Black Woman Gambles on Casino Management

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — Melonie Johnson is making history as the first Black woman to hold the title of president of an Atlantic City casino, and she’s one of only a small handful of women with such a job nationwide. But right now, she’s dealing with a different sort of history-making challenge: Restarting the Borgata, Atlantic City’s top-performing casino, in the midst of a coronavirus pandemic. Johnson most recently ran MGM’s National Harbor casino near Washington, DC. She wants to increase cross-play among customers of MGM’s East Coast casinos and says employees who feel appreciated will treat guests well, who in turn will keep the company profitable.