NAACP rep calls for diversity in casino management
A leader in Alton’s black community is urging the Illinois Gaming Board to ensure that Penn National Gaming commits to having a diverse workforce at the Argosy Casino if and when its proposed merger with Argosy Gaming Co. wins final approval.
James Gray, president and chairman of the Alton Branch of the NAACP, addressed the Gaming Board during its meeting Thursday at the Casino Queen Hotel in East St. Louis. The board had been expected to take a final vote on the proposed Argosy-Penn merger that day but instead postponed that decision.
Gray read a letter that he wrote to the Gaming Board, noting that the Alton Branch of the NAACP has monitored Argosy and its Alton casino closely over the years. As background for the board, he said Alton’s population is approximately 35 percent black. (The actual U.S. Census for 2000 shows Alton with 30,496 residents, 7,538 of whom are black, which is just under 25 percent.)
"Initially, Argosy was not interested in any meaningful way in the Alton black community," Gray said.
However, he said Alton NAACP leaders had met multiple times with Argosy officials, which resulted in "significant changes."
"Mr. James Butler, in-house corporate counsel for Argosy and an African-American, has been instrumental in resolving the points of contention between (Argosy) and the NAACP," Gray said. "Essentially, (Argosy’s) activism and responsiveness in the black community of Alton began with Mr. Butler."
Gray credited Butler’s leadership with persuading Argosy to become a major supporter of NAACP programs, including the annual Back to School, Stay in School event, the C-Average Scholarship, the annual job fair and yearly fund-raisers.
"Nonetheless, the NAACP continues to be concerned about the lack of senior African-American positions at Argosy (i.e., no black vice presidents, board members or general managers at Argosy or any of its six properties)," Gray said. "Despite Argosy’s community involvement, the lack of diversity at the highest levels reflects an ongoing insensitivity to both the community in which (Argosy) resides, as well as the substantial numbers of African-Americans who patronize (Argosy)."
Gray pointed out that when the Argosy Casino’s license recently was up for renewal, company officials asked him and Alton Mayor Don Sandidge to attend the hearing in Chicago to speak on the casino’s behalf.
"We did so, and (Argosy) received an unprecedented four-year license renewal," Gray said.
"Our goal now is to ensure that if this sale is approved, that Penn National will continue Argosy’s community involvement with the NAACP and also make a firm and unequivocal commitment to diversity at all levels -- from Penn National’s board to the upper levels of (Argosy’s) management," he said. "The NAACP will be pleased to assist (and will also recommend others qualified to assist) in this effort."
Gray acknowledged that Argosy is a major employer in Alton.
"In fact, (Argosy), in my opinion, saved the Alton economy," he said.
He told the Gaming Board that he had helped the Alton School District put together a "diversity team" to improve minority hiring and participation. He said he would like to see Penn National make a similar effort after the merger.
"If we’re going to have this company purchase Argosy, then we need to have a diversity team put together to make sure that we can have people of all levels representing the African-American community," Gray said.
Kevin DeSanctis, chief operating officer of Penn National, said after the Gaming Board meeting that Penn had received Gray’s letter the night before the meeting.
"It was news to us," DeSanctis said. "We were under the impression that the Argosy had excellent community relations. So, I was a little surprised by the letter."
However, DeSanctis said Penn National tries to ensure diversity in the workforce at all its properties.
"We look at diversity as inclusion, fundamentally," he said. "All of our businesses are very, very local. We’re not regional resorts or destination resorts. So, what inclusion means for us is that our workforce should fundamentally mirror the diversity of the community. In terms of where you support the community, that should also sort of mirror the community. Where does the community need help? Where does the community want us to provide a little support? And generally, that’s done at the local level with the general manager of the property and the community.
"We were under the impression that was how it happened in Alton. I guess we’re just going to have to understand whether or not that’s an issue."
DeSanctis said Penn National tries to adjust to the local situations at each of its properties.
"Different jurisdictions have different requirements," he said. "Some folks may focus on one thing, while folks in another state or jurisdiction may focus on another."
As an example, he noted that Penn National works closely with a number of Native American nations at its operations in Canada.
"Diversity to them means aboriginals," DeSanctis said. "So, in Canada, we focus on aboriginal diversity. When I worked for Sun International in the Bahamas, diversity to them meant Bahamanians. So, in each place, you have to work with the community.
"Yes, we do monitor from a corporate perspective, but we really like for the local property to take the lead. Now, if we’re getting a little bit afoul of the community, certainly, we want to sit in and understand and make sure that it’s happening the way we had intended it to happen."
He said Penn has a track record in Illinois, where it has owned the Hollywood Casino in the Chicago suburb of Aurora for the last two years.
"As far as we know, we have a great relationship with the community in Aurora," DeSanctis said. "We think our workforce mirrors the community in Aurora. I believe if you look at any of the statistics comparing Hollywood Aurora to the local community, you’ll find that we exceed most of the numbers."
DeSanctis said the company is open to working with black leaders in Alton.
"We can only do the best we can, talk to people, hopefully keep an open dialogue and perhaps put some of these concerns to rest," he said.
2005-08-12
