Former Encore Boston Harbor President Bob DeSalvio has landed on his feet in New York, being appointed last week as the president of casinos in New York City and the Catskills.
Genting Group announced this month they had hired DeSalvio to oversee the existing Resort World New York City and Resort World Catskills resort casinos. Resort World New York City is the only casino in New York City, and is the highest grossing slot casino in the world.
“It’s an honor to join Genting, which has proven, with the success of Resorts World Casino New York City, that gaming in New York is full of untapped potential, and I am excited to be on the frontlines of the action,” DeSalvio said in a press release from Genting.
“Bob DeSalvio has a proven track record creating and implementing successful marketing and growth strategies in the gaming and hospitality industries,” said Tan Sri KT Lim, CEO of Genting. “Bob’s operational expertise combined with his unique ability to recognize industry trends and adapt to fast-evolving consumer demands will help accelerate growth at Resorts World Catskills and Resorts World Casino New York City.”
In a sudden move last fall, after years of guiding the Encore casino project from licensing to permitting to opening, DeSalvio was suddenly replaced by long-time Wynn employee Brian Guilbrants.
DeSalvio had been the face of the project in Massachusetts, and had built a great deal of community capital for the project in the surrounding neighborhoods over the years. Many locally were surprised and disappointed by the move, but DeSalvio moved on agreeably, and has now landed atop another growing gaming company.
Resort World NYC is developing a 400-room hotel next to its casino that will open in the summer of 2020. Aside from that, the company is developing a $4.3 billion casino project in Las Vegas that is to open in 2021. It is the largest development money-wise in the history of Las Vegas.
Resorts World Casino New York City offers over 6,000 slots and electronic table games to 10 million guests annually. The property features three unique levels of gaming, Times Square Casino, Fifth Avenue Casino and Central Park Casino, along with several high-limit rooms for Platinum and Black Card members. Since opening in 2011, RWNY has paid $2.88 billion in taxes to support New York State public schools.
Resort World Casinos was acquired in November by Genting and Kien Huat, the family trust controlled by Genting Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Tan Sri KT Lim.