Supplier News
The Bahamas – Former Hard Rock, Venetian and Palms executive to run Baha Mar
By Phil - 27 September 2013
Paul Pusateri, a man with plenty of Las Vegas operating experience, has been named Chief Operating Officer of Baha Mar, effective immediately, where he will be responsible for all day-to-day operations at the $3.5bn destination gaming resort, which is the largest single-phase luxury resort project in the history of the Caribbean.
Baha Mar, a 1,000-acre destination resort along 3,000 feet of pristine beach in Nassau, will also be home to Rosewood at Baha Mar, Mondrian at Baha Mar and Grand Hyatt at Baha Mar and offer 2,200 new luxury rooms, suites and residences. Discerning travelers will enjoy an array of amenities including a destination spa by ESPA; an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course; a 20-acre beachfront sanctuary with multiple pools and a water eco-park; luxury shopping; and more than 30 unique restaurants, nightclubs and lounges. The resort will offer 200,000 square feet of convention and meeting space, which will include a 2,000-seat performing arts center, and an art gallery exhibiting the most extensive collection of Bahamian art in the country.
Mr. Pusateri also will serve as General Manager of the Baha Mar Casino & Hotel, the project’s crown jewel, which will feature 1,000 luxury guestrooms and a 100,000-square-foot casino with 1,500 slot machines and 150 table games. The development is scheduled to open in December 2014.
“Paul’s experience in developing, opening and operating successful casinos and luxury resorts will help us to position Baha Mar as a premier global gaming destination,” said Sarkis Izmirlian, Baha Mar’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “His casino and hospitality management skills will help us to recruit, train and develop the best employees to deliver an outstanding guest experience, which will be essential to our long-term success.”
Previously, Mr. Pusateri served as Chief Operating Officer of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas, which is famous for its nightlife, pool scene and live music entertainment. Prior to that, he served as President of the Palms Casino Resort and Palms Place, a boutique Las Vegas property that features the Playboy Club, Ghostbar, and other high-profile amenities.
As Senior Vice President of The Venetian and The Palazzo resorts on the Las Vegas Strip, Mr. Pusateri oversaw the operations of two of the most successful casinos in the U.S. The Venetian and its sister property the Palazzo feature a total of 7,000 suites, more than 2 million square feet of convention space, and 29 restaurants and bars. The Venetian is the largest resort in the world to earn a Four Star rating from the Exxon/Mobil Travel Guide, and both properties hold the AAA Five Diamond rating.
Mr. Pusateri, who holds a bachelor’s degree in hotel and restaurant management from the University of New Haven and is a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, also served in senior positions with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, including the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto, Four Seasons Clift Hotel in San Francisco, Four Seasons Hotel Chicago, and the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. He joined the casino industry in 1996 as President of Paris Las Vegas, where he oversaw the development and opening of the Las Vegas Strip resort while also serving as President of its sister property, Bally’s Las Vegas.
Mr. Pusateri said: “Baha Mar’s scope and beauty will redefine the gaming resort experience in the Caribbean. I’m confident that our new workforce will provide the ultimate in Bahamian hospitality, which will help to attract discriminating gaming guests from the U.S., Latin America and other global markets. These travellers literally have a world of choices in destination casinos, and we’re committed to offering a level of service that will be a point of pride in The Bahamas.”
