American casino operator Boyd Gaming Corporation has donated more than $200,000 in cash to a range of almost 190 non-profit organizations across the United States via the latest edition of its Wreaths of Hope and Trees of Hope competition.

The Las Vegas-headquartered firm revealed that 186 charitable organizations in eleven American states benefitted from the most recent incarnation of its annual holiday competition, in which altruistic participants are invited to decorate Christmas wreaths or trees in hopes of bagging some much-needed financial support.

Plentiful Pot

Exclusively responsible for 28 gaming entertainment properties in ten American states, Boyd Gaming Corporation explained the prize pool for last month’s Wreaths of Hope and Trees of Hope scheme was the largest in the 16-year history of the program with winners having been selected by means of well over 100,000 online and in-person customer votes.

Boyd Gaming Corporation’s property portfolio includes the Cannery Casino Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada as well as Pennsylvania’s Valley Forge Casino Resort with the operator having donated approximately $180,000 to some 160 non-profit organizations via the previous edition of its Wreaths Hope and Trees of Hope competition.

Admirable Ambition

New York-listed Boyd Gaming Corporation ran the inaugural Wreaths Hope and Trees of Hope scheme from Louisiana’s Delta Downs Racetrack Casino Hotel in 2007 and has since handed out almost $1.5 million to a wide range of non-profit bodies. This year’s beneficiaries included the Gulf Coast Center for Non-Violence in Mississippi, the Two-by-Two Character Development social-emotional learning program of Iowa and Make-A-Wish of Southern Nevada.

Established in 1975, Boyd Gaming Corporation is moreover responsible for the Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City in Missouri alongside operating northern California’s Sky River Casino on behalf of the federally-recognized Wilton Rancheria. The firm furthermore holds a 5% stake in prominent sports betting provider FanDuel Group while simultaneously running the Boyd Interactive online casino gaming business and declared its leadership team is ‘one of the most experienced in the casino industry’.

Management Modifications

As such, the casino trendsetter closed out 2023 by promoting its Nevada Operations Executive Vice-President, Steve Thompson, to the post of Chief Administrative Officer where the experienced figure is to work towards improving guest services and driving long-term profitable growth. His previous role has since been filled by Steve Schutte, who previously served as the company’s Las Vegas Local Operations Senior Vice-President, with newly added purview over corporate slot, hotel, food and beverage strategies.

Boyd Gaming Corporation moreover recently promoted its Midwest and South Operations Executive Vice-President, Ted Bogich, to the post of Chief Operating Officer while naming its Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio Operations Senior Vice-President, Ward Shaw, as his successor. The casino company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Keith Smith, stated these changes will ‘strengthen our management structure’ while helping his firm to better take advantage of ‘today’s dynamic and fast-changing environment’.

“Each of these four accomplished executives has played a critical role in our company’s success and through their expanded roles we will further leverage their talent and expertise as we continue to drive long-term growth and efficiencies throughout our operations,” Smith said.