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Gaming Industry Legend Will Reflect on the Role that Gaming's Past Plays as the Industry Looks to a Bold, New Future
LAS VEGAS (Jan. 6, 2002) - Veteran casino chief Burton M. Cohen will provide the keynote address at Friday's American Gaming Summit awards luncheon. He will recall history's role in leading the industry to where it is today, and what the industry can learn from its history as it moves into uncharted territory in the years ahead.
Cohen is uniquely qualified to make those observations. Following a 36-year career, Cohen was honored with Casino Journal's Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2002 American Gaming Summit. His earliest accomplishments included major roles in the building, opening and staffing of the Frontier Hotel Casino and Circus Circus in 1968.
He later served as executive vice president of the Flamingo Hotel Casino. After the acquisition of the property by the Hilton Corporation in 1971, Cohen led the new operation as president. In 1973 Caesars World hired Cohen to run The Thunderbird Hotel during the planning and development of what would have been the largest hotel in Las Vegas. Caesars moved Cohen into Caesars Palace as vice president in 1977 and elected him to the board of directors.
In 1978 Cohen became the first president and general manager of the Desert Inn & Country Club under Summa Corporation. Cohen was an integral part of a $54 million renovation, which was completed within five months of his arrival. Cohen took on a major challenge in the reorganization of the financial structure of the Dunes Hotel & Country Club in 1986 when the highest offer of purchase was $118 million. When the Dunes Hotel & Country Club was sold in 1987 Cohen's leadership had increased the purchase price to $157 million.
Returning to the Desert Inn Hotel & Country Club in 1992 as president and CEO for Kirk Kerkorian, Cohen then stayed on as president and managing director when Kerkorian sold the property to ITT Sheraton Corporation. He retired in 1995.
American Gaming Summit runs Jan. 9-10 at the Rio Suites. It is preceded on Jan. 8 by Slot Manager Institute in Association with GSA and AGEM. A full list of American Gaming Summit speakers and moderators and online registration are available at www.americangamingsummit.com. A full list of Slot Manager Institute speakers and moderators and online registration are available at www.americangamingsummit.com.
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Media: Media contact Stephen Gibbs or Sean Gamble onsite at the Rio beginning Jan. 8.
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