Nuggets of wisdom

The Golden Nugget tries to balance old and new

By Andrew Kiraly

It sounds more like a sitcom than a reality show: Two fresh-faced dotcommers buy a classic Vegas casino. But hold that laughter; Internet entrepreneurs Tim Poster and Tom Breitling's purchase of the Golden Nugget earlier this year just might be the infusion of youthful energy that downtown needs.

But not too youthful. Now the two find themselves performing a delicate tightrope act. They have to balance catering to the casino's longtime patrons who favor downtown's low-key vibe with a younger demographic who want liveliness, style and class. The strategy: keep bringing in the oldsters with slots, while using entertainment--with acts such as Staind's Aaron Lewis, Barenaked Ladies and the property's own Lon Bronson All-Star Band--to draw in the younger set. That demographic takes some skill to lure, says Maurice Wooden, the casino's chief operating officer. In short, they need to be reminded that they value individualized service in a more intimate setting.

"They need to be introduced to the whole experience," Wooden says. "For the most part, they want to feel appreciated as a customer, as opposed to standing in line, fighting large crowds. People find that what was the norm back in the late '70s and early '80s is not the norm today." That is, casinos that haven't been supersized.

That vibe is helped, Wooden says, by Poster and Breitling's fairly constant presence on the property, putting out fires, sure, but also doing some occasional gladhanding. "People love knowing that someone of ownership is around on the property, and not just from the sheer standpoint of saying that you may catch a passing glance of one of them," Wooden says. "They're also very involved in the day-to-day operations. Their past business was a very customer service-style business and they understand that's how success is built. And the way the property is laid out, it really makes it easy for them to be in all places of the property. In a larger facility, they might get lost."

If you're having trouble visualizing Poster and Breitling, you'll surely have an image once "The Casino" airs. The much-vaunted Mark Burnett reality show set to debut Monday. With multiple storylines that follow Golden Nugget dealers, waitresses, gamblers and higher-ups, the first few episodes also look like they'll feature a lot of Wooden.

"My storyline is I'm the straight guy who keeps everything on track from a seasoned perspective," says Wooden, who's been at the Golden Nugget since 1987. "I'm the guy who's rooted in policy and procedure. [The producers] told me some guys get to wear the white hat and some guys get to wear the black hat, and that you're the one who might wear the black hat as far as having to put the kibosh on things."

The kibosh on what? "Let's just say in one episode we had some difficult customers looking to come in here, customers who don't belong playing here. Let's say they were just a little too skilled."