Are you an Aspiring Environmentalist? Sustainable Environment Scholarship Deadline is July 15, 2010

Posted in Community, Environment, Events, General Barona Info with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 29, 2010 by thebaronacasino

by Jay Bart, Director of Safety, Health and Environment

 

In an effort to encourage students to create a sustainable future, the Barona Band of Mission Indians is now accepting applications for its Barona Sustainable Environment Scholarship.

For the second consecutive year, college students with a passion for the environment and who are pursuing careers in environmental industries can apply for Barona’s scholarship for assistance with college expenses. The funds can be used for tuition, books and living expenses.

Councilwoman Glasco, Scott Goodman and finalist

Last year, the scholarship committee selected Scott Goodman as the recipient. He’s a graduate of UCSD and is pursuing a Master of Landscape Architecture at Cal Poly Pomona. He shared with us that the scholarship selection committee seemed to have been deeply honored to present the award to him as well as the three finalists and they also had an immense pride in the culture of sustainability.  And, the scholarship really helped him with his studies.

This year’s application deadline is July 15 (applications must be postmarked by July 15) and the winners will be announced on August 1, 2010.   The application and more information is available at www.barona.com/about/community-relations.

Send your completed applications to:

Barona Resort & Casino
c/o Barona Sustainable Environment Scholarship Program
Scholarship Selection Committee
1932 Wildcat Canyon Road
Lakeside, CA 92040

The scholarship is part of the Barona Valley Environmental Sustainability Program on the reservation and at Barona Resort & Casino. The program includes a state-of-the-art water reclamation plant, water recovery program, landscaping and wildlife preservation, golf course turf reduction, resort conservation programs – carpooling, recycling and energy efficient practices – and community outreach to increase awareness of eco-friendly events and awards. Additionally, both the Barona Band of Mission Indians’ Tribal Government building and the hotel at Barona Resort & Casino  have achieved the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) certification for the design and operation of high performance green buildings.

We look forward to seeing those applications come in!

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I’m George Clark: The Waving Guy

Posted in Casino Management, Community, General Barona Info with tags , , , , , , , , , , on June 22, 2010 by thebaronacasino

by George Clark, The Waving Guy

I’m sure you are asking yourself, “What is a waving guy?” I asked myself the same question when I was offered my job at Barona. I asked, “A what?”  Well, I thought it was a crazy title but it has turned out to be the greatest job in town!

You’ve probably seen me standing at the entrance of Barona Resort & Casino waving to every guest as they turn onto Founder’s Way before testing their luck at San Diego’s loosest casino. That’s me, George Clark.  Some of you may know me as the Waving Guy.

George Clark: The Waving GuyAfter five years of working at Barona, I feel like family to both visitors and employees. So many people tell me that they feel at home each and every time they visit Barona and that my wave signifies Barona’s commitment to excellent customer service.

Before I started working as the Waving Guy, I had a long career working in various industries including contracting, public relations, security and real estate, but have finally found where I belong. My job at Barona has turned into an amazing career. Through the years Barona has proven to be an outstanding employer. Everyone that works here, including the highest authority, is friendly and approachable and makes me feel at home.

The best part about my job is meeting new people. On average, I greet about 3,000 to 4,000 guests each day. There are many visitors that stop to chat on their way in and have become some of my favorite acquaintances. Not only do I greet guests, I also answer questions about the history of Barona and often help visitors find their way when they are lost. Sometimes people even say that I am good luck and they won big at the casino because I waved to them.

I think my job is one of the most important at Barona because I create a personal experience for each visitor. I like to make eye contact with the guests to welcome them in and make them feel special. Sometimes I will reciprocate a guest’s wave or point to them to let them know that we are excited to have them here.

My position as the Waving Guy has become so significant to Barona because we are the only casino resort in the area that has a greeter at the front gate. No matter which entrance people come through, they are always acknowledged. We have six greeters that alternate around four different posts at Barona including the front and back entrances, the bus stop, garage and VIP entrance.

I believe that the idea of the Waving Guy has contributed to the casino’s reputation for warm hospitality and customer service and has made each guest’s visit unique and memorable. Rain or shine, you can count on us to be there waving to you. We’re even there during Christmas dressed in Santa suits.

I am happy that I have this opportunity to work with the people that I do. I believe that everyone should enjoy their job, and I know that I enjoy mine.

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Barona’s Players Have Spoken: More Chipless Games Please!

Posted in Blackjack, General Barona Info, Poker, Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 9, 2010 by thebaronacasino

by Mike Patterson, Vice President of Table Games

When Barona Casino’s players speak…we listen. And overwhelmingly our players have told us they love our new chipless table games. So just a short time after introducing our first bank of chipless Rapid Baccarat, Barona Blackjack and Barona Roulette tables, I am excited to share that we’ve have responded to the request and have already added more of these games on the casino floor.

