del Lago Resort & Casino names Rafferty senior VP of marketing

TYRE, N.Y. — The del Lago Resort & Casino, under development in Seneca County, has named James Rafferty, a 38-year veteran of the casino industry, as its senior VP of marketing.

This will be the 15th casino opening of Rafferty’s career. He will be responsible for all marketing functions to open del Lago.

“Jim is the perfect fit for what we’re looking to do here at del Lago in terms of connecting with the community locally, regionally and beyond,” Jeff Babinski, del Lago’s executive VP and general manager, said in a news release. “His intimate understanding of the industry and past marketing success will serve well in helping us share who we are and what we’re all about.”

Born in Queens, Rafferty is the son of a New York City fireman. He worked his way through high school and college in the food-and-beverage industry, starting as a dishwasher at age 13 in 1969. By 1977, he was a restaurant manager, setting the stage for his career in the hospitality industry, according to the release.

Prior to joining del Lago, Rafferty was corporate director of creative services for Boyd Gaming in Dubuque, Iowa. There, he was responsible for marketing functions for 22 casinos in eight states.

Rafferty earned an associate degree from SUNY Delhi, a bachelor’s degree at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, and a master’s degree from Rutgers University.

The del Lago Resort & Casino is a $440 million, 205-room hotel, spa, and casino project that will include a banquet facility, several restaurants, lounges, 2,500 person entertainment center, and other amenities. The resort says it will create 1,800 construction jobs and 1,800 permanent jobs. It will open to the public in the first half of 2017.

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