A casino CEO shares the biggest career gamble he ever made
(Foxwoods Resort Casino president and CEO Felix Rappaport Felix Rappaport)
It's not always easy to bet on yourself — even when you're in the casino business.
Foxwoods Resort Casino president and CEO Felix Rappaport recently discussed the biggest gamble he's ever made in his career with Business Insider.
Before taking the helm at Foxwoods two years ago, the industry veteran spent over three decades working in hospitality industry.
In the early 1990s, he was working for businessman Steve Wynn at the Mirage and Treasure Island.
He dealt solely with the hotel aspects of the resorts — never with the casinos.
Then, an interesting opportunity popped up in 1996. Rappaport was given the chance to run a resort casino for Station Casinos.
"So instead of just being responsible for the-hotel related departments like I had in the past, I was now in charge of all departments — from marketing, to gaming, to food and beverage and beyond," he says.
He took a chance and accepted the offer. The risk paid off. Today, Rappaport is running the largest casino resort in North America.
However, taking that first step was hard. He says it was difficult to leave Wynn's organization, where he felt comfortable and enjoyed his time.
Sometimes, however, it's important to venture beyond your professional comfort zone.
"It was a tough decision, but ultimately allowed me to broaden my skillset and my scope," Rappaport says.
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