Friday, August 29, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Park Place awarded honor by union

Wally Barr Park Place Entertainment president's leadership cited

Park Place Entertainment Corp. was named Employer of the Year by the Nevada State AFL-CIO during the union's 47th annual constitutional convention this week at the Reno Hilton in Reno.

In announcing the award, Nevada State AFL-CIO Executive Secretary Treasurer Danny Thompson cited the leadership of Park Place President Wally Barr, who intervened to help resolve the casino resort industry's contract negotiations with the Culinary union in May 2002.

"We are honored to recognize Wallace Barr and Park Place as our Employer of the Year. The relationship of trust, dignity and mutual respect between labor and management at Park Place is an example that all employers would be well served to follow," said Thompson, who presented the award along with Gov. Kenny Guinn.

Barr later said he was deeply honored to accept the award "on behalf of a company that always has put a premium on maintaining strong relationships with its hard-working associates and the labor unions that represent them."

The state labor organization has presented the Bill Bennett Employer of the Year Award annually for 18 years.

The honor is named for the Las Vegas casino pioneer known for his honest and cooperative relationships with organized labor and for his generosity to workers in need.

Barr is the first gaming executive individually cited in the award presentation since Bennett originally was honored in 1985.