More Women Are Running Atlantic City’s Casinos

Currently, four women are a part of the management teams of casinos in Atlantic City. According to Jacqueline Grace, the new SVP and General Manager of Tropicana, her promotion is the result of many accomplished achievements and years of experience in the industry.

Tropicana Atlantic City’s New SVP and General Manager Jacqueline Grace

Jacqueline Grace, who has more than 20 years of experience in the casino industry, was named as senior vice president and general manager of Tropicana in Atlantic City, New Jersey, earlier this month. “I started my gaming career in Atlantic City, and I’m thrilled to return and join one of the top destinations in the market,” said Grace in a statement. She added: “This is an exciting time for our company, and I’m looking forward to working with the team to further position Tropicana for continued growth and success.“

The promotion of Grace proved that men and women are receiving equal acknowledgment for their hard work. The recent news also sparked a debate. On that topic, Grace said: “The reason why people are talking about that is because it has not happened enough.” In her opinion, it is not specific to gaming but there are lots of businesses and industries that are “traditionally male-dominated“. Grace continued by saying that that at the entry-level and management level, women are present but when you go higher in the hierarchy “the numbers drop off”. In conclusion, she outlined that with the right relationships, accomplished goals and achievements, women can progress.

Being SVP and general manager of Tropicana, Grace joined three other women, leading casinos in Atlantic City. She joined Melonie Johnson, president and chief operating officer of the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa, Bally’s general manager Karie Hall and Ocean Casino Resort CEO Terry Glebocki. Being a part of the senior leadership of Atlantic City’s casinos, Grace is also the second African American woman in charge of a casino in the city.

Another Atlantic City Casino Managed by a Woman

Melonie Johnson was named president and chief operating officer of the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa back in May this year. Similar to Grace, she has significant work experience at the managerial level in the gambling industry. Pointing out that she is older, more mature, and wiser, Johnson said that she managed to “navigate through the waters” of her career. According to her, one of the key methods for establishing relationships for her was to have transparent conversations.

But both Johnson and Grace agree that managers who are on the gaming floors and are actively communicating with both employees and customers do much more than the ones just observing from an office. “You can go anywhere to put money in a slot machine,” said Grace. She outlined that it is the interaction of the staff and team members with the customers that creates a memorable experience and ultimately makes a one-time visitor a returning customer.

Johnson and Grace both share the same opinion when it comes to gender and how it can influence one’s career. According to the women, their achievements are purely the result of hard work, accomplishments, and skills gained from years of experience. Although Johnson confirmed that many women have experienced unacceptable behavior, she outlined that she hasn’t experienced inappropriate actions. “I don’t allow things to be said or let inappropriate actions happen to me without addressing them,” said Johnson. In conclusion, she outlined that if inappropriate things were ever said she would address them immediately and this method has worked favorably for her.