A Mohegan Legacy
A Mohegan Legacy
Kara Fox-LaRose
President and General Manager , ilani Casino Resort
For Kara Fox-LaRose , being a member of the Mohegan Tribe meant that she was given an incredible opportunity to work for her family business . She started as an entry-level administrative assistant to then-Senior Vice President of Marketing Mitchell Grossinger Etess , and her career has really been a journey .
“ I grew up in Massachusetts ,” she says . “ When Mohegan Sun broke ground in Connecticut , my father and ( now ) brother-in-law were among the first involved in the construction of the property , traveling 90 miles each way . As the project continued , they raved about it , and my father kept encouraging my sister and I to submit our resumes so we could all be a part of what ultimately became a legendary experience .
“ My father passed away just after our major expansion , and the Mohegan Sun Arena concourse was dedicated to him — where his oil painting still remains . My sister is now on Tribal Council and my brother-in-law is still working at Mohegan Sun along with their children . He certainly would be proud of us all .
“ Working for Mohegan has enriched my life in many ways for nearly 30 years . Mohegan always focused on their team members , knowing our team is the core of our success . I am grateful for having mentors that often saw my potential before I did .
“ There were many visionaries at the table who always challenged the status quo , continuously innovating and pushing boundaries . But I would say most importantly , Mohegan is an organization that has always led with emotional intelligence .”
Fox-LaRose evolved the first part of her career in marketing as the property grew , claiming Mohegan executives Etess , Bobby Soper , Ray Pineault and Mike Bean as mentors , working at the flagship property for 14 years during its evolution and then moving to Pennsylvania ’ s first commercial casino , which is owned by the tribe , Mohegan Sun Pocono .
“ Moving from one of the largest casinos in the world , I was a little nervous , wondering if I could handle it … I wasn ’ t sure ,” she admits . “ But I was well prepared , as it turns out . We spent many hours as we moved away from casting a wide net in marketing to database segmentation , reinvestment , and really understanding consumer behavior , and the business continued to thrive . We hit many record quarters and grew the business further .”
As Mohegan grew , they set a mission to help other tribes , sharing their success and sustainable growth , and that ’ s where Fox-LaRose ’ s life changed once again . The Mohegans had offered their help to the Cowlitz Tribe in southwest Washington . The tribe had plans to build a casino , and Mohegan offered to manage the process .
“ Mohegan assembled a project team with many individuals that contributed to their success over time to weigh in on lessons learned from all of our projects that would be beneficial to the Cowlitz project ,” Fox-LaRose explains . “ I was now the assistant GM at Mohegan Sun Pocono , and during my tenure in that role , we evolved the property by adding a hotel , a spa and convention space . I knew it was time for me to raise my hand and show interest in continuing my career path , so I applied for the role I have now been in for more than eight and a half years .”
At the newly dubbed ilani Casino , just north of Portland , Oregon , Fox- LaRose had many challenges , all of which she has overcome with the assis-
“ There were many visionaries at the table who always challenged the
status quo , continuously innovating and pushing boundaries . But I would say most importantly , Mohegan is an organization that has always led with emotional intelligence .”
tance of her talented team , including recently adding an impressive 289-room hotel tower in 2023 and expanded convention space in 2024 . Part of the master plan included acquiring additional land , and further expansion is expected as Cowlitz continues to persevere with ilani at its core .
But the time for the longstanding Mohegan partnership has met its conclusion . Marnell Gaming of Las Vegas is coming in as a new industry partner to guide Cowlitz as they are now poised to self-manage . Although Mohegan is part of Fox-LaRose ’ s roots , she remains at the helm and says the future is bright for ilani and Cowlitz .
“ The Mohegans are now leaving the Cowlitz Tribe in a great situation with massive infrastructure , a great reputation and a strong financial position ,” she says proudly . “ We are here to continue to serve the mission of the Cowlitz people . There is so much to be proud of , and my team at ilani and the Cowlitz people are yet another highlight in my career .” — Roger Gros
24 Global Gaming Business SEPTEMBER 2024