What do our players like about these games? First, they are easy to play. Second, they can place lower minimum bets compared to other games. Finally, these games offer multiple feature bets and even more ways to win. Easy. Low bets. More ways to win. And, more fun. What’s not to like?

For those of you unfamiliar with the chipless concept, it’s really pretty simple. You still play with live dealers and playing cards but there are no chips. Instead, players place bets on individual touch screen computer terminals. It’s as easy as making an ATM or credit card transaction but a lot more fun!

To show you how these games are played, we’ve even created a short video.

Barona is always on the cutting edge of innovation and was one of the first casinos in the country to offer these chipless games to our players. It’s another Barona technology “first” and we are incredibly proud of it.

Smartphones and iPads have forever changed the way we communicate and we believe chipless games will have a lasting impact on casinos — much the same way that the coinless slot machines Barona developed and introduced in 2000 revolutionized casino floors across the country.

Barona’s players are a very savvy bunch when it comes to new technology. And as long as they continue to be excited about it and embrace traditional games with electronic wagering, we will continue to create them.

I’d love to know what you think about our chipless games and new technologies of any kind. Please share your feedback. You never know…your idea might be the inspiration for a new game or service here at Barona.

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Manufacturer’s Best Slots Payouts

Posted in General Barona Info, Slots, Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 13, 2010 by thebaronacasino

by Chuck Hickey, VP of Slots

Many companies offer quality assurance or price matching or price guarantees so that when you visit their store you can have some assurance that the price you pay for whatever it is you are shopping for is at least competitive and maybe the best in town.  Just like shopping for a new washing machine  – you know that Brand X machine might be offered a bunch of different prices – so are casino  slot machines.

Every slot player has a favorite slot machine.  Yours might be Rome & Egypt and your friend’s might be Red Rooster, while your brother’s may be Kitty Glitter and his wife’s is Silver Sword.  How in the heck do you figure out where to go to play them?  Each manufacturer sends to the casino a computer program for each style game when it is ordered from the factory.  In that program there are usually a variety of possible pay back percentages that the casino can choose from and that range of percentages can sometimes be quite wide ranging for example from 98% return to 85% return.  It is up to the casino to choose one of those percentages when they install the game.  Of course no machine pays back exactly what it is set at over a short period of time.  If they did; no one would ever play them.  You would have to be crazy to play a 98% machine if every time you put in a buck you got 98¢ back.  There are always going to be swings when the game pays back way more than your bet – and sometimes less.  Over a long period of time the game will end up paying back 98% of the money bet into it (assuming that was where it was set) and there will have been many happy players on the upside and many folks who “fed the kitty” so to speak.

Barona’s price guarantee – or Manufacturer’s Best Payback represents the BEST that this particular game can be.  Manufacturer's Best Casino Slots at BaronaIt will be the highest payback percentage available and you cannot find this game set in a looser configuration anywhere else.  You might find the same setting in some other casino – but you will never really know.  What you can absolutely count on is that Barona has set these games to be the best.  Who says so?  Well – we have worked with the major manufacturers that represent about 90% of all the games on our floor to work with us on this project.  WMS, IGT, Bally and Aristocrat have all agreed to monitor the settings of our games so that they can be assured that we are in fact putting their best feet forward – it’s certified!  They know that their games are being played at the best configuration that they designed.  And while they cannot pledge the settings at our competition – they can promise that no one can find a better setting anywhere.

Simply put – Manufacturer’s Best Payback is Barona Casino’s price guarantee that you can’t find this slot game set looser anywhere else – and not only do we say so…. But so do the people who built the machine in the first place.

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Cinco de Mayo Tortilla Soup Recipe

Posted in Community, Events, General Barona Info, Restaurants, Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , , on May 5, 2010 by thebaronacasino

By Executive Chef Jim Phillips

Barona Casino’s Tortilla Soup has always been a winner with our guests.  The recipe has been on our menu since the beginning and we always get requests for it.  So, we thought Cinco de Mayo would be a great time to share it with everyone.  It’s easy to make and is a great recipe to have on hand.  It can be easily customized for your guests and made ahead of time so you can enjoy the fiesta while serving a great dish!

At Barona we love to celebrate Cinco de Mayo too.  This year, we’re serving a variety of Mexican food specials in our restaurants. You can get a family-style Puerto Nuevo Lobster Special with rice and beans for $19.50 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. at El Rancho Grande and The Plaza.  And, don’t forget we’ll be pouring refreshing margaritas and cervezas plus more than a dozen tequilas beginning at 5 p.m. at the El Rancho Grande.  Tortilla Soup

In honor of the holiday, we’re also offering a special price of $5.55 at the Seasons Fresh Buffet. The buffet will be available from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. for guests 18 and over and Club Barona discounts will apply.

All this on top of the great slots, blackjack, poker and more to cap off your celebration with a Barona moment of your own!

