Planet Hollywood top executive heading to Tropicana
With a new owner on the horizon, Planet Hollywood Resort’s top executive is leaving to become president of the Tropicana Las Vegas.
Tom McCartney will oversee the Tropicana’s operations beginning Dec. 14 as the property goes through a $125 million renovation, the Tropicana announced this morning.
McCartney’s replacement has not been named. His departure, however, comes as Harrah’s Entertainment moves to take over the Planet Hollywood Resort.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board confirmed Monday that Harrah’s has filed applications to buy the resort.
McCartney signed a three-year employment agreement in January as Planet Hollywood Resort’s chief executive officer and president, taking over the property’s operations from Michael Mecca.
Mecca had held the position since a joint venture led by restaurateur Robert Earl was formed in March 2003 to buy the Aladdin.
McCartney’s departure was announced to Planet Hollywood employees late last night through an e-mail from Earl.
“I wish him every success in the future,” Earl’s note said. “He has done a fantastic job in the short time he has been with us.”
McCartney directed Planet Hollywood’s tightening of oversight of Prive nightclub, the arrests of two bartenders on charges of selling liquor to minors and allowing minors to gamble and the arrests of four poker room employees in an alleged plot to take phony jackpot payoffs.
McCartney told the Review-Journal in September the arrests and the expulsion of thousands of people from the resort by security and police were part of a collaborative effort with authorities to keep customers safe.
McCartney joins an executive and management team led by former MGM Grand Inc. executive Alex Yemenidjian that took over in July.
“I am thrilled to have Tom join the Tropicana Las Vegas team,” Yemenidjian said in a statement. “He is truly a unique talent, and an executive of his caliber will be instrumental to the operational and physical transformation of our resort.”
The property is owned by an investment group led by Toronto-based investment firm Onex Corp.
Contact reporter Arnold M. Knightly at aknightly@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893.
