Baltimore’s Cordish Companies announced two executive appointments last week. Gaming industry veteran Joseph Billhimer has been named executive vice president of Cordish Gaming Group, responsible for leading the company’s expansion into Pennsylvania with the development of two new Live! Casino properties in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Bill Mikus has been named vice president of human resources.
Billhimer brings more than 25 years in the gaming and hospitality industries to his new position, most recently serving as chief operating officer of Eldorado Resorts, Inc. in Reno, Nevada. He also served as president of MTR Gaming, based in Wexford, Pennsylvania, prior to its merger with Eldorado Resorts.
Billhimer served as chief executive officer of Premier Entertainment, where he was named Executive of the Year for his efforts in developing, and redeveloping, the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Biloxi after its destruction by Hurricane Katrina. Additionally, Billhimer has held leadership positions at Foundation Gaming Group, Caesars Entertainment’s Grand Casino Resort in Gulfport, and Casino Magic Bay in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.
“We make it a priority to hire experts of the highest caliber in the industry and we have certainly found that in Joe,” said Rob Norton, president of Cordish Gaming Group.
In a separate release, Cordish announced the appointment of Mikus to head human resources. He will lead recruitment efforts to fill thousands of new jobs generated by Live!’s expansion into Pennsylvania, and will support all efforts related to workforce planning, organizational culture, team member engagement, and training & development for the new Live! Casino in Pittsburgh.
A human resources executive with two decades of experience, Mikus recently ended a nearly decade-long run with Valley Forge Casino Resort just outside of Philadelphia. In 2011, he helped open Valley Forge, the first full-service resort casino in Pennsylvania, with hotel, convention, food and beverage, retail, spa, and gaming amenities.
In 2006, Mikus began his career in gaming when he joined Caesars Entertainment. As the vice president of multiple properties in the Atlantic City marketplace, he executed award-winning comprehensive strategies to increase employee satisfaction and engagement.
The new Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia will be a gaming, dining and entertainment facility located in the heart of the Stadium Entertainment District in South Philadelphia. When it opens in early 2021, the 1.5 million-square-foot facility will transform the area into an integrated sports, entertainment and casino resort destination, which already attracts more than 8.5 million visitors a year.
Located in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, the 100,000-square-foot Live! Casino Pittsburgh will feature 750 slots and electronic table games and an initial 30 table games, a sportsbook, and restaurants and live entertainment venues.
