Skip to main content

Search the Special Collections and Archives Portal

Search Results

Display    Results Per Page
Displaying results 20131 - 20140 of 134473

Transcript of interview with Marion B. Earl by Robert A. Pearce, March 13, 1976

Date

1976-03-13

Description

On March 13, 1976, Robert Pearce interviewed attorney Marion B. Earl (Born September 13, 1897 in Bunkerville, Nevada) at his home in Las Vegas, Nevada. Marion relocated to Las Vegas in 1923. During the interview Marion discusses serving as a member of the board of directors for the Chamber of Commerce, and then being elected president of the chamber in 1941. He also discusses being elected justice of the peace in 1934, and serving for two terms. He offers additional insight on the growth of Las Vegas and the history of Southern Nevada.

Text

Transcript of interview with Lt. Col. Jane A. Bigelow by Rebecca Shurley, November 05, 1985

Date

1985-11-05

Description

Rebecca Shurley interviews Lieutenant Colonel Jane A. Bigelow, born in Buffalo, New York in 1943, about her career as a nurse in the Air Force. Bigelow discusses her experiences mainly as a flight nurse and its unique challenges as well as her experiences in the intensive care unit during the Vietnam War. She provides details on her career progression from staff nurse to her then current position of chief nurse of the United States Air Force Hospital at Nellis Air Force Base. Bigelow also describes some of the educational requirements for becoming a nurse as well as the demands of the nursing profession.

Text

Transcript of interview with Charlotte Brascia by Joe Mascellino, February 24, 1977

Date

1977-02-24

Description

Joe Mascellino interviews Charlotte Brascia in his home about the history of Nevada. Mascellino asks Brascia about social and cultural changes, the growth of different religions, Brascia’s brief presence in the airline industry, political presence in Las Vegas, and rising crime rates. Brascia also specifically discusses her experience in the gaming and hospitality industry and how gaming operations have changed over time, particularly comparing gaming and hiring practices in the 1950s with those in the 1970s.

Text

Transcript of interview with Steve Keener by David G. Schwartz, October 7, 2016

Date

2016-10-07

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.

Text

Transcript of interview with David Rohn by David G. Schwartz, October 20, 2016

Date

2016-10-20

Archival Collection

Description

David Rohn was born in Durango, Colorado and grew up in Champaign, Illinois. He attended Parkland College, the University of Illinois and Wichita State University before starting in the arcade industry in 1980 with the Lemans Family Fun Centers. Rohn entered the gaming industry by assisting with the preopening of the Colorado Grande and eventually became a slot manager at that property. He later moved to Johnny Nolon’s Casino to become assistant general manager. Rohn resumed his slot career at Konocti Vista Casino in California for a short period of time before going to the Midnight Rose Hotel & Casino as a slot floor worker. Rohn currently holds the position of director of slot operations at the Wildhorse Resort & Casino in Pendleton, Oregon. The interview with Rohn begins with his discussion of his work in arcades and his eventual work in slots along with those duties at the various properties. Rohn describes what he believes makes a good slot manager, specifically when considering customers and employees. He then provides his philosophy on what he believes customers are looking for in casinos, and he describes his approach to laying out a slot floor. Rohn discusses his relationship and interaction with vendors for getting slot machines to the floor, and he also mentions how the slot department works with other areas of the casino. He goes on to discuss how slot operations have changed over time, particularly through ticket-in ticket-out and the use of free play. He then provides his outlook on what the future of the slot industry will look like, specifically in skill-based gaming and downloadable games. The interview concludes with Rohn’s discussion of his personal gambling as it relates to being a good slot manager, and he provides advice to young people who want to go into the slot industry.

