Seneca Gaming Corp. CFO Resigns
NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. -- Seneca Gaming Corporation announced that Patrick M. Fox, the company’s CFO, has resigned effective April 11, 2008. Fox, who joined the company in 2005, cited his desire to be closer to his family as the reason for his decisions. His current contract with Seneca Gaming Corporation was set to expire in June. Fox joined Seneca Gaming Corporation as vice president of finance in 2005 and was named chief financial officer in June 2006. A certified public accountant, Fox previously held the position of CFO with Prairie Meadows Racetrack & Casino in Des Moines, Iowa, as well as Trump Indiana. He has more than 30 years of financial and accounting experience.

Valley View Casino Promotes Marquiss to Director of Finance
VALLEY CENTER, Calif. -- Valley View Casino recently announced the promotion of Leilani Marquiss to director of finance. Marquiss joined Valley View Casino in September 2003 as an accountant and assumed the position of accounting manager in January 2004. In May 2005, Marquiss was promoted to financial controller before becoming the director of finance. Prior to joining Valley View Casino, Marquiss served as an assistant controller for ACE Group, a company that sells and implements various accounting software.

Viejas Donates $250,000 for Granite Hills High School Athletic Field Project
SAN DIEGO -- The Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians announced a donation of $250,000 to support Granite Hills High School’s fundraising campaign for a synthetic turf sports field. Granite Hills High School principal Georgette Torres said the tribe’s donation completes the school’s fundraising goal of $1.2 million for the project. Work on the synthetic turf project will begin in mid-June and is expected to complete in early September.

Perini Promotes Dougherty to Director of Estimating
LAS VEGAS -- Perini Building Company, the largest builder of gaming and hospitality projects in the nation, announces the promotion of Keith Dougherty to director of estimating. As director, Dougherty is responsible for supervising all of Perini’s estimators assigned to the Nevada region. Dougherty has been with Perini since November 2005. His most recent position was estimating manager, where he oversaw estimating efforts at The Cosmopolitan Resort & Casino, a $3-billion project Perini is constructing in Las Vegas. As director of estimating, Dougherty’s first assignment is to oversee preconstruction on Perini’s new Las Vegas corporate office and equipment storage facilities. He will direct all aspects of preconstruction, including estimating, project logistics and phasing, scheduling and coordination details. Prior to starting his career with Perini, Dougherty held similar positions, including chief estimator and director of estimating, at two Iowa companies. He also has experience in construction operations.

Nation Police Department Earns 3rd Reaccreditation
ONEIDA NATION HOMELANDS -- The Oneida Nation Police recently earned reaccreditation for the third time from the Commission on Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). The Nation’s law enforcement agency is the only one operated by a sovereign Indian nation to earn accreditation; only seven law enforcement agencies in New York State (out of about 600), including the Nation Police, are accredited by CALEA. CALEA was created in 1979 to establish professional standards for law enforcement agencies that, among other things, help agencies develop and improve their relations with the communities they serve and strengthen the agency’s accountability. Accreditation must be sought every three years and is strictly on a voluntary basis. Assessors from CALEA check to ensure the policies and procedures of each agency seeking accreditation are compliant with the commission’s 459 standards. The Oneida Nation Police first received CALEA accreditation in 1999 and were reaccredited in 2002 and 2005. Only 434 agencies in the U.S. and Canada have achieved CALEA accreditation.

Agua Caliente Casino, Spa Resort Casino Named Best Casinos in Reader’s Poll
PALM SPRINGS -- Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa in Rancho Mirage and Spa Resort Casino in Palm Springs are the two top spots for gaming, according to readers of Desert Magazine. After placing as a finalist last year, Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa upped the ante and won the coveted title of “Best Casino” this year, with Spa Resort Casino following right behind. The casino isn’t the only place you can find award-winning recreational activities -- the Indian Canyons hiking trails in Palm Springs was also a finalist for “Best Hike” in the valley. All are owned and operated by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. Desert Magazine’s “Best of the Valley” poll has been in existence for 15 years. This year, more than 100,000 votes were cast, showing residents’ favorite spots for dining, shopping, entertainment and recreation.

Cliff Castle Casino Names New Human Resources Manager
CAMP VERDE, Ariz. -- Cliff Castle Casino’s human resources department has a new leader at its helm: Heather Daniels. A team member since the day the casino first opened in 1995, Daniels has been employed in the casino’s human resources department for the last nine years. She has also worked several other departments and has extensive knowledge and background in the casino. Along with that, her personal experience of working every shift, including graveyard, allows her to relate to other team members and their needs on a personal level.

