New Harrah’s general manager talks about his new job


Darrell Pilant recently took over as general manager of Harrah’s Southern California Resort. He had been five and half years at that property, as assistant general manager and is in his 20th year working for Caesars Entertainment (Harrah’s.)

He began in 1997 at Harrah’s North Kansas City Hotel and Casino, where he eventually became assistant general manager, “first mate” and  followed that in Harrah’s properties at New Orleans and Lake Charles, Louisiana, and Harrah’s Tunica Hotel and Casino. He took over from longtime senior vice president and general manager Janet Beronio last September.

“I’ve had lots of jobs, slots shift manager, director of table games, vice president of operations, vice president of casino marketing,” says Pilant.

Pilant is a graduate of the United States Merchant Marine Academy, and served in the U.S. Naval Reserve as Lieutenant Commander before retiring.

Asked what his goals are as general manager, he told The Roadrunner, “I want to continue to see this business grow. I’d like to see us continue to provide a level of service and experience to our customers that is difficult to find.”

He has the same goal for his relationship with his teammates. “I want us to be known as a culture of people that can thrive personally and professionally.”

He is also committed to constant innovation. He noted that Harrah’s is preparing to launch “skill based gaming,” which is intended to appeal to the Millennial generation. With skill based games you are rewarded the more you play them. Players can expect to see games similar to Angry Birds that they can wager on.

He sees the property as constantly innovating—something they are encouraged to do by corporate management. For example, Harrah’s recently ended the “Day Club,” that operated for three years as something like a night club, except it happened during the day by the pool. Now, they are moving to other experiments. For the past three years on New Year’s Eve they have had a promotion called “The Millionaire,” where they give away $1 million.

“We have a lot of autonomy to do things here that might not work somewhere else,” says Pilant.

We asked Pilant “what’s special” about Harrah’s So Cal?  “We’re a full-service resort,” he says. “We have 1,087 hotel rooms, and a great pool complex that was voted among the top ten resort pools by USA Today in 2014.

“We are a full-time resort. We have a lot of unique things that other properties don’t have, such as a brewery, a pool complex, a spa  and we are in the process of remodeling that spa to be a world class spa.” To further continue the wellness theme, they recently opened Robeks Fresh Juice and Smoothies that focuses on healthy option. “We will be opening up all of our menus to provide more healthy options,” he says.

Pilant lives at Pauma Valley Country Club with his wife and four dogs. “I love golf,” he says. “I love playing that great golf course.” Besides golf he also enjoys indoor rock climbing.

“I love working for the tribe. They are good people,” he says. “I share many of their values. For me it’s a good fit.”

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