WYNN RESORTS shuffled its top management team at Encore Boston Harbor on Wednesday, removing president Robert DeSalvio and elevating Brian Guilbrants, the head of food and beverage, to replace him.
Rumors have circulated for months that DeSalvio was not going to be the long term leader of the hotel and casino in Everett and that Wynn Resorts CEO Matt Maddox had concerns about the way Encore Boston Harbor was being led.
The company reported revenues for September on Tuesday and the numbers were well below what Wynn Resorts has been projecting, although company officials said it may take three years to ramp up to forecasted revenue levels. The company recently did away with parking fees at Encore Boston Harbor, another bid to entice more customers to the facility.
A company press release said that DeSalvio decided to step down after five years of leading the Wynn team in Boston and orchestrating the opening of the facility in June. In addition to Guilbrants, Maddox said he was bringing in veteran casino executive Jenny Holaday to be the executive vice president of operations and Boston native Eric Kraus to take over as vice president of communications and public affairs.
Guilbrants has extensive experience in the Wynn organization. He led the opening of the hotel at Encore Las Vegas in 2008 and assumed oversight of both the Encore and Wynn hotels in Las Vegas in 2011. Prior to joining Wynn, Guilbrants held various positions with the Ritz-Carlton Hotel company.
Kraus has strong connections in Boston. According to the company press release, he led global corporate communications and public affairs for The Gillette Company. He also worked as executive vice president of Clean Harbors Inc. in Norwell.