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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.
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Transcript of interview with Charlie Lombardo by David G. Schwartz, June 28, 2016
Date
2016-06-28
Archival Collection
Description
Charlie Lombardo, originally from Buffalo, New York, came to Las Vegas after joining the Air Force where he worked as a machinist. Lombardo’s start in the gaming industry involved installing and operating coin wrapping machines for a local company that served various casinos. He then worked for Glory, a Japanese coin wrapping company, in several positions. Lombardo later became a slot technician at the MGM and stayed there after it was sold to Bally’s in 1986 where he later became assistant slot manager, slot manager, director, vice president, and senior vice president at that property. The interview with Lombardo starts with a brief description of his background and experience working with coin wrapping machines. He also talks about his experience in witnessing and surviving the MGM fire of 1980 and his subsequent work in reopening the property, a process that allowed him to learn the operational and technical aspects of slot machines. Lombardo later speaks about what he believes makes both good and bad slot managers. He also describes his experiences in laying out slot floors as well as his philosophy on what he believes makes a good slot floor. Lombardo then describes his experience working with vendors and how he developed successful relationships with them in bringing in new slot machines. He also describes some of the changes in slots and slot management over the years, including the early history and background of both the Megabucks and Pot of Gold slot jackpots. Lombardo concludes the interview by answering the question of whether he gambles, and he provides advice to those who are interested in going into slot management as a career.
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Transcript of interview with Brian Block by Diane Spero, February 27, 1979
Date
1979-02-27
Archival Collection
Description
Diane Spero interviews her neighbor, Brian Block, born in Chicago in 1945, about the construction business, community planning, architectural design, and his personal feelings in regards to the development of the Las Vegas area. Block also discusses legalized gambling, politics, mass transit problems, and other social and environmental changes in Nevada.
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Letter from C. A. Earle Rinker to his mother, December 24, 1907
Date
1907-12-24
Archival Collection
Description
Letter to his mother. Letter discusses family, how different this Christmas season was from the last, and the soldiers that are in town who are at every gambling hall gambling because they never had a chance to before.
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Transcript of interview with Justin Beltram by David G. Schwartz, July 7, 2016
Date
2016-07-07
Archival Collection
Description
Justin Beltram is a native Las Vegan who grew up on Sunrise Mountain and graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Beltram entered the gaming industry in 2000 by becoming a slot analyst at The Mirage. He would later become both manager and director of slot operations and marketing at that property before becoming executive director of slot operations and marketing at Treasure Island. In 2008, Beltram moved on to become vice president of slot operations and marketing at Bellagio and in 2011 went to work at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore as vice president of slots. Beltram is currently the vice president of slot operations at the Las Vegas Sands Corporation, a position he has held since 2014. Beltram’s interview begins with a brief description of his background and his progression in the casino industry, including some of his early duties in slot analysis. Beltram also describes his experience in moving to Singapore, the differences between Las Vegas and Singapore, and how he eventually transitioned from a property role to a corporate role. He mentions some of his mentors throughout his career and also describes the qualities of both good and bad slot managers, from shift managers to higher management positions. He also discusses his different approaches to local and transient customers in addition to his dealings with slot vendors. Beltram also discusses his experience during the transition from the use of coin to ticketing in slot machines among other major changes in general to slot machines since he started in the industry. The interview concludes with Beltram’s thoughts on the future of slot operations, particularly skill-based gaming and amenities stations, and also a discussion on Beltram’s personal experience with gambling and his advice to young people who are interested in getting into the slot industry.
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Transcript of interview with Will Provance by David G. Schwartz, July 14, 2016
Date
2016-07-14
Archival Collection
Description
Will Provance was born in Mississippi and grew up mostly in St. Louis, where he earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Missouri before earning a Master’s in Business Administration from Shiller University. Provance would eventually attend the University of Nevada, Las Vegas where he earned a Master of Science in Hotel Administration. He started in the gaming industry as a pool manager at Sunset Station, where he would eventually become slot analyst before entering Station Casinos’ management development program. Provance then trained in various positions at Red Rock Resort prior to moving to Green Valley Ranch as a shift manager. He then went back to Sunset Station to become slot operations manager and was promoted to director of slots at that property. Provance is currently the director of VLT operations at Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park in Northfield, Ohio. Provance’s interview begins with his discussion of the various roles he has held in the gaming industry, including the types of duties he was assigned at the different properties. He then describes the difference between managing slot machines in his earlier positions and video lottery terminals (VLTs) in his current position in Ohio. Provance then mentions some of the mentors he has had in his career, and he describes what he believes are the qualities of both good and bad slot managers. He also discusses what he believes makes a good slot floor, including the process of working with slot vendors in getting new slot machines for the slot floor as well as working with other departments in the casino. Provance then talks about how slot operations has changed since he started in the industry and what he thinks the future of slot machines will be, specifically regarding skill-based gaming. The interview concludes with Provance’s discussion of his personal gambling and his advice to young people who want to go into the slot industry.
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Rex Bell, 2nd from right, Bill Frolicki, and two other couples standing by a roulette wheel: photographic print
Date
1880 to 1979
Archival Collection
Description
Bell Family Scrapbook scanning, Set 4, proofed 11.04.2010 Rex Bell (George Francis Beldam) (second from right), Bill Froelich (second from left) and unidentifed people gambling in the game room of the ranch house at the Walking Box Ranch
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Transcript of interview with Laura & Don Garvin by Michael Martocci, March 3, 1979
Date
1979-03-03
Archival Collection
Description
On March 3, 1979, Michael Martocci interviewed Laura (born in California) and Don Garvin (born in Goldfield, Nevada) about their lives in Las Vegas, Nevada. The two provide details on their family background, the first sources of water in Las Vegas, and the early city limits. They also describe their early occupations, religion, gambling, the Mormon Fort, and the effects of the Great Depression. The interview concludes with a brief discussion on the development of the Las Vegas Strip and recreational activities.
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