Poker News

Deborah Giardina, Wynn Director of Poker Operations

Deborah Giardina was born and raised on the East Coast. She has worked in the physical fitness industry and has also been a Realtor. She has four children, two boys and two girls.

Prior to starting a family, Deborah’s ambition had been to move to Las Vegas and become a dealer. Her dream began to be realized in 1990 when gaming came to Colorado. Her desire to become a dealer came to fruition when she began her gaming career with Johnny Nolon’s Gambling Saloon and Emporium in the mountain town of Cripple Creek. Johnny’s was the first establishment to have legalized poker in the State of Colorado. Deborah rose to the position of Assistant Table Games Manager within six months.

Deborah saw potential in the growth of gaming that was taking place in Biloxi, Mississippi. She decided to relocate to the Biloxi area. Deborah took a position at Lyle Berman’s Grand Casino Gulfport. She was part of the opening staff and was appointed Cardroom Manager within the first year. A short time later she was summoned by the same organization to Louisiana to assist in the opening of the Grand Casino Coushatta in Kinder. Deborah has been a featured speaker at the World Poker Industry Conference.

In 1999, Deborah received a call from Pat Cruzen, a consultant for Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minnesota. He asked if she would set up a 50 table cardroom. Her involvement began from the ground up as Vice President of Card Club Operations. Her duties included overseeing construction and designing of the room, writing all the regulations, internal controls, and hiring/training of the staff.

Deborah left Canterbury Park in 2002 to start her own gaming consultant business. That branch of her career changed in 2004 when she accepted an offer from Wynn Las Vegas. Deborah was hired as Director of Poker Operations for the new Wynn Las Vegas Poker Room making her dream more than a reality.

DB: When is the new Wynn Las Vegas slated to open?

DG: We will be opening at midnight on April 28 with 27 poker tables.

DB: Is the opening for the public or invited guest only?

DG: Everyone is invited to come to the opening.

DB: Will the poker room offer tableside dining?

DG: Yes, but not quite like the California-style food service. We will have a llimited tableside menu available to all poker players.

DB: Can you tell us a little about your staff?

DG: We attracted a high quality staff from all over the country. We are emphasizing customer service as has always been the Wynn tradition. With our staff, players can expect consistency in dealing procedures, floor calls and everyday poker operations.

DB: Who are some of the people making up the Poker Room staff?

DG: Jesse Hollander is our Day Shift Manager, Mike O’Malley is our Swing Shift Manager, Katheen McCall is our Graveyard Shift Manager, Dave Egleseder is our Relief Manager and Amy Barreuther is our Training Manager. Amy will be providing training to the staff on an ongoing basis to ensure our players receive the best poker playing experience possible.

DB: What limits will be spread in the Wynn Las Vegas Poker Room?

DG: I anticipate that $4-$8 will be our lowest game but we will spread as high as the players request.

DB: Is there any truth to the rumor that Wynn has hired Daniel Negreanu as a poker host?

DG: Absolutely, Daniel will be our Poker Ambassador. When Daniel plays live action in Las Vegas it will be exclusively in the Wynn Las Vegas Poker Room. Daniel brings us his charisma, knowledge, expertise and his tremendous enthusiasm for the game of poker.

DB: Is the location of the poker room convenient to local players?

DG: Yes, the poker room is about a dozen steps from self parking and also very close to valet.

DB: The buzz on the street is that the Wynn Las Vegas Poker Room will be unlike any other, explain?

DG: The room is state-of-the-art, with every table having automatic shufflers. There is a computerized system for our lists. The computerized system is designed to display all the waiting lists on four plasma screens strategically placed throughout the Poker Room. The most unique feature of our system is that guests will be able to view the lists on a designated television channel from the comfort of their hotel room. In addition to that feature we will issue beepers to players that will alert them anywhere in the casino. Players will be beeped when they are on deck so they have time to return to the poker room.

DB: What else makes Wynn Las Vegas unique?

DG: Everything at Wynn Las Vegas will be unique. There is a Ferrari Dealership adjacent to the Poker Room. There is an 18 hole golf course on property for the exclusive use of Wynn Las Vegas guests. The course was designed by Tom Fazio and Steve Wynn. All guest rooms have two flat screen televisions counted among the numerous amenities. Every room has floor to ceiling windows with spectacular views of the Strip or of the artistically designed and immaculately landscaped golf course.

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