With just three weeks of preparation time, Encore Boston Harbor President Bob DeSalvio emphasized the value of this extended training period ahead of the resort casino’s June 23 opening. The extended timeline stands in sharp contrast to industry norms.
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According to DeSalvio, the decision to allocate three weeks for worker training—rather than the typical one week—represents a significant investment. “In general we are in a very good position
right now,” he said on Tuesday. “I feel like the construction, the hiring and
the trainings are all coming together extremely well. Right now the number one
item is about working on training and role playing on our own people in
preparation for the arrival of our first guests. It was good to get the team in
early and have the mass orientation on June 3. The access to the building was
critical to making sure we had the necessary time to prepare.”
Industry practice generally calls for bringing staff on board approximately one week before opening, with some operations stretching to two weeks. The three-week, 20-day training regimen at Encore stands as an exception to this standard approach. “We have a full 20 days to completely
fine-tine and have five-star service levels and standards,” he said. “That’s a
big part of what we do. It’s an expanded preparation time, but that’s important
to us…Literally having three weeks is pretty unique, but it’s worth every penny
because we’ll get to thoroughly train our team members to that we can expect to
deliver a flawless opening.”
Currently, the workforce is engaged in role-playing exercises and peer collaboration while receiving guidance from Las Vegas resort trainers who are introducing Boston-area employees to company service standards.
“The next couple days we start very
intensive role playing preparations with our team – we’ll eat at the
restaurants and walk all of the corridors,” he said. “We plan to occupy every
single guest room before guests arrive…We want to make sure we’ve got
everything covered. By occupying the rooms, it gives us a chance to see everything
to make sure it’s working – the air conditioners, the lighting and the TV. It’s
a great way to get it done instead of waiting for guests to come in and have to
bring something like that to our attention.”
The same meticulous approach extends to kitchen operations, where staff prepare practice meals to verify equipment functionality and ensure all necessary materials are ready for the arrival of guests.
Most of the ongoing work focuses on interior finishing and the delivery of food and retail inventory, DeSalvio explained. The construction phase itself is substantially complete, meaning the state’s largest single-phase construction project stayed on schedule.
“Construction is winding down,” he said. “They’re doing minor landscaping and doing some interior finish work. But for
the most part, the construction has been completed.”
Among the building’s notable features, DeSalvio highlighted the western-facing sunset views overlooking the Mystic River Valley. While Boston skyline vistas are impressive, the Mystic River views offer something unprecedented. “One of the unique aspects of the building
is the views from various angles, especially the higher up to you go – are
unlike anything we’ve ever seen because there has never been a building that
big in Everett,” he said. “Looking west from the tower up the Mystic River,
there’s a sense of the real beauty of that area.”
DeSalvio expressed confidence that the team has executed all aspects of the resort exceptionally well, positioning them for success with less than two weeks remaining before opening.