Umass Amherst Casino Management
Resort casinos seen as preferred model by UMass professor
AMHERST, Mass. – If Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick’s plan for three new resort casinos in the state is approved, the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s department of hospitality and tourism management and its casino management program are poised to play a key role in training executives and managers for this developing industry.
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A key element of Patrick’s plan is to create three resort casinos, venues that offer not just gaming but also restaurants, shops, entertainment and formal meeting facilities. “Such a diversified set of businesses broadens the political appeal of expanded gambling and gives consumers multiple reasons to visit,” says Chris Roberts, professor of hospitality and tourism management at UMass Amherst and a leader of the department’s casino management program.
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Roberts says what the governor is suggesting is based on what has been developed in Singapore, and what is known in the industry as an “integrated resort.” Under this system, visitors can go to the casinos, or they can skip the gambling and attend a concert, go out to dinner, or shop, or do all of those things. And because UMass Amherst has programs to train managers for all of those types of enterprises, including managing the casinos, Patrick’s plan provides new opportunities for UMass graduates who want to work in the various industries encompassed by the resort casinos.
Beginning in 2003, UMass Amherst began offering a series of three courses focused on the gaming industry. The courses were originally developed with the Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun casinos located in neighboring Connecticut, and the university maintains those connections.
The department has developed five undergraduate study tracks, including casino management, club management, food and beverage management, lodging management and tourisms, convention and event management.
In the casino management courses, students learn about the history and development of gaming, marketing, how to design, run and protect casinos, and a course that examines the social, cultural, legal and psychological aspects of gaming.
There is also the potential to build relationships between UMass Amherst and a state-based casino that could allow for development of internships for students, potential placement into management positions for graduating students, and collaborative work on research projects, he says.
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