Fontainebleau Las Vegas Names Maurice Wooden President

Fontainebleau Las Vegas announced Sunday that Maurice Wooden has joined the Strip casino resort as president.

Wooden has worked in the travel and leisure industry for 36 years, and he’s held high-profile roles in Las Vegas off and on for nearly two decades. He previously served as president of and as a member of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) board of directors.

Throughout his career, Maurice has proven himself as a leader dedicated to evolving the luxury hospitality experience on the Las Vegas Strip,” said Fontainebleau Development Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Soffer in a statement. “His well-established track record along with his unparalleled consistency and a deep knowledge of the hospitality and gaming industries instill an exceptional level of confidence in us as we continue the development and refinement of our Las Vegas property.”

Wooden replaces former Red Rock Resort General Manager Mark Tricano as president of Fontainebleau Las Vegas. Tricano to be president of Fontainebleau through the venue’s first six weeks of operations. He will remain with the property and will report to Wooden.

The hiring of Wooden as president of Fontainebleau Las Vegas comes at a crucial time for the Strip s newest integrated resort.

Last week, it was revealed that Vice President of Revenue Management left her position at Fontainebleau, marking the fourth high-level executive departure at the property in a month. Before her, former COO Colleen Birch and  CMO Shane Smith tendered resignations earlier this month. VP of Casino Operations Michael Clifford left the new casino hotel on December 30.

Wooden may serve as a steadying force during a tumult in Fontainebleau s infancy.

“Fontainebleau Development conceived this resort with a unique, independent vision that sets it apart from everything there is and anything there has ever been on the Strip,” he said in the statement. “This role presents me with a wonderful opportunity to collaborate with a world-class executive team to enhance our Las Vegas community and to contribute to the growth of the Fontainebleau brand for the future.”

After joining Wynn Las Vegas in 2005, Wooden ascended to principal executive officer and president in 2013. Before that, he was president and COO of Tilman Fertitta’s Golden Nugget in downtown Las Vegas.

Before joining Golden Nugget, Wooden was vice president of casino marketing at the Mirage on the Strip and vice president of operations at the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino in Biloxi, Miss. Both properties were operated by MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) at the time of Wooden’s employment.

Bottom line: Wooden has the credentials to potentially bring much-needed stability to Fontainebleau Las Vegas.