I hope you enjoy the Tortilla Soup recipe and also have a great Cinco de Mayo! And, if there’s a special dish at Barona that you’d like to make at home, please let us know and we’ll do our best to share the recipe on another blog post.

Salud!

Tortilla Soup recipe: 10 servings

Ingredients:

¼ Cup Olive Oil
½ Cup Chopped Onion
1  Jalapeño Pepper
2 Lbs  Chopped fresh Roma Tomatoes
3 Cloves  Chopped Garlic
1 Tsp  Ground Cumin
½ Gallon  Chicken Stock
½ Bunch  Cilantro
1 Tbsp  Chicken Base
Salt  To Taste
Pepper To Taste

Preparation:

In a medium sized soup pot, over medium heat add the olive oil, sauté onions, jalapeño pepper, cumin and garlic until slightly caramelized. Add tomatoes, chicken stock, chicken base and seasoning. Let it simmer for 35 minutes and then add the chopped cilantro and blend the soup until smooth.

Garnish the soup with fried tortilla strips, diced fresh avocado and shredded Monterey Jack cheese.

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Every Day is Earth Day at Barona

Posted in Community, Environment, General Barona Info, Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , on April 22, 2010 by thebaronacasino

by Jay Bart, Director of Safety, Health and Environment

Today, billions of people will commemorate Earth Day – the one day a year designated to inspire awareness and appreciation for the environment across the globe.  There are fairs, walks and observances of all kinds and the impact has been inspirational.  We’ve really taken the sustainable message to heart and are working hard to make every day Earth Day here at Barona Resort & Casino. Barona Resort & Casino

What, you may ask, does a casino resort known for its blackjack tables and slot machines know about the environment?  As it turns out…quite a bit!

Barona Resort & Casino and the Barona Band of Mission Indians have long been committed to the environment.

Several years ago, this commitment was formalized as the Barona Valley Environmental Sustainability Program. The program includes a state-of-the-art water reclamation plant, innovative water recovery program, landscaping and wildlife preservation, golf course turf reduction, an environmental scholarship program, resort conservation efforts – carpooling, recycling and energy efficient practices – and community outreach to increase awareness of eco-friendly events and awards.

Of course, it’s all well and good for us to talk about how great these programs are but other organizations that we respect and admire talk about them too.  And, we’ve even received awards for our environmental programs from the following groups: Audubon International; California Hotel & Lodging Association; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; SANDAG Diamond Award; San Diego Earth Works; Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) / Golf Digest; and Energy Star: 2009 Energy Star for Superior Energy Efficiency by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

And just last week, we announced that Barona Resort & Casino achieved Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) through their Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Existing Buildings (LEED™-EB) rating system. Barona is the first Tribal resort in the nation to earn the internationally recognized certification for the design and operation of high performance green buildings.     Barona Garden

Adding to the accolades, the new government building, the site where all government-to-government relations are conducted by elected members of the Barona Tribe, was also just awarded LEED™-NC Silver level certification by the USGBC.

Coming back full circle, we are very proud of our environmental achievements here at Barona and hope to continue to lead the gaming industry in this area.

I’ll be back soon to share details about some of these key programs.   In the meantime, I’d like to know how you celebrate Earth Day or what you do to live green.  Maybe you’ll have even more ideas for us!

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The Blackjack Hall of Fame

Posted in Blackjack, Events, General Barona Info with tags , , , , on April 15, 2010 by thebaronacasino

By Max Rubin, curator of Barona’s Blackjack Hall of Fame

Hello, everyone. I’m Max Rubin and I’m the official curator of the Blackjack Hall of Fame located in Barona Resort & Casino (San Diego, CA).  Welcome to Barona's Blackjack Hall of Fame

At the Blackjack Hall of Fame we honor those who have shown the public how to master the game of blackjack.    We also proudly present the world’s largest public display of devices (some legal and most not) that were all once used to exploit all sorts of casino games including blackjack.

In weeks to come, I’m going to show you how to play a perfect game of blackjack and then tell you some amazing tales of casino prestidigitation and show you photos along with descriptions and the history of some of the most amazing gear ever assembled that helped those who played on “the dark side” to liberate chips from casinos.

Barona's Blackjack Hall of FameFor example, you’ll learn how Hall of Famers such as Frank Schipani once won a casino in France simply by keeping track of all the cards dealt from a six deck shoe and making big bets when the good cards were coming his way; how Keith Taft invented the first personal computer back in 1971, which he strapped to his belly, and then typed in all of the cards with his toes and then ran wires to red, green and amber LED lights hidden in  his eye glasses so that he could see colored signals which told him when to bet and where to cut the cards and you’ll even learn how I was (and still am) barred from playing blackjack on an entire continent!

Along with stories of casino adventures and piracy, I’ll also throw the doors open to you on this blog so that you can “Ask Max” any question about any gambling subject and then I’ll gladly give you a clever, sketchy, humorous or snarky answer, depending on how clever, sketchy, humorous or snarky your question might be.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Max Rubin

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