Casinos reserve special treatment for VIPs like Roethlisberger
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LAKE TAHOE, Nev. -- Like many resort hotels and casinos, Harrah's Lake Tahoe has an area set aside to accommodate VIPs, the high-rolling guests who are extended special suites and privileges. It's usually called "the penthouse."
At the Harrah's Lake Tahoe, that special area is the 17th floor, the floor Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was staying on when he was in town last year for a celebrity golf tournament.
It is where a 31-year-old Harrah's employee claims in a lawsuit that he sexually assaulted her. Mr. Roethlisberger denied the accusation yesterday in a news conference in Pittsburgh.
The 17th floor of Harrah's is not the top floor of the hotel. There is an 18th floor, which houses an upscale restaurant and bar as well as the popular Forest Buffet, overlooking scenic Lake Tahoe.
Guests of the casino and hotel are free to use the elevators to get to the 18th floor. But they shouldn't bother to push the button for the 17th floor. The elevators stop there only for people with special access.
For many VIPs, Harrah's Lake Tahoe stations an employee on the 17th floor to serve as a concierge, taking care of the guests' needs. It was in this capacity that the plaintiff was working when Mr. Roethlisberger summoned her to his room, she said in her civil complaint against him.
In her lawsuit, the woman claims that eight supervisors and co-workers at the hotel ignored or belittled her sexual assault claim. Harrah's and its management corporation are not named in her suit.
No one affiliated with the hotel will comment on the suit. Employees and managers at neighboring hotels are similarly reluctant to discuss such an incendiary legal matter.
Michael Traum has been public relations manager for the Nugget Casino Resort in Reno, Nev., for four years. Before that, he worked for six years in the marketing department at Harrah's Lake Tahoe. He knows some of the defendants in the lawsuit and will not comment on the incident, but he said all resort hotels do everything they can to accommodate their guests.
"We want to give them everything they want, want them to be happy, and want them to come back," he said. "Is there a line regarding how far you go to accommodate a guest? I think that's probably more of a common-sense thing. As a guest at a hotel-casino, just like if you're a guest at a shopping center or car dealer, you expect to go in there and be treated respectfully."
The Nugget Casino Resort has suites that can be set aside for VIPs. The hotel does not provide a special concierge, but the staff is trained to address the guest's needs and requests.
"I think there's a certain mystique that comes with the casino business, and you sort of picture these, well, a lot of people call them high-rollers," Mr. Traum said. "But they're no different, personality-wise, than me or you. Some are eccentric, some are beer-and-burger, average Joe kind of guys. The one thing that makes them different is that they have lots of disposable income. And the job of a casino host is to make sure that that person has a good time and is entertained while they're here.
"Typically, gambling is just one aspect of the experience for these folks. They go golfing, they see shows and a wide variety of outdoor activities, like fishing tournaments that we'll do. Food, beverages, anything you can think of. And we try to make that available for everybody."
Many times, the point person for special guests is a young, attractive woman. But Mr. Traum said such a "stereotype" is not the rule.
"Honestly, I think that's more of a perception than a reality," he said. "If you look into casino marketing operations, which is what that is, there are a wide variety of ages and sexes and experience levels when it comes to who we choose to offer as a host for our guests."
There is a knack to making people happy. Guests can be difficult, even VIPs. The hotel staff members are encouraged to smile and be patient. They also are instructed in how to deal with problems.
"All employees and new hires go through an orientation program that, much like any other big corporation or company does," Mr. Traum said. "It encompasses all kinds of things that are expected of an employee, and it addresses workplace violence and sexual harassment.
"Much like we have a marketing staff and a food-and-beverage staff, we have a full security staff and a surveillance staff, as well. The security staff, of course, is more trained to deal with [trouble] situations that might arise. They are instructed to immediately involve police when it rises to that level.
"Again, it's not unlike other places that you go. If someone gets out of line, it's a reasonable expectation that you'll first have conversations with that person. If it escalates, you involve the authorities, if necessary.
"It happens so infrequently, that when it does happen, unfortunately, it gets a lot of attention. And, of course, [the Roethlisberger case] is a high-profile situation, so it's a little bit different. This kind of stuff you don't expect to happen. From my experience, this is pretty rare."
First Published July 24, 2009 12:00 am
