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Isle of Capri's new manager not coming
Published Friday, May 2, 2008
NATCHEZ — The Isle of Capri is without a general manager.
Mike Tamburelli was named the new general manager and vice president on April 18, but has decided not to accept the position.
The corporate office of the Isle of Capri is now looking to hire someone new.
Jill Haynes, senior director of corporate communications for the Isle of Capri, said this was a decision Tamburelli made on his own accord.
“It’s a personnel issue that was his decision,” Haynes said.
Former Vice President and General Manager Jack Sours has been relocated within the company to Boonville, Mo.
He has already vacated his position in Natchez.
Tana Ferrington, marketing director for the Isle of Capri, said in the meantime the hotel and casino will be run by interim general manager, John Moran.
Ferrington said the Isle will also be run by their executive staff.
While things can be operated smoothly for now, a general manager is still needed in the near future.
“(Corporate) is actively interviewing candidates,” Ferrington said.
She said she hopes the Isle will hear news about a new hire within the next few weeks.
Sours served as vice president and general manager in Natchez for approximately three years.
The Isle of Capri casino boat is currently closed due to high waters, because the ramp on to the boat is inaccessibly and a portion of Silver Street is closed.
D.A. Biglane Street is closed, as well.
The Isle of Capri has been closed since April 13.



Comments
Posted by sammohon (anonymous) on May 2, 2008 at midnight (Suggest removal)
Hey...should I send a resume?...LOL
Posted by Teach4Peace (anonymous) on May 2, 2008 at 6:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Not good. Did he "know" something that just didn't "sit" right with him, or was not going to be beneficial to him and his family in the long run? I mean, to have fully accepted the position, then to just retract it seems odd to me. People do have choices, but when I have done something like this before in the past, it was because I either found that the company was not doing too well, and their future didn't look good, or just looking to it for a long term career was not the best move.
Posted by sayitloud (anonymous) on May 2, 2008 at 6:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Go ahead Sam....I wouldn't want that job myself.
Posted by roberth33 (anonymous) on May 2, 2008 at 8:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Maybe he had something unsavory in his past and the whole thing is just spin to save the corp.'s face. Might have been corp.'s decision to have him "decline".
Posted by ConstantComment (anonymous) on May 2, 2008 at 8:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If you looked at the last three years' profits under Mr. Sours you might think it would be a good career move to come here. But then, when you find out that two more casinos are coming in and the Isle will not only lose its monopoly here but perhaps all three casinos would close as the market to support three casinos isn't here (heck we don't have a big enough market yet for Target to justify a store here) you would realize you might go down with the boat. I don't blame the guy. It's a career ender.
Posted by scarlettohara (anonymous) on May 2, 2008 at 8:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
An unsavory past never stopped any of the top Isle Execs from moving up the ladder...case in point, a former GM who is now at another MS Isle property.
Tamburelli was here a few years ago, and he HATED Natchez. Plus, for the couple of years he was here, he may have met about 10 employees. He just holed himself up in the exec offices every day. When he transferred to another Isle property, a lot of folks who worked for the casino asked "Who was he?" Kinda embarrassing since he had been here two years and held the #2 spot for the Natchez property.
He never liked it here and just didn't want to come back.
Posted by Hardcorps (anonymous) on May 2, 2008 at 9:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I hope the Isle gets a good GM. I know some mighty fine folks who work there. That boat's taxes help keep Natchez breathing.
I was going to say in spite of what the mayor and the board does but I'm seriously trying to be nice. It's hard though. grrrrrrr
Posted by gemccull (Gary McCullars) on May 2, 2008 at 9:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Was it a personnel decision or a personal decision? Then, again, it could have been both.
Posted by Teach4Peace (anonymous) on May 2, 2008 at 9:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
You know gemccull, it could have been either. Oh well, they can get moving again on some other candidates.
Posted by obamayamama (anonymous) on May 2, 2008 at 10:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I sure wouldn't want to work for the Pile of Debris (unless of course, I can leave comments on the Natchez Democrat website whenever I want).
Posted by rushinghjr (anonymous) on May 2, 2008 at 1:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
(Sam) You're hired automatically! No Questions!
Posted by redusmfan (anonymous) on May 2, 2008 at 3:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Well, I understand that he may not have liked it there, as stated by Scarlett, but I wonder if they will be able to fill the position before the water recedes and they open it back up.
I have often wondered how they have been able to stay open. It was a very small boat, compared to others within 60 miles and it was always just barely paying out to gamblers. Some people that I have met that gamble for a living have said that the Isle in Natchez was almost impossible to win at because they seemed to keep the machines very tight and that they were tough on the tables. I have not been to a casino in 12 years, not even to eat. I do not know. But maybe some of the others around can shed some light on it for us..
Posted by sayitloud (anonymous) on May 2, 2008 at 4:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I cannot for the life of me understand how someone could move here and not fall in love with Natchez! He must have decided before moving here that he didn't like Natchez and so had a negative start from the git-go.
whatev
Posted by redusmfan (anonymous) on May 2, 2008 at 4:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Unless he had to put his children in the public schools...
Posted by fire39212 (anonymous) on May 2, 2008 at 4:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
That's what i was going to say redusmfan...You can't blame him if that was the case..
Posted by fay2ntz (anonymous) on May 2, 2008 at 4:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
His wife and children never moved here with him. He is just like
scarlettohara said. He would pass by employees and would not even speak back. He just walked only when he needed to and the rest of the time stayed up on the hill sitting in his office. He never even tried to get to know any of his employees regardless of their positions. I just felt like he was angry about having to come here. Also from what I here the casino is about to get a new owner and that he was angry that they keep picking him to come back. If he did take the job and the casino was bought by someone else then where would that leave him after having worked for the Isle Company for many years.
Posted by rushinghjr (anonymous) on May 2, 2008 at 4:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
(Hardcorps) Give your opinion/ I would like to hear it! Remember the Mayor and the Board of Aldermen work for the Taxpayer, even though they may not like it?
Posted by redusmfan (anonymous) on May 2, 2008 at 5:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If they are going to sale the casino then he did what was very best for his family. I can understand the sale, the monopoly is gone and soon, with competition, the profit margin will shrink and they will have to have big payouts again to keep people coming back.
I wonder who his daddy was???
( sarcasm)
Posted by freedom42 (anonymous) on May 2, 2008 at 7:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Did I miss something somewhere? I haven't had time to even read the paper this week, but I know I haven't heard about selling the Isle.
Posted by CitizenSane (anonymous) on May 2, 2008 at 7:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree with Hardcorps above.
Posted by sammohon (anonymous) on May 2, 2008 at 9:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Relax, nothing has been said about selling the Isle of Capri except here by fay2ntz...and it was by his/her own admission, heresay, don't get the rumor mill running overtime!
rushinghjr...thank you for your support of my guidance for the Isle of Capri/Natchez, but alas, I'd rather be a poor architect...LOL
Who knows what the man's reasons were...it's all speculation. I don't think that the Isle is going anywhere until they see how things are going to shake out...at the rate things are going the other casinos don't seem like they will be real competition anytime soon.
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