Page 8 - Mississippi/Louisiana Gaming News - Fall, 2023

5 Minutes With... Bill Belcher
What, where, when was your first job in the gaming industry? I’ve been
a member of the PGA of America since 1998 and worked my way up to being the general manager at country clubs. That led to my first job in the casino industry as golf operations manager
at L’Auberge Lake Charles. I started there in 2008, worked my way up to vice president of resort, and left that property for my first GM job with the company. Penn has consistently provided opportunity for growth.
What do you like best about your current job? The best part of my job is interacting with the team members and guests — creating a fun, engaging environment for team members,
which in turn can create memorable experiences for our guests.
What is the best piece of business advice you ever received and from whom did you receive it? I have two pieces of advice I received from former general managers I worked for. First, don’t let perfect get in the way of better. If we try to make things perfect, nothing
Name Bill Belcher
Current Title Vice President & General Manager
Company Hollywood Casino Tunica &
1st Jackpot Tunica, Penn Entertainment
Years In The Gaming Industry 15 Years
8 MISSISSIPPI GAMING NEWS FALL 2023
tends to get done. Let’s just be better today than we were yesterday and see how much better we are a year from now. Second, just because a wall is where it is, doesn’t mean it has to be there. Don’t be afraid to blow up the box to make it better.
What advice do you have for those just starting in the gaming industry? Don’t be afraid to zig or zag to get where you want to go. Learn something new at every opportunity.
How do you define “success”?
Success to me is being married for 33
years and when your grown child wants to be around you. My daughter is now a friend.
What is something you do each
day just for yourself? Being an empty nester, I have coffee with my bulldog and we just hang out every morning before work. I love yard work, so I do something in the yard every day.
What is it about the gaming industry that makes it a good industry? Every day is different and you get to interact with guests from every different background that you could ever imagine.