Buffalo Thunder Resort near Santa Fe, New Mexico, named Mike Allgeier general manager. He will be responsible for overall management of the casino and will oversee all gaming operations when the resort opens in August 2008.
Allgeier has almost 30 years of gaming experience, most recently as vice president of casino operations at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. He has also served as vice president of casino operations at the Las Vegas Hilton.
In another announcement, the casino named Duff Taylor executive director of gaming operations. Taylor will manage all aspects of gaming including casino floor operations, casino staff, security, revenues, promotions and the Lightning Rewards Player’s Club.
Taylor brings more than 30 years of management, development and consulting experience in the gaming industry to his new position. He most recently was vice president of casino operations at the Crystal Palace Casino in Nassau, Bahamas.
Elixir names finance VP
Slot machine distributor Elixir Gaming Technologies announced that Traci Mangini has been named to the new position of senior vice president, corporate finance, reporting directly to CFO David Reberger.
Mangini will be in charge of managing and expanding the company’s worldwide financial community and shareholder communications program. She will work with Reberger and the company’s investor relations firm, Jaffoni & Collins, to develop further awareness and understanding of Elixir Gaming’s operations and growth opportunities among a broad group of constituents, including institutional and retail investors, analysts and the media.
Mangini most recently worked at ThinkPanmure, where she was a partner and senior research analyst responsible for coverage of companies in the domestic and international gaming sector including Elixir, Cash Systems, Inc., Fortunet, Inc., Gametech International, Inc., Gaming Partners International Corporation, Gigamedia Limited, Monarch Casino & Resort, Inc., Progressive Gaming International and WPT Enterprises, Inc.
Brown resigns from ACEP
Two months after Whitehall Street Real Estate Funds acquired American Casino and Entertainment Properties from Carl Icahn, Richard Brown announced he is stepping down as CEO of the gaming company.
A filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission did not disclose whether Brown will give up other positions he holds at ACEP, including president and director.
The move is something of a shock, considering Brown told gaming regulators he would continue to oversee daily operations after the Whitehall transaction closed.
The filing said, “There were no known disagreements with Mr. Brown on any matters relating to the company’s operations, policies or practices.”
Brown started at the Stratosphere in 2000 as vice president of marketing. In 2001, he was promoted to COO of the Stratosphere and the Arizona Charlie’s properties.
