Poker Hall Of Famer Named CEO Of Newest Las Vegas Strip CasinoBobby Baldwin Will Be At The Helm Of Drew Las Vegas |
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One of poker’s most iconic players will be in charge of the newest Las Vegas Strip casino.
In a statement released Friday, it was announced that Bobby Baldwin will be the first Chief Executive Officer of Drew Las Vegas. The four-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner will also serve as Vice Chairman of Witkoff, the real estate development company building Drew.
Baldwin, who won the 1978 WSOP main event for $210,000, was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2003. The high-stakes area of the Bellagio poker room, known as “Bobby’s Room,” is named after Baldwin. The 69-year-old Oklahoma native is expected to start his new position immediately.
“As we were making final preparations for construction, we had a unique opportunity to work with a transformational leader who has unrivaled experience,” said Steven Witkoff, Chairman and CEO of Witkoff in the release. “Bobby sees how far the project has come and is supportive of our vision and strategy. He has been at the helm of many preeminent resorts in Las Vegas including Mirage, Bellagio, and CityCenter.”
Following his successful poker career, Baldwin moved to the operations side of the gambling world. He was the president of the Golden Nugget casino in the early 1980s before moving to Mirage. Baldwin served as chief financial officer of Mirage Resorts between 1999 and 2000. He was named CEO of MGM Mirage after the property was acquired by MGM Resorts from Steve Wynn.
In 2005, he became the CEO and President of City Center. He was also named Chief Customer Development Officer of MGM Resorts. He stepped down from both roles with MGM just over a year ago.
“I am thrilled to be a part of the Witkoff organization as well as the team at Drew Las Vegas,” said Baldwin in the press release. “Witkoff’s proven track record in global real estate development, financing, and operations makes this the right opportunity, particularly when combined with the introduction of the Drew.”
Baldwin’s most recent tournament cash came at the 2012 WSOP, where he finished seventh in the $1 million Big One For One Drop for $1.408 million.
Drew Las Vegas will be located at the north end of the Las Vegas Strip across from Circus Circus. It was originally supposed to be Fontainebleau Las Vegas, but the project went bankrupt and was never finished. Witkoff purchased the unfinished resort in 2017 for $600 million.
It was originally scheduled to open in 2020, but the grand opening was delayed until the second quarter of 2022. Excluding the observation tower at the Stratosphere, the future site of Drew is the tallest real estate in Las Vegas.
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