August 2011 - Absentee Shawnee Tribe Of Oklahoma

Thunderbird Casino
COVER ARTIST
a plan of action for a new casino property
almost simultaneously with the remodeling
of our current facility. The plan of action
has been successful and the dream of a new
Preston THUNDERBIRD Singletary
casino will finally become a reality after all
CASINO 2: The dream enthusiasm and excitement from guest and
these years. The construction of the new
becomes a reality… after all these years… employees alike. The Thunderbird Casino
Cover Artwork: Raven Steals the Moon facility has begun and if not for the diligent
national recognition for an extraordinary was generating more revenue and business
work ethic and business knowledge of these
feat of accomplishment from two (2) TGen-
eral Managers.
he art out… ofThunderbird Preston Casino
was great. Then in 2007 the bottom fell
the secrets
remained
of the
open
Venetian two men glass the Absentee masters Shawnee by working Tribe with would
Singletary for business (Tlingit) just has barely
Italian
surviving
legends
and
Lino
attempting
to pay withthe bills.
Tagliapietra, have closed the Cecco doors Ongaro, on a casino and Pino that has
The Thunderbird Casino located in Norman, become synonymous Signoretto. been in operation for 20 years prior to their
Oklahoma has been open since 1987 and like
employment. The Thunderbird Casino will
the relationship between Now recognized internationally, Singletary’s artworks are
many Tribal Casinos started out as a Bingo Two new faces appear at the helm: be celebrating 24 years of being in business
European glass blowing included in museum collections such as the Museum of Fine
Hall. The Absentee Shawnee Tribe has made
this year and thanks to Drew & Kurt we
traditions Drew and Northwest Word & Kurt Williams Arts (Boston, began MA), their The Seattle Art Museum (Seattle WA), the
attempts of opening a new facility however
will be celebrating with the opening of our
Native art. employment His artworks in January Corning of 2008 Museum and first of Glass (Corning, NY), the Mint Museum
that has never developed in the twenty (20)
second casino also!
feature themes thing of they transformation,
animal problems spirits with and the casino (Phoenix, and started AZ), to make and the National Handelsbanken recognition: (Stockholm, Sweden).
did was to evaluate of Art and the financial Design (Charlotte, NC), the Heard Museum
years of business.
Thunderbird Casino went through shamanism many all through efforts elegant to find a solution Singletary to bring maintains back a anTheir activeleadership schedule by and teaching tremendous and lecturingfrom
internationally. the brink of Recently, formance the Museum along with of Glass the accomplishment
in Tacoma,
job per-
changes during its time of operation. blown The glass once forms profitable and business
casino at one time offered concerts, mystical boxing sand bankruptcy. carved Tlingit Drew & Kurt WA, continue launched to work a majorof mid-career providing survey the Absentee of his work, Shawnee titled Tribe
events and even a tough man contest designs. or diligently and have not Preston lost focus Singletary: on the Echoes, with another Fire, andgaming Shadows. facility Thishas exhibition
for features the Absentee Clan House, Kurt his Williams largest commission & Drew Word to the date, honor and of
earned
two. As the years went by the Indian Gaming
Industry was growing and beginning of glass to blowing Shawnee by working tribe’s number willone travel revenue to venues gen-
across being North named America. Indian Gaming Magazine, a
Singletary road learned to financial the artrecovery prosper throughout the United States. withThe
artists erating the business. SeattleThese two Preston (2) men was awarded have magazine an honorary distributed Doctor throughout of Arts degree the United in
Absentee Shawnee tribe made efforts area, to continue
to grow to compete with other Moore casinos andperiod Danteof Marioni. time than seemed to speak possible. at universities The month and non-profit of July! This organizations is a well deserved across honor
including been able Benjamin to accomplish 2010more from in thea University short States, of Puget Extraordinary Sound. He has Employee been engaged for the
As in athe student area. The andpassing assistant, of he Class initially III gaming focused Thunderbird on masteringCasino the has thebeen country, transformed most recently for both at the of Gates these men. Millennium Scholars
techniques in 2004 provided of the European another form tradition. of gaming His work from took a 20 him year to old Bingo Foundation Hall to a Conference modern The in road Los Angeles. to financial ♣recovery began on the
Kosta revenue Boda to the (Sweden) Thunderbird whereCasino… studied Blackjack
his & Poker! futureThe wife. Thunderbird Throughout Poker his room twenty in a years short of period glass of their Toemployment. view more ofDrew
Prestoning Singletary’s process. artwork, visit
Scandinavian day casino. designThis andtransformation has come day of their arrival and has been an ongo-
met
blowing opened in experience, 2005 and was hewell has accepted also hadwith
opportunities & Kurt have to learn been working www.prestonsingletary.com. developing Submitted Coverby: photo Eric bySpoon
Russell Johnson.
KURT WILLIAMS – JULY’S EXTRAORDINARY EMPLOYEE
ndian Gaming magazine has
Inamed Kurt Williams Extraordinary
Employee for the month of July
2011. Kurt is Co-General Manager
of Thunderbird Casino in Norman,
OK, alongside Drew Word.
Hired in January of 2008, Kurt
has made great strides in reshaping
Thunderbird Casino, helping turn
the property around and make it
Kurt Williams more competitive in its region. “This
team has accomplished more in a
short period of time than seemed possible,” said Eric Spoon,
Manager on Duty at Thunderbird. “They have transformed a
20-year-old bingo hall into a modern day casino.”
Part of Kurt’s background is working with companies that
have financial difficulties. Though one of the first gaming
properties opened in Oklahoma, it hadn’t been generating
the desired revenue stream. “Our initial responsibility was to
do a market analysis and see what Thunderbird’s market niche
needed to be,” said Kurt. “Over the last three and a half years,
we’ve been able to double our monthly revenues.”
12 Indian Gaming July 2011
One of the first projects they undertook was a complete
overhaul of the property’s casino-management system, replacing
the existing system with the Aristocrat Oasis system.
“It’s a major project under any circumstances,” Kurt said.
“But for us it was a major step forward in being able to track
our players and market to those players based on their level of
play. We got a lot of accurate information out of that project.
It was one of the biggest projects we’ve undertaken.”
Another project Kurt is working on is the development of
an entire new facility in Shawnee, OK, which will be the tribe’s
second gaming property. Plans for this new facility were developed
simultaneously with Thunderbird’s overhaul and the
casino will be set to open in August of this year. “Being able
to get through projects of this size, manage projects of this size,
and finish them successfully is very exciting,” he said. “It feels
pretty good at the end of the day to complete these projects
and complete them right.”
Kurt credits much of the casino’s success to the employees
he is surrounded by, who have shown outstanding dedication
to the property. “The team is very focused on customer
service and making sure our customers feel they’re getting the
most for their money.” ♣
15 AUGUST 2011