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.

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.