Q&A with Nick Polcino, General Manager of Bally’s Dover Casino Resort Polcino has a long history in the entertainment industry. Starting as a table games dealer in Atlantic City in 1979, he worked his way up the management structure in Atlantic City. From there he held leadership positions at a number of resorts and casinos throughout the country. Polcino is no stranger to Delaware. He first served as vice president and general manager of Dover Downs Casino in 2019. After 18 months in the position, he returned to Atlantic City for an 18-month stint as vice president and general manager of Bally’s Atlantic City Hotel and Casino only to return to Delaware to rebuild Dover Downs Casino—now Bally’s Dover Casino Resort. Let’s give him a warm welcome back!
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You were in Dover when the pandemic hit in 2020. Can you explain how that affected the casino and the industry in general? I believe that there has been an immense effect on the casino and the industry. It was an unprecedented time in the world, let alone our industry. The pandemic totally changed how we do things. We worked extremely well with our State Lottery to ensure that we were safely doing business. It taught us lessons that were both good and bad, and what we could survive with and without. As the climate of the world changes, we need to react to what will be a viable way to get back to some of the amenities and core competencies that will help us service our customers.
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Where do you see the most opportunity for Bally’s Dover Casino Resort? Our biggest opportunity is to attempt to meet customers’ pre-pandemic expectations. However, there are challenges and efficiencies associated with this goal. A big need for us is labor. You cannot have customer service without both customers and employees to serve them. I am so impressed with the rock stars we have on our team, and what they have done through this pandemic is impressive and commendable. However, that is just to get us above water; We can do better for the customers, shareholders, and the employees. What can people look forward to in the near future at Bally’s Dover? Any exciting developments you can share with us? We have a lot of irons in the fire, so to speak. During the pandemic, we opened the Sugar Factory, which has been a huge success. The confidence Bally’s corporation had in the concept to open a new restaurant during a pandemic was remarkable. Additionally, we entered a partnership with the Touch of Italy Group to bring two amazing steakhouse concepts to the property—Royal Prime Steakhouse and Royal Prime Steakhouse Lounge. We plan to do more with them in the future.
Nearly all businesses in every industry are struggling to find talent. Are you experiencing the same challenge? As a hiring manager, what qualities do you seek in employees? We are absolutely experiencing the same challenge. We desire the same as most successful businesses and industries. We want employees that want to work and strive to get better every day. We look for employees that want to grow with us and look at this opportunity as a career, not just a job. I always say that if you work somewhere for more than five years, it is a career. You spent four decades in the entertainment industry and worked your way up the ladder. What development opportunity or career paths do your industry offer to an individual? There are endless opportunities especially with the growth of Bally’s Corporation over the last two years. You may start out as a blackjack dealer or a bartender in Dover, but with hard work, dedication, and a thirst to grow, you could end up a casino manager in Lake Tahoe or director of food and beverage in Chicago or Las Vegas. How does it feel to be back in Delaware? Do you think you’re here to stay? It feels great to be back in Delaware after spending time in Atlantic City. When I arrived in Dover in April 2019, I formed a bond with this team. I want to continue building more relationships and become a larger part of the community moving forward. My wife and I plan to retire here and make Delaware our permanent home.
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