Friday, Aug. 28, 2009 | 12:26 p.m.
Sun Coverage
Tropicana Las Vegas has put a new executive team in place under the leadership of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Alex Yemenidjian, the company announced today.
Longtime gaming lawyer Joanne Beckett will step in as vice president and general counsel, overseeing all legal aspects of the company including security, surveillance, government relations and risk management.
Tropicana’s Vice President of Finance Jerry Fox will keep his position while also assuming the role of chief financial officer. The UNLV alum has been with the resort since the fall of 2008.
Nevada Hotel and Lodging Association Director and UNLV alum Arik Knowles will serve as the vice president of hotel operations. His position will include overseeing all aspects of hotel operations, guest services and revenue management.
Taking on the position of casino operations will be Don Wren, who has worked at MGM Grand Inc., Primm Valley Casino Resorts, Excalibur and Harrah’s Las Vegas.
Former Fontainebleau marketing director Trish Gilbert will serve as vice president of marketing. Gilbert has also held executive-level positions at Atlantic City Resorts and the Aladdin Resort and Casino.
Todd Gagnon will lead the Tropicana’s convention and group sales effort as vice president of sales. Gagnon served as director of sales for Harrah’s Entertainment’s eastern region, director of sales for Caesars Palace and director of accounts for the Marriott Corporation.
Spearheading Tropicana’s new entertainment ventures will be Grammy award-winner Nancy Gregory as vice president of entertainment. Gregory has produced shows for Disney Paris, Warner Brothers, Radio City Music Hall and Madison Square Garden.
Other appointments include former MGM Grand and Rio executive Fred Harmon as vice president of human resources, Stratosphere’s Jim Laughlin as vice president of food and beverage and former MGM Grand executive Richard Faircloth as vice president of information technology. Tropicana’s Melissa Steinberg will remain the vice president of player development.
The new management team is part of the property’s effort to revamp and restructure after emerging from bankruptcy last month.
The company released an updated logo earlier this month as the first step in the resort’s rebranding campaign. A $125 million renovation project is expected to begin at the Tropicana later this year, the company said, including a revamped casino floor, hotel rooms, pool and spa facilities, new dining options and a nightclub.
Tropicana has remained virtually unchanged since its last renovation in 1985. The facelift is expected to be complete in 2010.
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