What a cool time we all had, we would have never imagined 35 years ago that we would all be in Vegas together. Here's a photo from Light night club in the Bellagio http://vegas.napkinnights.com/pics/view_image.php?id=298504. We had a great time, from the rides at the Stratosphere to getting busted at the blackjack and poker tables.
Nick was able to get some good ideas for the finishes for the club, and see how some of the poker rooms in Vegas were operating, I expected everyone to be talking about the recent US online laws on online poker, but I never heard it mentioned once.
I also had a bit of time to think about the future, having just turned 35 years old a couple of weeks ago (and my Dad just recovering from a major heart attack he had in December), it does make you think bit. I distinctly remember 5 years ago retiring from the business mayem and saying that I was going to leave that to the people that enjoyed it, and do things that I wanted and needed to do..........5 years later I find myself right back in the XXXX, putting in 20 hour days, answering 100's of calls and emails! I remember the days when mobile phones and email did not exist.........the world seemed work okay without this technology, didn't it?
Well, I think I've done my bit for the DTD project now, that was MY job (the money, the idea, the set up), its time to delegate responsibilities and take a much lower profile in the running of the operation. Sure, I can't wait for the club to open as a poker player myself, especially if the Gambling Commission let me play there, but apart from the court hearing in April, pretty much everything has been set up, and people know what their responsibilties are, this has been made very clear. If I get my investment back........its a bonus, if not, c'est la vie, its only money.
We have a fantastic building, an online card room, a web site, the Gaming Consent, key employees have been recruited, their is a lot of potential here, but its up the the management now to take the business forward. Sure, I will have an influence, but I want to be very much in the background, and give the management some breathing space to develop their roles and let DTD evolve. All day to day responsibilities have been delegated and decisions will be made by the management.
So, I'm gonna do a full disapearing act (like I did 5 years ago). My mobile phone is being cut-off this week, my email accounts are getting de-activated,............and I'm gonna spend more time on my Charity, my familly, and working closely with my Group Finance Director on all of my various businesses (that I've neglected to set up DTD). If anyone has a question/issue with DTD I have a full management structure in place now. Here's a reminder below of who does what...........
Nick Whiten - Operations Director
Kate Langshaw - Web Site
Pete Langley - Business Systems
Paul Zimbler - Marketing
Simon Trumper - Live Poker (Dusk Tilll Dawn Club)
Darren Whiten - General Manager (Dusk Till Dawn Club)
Rob Gol & Danel Bell - Card Room Managers
Mike Wiseman - Compliance Manager
Paul Jackson - Online Poker (dtdpoker)
Simon Nowab - Key Accounts (dtdpoker)
In term of playing poker, I plan to play 4 events, the $25k WPT Bellagio, Monte Carlo EPT, the WSOP and the Bellagio 5 Diamonds in 2007, but that will probably be my only poker treats as I'm banned from the UK casinos.
See you all at the opening night! Rob
