Foxwoods Casino CEO Jason Guyot leads Tribal Gaming Property in competitive market
Foxwoods Resort Casino CEO and President Jason Guyot continues to lead the Connecticut gaming complex as it delivers new and increasingly diverse attractions.
Since 2021, under his leadership, many facilities in the 9 million square meter complex are opening or planned.
On Tuesday, the casino opened its doors to the highly anticipated Pequot Woodlands Casino.
"We transformed a 50,000 square foot ballroom into a massive new casino with a 40-seat bar, new high-limit slots area, 24 gaming tables and over 430 slot machines - right in the heart of the city" creating a A vibrant hub of activity,” Guyot said in a recent interview.
Several restaurants, including Gordon Ramsay's Hell's Kitchen, are located nearby.
Casino Career
Guyot is no stranger to casinos. He is a member of the Mashantucket Pequot tribe, which has operated the casino since its founding in 1992.
He was a casino manager for many years and led the company out of the pandemic.
The master plan was developed in 2020 when Guyot served as senior vice president of Foxwoods Resort Operations.
This master plan ... is a five-year vision of where we want to go as an organization, what the competitive landscape looks like and what other challenges we will face as we move forward,” he explained.
So far it has expanded its casino, a high-stakes bingo hall, an exhibition center and new restaurants.
In the future, Great Wolf Lodge will also be built on the property. When completed, it will be a $350 million-plus, 90,000-square-foot indoor water park with family entertainment and more than 550 hotel rooms.
Increasingly diverse attractions may extend visitors' stay. Guyot said the current average length of stay is about one to two days.
“We believe that value will continue to increase as we have more amenities and more options.”
Existing amenities such as a 36-hole golf course, Tanger Outlet Mall, two large theaters, two spas and an indoor go-kart track also continue to attract visitors.
The new attraction will allow Foxwoods to remain competitive as other venues are either already open in the Northeast or are being planned. But they usually only offer slot machines and table games, and maybe entertainment.
"We have the ability ... to provide a fully integrated gaming resort ... and our experience ... far exceeds what others can get in this Northeast region," Guyot said.
NEW YORK COMPETITION
Foxwoods officials are also eyeing a planned casino in nearby New York City.
He said if there was [a new downstate casino] in Manhattan, it would be more of an option for tourists. He added that if it happened in one of the other counties, it could have a bigger impact on casinos in Connecticut or even Massachusetts and Philadelphia.
But they won’t be surrounded by 1,200 acres of land, a 36-hole golf course, and all the opportunities we have at Foxwoods. So that will continue to be a strength and an opportunity for us. "
Guyot said that across the country, many casinos are choosing to offer integrated resorts similar to Foxwoods to stay competitive.
Country changes
Guyot said the gaming industry is growing with the rise of sports betting and online gambling. He added that casinos have traditionally differentiated based on location and convenience.
If you are closer to a large group of guests, there will be more traffic. I think what broke that wall was the beginning of iGaming, location didn't matter. It's product-based, it's technology-based, it's marketing-based, and I think it's going to be a more unique competitive environment as we move forward," Guyot said.
Looking ahead, Guyot predicts there may be some consolidation at some retail casinos as iGaming continues to expand.
Happy Forest is a pioneer
Gayot added that Foxwoods will serve as a continuing model for the rest of the gaming industry as these changes unfold.
“I do feel that since we opened in 1992, we at Foxwoods have been pioneers from an industry perspective, especially in the Native American gaming industry,” he added.
“That’s Atlantic City, Las Vegas and Foxwoods.”
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Source: www.casino.org
