Jamul Indian Village Development Corporation announces management transition for Hollywood Casino-Jamul San Diego
May 23, 2018
JAMUL, CALIFORNIA (March 1, 2018)— The Jamul Indian Village Development Corporation (“JIVDC”), a wholly owned entity of Jamul Indian Village (“JIV”), today announced plans for an orderly transition of the management of Hollywood Casino Jamul-San Diego from Penn National Gaming (NASDAQ: PENN) (“Penn National”) to JIVDC.
The $460 million Hollywood Casino Jamul-San Diego, which was developed by a Penn National subsidiary on behalf of JIV on its tribal lands approximately 20 miles east of downtown San Diego, has been managed and operated by a Penn National subsidiary since its opening on October 10, 2016.
JIVDC stated that the termination of the casino’s current management company agreement with Penn National is a natural next step toward economic self-sufficiency for JIV.
“Our announcement today represents an important step toward our long-held goal to manage our own casino,” said JIVDC Chairwoman Erica Pinto. “We are grateful to Penn National for all their hard work and leadership in bringing what was a very challenging development project to fruition.”
As part of the transition plan, the casino will be rebranded as “Jamul Casino.” The casino’s current executive management team will stay in place during the switch to Jamul Casino. In addition, JIVDC has retained a highly qualified transition team to assist with the details of rebranding and transferring management.
“Most tribes in the Kumeyaay Nation self-manage their casino properties, and JIV is no different in that regard,” said transition team leader David Patent, a former corporate vice president at Caesars Entertainment and current CEO of Patent Enterprises gaming consultancy. “JIVDC is fortunate to have a highly qualified, seasoned executive management team already in place, which will remain after the transition. Additionally, the transition team guiding JIVDC brings over 70 years of combined experience in casino development, operations and marketing.”
During the transition, there will be no changes to the Marquee Rewards program. After the transition, members will retain all of their earned comps and tier status, and comparable or better benefits, in a rebranded loyalty program for the new Jamul Casino.
JIVDC also expects no changes to employee roles or staffing structure during the transition.
“Current Hollywood Casino employees are part of the JIV family, and will simply be employees of Jamul Casino once the change in management is complete,” said Chairwoman Pinto. “We don’t anticipate any reductions in employee head counts or staff restructuring as part of this transition.”
As manager of the casino, JIVDC plans to maintain its support for and involvement in projects that improve the lives of its neighbors and other tribes. Past donations to the Jamul community, made possible by casino revenue, include over $5 million to state and county authorities for road improvements, $2.5 million in annual payments to the San Diego County Fire Authority, together with two state-of-the-art fire trucks, and $100,000 to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Concluded Chairwoman Pinto: “We look forward to Jamul Casino continuing to provide a high-quality gaming experience, and to building on our already strong relationship with our guests and employees. We are also committed to being a supportive member of the community for generations to come.”
Jamul Indian Village Development Corporation (JIVDC) is a wholly owned entity of Jamul Indian Village (JIV). The company is based in Jamul, California, and operates Hollywood Casino Jamul-San Diego, will be rebranded as Jamul Casino after the transition of its management from a subsidiary of Penn National Gaming to JIVDC. The casino features slot machines, live table games, multiple restaurants, bars and lounges.
About Jamul Indian Village (JIV)
Jamul Indian Village (JIV) is one of 13 federally recognized tribes that are part of the Kumeyaay Nation, with roots in east San Diego County going back 12,000 years. JIV’s casino on its reservation in Jamul supports more than 1,000 permanent jobs in the region. The Tribe uses revenue and resources from the casino to fund educational opportunities, healthcare, and housing initiatives for its members, and projects that benefit the surrounding community, through a tribal-state gaming compact with the state of California signed in 2016. For more information about JIV, please visit jamulindianvillage.com.
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