Text

Transcript of interview with Juan Saa by David G. Schwartz, November 21, 2016

Date

2016-11-21

Archival Collection

Description

Juan Saa entered the gaming industry in information technology at Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park in Pompano Beach, Florida in 2006. Saa would later transition into performance manager and director of slot operations at two properties in Black Hawk, Colorado: Isle Casino Hotel Black Hawk and Lady Luck Casino Hotel Black Hawk. The interview begins with Saa’s discussion of his start in the technical side and his eventual move into an operational role in the casino industry. He talks about his experience as a director, specifically the responsibilities involved and the type of staff being supervised. Saa goes on to describe how both mentors and training have helped him to progress in his career. Saa also describes the differences in the technical and performance aspects of the industry, and he then provides his philosophy on what makes both a good and bad slot manager. Saa later discusses the importance in communicating with other departments in the casino, such as marketing and food & beverage, and he also provides his thoughts on what customers are looking for on the slot floor. He then describes what he believes are the biggest changes in the slot industry, specifically with TITO and slot analysis. The interview continues with Saa’s description of his interaction with vendors in bringing new games to the slot floor, and he describes his philosophy on how a slot floor should be laid out. He goes on to discuss what he believes the future of the slot floor will look like, specifically regarding skill-based games, and he describes his personal gambling. The interview finalizes with Saa’s advice to young people who want to go into the slot operations as a career.

Text

Transcript of interview with Buddy Frank by David G. Schwartz, January 3, 2017

Date

2017-01-03

Description

Buddy Frank grew up in Reno, Nevada and graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno. Frank worked in television news before getting into the gaming industry as a public relations manager at Fitzgeralds Reno in 1986 where he would also later become director of marketing and director of slot operations. Frank then moved to the Eldorado Hotel & Casino in 1995 where he became the director of slot operations as well; he would later join the Atlantis Casino Resort in 1998 to become executive director of slot operations. He joined Stateline & Silver Smith Casino Resort in 2000 as executive director of gaming development and eventually went to Viejas Casino in 2002 as vice president of slot operations. Frank joined Pechanga Resort & Casino in 2007 as vice president of slot operations and retired from that position in late 2015. Frank currently serves as a consultant on slot operations. The interview with Buddy Frank begins with a discussion on the progression of his career in slot operations, including the positions he held in both Nevada and California casino properties. Frank discusses topics regarding the utilization of free play as a marketing strategy and the use of Ethernet technology in slot machines. He then describes his philosophy on how to lay out a slot floor with an emphasis on local players before providing an anecdote related to the importance of infrastructure in casinos. Frank then gives his perspective on what makes both a good and bad slot manager, and he later provides input on what customers are looking for in slot play. The interview then moves into how much slots have changed since his start in the business and later transitions into a discussion on millennials, skill-based gaming, and the future of slot machines. The interview concludes with Frank’s advice to young people who want to go into the slot industry.

Text

Transcript of interview with Zach Mossman by David G. Schwartz, January 5, 2017

Date

2017-01-05

Description

Zach Mossman graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and started in the gaming industry in the marketing department at the Treasure Island. From there, Mossman assisted in the opening of the ARIA in 2009 as a slot analyst before going to the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas in 2010 to become a slot performance manager and eventually director of slot operations. He would eventually work for International Game Technology (IGT) before going to the Baha Mar in the Bahamas to become director of slot operations. Mossman currently works for Scientific Games as director of product management, overseeing the game theme content, schedule, and production for the company’s slot platforms and product. The interview with Zach Mossman begins with his discussion of his career progression through several Strip properties and companies in both the operational and manufacturing side of the slot industry. Mossman then explains what drew him to slot operations and goes on to describe the process of dealing with slot vendors. He then provides his philosophy on which qualities make both good and bad slot managers, particularly when dealing with employee teams and casino guests. The interview then shifts to a discussion on what guests want when playing slots and a following discussion on the importance of time on device. Mossman also describes how the slot department works with other casino departments and then explains how both free play and ticket-in, ticket-out have changed slot machines over time. He later provides his views on what the future of the slot industry will look like and then describes his personal extent of gambling. The interview concludes with his advice to young people who want to go into slot operations as a career.

Text