Cover Story - MVP Spotlight

CHARLES B. MONTAGUE SR.

CEO At Paradise Casino & Quechan Casino Resort

Two casinos, one man. Our staff has known Mr. Charles Montague Sr. for over a decade, and he always has a lot on his plate, leading two casinos in the greater Yuma area. What many guests may not realize is that Mr. Montague has to manage two different Tribal-State Gaming Compacts! That’s because Paradise Casino is located in Arizona and Quechan Casino Resort is located in California.

We recently had an opportunity to interview Mr. Montague and want to share with you some of the background, work, and goals this extremely talented casino CEO spoke about.

What are some of the milestones in your career path that led you to the position you hold now?

I’m a Tribal member and I grew up here on the Ft. Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe’s reservation. I think having the opportunity to go into the military really helped me. I was able to travel all over the world and see different places (Texas, Illinois, North Carolina, the entire East coast, Japan, South Korea, Alaska, Guam) which I really enjoyed.

After the U. S. Air Force, I was given the opportunity to join the U.S. Coast Guard. At the time I was a surfer, I liked the ocean, and was stationed on the Coast Guard Cutter Mallow. That allowed me to travel all over the Pacific Ocean including the Hawaiian Islands and so many other islands and atolls which were used by the military during WWII. I ended up doing three tours across the entire Pacific. All this experience has really helped me relate to and communicate with a wide variety of people. [Editor’s Note: Thank you for your service!]

What’s the secret to keeping everything running so smoothly?

My position as CEO requires dedication, this is not a 9 to 5 job! You are constantly working 24-7. My mind is continually here, on the job, even when I’m at home with my family. Over the years, as technology has developed, I am more and more connected to work. I’m able to keep researching and tracking all our projects we are working on based on the goals we’ve established regardless of where I am or what day it is. I’ll review documents our attorneys have prepared at all hours, for example. You must enjoy the work. You must want to do the work.

I recently had a meeting with Tribal members where I had to discuss how this enterprise was performing. That presentation contained a lot of information and numbers, yet it was so easy for me because I live this job. This is a large part of my life that I’m dedicating to the Tribe.

What sets Paradise Casino and Quechan Casino Resort apart? Paradise Casino was the foundation. This casino was the beginning of our business with gaming, on the Arizona side. Originally, this was supposed to be a temporary facility, but it evolved into a permanent one.

I was very fortunate because I was on the construction committee for Quechan Casino Resort. It took us five and a half years to build because we had to negotiate the gaming compact with the State of California. That meant long hours of travel to Sacramento, visits with each state senator, assembly person, 15 minutes per meeting every 15 minutes, and so on. At that time, we were being opposed by some of the more urban casinos in California, not necessarily larger Tribes because we have one of the largest Tribes in California. But the more urban Tribes were being aggressive with their gaming compacts, asking for a lot of slot machines, and pushing for other accommodations. We were asking for a smaller number of slot machines, 1,400, in order to get the California facility built.

We looked at all the Las Vegas casinos, we interviewed the top casino architects, we incorporated several casino concepts together and made that idea Quechan Casino Resort. We wanted a getaway, a destination, a resort, here in Yuma. What’s interesting about that experience is it all got flipped over! Due to scheduling issues, construction began while there was a power line running through what was to be the casino floor. But that wasn’t going to work, so the building was flipped so we could start on the current Event Center area, move the power line, and then start on the casino floor. So, the next time you visit, you can see the power line which has been moved to accommodate the building.

I’m proud of what we accomplished because Quechan Casino Resort sets the standard for the entire area. Previously, we had entertainment outside in the parking lot at Paradise Casino. But the building of the Event Center really changed the game for us, allowing us to bring in quality entertainment into the area.

The Paradise Casino property has undergone renovations to the entire casino floor and the former bingo hall to accommodate the sports book and the new table games (craps and roulette). And, an incredible

transformation to the outside of the building is currently in the works. The renovations are amazing and they will still allow us to expand our gaming area, add restrooms, add a coffee shop, and a gift shop. Our guests will enjoy a brand new Paradise Casino!

What are your professional goals?

We began the Paradise Casino renovations in 2018 and it allowed me to combine a lot of projects I had in mind. Now, the final phase of renovations will complete that entire process. So, the short term goal is to get that done by April of 2023.

A long term goal of mine right now is to open a “Gascino” on the highway (I-8) across from Quechan Casino Resort. This will be a very large facility 60 slot machines, amenities for truckers, a full-on convenience store, inexpensive gas, diesel, parking, and three different islands; one for cars, one for RVs, and one for trucks! Once built, our facility will have the easiest access to fuel in the Yuma area. That’s the two to three year goal.

Then, at the end of 2025, I’m looking at beginning a two to three year renovation project at Quechan Casino Resort!

What advice do you have for anyone looking to get their start in the gaming industry?

When I started, gaming was in its infancy, aside from Las Vegas, Morocco, Atlantic City, etc. A lot of direction from the executive level was just based on experience, not on education. I remember attending a conference right at the beginning of my career where Gary Loveman (who used to manage Caesars Entertainment) was giving a talk about how he was intending on changing the game as the new CEO with educated management and data analytics.

That opened my eyes to the fact that making it to the top of the casino business would involve getting an education. That’s what motivated me to get my business degree. And that’s what I’d recommend to anyone who is getting their start in the gaming industry. Get your foundation with education first, especially for management positions.

What is your favorite casino game and why?

I love to play craps! I’ve always played the game when I’ve gone to Las Vegas for training and seminars. It’s an exciting game where, with a little bit of luck, you can win a lot of money really fast! $

Mr. Montague began his Indian gaming career in 1997 as a Casino Shift Manager with Paradise Casino and was one of Paradise Casinos Upward Mobility Management Training Program. Mr. Montague was promoted to the position of Assistant General Manager in 2003 and a year later in 2004 was appointed as the Interim General Manager for Paradise Casinos. In 2005 he became the first Quechan Tribal member to be selected as the General Manager of Casino Operations. Mr. Montague also assisted in compact amendment negotiations with legal representatives from California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s office in 2003. Additionally, he completed negotiations and lobbied during numerous California Legislature and California State Senate sessions from 2004 to 2006. (The Compact amendment agreement between the state of California and Quechan Tribe was executed on June 26th, 2006. Mr. Montague also participated in the negotiations of the 2017 compact between the Quechan Tribe and the State of California.) Mr. Montague contributed to the successful construction of the Quechan Casino Resort as a member of the construction committee from 2003 to 2009. Mr. Montague has served in the capacity of the Interim Chief Executive Officer in 2009 and 2014, Interim Executive Director of Marketing in 2010 and Interim Executive Director of Hotel Operations in 2011 at the Quechan Casino Resort. In addition to his twenty-fiveyear gaming career, Mr. Montague is also a nine-year veteran of the Armed Forces, having served a five-year term with the USAF and a four-year enlistment with the USCG.