Vol. 4, No. 11, November 2007
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Going Out With a Bang
Pinnacle Atlantic City exec orchestrates Sands demolition
Walt Tirrell has experienced the extremes of gaming. He has raised the curtain and struck the set.
The 27-year veteran literally closed his last phase with a bang. The Vineland native recently orchestrated Pinnacle’s mid-October demolition of the Sands. As Pinnacle’s executive director of property operations, he was its point man for the first Atlantic City casino ever imploded.
It was quite a “party.” Tirrell mingled with contractors, corporate executives, lawyers, city officials and fellow employees for the last several months. He observed plans, specs, production schedules and bids. Tirrell discovered specialists in various fields. After several months of painstaking detail, the end came quickly. Demolition took less than 20 seconds, roughly one clock tick per two months of planning.
Tirrell, who opened properties in Atlantic City, Las Vegas and New Orleans, experienced a unique phenomenon. He believes he is the only casino executive to preside over two Atlantic City closings. Along with the Sands he helped close Playboy. Ironically, Tirrell once handled security for a building he helped demolish. He has become the ultimate authority on plans blowing up in one’s face.
“It’s quite an experience, something I would not have gotten anywhere else,” Tirrell observes. “From running a casino, in terms of maintaining it, to being in charge of demolishing it is pretty unusual. Even though buildings were demolished in Atlantic City 25 years ago, the laws have changed. There’s a whole different process about how things run.”
Tirrell experienced a range of emotions. He was sad to see the Sands closed, happy to be retained and thrilled about Pinnacle’s future, slated for a 2011 opening.
Fortunately, he felt the mood swing without job interruption.
“When the casino closed, we were all given our letters by the Sands,” Tirrell says. “I have a Harley and a trailer and was just starting to move around, one of those deals where you will know where you are going after you get there. But then (CEO) Kim Townsend offered me a position with the transition team.
“We started by doing our homework on the top companies. Every major company in the Northeast wanted this job. There was a lot of money involved and the exposure was enormous. Everything was very detailed.
We had a demo contractor, implosion people, environmental interests, fireworks, you name it.”
And a high profile. Press releases advertised the symbolic passing of the torch. The event officially cleared the way for Pinnacle’s building process. Tirrell will remain to conclude Pinnacle’s leveling of surrounding properties. That in turn will lead to the grand opening.
It’s another interesting rung on the career ladder for this state policeman-turned-executive. Tirrell went to the same police academy as Kevin DeSanctis, who became a gaming heavyweight with Penn National Gaming. Like DeSanctis, Tirrell finds this side of the business more exciting.
Tirrell has enjoyed a grand ride. He met Townsend while directing security at Trump Taj Mahal and has been reunited with her. In between, he moved to Las Vegas and New Orleans. Tirrell is grateful for the variety of duties associated with gaming and glad to advance with the times.
