Managing General Partner & CEO Hashem Minaiy Ushers The Bicycle Hotel & Casino Into New Era

Today, Hashem Minaiy is the Managing General Partner and CEO of The Bicycle Hotel & Casino, a premier gaming destination in Bell Gardens, California. But his rise to the top was far from easy. In fact, the self-made Minaiy scraped by for years, working his way up from the absolute bottom of the industry and thriving at almost every imaginable job along the way.

Minaiy was born and raised in Northern Iran as the oldest of seven children. A natural leader and visionary, he wanted to learn more about other cultures and see the world. After finishing high school, he decided to travel.

“My favorite country when I was a child was Italy, because I was in love with the language and the old gladiator movies,” Minaiy recalled. “I lived in Italy for about a year before I realized that the Italian language isn’t really spoken very much worldwide. English was clearly the best language to learn if I wanted to communicate with the most people, so I moved to England.”

Minaiy traveled all over Europe, with London acting as his home base. He was young and enjoying life, and because his father was successful, he didn’t have to worry about his finances.

On a visit home, Minaiy’s father told him that it was time he continued his education in the United States.

“I really didn’t like school, to be honest, but my father put a lot of importance on getting my education. He was born into a very poor family that couldn’t afford to send him to school, so he grew up without learning how to read or write. He wanted his children to get that opportunity.”

With the United States International University in San Diego, California holding his spot, Minaiy left. That week, his father passed away from a heart attack.

“I was the oldest child, so I felt pressure to go back to Iran and help my family, take over the family business,” he said. “But my family wanted me to honor my father’s wish to get my education.”

Minaiy decided to stay in school, but that didn’t mean he was going to like it.

“He wanted me to be a doctor or an engineer. When I found out it took ten years to become a doctor, I decided to become an engineer. Five years sounded much better to me, and I ended up finishing it in three,” he said with a laugh. “It wasn’t because I was a genius, I just didn’t take any breaks.”

The 1979 Iran revolution and the resulting war made it impossible for Minaiy’s family to send him money for school. Suddenly, he found himself struggling to get by.

“Every cent I had went to getting through school,” Minaiy said. “I sold everything I had to get by. By the time I finished, I didn’t have enough money to eat or pay rent. I went hungry several times. I remember one day coming home and deciding to walk to a nearby fast food place called Our Gang. “

Minaiy approached Jeff Karp, the owner behind the register, and asked him if he had any job openings. He told him that the dishwasher hadn’t shown up.

“I grew up very fortunate, so I had never had to work before. I stood there looking at him and thought to myself, ‘I don’t have any money for rent and I’m hungry.’ It doesn’t matter that at one time, I could have bought out the entire place with my pocket money. I was desperate and I took the job.”

Minaiy immediately went into the back and started washing dishes. He was so hungry, that at one point the steam from the hot water nearly made him faint. He got a hamburger, and had his new boss deduct it from his future paycheck.

Within six months, Minaiy had worked his way up to general manager. After working for a year, he had saved $3,000. The recent college graduate took his savings and his degree to Los Angeles, hoping to find work as a civil engineer.

“I managed to find an apartment, but I was sharing a bedroom with five other people,” he remembered. “I went out looking for a job. This was 1985, so I couldn’t just post a résumé online. I had to go knock on doors every day. Unfortunately, nobody wanted a new college graduate, let alone an Iranian engineer after enduring the coverage of the hostage crisis. It was a very difficult time for me.”

Down on his luck and broke once again, Minaiy ran into an old friend who suggested he become a dealer. Minaiy was willing to try anything, so he went with him to Ace Dealing School in Gardena.

“I told the guy that I didn’t have any money for classes, but that I would pay him back as soon as I did. I guess he felt sorry for me, and I was able to get in.”

Minaiy was already familiar with poker, having played as a child and during his time in Europe, so he proved to be a natural in the box. Less than two weeks into his training, the Commerce Casino came calling for dealers. Although he was routinely singled out by his instructor as one of the best, seniority and a lack of experience meant that his name was left off the audition list.

“I went to the audition anyway, without him knowing,” Minaiy admitted. “I was the only one who passed from the school.”

Minaiy started working at the Commerce as a stand-by dealer, making $15 to $20 a day, which barely covered his motel and eating expenses. But just like at Our Gang, where he worked his way from dishwasher, to cashier, to food prep, to cook, and finally to manager, Minaiy began to climb the ladder at Commerce. But not before he took a big risk.

After six months at Commerce, Minaiy decided on a whim to apply for a job as an engineer, thinking he had no chance. Much to his surprise, he took the test and was accepted. After hearing the starting salary was $20,000, however, he rejected the offer. Although that $20,000 would have certainly made his life much better, especially in the mid-80’s, Minaiy knew that the ceiling for engineers would never satisfy him.

“My father was a self-made man,” he said. “I wanted to do it like he did it, so I went back to the Commerce, determined to make it in the casino business.”

Minaiy worked almost every job in the place, from dealer to dealer coordinator, to floor person, to shift manager, with multiple stops in between. Finally, after 14 years of dedication, Minaiy was made casino manager.

“I have a lot of gratitude and appreciation for the Commerce Casino. Working there was like college for me. I learned so much about what worked in this industry, and what doesn’t.”

