Crown names US resort veteran to head Melbourne flagship

Crown Resorts has named US casino executive Ed Domingo as the new chief executive of its Melbourne property as it plans to roll out new investment across the company.

Crown Melbourne has new chief executive

Crown Resorts has named US casino executive Ed Domingo as the new chief executive of its Melbourne property succeeding Mike Volkert.

Crown said Mr Volkert will pursue an opportunity outside of the company, having served as CEO for the past two and a half years during a period of transformation.

The company said Mr Domingo brings over 20 years of experience in the hospitality and casino industry, most recently as the president chief operating officer of Empire City Casino in New York with MGM Resorts International.

Mr Domingo also has served stints a Bellagio Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Caesars Entertainment and Rush Street Gaming.

He will begin with Crown Melbourne in late April, with Mr. Volkert continuing to serve as CEO until that time, ensuring a smooth transition.

Crown Resorts chief executive David Tsai said Mr Domingo had a proven track record in leading integrated resorts, and “we are thrilled to welcome him to Crown Melbourne.”

“With his extensive industry experience across various gaming jurisdictions, Ed is well-positioned to lead Crown Melbourne’s next phase of growth and success,” said Mr Tsai.

Mr Tsai extended his gratitude to Mr Volkert for his “invaluable contribution over the past two and a half years, including his leadership in our transformation journey.”

New Crown Melbourne boss Ed Domingo

Mr Domingo said Crown Melbourne had held an iconic role in Melbourne’s entertainment and tourism landscape for 30 years and he looked forward to its next phase of transformation and growth.

Crown plans to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on new hospitality attractions at its Australian operations including bars and restaurants as it moves to become less “casino-centric” amid tighter regulation of gaming operations.

The company announced earlier this year that it was selling London property to Las Vegas-based Wynn Resorts as it focuses on beefing up investment in its Australian operations.Crown Resorts chief executive David Tsai said the sale of Crown London Aspinalls for an undisclosed amount aligned with the company’s strategy of investing in its Australian assets and customer offerings to “deliver sustainable growth in our core market.”

Global gaming hubs including Las Vegas, Macau and Atlantic City started primarily as casino havens, but since then have broadened their appeal to become integrated resort entertainment destinations.

Crown has been hit by lacklustre tourism numbers, with international arrivals at about 80 per cent of pre-Covid levels and domestic discretionary spending subdued.

Originally published as Crown names US resort veteran to head Melbourne flagship