Argosy Riverside Casino Replaces General Manager

Argosy Riverside Casino's General Manager was fired and was replaced by a Kansas City market veteran.

Argosy Riverside Casino is owned by Penn National Gaming, Inc. Penn National Gaming owns and operates a number of casino and horse racing facilities specializing on slot machine entertainment. The Company currently operates sixteen facilities in thirteen jurisdictions including Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ontario. Penn acquired Illinois-based Argosy Gaming Co. in October 2005.

Penn National Gaming officials announced the news Wednesday, June 21. Displaced General Manager Gary Johnson had headed the casino staff since July 2002. He was replaced by Thomas P. Burke, General Manager of Penn's Bullwhackers Casino in Black Hawk, Colo and also a former general manager at the Ameristar Kansas City Casino and Hotel.

Penn National Gaming did not disclose any details surrounding the replacement of Johnson. Johnson is likewise apparently kept in the dark regarding the reasons for his removal from the casino. "I got less than a satisfactory answer except that it was performance-related," Johnson said. "This property has never performed better. We were holding our market share and we were $3 million ahead of budget"

Johnson is not pretending to be okay with the recent decision. "It's hard for me to swallow. It's hard for me to understand."

"I'm disappointed to say the least," Johnson said. "I wish them well."

During most of his tenure at Argosy Riverside Casino, Johnson was at the helm of $171 million worth of reconstruction replacing a modest riverboat operation with an expanded casino, dining and conference complex that opened in the late part of 2003. A 258-room hotel is expected to open next year.

"A natural fit for the Kansas City market, having worked there for a number of years. He's a perfect fit at an exciting time for the property." Penn National spokesman Eric Schippers says of Burke.

Thomas P. Burke is Argosy Riverside Casino's fourth general manager since the 1994 opening of Argosy Riverside Casino in the area. He could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Burke has been working in the gaming industry since 1979, including a stint with the Trump casinos in Atlantic City, N.J. He was with Ameristar for several years, working for the most part as a property vice president before leaving abruptly in mid"2002. Burke joined Penn later that year after what he described at the time as a mutual parting of the ways with Ameristar.