Grady Aitken, a 40-year veteran of the gaming industry, has taken over Aztar's Tropicana Casino in Evansville, Indiana.

He has worked at a dozen casinos all over the country during his four decades in the business and helped open five new ones. He has been at the Evansville casino since 2008, when he was named director of table games. Now he is the new interim general manager.

Tropicana Entertainment is in the midst of bankruptcy proceedings, which it filed in 2008, but is about ready to emerge from. Aitken replaces Tom Dingman, who was appointed "attorney in fact" by the state gaming commission to run the casino during that period of reorganization, although he continues to official "report" to him.

Dingman praises Aitken's abilities. "When somebody just begins to stand out as a natural-born leader, it's pretty obvious to everybody," he told the Evansville Courier and Press last week.

Now Tropicana is reestablishing its ability to operate the casinos that it owns in states such as Indiana and New Jersey by reapplying for gaming licenses.

Once the company emerges from bankruptcy it will probably begin spending money again, including at Aztar, where Aitken's wants to replace carpets, wall coverings and furniture. It has already started to upgrade its slot machines. How much the company invests will in part depend on whether the state changes its law that requires that all casinos be riverboats.

"We're kind of in a limbo situation in terms of long-term planning," Aitken commented last week.

By Staff