Carla Corso loves her job — and why wouldn’t she? She gives out money to the winners at Rivers Casino in Des Plaines.
“I’m the money girl,” said Corso, who has worked as a player service agent since the casino’s July 2011 opening.
When a slot machine player hits a jackpot of more than $1,200, Corso gets a message on her iPod and makes a beeline to the sometimes-dazed gambler. “I say congratulations, let’s get you some money.”
Earlier this year, a young woman came in with $20 in her pocket and hit a $20,000 jackpot, Corso recalled. “She didn’t know whether she had won $2,000 or $20,000 — she couldn’t believe it and started crying.”
Casino employees such as Corso get satisfaction from cheering on the winners, consoling the losers and riding the excitement of the games. They enjoy schmoozing the regulars — especially the seniors who come to pass the time of day.
Illinois’ newest casino has thrived from the start, benefiting from its location near O’Hare International Airport. It’s the biggest moneymaker of the 10 state casinos, with $428.4 million in pretax revenues last year, according to the Illinois Gaming Board.
Rivers Casino is ranked No. 15 among large employers in the Tribune’s list of Top Workplaces, as measured by Exton, Pa.-based consultancy Energage, formerly WorkplaceDynamics. The casino, part of Rush Street Gaming, employs nearly 1,500 workers.
Rivers tapped the experience of managers who joined from established casinos in Illinois and Indiana in order to figure out how to do things better, said Luis Pinedo, vice president of human resources.
Instead of “dummy up and deal,” said Pinedo, meaning table games dealers should get the job done and not ask questions, managers sought to have an open line of communication between line employees and managers, with an emphasis on morale, vision and job satisfaction. That approach has helped limit annual staff turnover to about 20 percent, well below the industry average of 30 percent, Pinedo said.
With 400 dealers and 100 supervisory positions, there are opportunities to move up. Employees can join as a cook or server and take a free 10-week course if they want to become a dealer. They might start with one or two games such as craps and roulette, and then move on to blackjack or baccarat. “It’s a service culture,” Pinedo said. “You have to be an extrovert.”
Customer service manager Ashley Schrag has taken advantage of the opportunities to advance. She started her career as a player service agent at sister property SugarHouse in her hometown of Philadelphia and was promoted first to call center representative, and then team relations coordinator in human resources. When she heard about an opening for guest services manager in Des Plaines three years ago, she applied and transferred. “I was looking for growth, a new adventure,” she said.
With a property in Pittsburgh and a newly opened casino in Schenectady, N.Y., there are different ways to climb the ladder, Schrag said. Some employees from Des Plaines relocated to New York earlier this year “and it’s great to see others get opportunities — it’s good for morale,” she said.
Charitable giving and local volunteering also are important to employees, Pinedo said. “Job applicants want to know if you are a good community partner.”
The Rivers Casino Foundation spends $1 million or more a year for educational causes in Des Plaines and throughout the state. For example, a grant for more than $30,000 enabled the Boys & Girls Club in Humboldt Park to expand Wi-Fi and purchase laptops and Lego sets.
Employees say they also appreciate the chance to form relationships with the regulars. “Some come in every day for years,” said table games dealer Scott Eberly. “You learn about their wives. They might have a daughter that’s pregnant and they’re going to be a grandpa. Or they’re off to Vegas again.”
Eberly has worked at Rivers since its opening. He learned the games during a 15-year run at a casino in East Chicago, where he met his wife, also a dealer. They now commute from their home in Crown Point, Ind. “It was good to get in on day one,” he said. “It gives you seniority.”
It’s the excitement of the game that grips Eberly. He often works the high minimums tables, where opening bets range from $50 to $500. Eberly has seen customers win or lose $1 million in a single night. Once in a while, a player gets on a hot streak in craps and goes on a one- or two-hour roll, he said. “Everyone is standing around,” he added. “And when the dice lands the crowd just erupts.”
Judith Crown is a freelance writer.
Ownership: Private
Website: www.playrivers.com
Company description: Gambling and entertainment
Year founded: 2011
Chicagoland locations: 1
Chicagoland employees: 1,463
From the survey:
• “Walking on the casino floor gives me the satisfaction that I am one of the pieces that makes every guest happy.”
• “The company cares and shows appreciation for a job well-done.”
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