Suit and tie, Magliarditi’s own
Joe Magliarditi
Joseph Magliarditi joined the Palms Casino Resort team at a pivotal time, taking the leadership role of president on the eve of the property’s 10th anniversary and the cusp of momentous change, the beginning of which made headlines all over Vegas.
Now it’s time for him to show some muscle.
“It’s definitely an interesting time at the Palms,” he says of the property’s recent debt-busting deal, which reduced the storied Maloof family’s share to two percent. “Essentially, my role will be leading a time where we can focus on growing the business and the guest experience, and then ultimately be a part of the resurgence of the Palms brand.”
Magliarditi has been through tough times before: He served as president of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino during a time when it seemed to go from one scandal to the next. Now, he is using that experience at his newest gig.
“That process is not only stressful for owners and managers, but having been through this a few times now, I know that it’s also stressful on the team members,” he says. “So what I started off by doing, and I did this at Hard Rock as well, was personally meeting with all the team members in very small groups of 30 or less, just to start off by saying that the restructuring process is over, and now we get to focus on the business. As you can imagine, it is a great relief from the employees’ standpoint.”
After years of working as a financial analyst in New York, the Harvardeducated executive moved to Las Vegas in the early 1990s for a position at the Rio Hotel & Casino. He was appointed president of Palms in late June, when his first order of business—after reassuring the staff—was to redesign the table games layout on the casino floor. He’ll be following that up with an aggressive remodel of Palms Tower, a tricky business since the beloved tower was made so famous by TV shows like The Real World.
All eyes are on Magliarditi as he tries to make the magic happen again at the one-time celebrity magnet of a resort. Resurrecting its buzz in the cutthroat current nightlife and dining scene on the Strip won’t be easy. “By next year,” he says, “you’ll see some very exciting, destination-type food and beverage outlets.”
Signature short trench ($750), plaid fitted shirt ($350), plaid matching tie ($150) and signature belt ($295), Burberry. The Forum Shops at Caesars, 702-731-0650. Jeans, Citizens of Humanity ($185, Long’s own)
Gareth Long
British expat Gareth Long has set a new standard for bucking economic trends. In the last three years—three of the most difficult in Las Vegas’ recent history—he’s grown his business holdings from one enterprise to 11 thriving businesses and has created more than 320 jobs for Southern Nevadans.
Long credits his team with helping to grow the interests of parent company Amibug Holdings, a team comprised of the kind of ambitious, hard-working individuals that he sees as one of Vegas’ greatest assets. “Because Vegas is such a cool place, people want to come here and make something of themselves,” he says. “I find that a lot of the people you find in this town will give you 100 percent, because they want to stay here.”
The list of entities that make up Long’s business portfolio is incredibly varied; his primary company, altCharge, processes electronic payments, and he also owns Nu Sanctuary Lounge and Laziza Hookah Lounge & Restaurant. Long’s passion for aviation led him to become involved with Sky Combat Ace, which allows participants to take part in a dogfight high above the Las Vegas Valley, and Vegas 500 Air Tours, which whisks guests away to the Grand Canyon. Each of his acquisitions has been the result of an organically growing company. “It all kind of happens by accident, but the businesses complement each other,” he says.
It’s no accident that his businesses are flourishing, though. Long wisely views the recession as having made consumers more discriminating in their decisions to part with their hard-earned dollars. Offering them something new and interesting is key. “I think the businesses have flourished because they’re different, and no one else is doing them,” he says. “In a recession, you’ve got to make a product that stands out from everyone else, that makes the consumer go, ‘You know what, I want to do this.’”
