Casino Connection Atlantic City

Making Magic

Joe Farruggio uses Atlantic City experience to excel in Mississippi

by Dave Bontempo

Joe Farruggio champions the "Leap of Faith" ideal. A series of critical moves, chosen over comfortable alternatives, propelled him to an elite branch of gaming. The Atlantic City native and day-one Resorts employee, who serves as director of operations for Casino Magic in Biloxi, Mississippi, has made nearly 10 significant job changes in the past 20 years. Some involved uprooting. Others meant changing professions. Farruggio literally became a riverboat gambler, leaving Atlantic City to run a Peoria, Illinois riverboat, but his wheeling-dealing style is ironic. "I'm pretty conservative by nature," Farruggio says, "but in the course of your life you will get some windows of opportunity and you will take them or you won't. I've tried to look at things logically and have a backup plan if I needed one. Fortunately, everything has worked out." Farruggio loves the Casino Magic challenge. The buck stops with a man who broke into the business dealing blackjack and now answers for security, surveillance, accounting, food and beverage, entertainment and oh yes, the bottom line. "I feel blessed to be in one of the most people-friendly businesses in existence," Farruggio says. "I live it, breathe it and really enjoy it. Many properties offer the same brand of a product, but how you service it means everything. I love the challenge." Career reflection is the only time Farruggio looks back. He has thrived by looking ahead, weighing the potential of increased leadership against the comfort of a current job. He literally gambled with the house, staking his career on new venues. "Just getting into the casino business was a big jump," Farruggio says. "I was on the Ventnor police force and saw that most guys did something on the side. I was making $13,000 a year after five years and knew it would be a good idea to have a part-time job. "So I went to Resorts dealer school and figured the job would be a nice supplement. But the atmosphere really grabbed me. We had dentists, lawyers, nurses, people from all walks of life, learning how to deal. Our instructors were great too. They taught us to overcome the fear of money. After awhile, it didn't matter how much action we were dealing to." Farruggio, armed with infectious friendliness and a sharp desire to learn, blended easily. He not only survived, but also prospered in Atlantic City's high-pressure infancy. New dealers obtained a baptism amid insanity. Farruggio recalls the madness of four-hour long Boardwalk lines, combined with two more inside. Action was fast, furious and permanent. He dealt blackjack to patrons wagering $5,000, without blinking. For the first month, two players standing behind the seated patron also could bet on the hand. "Twenty-one" was more than another name for blackjack. It was the number of players betting on the hand. "I think we got five years worth of dealing experience in the first year we worked," Farruggio says. "For some, it was really high pressure, but I remember it as fun. Forward-looking people surrounded us. They told great stories. They were characters. The public never bothered me. Ninety nine percent of the people who come into town are really nice. I came to understand that it was all the entertainment business and to keep that in mind at all times." Farruggio's sterling credentials prompted recruitment. The Trop made him a pit boss, player development specialist and ultimately a shift manager. His employees handled the gaming spike after Tuesday night fights and he became versed at bringing patrons to town. Several years later, amid gaming's nationwide wildfire growth, Farruggio pondered another opportunity, aboard a Peoria, Illinois riverboat. Farruggio departed the comfort of his 13-year Atlantic City career to let it ride. "Anybody from Atlantic City or Las Vegas with experience was in real demand at that time," Farruggio says. "That was the easy part for me. The big gamble was that nobody knew if a place in the Midwest could support gambling. Now of course we know they do, but back then it hadn't been established." Farruggio jumped into the fray and emerged more seasoned. Atlantic City, in fact, brought him a formidable foundation. "The big thing Atlantic City taught me was how to compete," Farruggio says. "We had so many properties in town that you understood you could never take your customers for granted. They can easily go somewhere else. Another important lesson involved finance. You understand that you cannot spend $1.10 to make a dollar or you won't succeed." Farruggio has mastered the executive bounce. His journey spanned properties in Bossier City, Louisiana; Vicksburg, Mississippi; and Biloxi. A stint with Hollywood Casinos, Louisiana Downs and a property in Cripple Creek, Colorado, round out his journey. It's been a rewarding route for one of the industry's true good guys.

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