WhiteSand Custom Book - (Page 4) Partners in Progress Taking Morongo Casino Resort OPERATIONS WhiteSand takes over at Morongo Resort M Morongo Casino Resort & Spa rose out of the San Jacinto Valley desert near Palm Springs, Calif., with the promise of becoming the most upscale, highly successful tribal gaming property in the country. “It’s closer than Vegas and just as nice,” Jackie Emery, a visitor from Yucaipa, said of the $250 million resort. Many attending its gala opening in December 2005 compared the Morongo casino hotel and its nightclubs, restaurants and other amenities with the similarly upscale Palms Las Vegas. But within a few months leaders of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians were quick to express disappointment that the 310-room, 27-story resort, while generating needed government revenue to the 900member tribal band, was not fulfilling its promise of functioning as a true, upscale gambling facility. “We wanted to take it to another level,” recalls tribal Chairman Robert Martin.“We had to make a change.” The change began in July 2006, when WhiteSand Consulting was hired to examine resort operations and make recommendations to the Morongo Tribal Council. “We looked at the entire operation, top to bottom,” WhiteSand Managing Director Saverio (Sal) R. Scheri III said.“We looked at the management team.We looked at marketing, IT, food and beverage.We looked at technology.We looked at customer service. We look at the casino floor layout and mix of slot machines.We pretty much looked at every aspect of the operation.” “Basically,” added WhiteSand Director Joseph S. Basara,“we said,‘Here’s what we would do if we were you and we either owned the resort or were running it.’” Morongo Casino Resort towers over San Jacinto Valley landscape service vastly improved and the slot floor was reconfigured with more popular machines and a new and profitable high limit room. New marketing programs lured more lucrative gamblers to the resort.Technology on the verge of collapse was replaced with updated equipment and software. Employee morale improved and the turnover rate dropped to its lowest level in 10 years. WhiteSand goes to work hiteSand found the Morongo resort to be a successful, upscale gambling facility that was nonetheless not reaching its full potential. It was important that WhiteSand avoid unnecessarily disrupting operations or causing employee unrest. “First and foremost, we came in there saying, ‘We’re going to do no harm.You’re doing well.We know you can do better,’” Scheri said.“We didn’t want to do anything to risk the revenue stream.” “Morongo wasn’t anything that needed to be torn down and rebuilt,” Basara said.“It wasn’t in ‘We looked at the entire operation, top to bottom. Management, marketing, IT, food and beverage, customer service, the casino floor and the slot machines. We pretty much looked at every aspect of the operation.’ — Saverio R. Scheri III,WhiteSand managing director That’s precisely what WhiteSand did. The firm temporarily assumed control of operations and managed the Morongo Casino Resort & Spa for seven months while the tribe sought out a permanent management team. Saverio served as general manager while Basara filled in as casino manager, and Jim Nickerson assumed the role of IT director. Within a matter of months the resort was clicking on all cylinders. Revenues rose, customer W 4 Continued on Page 6
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