Employees optimistic about move

Monday, Oct. 1, 2001 | 9:51 a.m.

Chi Chi Wolfe managed a laugh at the irony of her Friday-afternoon responsibilities at the Aladdin hotel-casino.

She was passing out promotional literature for Aladdin's "Release the Genie" game in which players have a chance to win $1 million.

"This is a really good deal, you should try it," Wolfe told a passer-by as she handed him one of the bright red brochures. "You can win $1 million."

Then, in an aside to a reporter, she joked, "Of course, I don't know where they're going to get it (the prize money) ... "

Wolfe was representative of many Aladdin employees over the weekend: She knew the company was in dire financial straits, but she didn't know that attorneys had just filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Friday afternoon. She continued to go about business with a determination to show guests a good time.

Some employees who didn't want their names used said they were relieved when they heard about the Chapter 11 filing. Under that form of bankruptcy protection, the property would stay open while the company reorganizes its finances. And, with an estimated 500 Aladdin employees laid off in the previous week, they were thankful just to have jobs.

"I have a lot of Filipino friends who are dealers," said Wolfe, who came to Las Vegas from the Philippines by way of a riverboat casino in Iowa.

She's been in Las Vegas for about three months and splits time passing out promotional materials and marketing the Cliffs at Peace Canyon, a time-share venture at the Aladdin.

She said her dealer friends are optimistic that a bankruptcy filing will result in a fresh start for the Aladdin with a new management team in place.

Wolfe said traffic has been improving steadily at the Aladdin since the disastrous first weekend after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the East Coast. By the time attorneys were filing papers at U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Las Vegas Friday afternoon, the weekend crowd was starting to file in.

Few of the customers going into the casino Friday afternoon had heard about the filing -- in fact, many of the employees didn't even know about it.

By Sunday afternoon, some customers had heard about the filing, since it had been broadcast on the news Friday night and reported in newspapers.

"Our bellboy told us about it," said Dean Bailey, Los Angeles, an Aladdin guest in town for a few days. "He seemed surprised about it.

"I guess it really is kind of surprising because it's such a beautiful place."

Bailey said he didn't detect any cutting corners on service. The casino was active Sunday afternoon with nearly every seat filled at 33 table games. The sports book was filled with National Football League bettors watching games and about half the slot machines had customers at them.

"They seem to be doing OK today," Bailey said. "They got my money."

Jermaine and Kim Williams, Moreno Valley, Calif., hadn't heard about the filing and wandered over to the Aladdin from the Jockey Club after winning $100 in gaming chips in a promotion.

He, too, said he was surprised that the Aladdin was foundering after being open only a year. He and his wife described themselves as once-a-year Las Vegas visitors and said the Aladdin delivered a good time.

That's good news for Tony Merhi and his crew of valet parking lot attendants, often the first people to greet guests when they come to the hotel-casino.

"We're keeping our chins up and plugging away," Merhi said. "We feel we still have obligations to our guests and that we're lucky to have jobs."

Merhi said he never expected the Aladdin to close. The property warned last week that if its owners didn't agree to the bankruptcy filing it may be forced to close. That danger has now past and both the Aladdin and its attached Desert Passage mall will remain open.

"It would cost them more money to close it down," Merhi said. "Nobody wants to see the place close so we just try to keep a positive attitude to keep customers coming back. Some of them know it's been a struggle, but they keep coming back and I've heard no negative remarks."

Merhi said he had no bitterness toward the Aladdin's management team, adding that principal Jack Sommer has stopped by to ask about the valet crew.

"He's an incredibly nice guy," Merhi said of Sommer. "He comes out and talks to you like you're next-door neighbors."

Wolfe concurred that she thinks brighter days are ahead for the Aladdin after the filing.

"Just look at this," she said while passing out more fliers. "It's almost brand new. I just don't think they're going to bulldoze the place."