Avril Baynes appointed new Territory GM for Mindil Beach Casino Resort

A NEW Territorian General Manager has been appointed to Mindil Beach Casino Resort

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A LONG-TIME Territorian has been named the new general manager of the Mindil Beach Casino Resort.

Avril Baynes, who has lived in the Territory for 30 years, takes over the reins in Darwin from Monday.

Current boss Mark Bennett is transferring to a senior position in the US with the casino’s owner, Delaware North.

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Ms Baynes has been the casino’s executive manager, food and beverage and property services.

In 2002, she was the Northern Territory Young Business Woman of the Year and she was recently appointed as deputy chair of the Darwin Major Business Group.

Earlier this week, the casino resort announced full-time and part-time roles will be axed and dozens of casual staff will have their shifts cut in the wake of a COVID-19 forced restructure.

The promotion of Ms Baynes, who has been a senior executive at the property for more than five years, is believed to be the first time that a Territory local will be general manager of the business since it was established at Mindil Beach in 1983.

Delaware North, the US- based international company that owns the casino, said Ms Baynes’ appointment further emphasised the strong commitment the company had to the local Darwin community.

“I’m thrilled to have accepted the opportunity to lead Mindil Beach Casino Resort and excited about what the future holds, despite the current challenging business environment,” Ms Baynes said.

Newly appointed Mindil Beach Casino Resort general manager Avril Baynes

“I look forward to helping to promote the growth of the business and continue to ensure that it maintains its status as an iconic tourism business in the Northern Territory, indeed in Australia.

“I will continue to put my heart and soul into the local community through my leadership philosophy of ‘from the community, for the community’.”

Mr Bennett, who moved from the US to become the general manager following Delaware North’s acquisition of the business in April 2019, said he found Darwin to be one of the friendliest cities in the world.

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“Avril Baynes will be a fantastic leader for the team at Mindil Beach Casino Resort,” he said.

In addition to a career in hospitality which has spanned 25 years, Ms Baynes has a legal background.

Her career includes stints in private law practices, as an Associate to a Federal Court judge and as an employment relations adviser within the Northern Territory government.