Just weeks after its grand opening, two more executives have reportedly departed from Fontainebleau Las Vegas, adding to a growing list of exits that started to pile up before the casino even opened, and leading some to wonder about the future prospects for the long-delayed resort.
The latest casualties were former Chief Operating Officer Colleen Birch and Chief Marketing Officer Shane Smith, who both resigned at the same time, according to multiple reports.
Back in December, the resort also parted ways with Michael Clifford, who had been working as senior vice president of casino operations.
In the leadup to the opening, Fontainebleau also reportedly parted ways with its original president, Cliff Atkinson, as well as Clifford’s predecessor, Dan Cherry.
Stephen Singer and Marc Guarino, the property’s initial chief financial officer and chief technology officer, respectively, also left before opening. The same goes for Dianna Balabon, who briefly served as acting chief marketing officer.
The long list of departures, which are all more or less shrouded in mystery and controversy, have led some to wonder about the short and long-term prospects for the property, which faces a steep hill to climb as far building a brand and acquiring a player database in what is the most competitive market in the U.S.
The parent company for the resort, Fontainebleau Development, has said little about the departures and has instead opted to only announce new hirings, which has in some ways added to the uncertainty. Koch Real Estate Investments, which helped inject the capital needed to get the project to completion, is also believed to have played a role in the overall dysfunction.
According to a recent report from Scott Roeben in the Vital Vegas blog, internal sources have indicated that much of the turnover can be attributed to Fontainebleau Development CEO Jeffery Soffer and Chief Brand and Design Officer Peter Arnell.
The duo is said to have strong opinions and personalities, and Arnell reportedly soured several relationships with vendors and partners during the construction and design process for the resort, per Vital Vegas.
While the situation remains extremely fluid, the general consensus is that Fontainebleau has all the tools needed to succeed, it just needs to get the right operational plan in place.
