Trailblazer Melonie Johnson helps MGM National Harbor strengthen local community
Melonie Johnson, president and chief operating officer of MGM National Harbor, has climbed to the top of the industry in a most unusual way, generating more gross gaming revenue (GGR) than any casino outside Las Vegas last year. Other casinos. She believes her past experiences can help pave the way for more diverse leaders in the future.
Johnson was born and raised in Louisiana at a time when the state's gambling industry consisted solely of riverboat gambling. It wasn't until Harrah's New Orleans received its first brick-and-mortar casino license in the late 1990s that she became interested in the gambling business.
Not Attractive, Johnson spoke in a recent interview about her interest in the gaming industry after graduating from the University of New Orleans with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting.
She is a certified public accountant who started out working for an oil and gas exploration company. After the company went bankrupt, her human resources department sent her a job opening at Caesars Entertainment's new brick-and-mortar casino in the Big Easy.
Johnson got the call from Caesars and worked with the casino giant on finances and operations. She later moved to Penn Entertainment, then Penn National Gaming, and finally to MGM Resorts in 2015.
Johnson has since managed several MGM properties, including the Gold Strike Casino Resort in Mississippi. Her status was elevated in 2017 when MGM named her president and chief operating officer of MGM National Harbor, the company's $1.4 billion integrated resort that opened in December 2016.
In May 2020, MGM changed regional leadership and moved Johnson to the Borgata in Atlantic City, which had been the company's main domestic property outside of Nevada. Johnson made history as the "first black woman" to manage an Atlantic City casino resort. But their pioneering ways weren't over yet.
Leader of All
Johnson returns to MGM National Harbor in early 2022. During her tenure, the integrated resort outside Maryland's capital city of Oxon Hill has become the most successful casino in the United States outside of Las Vegas.
As a Black woman, Johnson believes she is best suited to run the casino, which is located in a part of Prince George's County where about three-quarters of residents are Black. The National Harbor boss said that since his arrival, MGM has not only improved the community but also provided good jobs and a strong career ladder for anyone who wants to climb the ladder.
We go into a community looking to provide jobs at a livable wage," Johnson said."This will be intergenerational and will help the local economy and families. "
Johnson added that MGM is offering full-time National Harbor employees the opportunity to earn a free online bachelor's or master's degree from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).
"That's what we do. We give back to the community by developing our employees and promoting them into more important roles," Johnson said.
Test site
Johnson said the gaming industry has made progress in hiring more diverse talent into C-level roles in recent years. But the responsibility doesn't just lie with the casinos and their parent companies. The MGM executive encourages minorities who want to follow her example to get an education, find mentors, network, maintain relationships and work hard.
You must have a good foundation, which means training that supports your goals. Whether you're a man or a woman, it's not easy. It takes a lot of hard work and a lot of sacrifice. You have to be motivated,” Johnson explained.
As for the future of MGM National Harbor, Johnson said her goal is to leave a lasting MGM legacy and help revitalize the area and surrounding communities.
"That's very important to me - the legacy we want to create - and that legacy is continued job growth, team development, opportunities for individuals to cross-skill and go into different areas and hire the next generation to do that." Make sure we are a good corporate citizen and a good neighbor. We want our communities to be better than when we arrived. ” Johnson concluded.
Read also:
- U.S. cities with the most Swifties per capita
- Blackjack Casino Advantage: How to Beat the Odds
- Football 101: What is relegation in football?
- Federal court backs Seminoles' mobile sports betting, could change gaming landscape in America
Source: www.casino.org
