Faces of Gaming: Joe Billhimer of Cordish Gaming Group – from Katrina recovery to playing the long game

Saturday, November 15, 2025 12:19 PM
  • Commercial Casinos
  • Tom Osiecki — CDC Gaming and Raving Partner

Joe Billhimer—known to colleagues and friends throughout the gaming industry simply as “Joe B”— has built a career with a focus on people and long-term vision.

With a reputation for humility, resilience and putting people first, Joe B has quite a story to tell.

As Chief Operating & Development Officer of Cordish Gaming Group, Joe B’s journey has taken him from the casino floors of Atlantic City to leading the resurgence of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Biloxi, MS, after the destruction by hurricane Katrina literally days before opening.

Atlantic City
Growing up in New Jersey, Joe B imagined following his father into real estate, but found himself drawn to the energy of Atlantic City, working as a dealer at the Playboy Casino Hotel and running valet to pay for dealer school while going to college.

“Working valet and dealing in AC taught me a lot about people. I was fortunate to have Bobby Jones as my craps instructor—he was the best. Those early days gave me a real appreciation for the hard work and camaraderie that make this industry special,” Billhimer said.

Pioneered the barge concept
His career quickly accelerated. In 1992, Joe B became casino manager—and later general manager—at Casino Magic in Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi. The property pioneered the barge casino concept, drawing crowds and providing invaluable experience in development.

“We were the first to conceive of a barge concept, and I was lucky to have many mentors. Marlin Torguson had the vision to say, ‘Let’s do something that floats and feels more like a real casino.’ We had lines of 500 to 1,000 guests every day for months, it was unbelievable. Casino Magic gave me a background in development, and I’m grateful for the opportunities and guidance I received.”

He later served as President and COO for Park Place Entertainment/Grand Casinos in Gulfport, Mississippi, leading major expansions and learning from industry veterans.

“Park Place Entertainment was the largest gaming company in the world, and being recruited by Tom Brosig and Wally Barr was truly humbling. It was another great experience, and I learned a lot. Moving from a homegrown company to Park Place broadened my perspective in ways I couldn’t have imagined,” Billhimer related.

Defining test
But it was the devastation of Hurricane Katrina that became a defining test of leadership and community for Joe B.

Just days before the scheduled opening of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Biloxi, the storm struck as the most destructive and one of the deadliest hurricanes to hit the United States. Landfall for Hurricane Katrina was a few miles from Biloxi and completely destroyed the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.

The 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina was this past August.

“I learned so much about resilience from the people around me. In moments like that, you just put your head down and do what needs to be done. I hope I never see anything as challenging as Katrina again, but it taught me a lot about the strength and character of the Gulf Coast community. The support we received from Hard Rock, Jim Allen, and their team was invaluable. I got to meet Joe Weinberg with Cordish as they were leading the projects with Jim on building out Tampa and Hollywood Hard Rocks.”

The recovery was not just about rebuilding a casino property, it was about restoring hope and supporting colleagues through loss and uncertainty.

“Our first priority was to find our team members. We were lucky, no one died, though many faced personal loss. The way everyone came together was inspiring, and I’ll never forget the gratitude I felt for the support we received,” Billhimer said.

When Katrina hit, the team was forced to evacuate just days before opening. Joe B recalls the surreal experience of returning to the Gulf Coast, seeing the devastation, and immediately setting up an auxiliary office to reconnect with staff.

“We went into crisis mode, not knowing how bad it was. When we made our way back, we were in awe of the damage. Our first priority was always our people,” Billhimer recalled.

The financial recovery was equally daunting. The team had secured a comprehensive insurance policy just weeks before the storm, not out of cleverness but out of caution.

“We didn’t do that because we were especially smart, we just wanted to avoid getting shut down and running into financial trouble. Sometimes, you get lucky by doing what seems practical at the time,” Billhimer stated.

The 90-year-old pilot
A turning point came when a 90-year-old pilot’s eyewitness account helped prove the damage to the property was structural, enabling the team to collect insurance proceeds and rebuild.

“It was one of those moments where the community came together in unexpected ways. I’m grateful for everyone who played a part,” Billhimer recounted.

The reopening, two years later, was marked by a special moment:

“A group of our executives, Karl Bulot, Shannon Wall, and Scott King,  kept a room called ‘the attic’ a secret from me. They took memorabilia that had been destroyed and created a space where all of our team members signed the wall with thank you notes. A couple days before reopening, they took me up there—it was really special,” Billhimer remembered.

Historically significant
After Hard Rock, Joe B co-founded Foundation Gaming with Jeff Dahl and Greg Guida, managing assets in Mississippi and executing a successful sale to Churchill Downs.

He then joined MTR Gaming as Chief Development Officer, helping develop and build Scioto Downs Casino in Columbus, Ohio. Joe B ended up serving as the company’s president, leading the company through a merger with Eldorado Resorts after running a process with Dave Berman and Macquarie.

“Our recommendation to the board was based on the belief that Eldorado offered our shareholders the strongest long-term runway to create value. That confidence came from the exceptional culture and expertise of the Carano family and Tom Reeg. While I haven’t always made perfect decisions, this one stands out as one of the best—and in hindsight, a historically significant one,” Billhimer said.

A longer-term view
Today, Joe B is one of the leaders at Cordish Gaming Group, responsible for a portfolio that includes Live! Casinos & Hotels in Maryland, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and PlayLive.com in Pennsylvania. The newest additions—Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana and Live! Casino & Hotel Virginia—reflect Cordish’s commitment to quality and long-term vision.

“Having worked for private equity and publicly traded companies, I’ve seen a lot of different approaches. What stands out about working for the Cordish family is the ability to take a longer-term view. Of course, we want to be successful and profitable, but there’s a real commitment to building something lasting, and I truly appreciate that,” Billhimer said.

Developer mindset first
With four casinos operating and more on the way, Joe B is proud of the opportunities created for team members.

“What I enjoy most is watching the creation of what we’re doing, because we’re always developing and looking at new projects. Seeing the opportunities for our team members and watching them grow has been amazing. Working with the Cordish family, David, Jon, Reed, Blake, and Joe Weinberg has shown me that a developer mindset first makes casino development more impactful, and each project is special in its own way,” Billhimer said.

Success secrets
After a career that spans publicly traded companies, private equity,  and family-operated casino businesses, Joe B reflects on the secret to his success.

“I always encourage people to be persistent and not give up, even when things get tough. You’re not always going to get everything you want, and that’s harder today. I’ve been fortunate to have a strong family, especially my wife Terri, who supports me through all the travel and long hours. I couldn’t do it without her.

“I’ve also been very lucky, and I don’t think anyone at our level isn’t lucky somewhere along the way. It’s about making the most of the opportunities you’re given and learning from the great people around you. I feel incredibly grateful for those I have worked with and love that I continue to learn new things every day,” Billhimer said.

Entries in the Faces of Gaming series:

Tom Osiecki is a casino consultant who writes an occasional column for CDC Gaming called Faces of Gaming, about interesting and engaging people in the gaming industry.

Tom Osiecki is a marketing and management consultant for Raving Consulting and can be reached for consulting engagements at 775-329-7864.

If you know of a fascinating personality in the gaming industry you would like to see profiled, please send Tom Osiecki an email at tosiecki@cdcgaming.com