Atlantic City – The Casino Association of New Jersey, Inc. (CANJ) Board of Trustees announced today that Tony Rodio, CEO of Tropicana Entertainment Inc., will assume the duties as President of the Casino Association of New Jersey beginning July 1, 2012. Mr. Rodio is succeeding Bob Griffin, CEO of Trump Entertainment Resorts, who served as President of CANJ since June of 2010 and whose term expires this month.
“I am privileged and honored to succeed Bob Griffin, as the President of the CANJ. Throughout his tenure as President of the CANJ, Bob Griffin has exemplified dedication, strength and leadership at a pivotal time for the organization and the gaming industry as a whole.
“We are facing exciting but challenging times here in Atlantic City with the long-term revitalization of Atlantic City underway and significant resources being invested to grow the non-gaming sector of the City that include a $150 million rebranding campaign by the Atlantic City Alliance. Thanks to the tremendous support from Governor Christie, the New Jersey Legislature, and our Regulators, we have seen significant developments in Atlantic City’s tourism and gaming industry over the past two years. This support further strengthens the casino industry as a substantial source of business growth and investment for the city, state and regional economies,” said Tony Rodio.
“I am excited to lead CANJ during this critical turning point in Atlantic City’s revitalization. CANJ will continue to play a vital role in supporting the Atlantic City casino industry to ensure that it remains a vibrant economic engine for the entire state of New Jersey. As a lifelong New Jerseyan, I feel confident the best is yet to come in Atlantic City. I look forward to being at the forefront of the continued transformation of Atlantic City into a world-class destination resort,” Rodio added.
Rodio, age 53, has over 30 years of experience in the gaming and hospitality business. Mr. Rodio joined Tropicana in 2011 and currently serves as President and CEO of Tropicana Entertainment Inc. and President and CEO of Tropicana Casino and Resort in Atlantic City. Immediately prior to taking the helm at Tropicana, he served as General Manager at Hollywood Casino in Indiana for three successful years.
Tracing his career path back as far as 1990, Rodio has managed several Atlantic City casinos in executive posts such as President of the Atlantic City Hilton and Resorts Casino, Regional Chief Financial Officer at Harrah’s and Showboat Atlantic City and Vice President of Finance at both Trump Marina and Resorts Casino.
“Tony Rodio is the right person to lead the CANJ forward. He has the experience and skill to forge a collective voice for the Atlantic City casino industry and lead our continued collaboration and partnership with all stakeholders. I look forward to seeing the organization continue to thrive under his leadership,” said Bob Griffin, outgoing President of CANJ and CEO of Trump Entertainment Resorts.
About Casino Association of New Jersey
The Casino Association of New Jersey (CANJ) provides a collective voice for the Atlantic City casino industry by facilitating the exchange of information and ideas between our industry, small businesses, Atlantic City stakeholders and the general public. Ensuring the casino industry remains a vibrant economic engine means more good-paying jobs and increased tax revenue for state and local budgets. We are proud of the bi-partisan reforms achieved to date that will end outdated, inefficient and costly state regulations, preserve the highest integrity standards, and allow Atlantic City to better compete, grow and reinvest in the region.