Barona Valley Ranch Resort and Casino’s Environmental Program Honored by CHLA
LAKESIDE, Calif. -- Adding to an already distinguished list of organizations that have paid tribute to its environmental and conservation programs, Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino was honored recently for its stewardship of the environment by the California Hotel & Lodging Association (CHLA). Barona was given the Lodging Property Achievement Award - Good Earthkeeping, for a large property, at the CHLA’s annual Stars of the Industry Awards dinner in Sacramento. The Good Earthkeeping Awards recognize lodging properties that have developed a culture toward integrating environmental management practices that improve everyday operations and the bottom line, while maintaining quality service and meeting guest expectations. Barona’s state-of-the-art water conservation program and on-site water treatment facility allows the resort to save and reuse nearly every drop of water run off at the hotel and Barona Creek Golf Club. Water and moisture are collected from every available source, including early morning dew, sinks, toilets, kitchen facilities, bathtubs and showers, even condensation from air conditioning units. All water collected is funneled to a series of retention ponds via an aqueduct, using a combination of gravity and pumps. The water is blended with treated water from the water reclamation plant and then redistributed for irrigation throughout the property. As a winner of the CHLA Good Earthkeeping Award, Barona’s nomination will automatically be entered in the national Stars of the Industry Awards competition, presented at the American Hotel & Lodging Association Summer Summit in Oklahoma City on June 9-12, 2008.

Banning Named Turning Stone Director of Security
ONEIDA NATION HOMELANDS -- William Banning, formerly director of security at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, has taken the post of director of security at the Oneida Indian Nation’s Turning Stone Resort and Casino. He oversees a staff of about 100 full-time and 100 on-call security officers, and is responsible for the overall physical security of people and assets at the resort. His department also provides support on the gaming floor, investigating injuries, and observing and reporting any violations. Banning brings 17 years of experience in gaming security to his new position, starting as a security guard at the Trump Taj Mahal and gradually taking on more responsibilities throughout his career there. He spent six years in the director’s job at the Trump Taj Mahal before making the move to Turning Stone.

Creek Nation Casino - Tulsa to Support Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Great Strides Walk
Creek Nation Casino - Tulsa is offering guests a chance at free play in their casino by supporting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Great Strides Walk being held May 19 at Mohawk Park. Any guest who donates $10 or more at Guest Services will receive $10 in rewards play on their Creek Nation Casino Players Club card. Persons may donate once per week April 1 through May 14. Creek Nation Casino - Tulsa will present the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation with the final amount donated by all guests once the promotion ends. Members of the Creek Nation Casino management team will show their support for the Cystic Fibrosis by walking in this year’s Great Strides Walk.

Dakotah! Sponsors Sixth Indoor Triathlon Winners
PRIOR LAKE, Minn. -- Dakotah! Sport and Fitness hosted its sixth indoor triathlon on April 12. Since the event was held indoors, the competition was structured differently than a typical triathlon. The events were timed, and total distances were calculated. Participants were judged on their total adjusted time based upon the farthest distance completed in the swim, bike and run, or “pace” time. Each participant completed a 7-minute swim, 30-minute bike and a 20-minute run. The field of 29 participants was divided into heats of four, which rotated through the three events. The unique format allowed members with any level of fitness to compete. Tad Dunsworth, Burnsville, finished with a total of 59.65 minutes, making him the overall winner and the first place finisher for the men. Tad is the director of Dakotah! Sport and Fitness. Greg Hayes, Chanhassen, came in second for the men with a time of 66.34 minutes. Hayes is a firefighter for Mdewakanton Emergency Services where he also serves as the Training Officer. Chris Frykman, Minneapolis, came in third with a time of 66.63 minutes. Adria Johnson, New Prague, came in first for the women with a total time of 63.89 minutes. Adria is a Surveillance Supervisor at the SMSC Gaming Enterprise. Amy Schmidt, Shakopee, came in second with a total time of 64.03. Angela Mostrom, Prior Lake, came in third, with a total time of 66.41. For the team competition, first place was taken by a team of Greg Hayes, Shaun Keilen, New Market, and Hans Van Heteren-Freeze, Prior Lake, with a total time of 117.51 minutes. Keilen is a Mdewakanton Emergency Services firefighter. Van Heteren-Freeze is the Restaurant Manager of The Buffet at Mystic Lake Casino Hotel. No Kids' Triathlon was held due to insufficient registration.

