reviewjournal.com -- Sports: Kornegay to run Hilton's race and sports book

After 15 years at the Imperial Palace, Jay Kornegay has resigned as sports book director and is packing up his bag of proposition bets to head for the Las Vegas Hilton.

Kornegay, who said he was offered a significant pay raise, will take over as the Hilton's executive director of race and sports in early May.

He became a sports book supervisor at the Imperial Palace in 1989 and was promoted to director in 1995.

"It was a difficult decision because I've been at the IP for a long time, I have a great staff there, and we do a lot of innovative things," Kornegay said. "I look forward to doing the same for the Hilton."

The status of the Hilton's current sports book director, Cyril Burger, has not been determined.

Burger is on vacation this week and could not be reached for comment.

The Hilton is making a transition in ownership from Caesars Entertainment to Colony Capital Inc., expected to be complete in June. Kornegay said he was recently contacted by the new owners.

Under the direction of Kornegay, the Imperial Palace developed a reputation for posting more futures and proposition wagers than any book in Las Vegas. He said he plans to implement that aggressive bookmaking approach at the Hilton.

Kornegay said he will continue the tradition of the Hilton's NFL SuperContest, a prestigious event that annually attracts many of the biggest bettors and top handicappers.

He said he also plans to start a horse racing handicapping contest similar to what he staged at the Imperial Palace.

Kornegay, a 1987 graduate of Colorado State, began his career with a brief stay at Harrah's Lake Tahoe, then moved to Bally's Las Vegas before joining the Imperial Palace staff.

"It was a sad day to say goodbye to a lot of friends," he said.

The Imperial Palace has not yet named his replacement.