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Transcript of interview with Steve Keener by David G. Schwartz, October 7, 2016
Date
2016-10-07
Archival Collection
Description
Steve Keener was born in Bridgeton, New Jersey and received his bachelor’s degree in finance at Stockton University. With a background in electronics from his service in the military, Keener started in the gaming industry as a slot technician at Tropicana Atlantic City in 1981 where he worked on and conducted preventative maintenance on some of the early stepper slot machines. He would eventually promote to the positions of lead technician and slot technical manager before moving to Dover Downs Hotel & Casino in Delaware in 1997 where he is now assistant vice president of casino operations. The interview with Steve Keener begins with his discussion of his background in the slot positions at both properties. Keener also discusses dealing with customers, what customers are looking for in casinos, and which qualities make good and bad slot managers. He later discusses what makes a good slot floor, particularly when considering denomination and type of slot machine, and he also describes the process of working with vendors to get those machines onto the floor. Keener later discusses the biggest changes in the gaming industry, specifically the expansion of video over stepper, server-based gaming, and the increase in riverboat gaming. He also mentions the role of free play in slots and provides his opinion on what he believes the future of slots will look like with skill-based and 3D gaming being introduced into slot machines. The interview concludes with Keener’s answer to the question of whether he gambles, and he provides his advice to young people who want to get into slot operations as a career.
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Transcript of interview with Unite Here Bartenders Union Local 165 by Claytee D. White, September 29, 2014
Date
2014-09-29
Archival Collection
Description
Rosemary Christian, David Peinado, Dale Pryor, Virginia Velasquez, and Greg Venezia are among the elite of Las Vegas bartenders. The bars that they work and have worked span from one end of the Strip to the other; the original Aladdin, The Silver Slipper, O’Sheas, the Monte Carlo, Slots ‘A’ Fun, the Luxor, Caesars Palace, and the Rio. Their stories take us from family ownership to corporate. Families allowed all casino bars to be set up in an identical fashion, each type of glass and each liquor bottle was set in the same location all over town. A bartender could walk into a new location and start work without a moment’s hesitation. Corporate thinking changed that need for an outside bartender to work in random places. When women began in this lucrative field, tension occurred but lessened as men recognized that women could lug beer kegs with the best of them and they could easily calm down a drunkard using her womanly touch. The thread throughout this roundtable discussion sews together the exceptional lives of these five bartenders with their membership in UNITE HERE Bartenders Union Local 165. In conjunction with the Culinary Workers Union Local 226, insurance, wages, job satisfaction, uniforms, giving back to the Las Vegas community, and many other benefits occur, seemingly, without effort. “We are skilled craftsmen.” “We have security working for the union and health benefits and a pension. So it's something that's long term. It's longevity working for a union. You know you always have someone backing you.”
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