His transition from a traditional hotel to a gaming property wasn ’ t that difficult .
“ It ’ s all simply the basic principles of business acumen ,” he says . “ Sound strategies apply in gaming as well as nongaming . You have to make good decisions that are backed up by analysis and data . But you also cannot disregard the art form of hospitality . You can ’ t quantify every guest experience on a spreadsheet . You never lose your dedication to the guest experience and your commitment to excellence , but at the same time have enough data to back up every decision to make sure that they ’ re financially sound .”
He was then hired by Resorts World Las Vegas , which opened in the middle of the pandemic . Tappeiner says that was a very difficult period in his career .
“ Throughout the pandemic there was a lot of uncertainty — what was business going to look like after the pandemic ? So we did our very best , but it was a very , very trying time to open a resort .”
When his contract was up , Tappeiner took a year off to travel the world with his teenage son , something he says created an incredible bond between them , and revived his interest in hospitality . He got a call from Wynn Resorts to consult on the Las Vegas properties , and was offered a contract that started at the beginning of 2023 . He says he was struck by the passion and competence of all the executives and employees at Wynn and Encore .
“ I ’ ve worked for some of the best hotels in the world , and what I see here I ’ ve witnessed in very few hotels worldwide . The entrepreneurial spirit is unbelievably strong , and right now , we ’ re drawing on that passion . We ’ re allowing the decision makers to be very close to the guest . Instead of being technocrats , we ’ re allowing our general managers and our directors to make the best decisions in the interest of the guest .”
Just recently , the Wynn properties in Las Vegas were some of the most successful in town when the Formula One race came to town , passing right next to the property . While preparations for the race irked many locals with traffic being disrupted around the Strip , Tappeiner says the results were worth it .
“ Formula One in the future for this destination is going to be massive . For the very first time , we have a global sporting event hosted in Las Vegas with the most dramatic backdrop you can possibly imagine as an evening event on Las Vegas Boulevard .” And for Wynn it ’ s a perfect fit . “ Formula One is a luxury sport ,” he explains . “ We are a luxury brand , and we were able to capitalize on some of those activities . We hosted the Sotheby ’ s auction . We had House of Rob here on property . We hosted the Netflix Cup , which was the first collaboration ever between Netflix , Formula One and the PGA . We were able to bring in a lot of events that complemented the F1 racing and provided activities during the day . So we were able to activate and really bring in the right partners to provide an experience that really complemented the F1 attendee .” — Roger Gros
The Fast Track
Eileen O ’ Brien , Commissioner , Massachusetts Gaming Commission
Eileen O ’ Brien joined the Massachusetts Gaming Commission ( MGC ) at an extraordinary moment in the state ’ s gaming industry . It was 2018 . The $ 573 million MGM Springfield was about to open , and the $ 2.5 billion Encore Boston Harbor was waiting in the wings . Within months , the U . S . Supreme Court would overturn the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act , giving states the right to offer legal sports betting .
Then Covid hit , “ and all of a sudden ,” says O ’ Brien , “ we ’ re closing facilities that sometimes didn ’ t have locks on the doors , because they never intended to close .” The industry went dark for months in 2020 , and didn ’ t fully reopen — sans masks , Plexiglas and occupancy limits — until mid-2021 .
In mid-2022 , the pace quickened again , when Massachusetts became the 36th state to legalize sports betting , and once more , for commissioners , it was off to the races . In January 2023 — just six months later — retail sports betting went live , just in time for Super Bowl LVII . And in March , days before the NCAA Finals tipoff , online bets followed .
That lightning pace seems to be standard operating procedure in the Bay State ; O ’ Brien jokes that the original commissioners “ were building the plane as they were flying it .”
But the pressure didn ’ t faze this law enforcement veteran , formerly of the state Inspector General ’ s Office and Attorney General ’ s Office . “ As a prosecutor and litigator , I ’ m used to jobs where you get this intensity ,” she says . “ There ’ s been a lot on the commission ’ s plate for the last five years .”
In the run-up to sports betting , O ’ Brien was front and center in public hearings on sportsbooks , demanding scrupulous transparency in their promotions and compliance with measures that protect underage and at-risk consumers .
“ Investigations and trial work gave me the foundation to ask the right questions of the appropriate people , and in a public setting ,” she says . “ Sometimes it can be very uncomfortable , but it ’ s necessary .”
Looking back , she says sports wagering in one of the country ’ s diehard sports states “ went remarkably well , given how quickly we launched . We ’ re seeing a robust entry by the commonwealth and by the licensees ,” including a grand total of eight operators . “ As the market matures , we ’ ll go back as we see fit , look at the regulations and tweak as needed .” She ’ s proud to note Massachusetts ’ commitment to responsible gaming ; it spends more on gambling research than any other state . “ We have a statutory mandate to have a research agenda and we ’ ve done baselines , looking at multiple populations . It ’ s something I care very much about . We hear constantly how the Massachusetts model should be lauded .”
Asked to share the personal characteristics that have best served her in her career , she replies , “ Persistence , patience and diligence ”— plus , undoubtedly , the ability to perform effectively in a whirlwind .
“ I ’ ve yet to be here in steady state — I ’ m not so sure it exists ,” says the commissioner . “ But it ’ s definitely made the job interesting .” — Marjorie Preston
JANUARY 2024 www . ggbmagazine . com 29