Alumni Voices

 

Alumni Interview: Daniel Jackson,

General Manager, Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa 

 

Sarah Grady (SG): Hello, and welcome to the Alumni Interview for our LIGHTs On Newsletter. My name is Sarah Grady. I'm the assistant director of the Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality and tourism, and today I'm joined by Daniel Jackson of Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa.  

Hello, Daniel! It's such a pleasure to have you with us today. Thank you again for accepting this interview. 

I would like to start by just asking you to introduce yourself. Could you tell us a little bit about yourself and your experience in the industry? 

Daniel Jackson (DJ): Sure, Sarah, thank you again for having me on here. 

My name's Dan Jackson. I have been in and out of Borgata since early 2003. My current position is general manager of the BetMGM Sportsbook, the Beer Garden, the outdoor pools and Level One. 

It's a phenomenal place to work. I can't say enough about Stockton or Borgata and MGM 

SG: One of the things that we love to ask our alumni is about current challenges that they're facing and how they're meeting those challenges. 

DJ: I think, in the hospitality industry, our biggest challenge ever since Covid is the guest. expectation.  

We at MGM like to pride ourselves on how well we get to take care of the guests. In the last couple of years, it's been a struggle to get through to the guests and help the guests. Most of our guests have been coming here for 20 years, and the thing we hear the most is well, it used to be this way, or it used to be that way. We have to explain to them that times change, and so do some of the things that we do. 

Going to Stockton, learning how to deal with people –  from different cultures, and all around the world – has truly helped with this position. It’s fine-tuned me to who I am today. 

SG: Absolutely, absolutely. And I know, before we started our interview, we were talking a little bit about your continued relationship with Stockton University through the Live, Work, Learn program.  

Would you like to share some of the things you noted when we were talking before? 

DJ: Sure. If you go to Stockton and you are not part of the Live, Work, Learn program. You are missing out. 

For me as an operator in Atlantic City the Live, Work, Learn program is absolutely amazing. We get a ton of our seasonal supervisors, who are guest facing, [from the program] Most of them have taken public speaking at Stockton and know how to deal with intense situations and remain cool under pressure. They  are people who we look at as future leaders.  

So, if you go to Stockton, and you're not part of the Live, Work, Learn program it is something you really need to look into. It's a great learning experience, and it's a great opportunity to see what the summer in Atlantic City has to offer. 

 

 

SG: Absolutely and a wonderful piece of advice for our current students and our potential students. Do you have any other advice that you would like to share with anyone at Stockton, considering Stockton or someone seeking a career in the industry? 

DJ:  Yes! I went to Stockton. Stockton's obviously a great school. It was not a university at the time - aging myself. 

[I would say] always ask questions. There was a good saying that one of my mentors told me “I don't know what I don't know.” So, ask as many questions as possible.  

If [the hospitality industry] is something that you're truly interested in, get my information from Sarah, reach out to me. I would love to give you guys a tour, show you what MGM is all about and what true hospitality is about. 

SG: Absolutely. Any other comments, remarks, anything else you'd like to share about your experience at Stockton, or for our students? 

DJ:  I opened Borgata when I was 19 years old. I was a waiter at the Old Homestead [Steak House] –  currently, where we're doing this interview from. Hospitality was just in my blood, and I got an opportunity, once I graduated from Stockton, to go through MGM's Upper Mobility Leadership program. That helped to kickstart my career with MGM. 

I've been to Detroit to work for a couple weeks with MGM. I've been to Beau Rivage Louisiana to work. I've been to Vegas, to work and help out training leadership classes.  

Don't think that if you come to work at Borgata, you are only going to work at Borgata. You have endless opportunities. MGM is a phenomenal company to work for.  

I will tell you I’m 42 years old now I've had a ton of different bosses, and the leadership here is second to none. 

So, if you're in the hospitality industry, and you're looking for something, please look in. MGM. We are worldwide. We are growing, and it's a phenomenal company. 

SG: That's a wonderful endorsement! 

It's been again such a pleasure to speak with you today, Dan. Thank you again for speaking with us.  

I'm going to close this interview. If you want to reach out to Dan, please, please feel free to contact LIGHT at LIGHT@Stockton.edu. 

Thank you so much [for listening] and have a great day! 

 

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