In 1999, Minaiy left the Commerce. He didn’t have another plan, but it wasn’t long before other casino properties started calling such as Hollywood Park Casino and Hawaiian Gardens. Then he got a call from Haig Kelegian, general partner of the Bicycle Club.
After meeting with the rest of the partners, Robert Carter and Walter Lack, Minaiy was made a partner and casino manager.

“I wasn’t sure I wanted to take the job,” he admitted. “The casino was dead. But I also liked the challenge. I knew there was work to do. It was a lot of charm, customer service and a good reputation among the players. The Bike always had the benefit of the brand, and name recognition, it was up to my staff and I to bring back the players and create more action. The players appreciate the little things like being on the floor and shaking their hand, listening to their concerns and starting games. That just became the way we did things at the Bike.”

The poker boom also certainly helped. When Minaiy started dealing, the games of choice were five-card draw, stud, lowball and hi-lo. Then hold’em helped usher in new demand, which Minaiy was instrumental in helping to meet.

The Bike was flourishing. It became a proud charter member of the World Poker Tour in 2003 and continued to be at the forefront of the poker revolution with popular tournament series like the Legends of Poker, Big Poker Oktober, the World Series of Poker Circuit and of course the Card Player Poker Tour. Additionally, the poker staff continued to innovate with projects such as Live At The Bike!, the first high-stakes cash game streamed live from a casino floor.

After Kelegian retired in 2011, Minaiy was elevated to Managing Partner and CEO, completing his rise to the summit of the industry.

“Haig was a big believer in sharing his knowledge and helping his team to advance themselves,” Minaiy said. “He always challenged you to be better. He also taught me to give people opportunities. That lesson has left a lasting impression on me and helped mold my managing style into what it is today.”

Although he could have coasted on his early accomplishments, Minaiy wasn’t done yet.
“I’m never satisfied,” he admitted. “There’s always something we could be doing better or something we can improve on.”

The Bike had been transformed into a gaming paradise, but one thing it was still lacking was a hotel. Minaiy knew that no matter how many hands he shook and games he created, the casino was always going to be limited to the local market without a hotel.

“The vision was in my mind from the first day,” he said. “When I left the Commerce Casino we had just started working on the hotel there, so I wasn’t there to see the project finished. I came to the Bike wanting a hotel so that we could go to the next level. Our partners came along and were convinced that this project would make us a destination in Los Angeles. Then we got to work, hiring architects, contractors and filing for the permits. We broke ground in October of 2013. From the day that we put the shovel in the ground, I felt like a different man. I felt like I won the lottery.”

The dream became a reality in December of 2015. The Bike, as it had been known to regulars, was officially rebranded as the Bicycle Hotel & Casino with the addition of a $50 million seven-story luxury hotel.

Of course, Minaiy didn’t do it alone, and he was adamant about the importance of his partners, including Robert Carter.

“Bob never likes to take credit, but he worked tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that everything remained on schedule, from the financing and building permits to the construction and interior design. Bob was involved in every detail of the property and is one of the main reasons the hotel exists today.”

The 117,907 square-foot addition boasts 99 rooms, including 29 suites, as well as a multitude of amenities including the all-new Bike Brewery, full spa and elevated outdoor pool deck with private cabanas.

“The hotel opening was one of my proudest achievements,” he said. “One of the most memorable moments for me, was that California Governor Jerry Brown was present to help us celebrate the hotel’s grand opening and cut the ceremonial ribbon. It was a tremendous honor.”

Minaiy now has his dream gambling facility, complete with all of the bells and whistles. Those who caught a glimpse of the Iranian college student washing dishes in the back of a fast food restaurant would be hard pressed to believe that he’s currently running one of the biggest card rooms in the country, but anybody who saw his fiery entrepreneurial spirit and drive wouldn’t be surprised at all.

Why You Should Stay And Play At The Bicycle Hotel & Casino

The Best Gaming Options

Poker – Hold’em, Stud, Omaha, Mexican Poker, Big O, Mixed Games, Hi-Lo
Table Games – Dai Bacc, EZ Baccarat, No Bust Blackjack, Baccarat Version 10.0, Pai Gow Poker, Chinese
Poker, Crazy 4 Poker, Pai Gow Tiles, Super Pan 9, Three Card Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold’em
Macau Room – Asian-Themed VIP Gaming Area
Jackpots – Over $5 million Given Away In The Last Year
Tournaments – WPT Legends of Poker, WSOP Circuit, Mega Millions, Big Poker Oktober, Winnin’ O’ The Green, Summer Poker Series, Winter Poker Series And The Card Player Poker Tour

World-Class Hotel And Amenities

117,907 Square-Foot, Seven-Story Hotel With 99 Rooms And 29 Luxury Suites
Bike Brewery – 28 Beers On Tap, 28 High Definition Screens, Live Entertainment
Phoenix Cafe – Top-Rated Asian Fusion Cuisine
Full Spa – Fitness Center And Elevated Outdoor Pool Deck With Private Cabanas
8,000 Square-Foot Multi-Purpose Event And Meeting Space
Coffee Bakery House, Plaza Bar and Gift Shop

For more information on the all-new Bicycle Hotel & Casino, call (562) 806-4646 or visit TheBike.com.