El Cortez Shakes Things Up: New Faces, Same Old Charm
Alright, so the El Cortez, that classic joint in downtown, has been doing some shuffling in the leadership department. Naturally, we’re keeping an eye on this because, well, we like the place. They’ve announced some promotions and new hires, which sounds all official and stuff. Adam Wiesberg is now the big cheese as Vice President and General Manager. Patrick Lazarus is stepping up as Vice President and Director of Casino Operations. Nords Malilay is taking the reins as Vice President of Player Development and Casino Marketing. And Bart Mahoney is the new Vice President of Hospitality.
Pretty standard stuff, right? But we’re not just here to read the press release, are we?
Kenny Epstein, the CEO and Chairman himself, dropped a quote saying they’re proud of their team and welcoming new talent. He’s all about their upcoming 85th anniversary and how this crew has “deep roots in the Las Vegas gaming industry.” We’ve had chats with Kenny before, and he’s a hoot. He’s been around since, like, the dawn of time. We’ve told him, “Please, for the love of all that is holy, stop calling it a ‘property.’ It’s a hotel or a casino, man, not some dusty piece of real estate!” He usually just laughs and tells us we’re not welcome anymore. Then we confess we made that up too and remind him we just hit some sweet four deuces last night. We’ll let you know if Kenny forgives us enough for us to get back in.
Oh, and a little birdie told us – well, actually, we told you first – that Siegel’s 1941 is closing for a renovation starting April 5. No word yet on whether it’s getting a whole new identity.
To fill out this riveting piece, let’s dish a little on the new executives.
Adam Wiesberg is now overseeing everything. He’s been there since 2015, working his way up through table games, marketing, and assistant GM. You might have seen him in videos with those influencer types. He’s one of the more chill execs in town and has definitely put the El Cortez on the map more.
Patrick Lazarus is handling the casino floor, from slots to tables. He joined in 2012 and also climbed the ladder from shift manager. He apparently paid his dues at places like Binion’s and Caesars. He seems like a decent enough bloke, but we don’t know him well enough to crack wise. Downtown joints can be a bit… different. We don’t want to get, you know, “unalived.”
Nords Malilay is all about boosting player engagement with fancy strategies and personal touches. He’s been part of the El Cortez crew since 2005 and is known for schmoozing the high rollers. We’re not exactly high rollers, but we like Nords. He’s a good guy and has said nice things about us, so we’re returning the favor. Forever.
Bart Mahoney is the new hospitality guy. He’s got over 20 years of experience from places like Resorts World and Wynn. He’ll be overseeing the food and beverage scene, especially with Siegel’s 1941 getting a makeover.
Now we know who to bug for the inside scoop on Siegel’s 1941. Let’s just say that place could use a serious facelift, a new menu, maybe a complete rebranding. It’s a good value, but the food is all over the place. They need a destination restaurant, and rumors are pointing towards a steakhouse. That’s the leading contender, apparently.
Here’s the kicker: you can actually bump into El Cortez executives on the floor. Unlike those stuffy Strip places, these folks don’t give off a “suit” vibe.
The El Cortez was packed when we were last there, and the crowd looked a lot younger. That bar-hopping crowd hitting Fremont East has definitely helped the El Cortez boom. Nobody saw it coming, but they’ve embraced these new folks alongside their loyal slot-playing regulars.
They dropped $20 million on an expansion last year and somehow managed to attract both serious gamblers and the younger social scene. It’s been cool to watch the El Cortez go adult-only (yay!) and put its money where its mouth is. Being the oldest casino, they haven’t completely abandoned their identity to chase trends. They’re refreshing without alienating the folks who made them popular in the first place.
Sure, executive moves might not be the most thrilling news for everyone, but these people set the tone and direction for the places you visit. Good leaders create a positive vibe; bad ones just hoard power. Good leaders embrace social media and influencers; bad ones don’t. There are a lot of bad leaders in Vegas casinos. The El Cortez isn’t one of them.
Are they perfect? Of course not. (Seriously, step away from the bars for better slot payouts.) If they were, what would we have to complain about?
But overall, the El Cortez nails what we love about casinos. It’s a throwback to the Vegas people miss, and that Vegas isn’t dead, it’s just moved.
And if the El Cortez isn’t your scene, well, they don’t really care. That’s part of its charm.
Slow news day, anyone? I do hope they keep that awesome 10-seater waiting area at the front of the new restaurant. I love the El Cortez, but those dollar 8-5 Double Double Bonus payouts are brutal. Loosen up the bartop games, and I’m there!
Kenny has downgraded every game since he took over; El Cortez should have been the last place to ruin its games, but hey, they have a lot of influencers. We’ve all stopped going. We love Siegel’s and are sad to see it go. I think a steakhouse would be a bad move there. A place that’s open longer hours and attracts regular gamblers would do better than some fancy steakhouse. Appeal to the masses for a place like this. Maybe a diner concept? We’ll be there on the 4th to say goodbye.
El Co has always been a bit quirky and unorthodox, and it’s still appealing. They don’t do anything spectacular; they just know how to do it. Love the show, I’ll hang up and listen.
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