americana is now open five days a week, Wednesday through Sunday.
amenity at Gold Strike, The Spa at Gold Strike. Located on the 17th floor of the hotel tower, the serene retreat opened in March and specializes in relaxation, rejuvenation and renewal, with stunning views of the Mississippi River offered from every window.
The atmosphere alone is enough
to leave one feeling relaxed. The 3,000-square-foot facility features five treatment rooms, including a couples’ massage room offering dual massages for couples or friends. Fisher said professional massage therapists employ the latest techniques and guests may choose from the spa menu or develop
a customized massage tailored to their needs.
“The new Gold Strike Spa is an