Skylar Dice, who was named senior vice president and general manager of The Strat in October 2024, announced on LinkedIn that he will become vice president and general manager of Boyd Gaming’s Aliante hotel‑casino. He said he is “genuinely excited” about the casino’s future and wrote, “After more than 11 years with Golden Entertainment, I’m closing an important chapter of my career and beginning a new one,” adding, “I’m incredibly grateful for my time at The Strat and for the opportunity to lead such an iconic Las Vegas property.” A Strat spokesperson said the property’s senior leadership team will handle duties until a new general manager is named.
Boyd Gaming bought Aliante from Station Casinos in 2016 for $380 million. Dice praised the company, stating, “Boyd has a long history in Las Vegas and a reputation for strong operations, great people, and developing leaders,” and expressed his intent to “learn the property and the organization, and building on the success already happening at Aliante.”
Rio hotel‑casino announced it will host gaming creators Mike and Ryan of the Desert Degens, who will film on the casino floor each Tuesday and Sunday. The partnership will bring the Degen Nation to Rio for group pulls, live slot play and special events throughout the year, including a second‑anniversary celebration on Jan. 9 featuring a free slot tournament with a $2,000 FrioPlay prize pool, live slot play, an optional group pull, complimentary food and drinks, and a 10‑prize raffle.
At the Global Gaming Expo, Macquarie senior gaming analyst Chad Beynon said the firm remains “cautiously optimistic” on the roughly $175 billion U.S. regulated gaming industry, citing strong slot product cycles and resilient consumer demand. Macquarie expects U.S. slot revenue to reach $104 billion in 2026, up 4 percent year over year. Las Vegas operators described recent softness as seasonal, and prediction markets were highlighted as a key concern, viewed as an expansion of the wagering ecosystem with regulatory outcomes remaining uncertain.
The Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers honored two Las Vegas executives with its annual memorial awards. David Lucchese, a veteran who helped engineer the 2025 Apollo Global Management acquisition of IGT and Everi Holdings, and former AGEM executive director Marcus Prater received the awards at a special event held alongside G2E.
Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
English (US)·