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino First Casino in Florida to Introduce Multi-Area Progressive Jackpot Slots
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. -- Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is the first casino in Florida to offer multi-area progressive jackpot slot machines by Bally and IGT. Mega jackpot games will be arriving soon to the casino floor. These new games provide players the opportunity to play for a jackpot of a million dollars or more as they are linked to other Native American casinos across the country. All of the Seminole properties will eventually offer these slots, but guests can play them now at the Seminole Hard Rock. Millionaire Sevens is a nickel denomination game with a 60-credit maximum bet. The maximum bet must be played in order to win the progressive award. The progressive starts at one-million dollars. Quarter Millions is a two-cent denomination game with a 125-credit maximum bet. The maximum bet must be played in order to win the progressive award. Progressive jackpot begins at $250,000.

Alpine Schools to Benefit from Viejas Concerts in the Park
SAN DIEGO -- Viejas Entertainment and Production, owners and operators of the San Diego area’s premiere concert venues, have partnered with the Alpine Union School District to help support music education in its elementary and middle schools by donating proceeds from each Concerts in the Park ticket sold. In its ninth season, Viejas Concerts in the Park has recently announced its 2008 concert season lineup, with 22 concert dates April through October, and more to come. The intimate venue located at the Viejas Outlet Center can accommodate up to 2,500 ticket holders per show. The Alpine Union School District has one kindergarten facility, three elementary schools and one middle school, accommodating roughly 2,150 students. Currently there is one music teacher for the three elementary schools and one music teacher at the middle school teaching the elective class. $1 from each concert ticket sold will be directed to specific music programs in Alpine elementary and middle schools. The donation is expected to range from $60,000 - $90,000 and will go toward much-needed resources such as instruments, lighting, software and advanced programs at the local schools.

Dakotah Meadows To Host Season Opening RV Round Up
PRIOR LAKE, Minn. -- Dakotah Meadows RV Park and Campground will celebrate the season opener Round Up with a weekend of activities May 16-18. During the season opener weekend, guests will have an opportunity to win prizes. Overnight guests at the RV Park who have pre-registered will receive a complimentary additional night’s stay, a coupon book and a free gift bag (valued at more than $100) with one paid night at the Park. They will also be invited to an event on Saturday afternoon with a cookout and more prizes from noon to three. Dakotah Meadows RV Park has 122 paved, pull-through RV sites with electric, water and sewer hook ups. Dakotah Meadows also has six tipis for overnight accommodations for up to 10 adults each. The tipis are painted with Native designs, including the earth and sky, horse, bear, wolf and eagle. The campground also features showers, laundry facilities, picnic tables, barbeque grills and free shuttle service to Mystic Lake Casino. There is also a fuel center and a Super Self-Serve RV Wash.

Mohegan Sun Names Tarnowski Director of Consumer Promotions
UNCASVILLE, Conn. -- Mohegan Sun recently promoted Linda Tarnowski to director of consumer promotions. In her new role, Tarnowski will be responsible for overseeing the administration and development of Mohegan Sun’s promotions and the day-to-day operations of the Player’s Club. Tarnowski, a day one employee, began her career at Mohegan Sun as an advertising manager in 1996. Shortly after, she was promoted to marketing manager. She has held managerial positions at Mohegan Sun for the past 12 years.

Fantasy Springs Resort Casino Offers Household Hazardous Waste Disposal
INDIO, Calif. -- In an effort to make the planet a better place to live and breathe, the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians are sponsoring their 2nd Annual Household Hazardous Waste Roundup May 10, from 8am to 2pm, on the grounds at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. Household chemicals, cleaners and pesticides help us in our daily lives. If not used or stored correctly, these solvents and mixtures can pose a serious toxic threat and a major source of pollution in every home. The most efficient way to cut down on the effects of air pollution is to make sure these containers are disposed of properly. Individuals and homeowners are invited to bring their household hazardous waste items to the facility for immediate disposal. Examples include bleach, cleaners and deodorizers, aerosol and spray cans, ammonia, polishes, paints, glues, thinners, turpentine, fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, antifreeze, motor oil, gas and diesel fuel, e-waste (computers, mousse, keyboards, monitors, etc.), pool chemicals, and more. No medical, ammunition, explosives or radioactive waste will be accepted.