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I first met Dave in 2005 in Freeport, Grand Bahama Island while preparing a business plan for reviving the Royal Oasis Resort and Casino. To describe him then — and now — as anything less than the superhero of the hospitality industry would be akin to referring to Einstein as just another physicist. What follows […] is his professional bio as it appeared in the plan.
For over thirty years, Mr. Hanlon has been a business leader and a force to be reckoned with in the casino industry. He’s a power-hitter with a reputation for turning creative ideas into business solutions with integrity, high energy and an aggressive hands-on style. He has worked at the helm of many of the leading hotel and casino companies, and under his leadership they have realized vastly improved products, services and profitability.
Pre-Casino days
Armed with a BA in hotel administration from Cornell, an MBA from Wharton and the Advanced Management Program from Harvard Business School, Dave began his business career with the brokerage firm of Smith Barney in New York and Los Angeles. Later he spent three years coordinating financing for billion dollar projects as Director of Corporate Finance for Fluor Corp., a multinational company specializing in the design and construction of petrochemical plants and refineries.
Las Vegas
Dave joined the casino industry in 1978 as Chief Financial Officer for Caesar’s World. It was the era when regulated gambling began its rapid expansion – offering plenty of room for Dave’s entrepreneurial talents and competitive drive. He became one of the key players in opening up Atlantic City and over the net six years moved up to Executive Vice President in parent company, Caesar’s World, Inc., where he had total responsibility for operations on the East Coast. During this time Dave Demonstrated his insightful business sense by strengthening the gaming and hospitality operation while divesting the company of unsuccessful subsidiaries.
Atlantic City
In 1984 Dave took over as President of Harrah’s Atlantic City and ran both of its major operations, Harrah’s Marina and Trump Plaza, with a total of 9,000 employees. During his four-year relationship, Harrah’s became the most profitable operation in Atlantic City.
Enter Merv Griffin
With his reputation for transforming business challenges into big success stories, Dave was recruited by Merv Griffin in 1988 to head up the financially collapsing Resorts International, with casino and resort facilities in both Atlantic City and the Bahamas. As President and CEO for the next five years, Dave completed two complex billion dollar corporate restructurings, while simultaneously completing a successful operational turnaround by selling off international properties, revamping service infrastructure, and physically transforming and upgrading resort facilities.
With Dave at the helm, the company broke new ground by applying a workforce philosophy that included priorizing employee turnover reduced by almost 60 percent and one of the strongest balance sheets in Atlantic City.
International Game Technology (IGT)
Always thriving on challenge, Dave stepped into the manufacturing side of the gambling industry in 1994 and became President and CEO of IGT, the world’s leading manufacturer of microprocessor gaming machines. In that position he broadened the company’s international base by leading it into emerging markets in Europe, Africa and Latin America. While improving the quality of the core products, he brought vision to the development of new products and new markets, and furthered IGT’s leadership in the industry both domestically and internationally.
The Rio
Returning to the work he knew well and loved, Dave moved to Las Vegas and took the reigns of another big operation in 1996 as President and Chief Operating Office of Rio Suites Hotel Casino – until then an off-the-strip minor player in the Vegas market. Dave and his team quickly guided the Rio through a $200 M expansion and total transformation. Once again demonstrating his high standards of excellence and keen market savvy.
Dave together with the Rio team, broke the traditional Vegas mold by developing a trendy, upscale, young adult resort with a focus on world class quality, luxury and entertainment. Despite ongoing construction on the property, profits doubled in two years and the Rio soon became a dominant player in the Las Vegas market.
Kudos from across the industry
The Zagat Guide called the Rio the “best hotel in Las Vegas.” Travel and Leisure magazine ranked the Rio the “world’s best hotel value”; trade magazine Casino Player ranked the Rio the “best overall casino hotel in Las Vegas” two years in a row, describing it as “one of the top resorts in the gaming industry.” Riding the wave of success the Rio was sold to Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc., at a premium price.
A superhero never rests
Dave may no longer be playing football at Cornell or serving on active and reserve duty as an officer in the US Army, but he’s very much living a long-cultivated, adventurous lifestyle, from deep sea diving and mountain climbing to skiing, and big-game hunting.
Dave continues to be actively engaged in consulting and the development of a variety of major casino, hotel, resort, entertainment, hospitality, and real estate projects. You can find more about him on his site, David P. Hanlon.
