From Brazil to Bristol, Allie Evangelista is opening doors for women executives

Saturday, March 19, 2022 3:40 PM
  • Rege Behe, CDC Gaming

Allie Evangelista is talking about her remarkable career: her journey from Brazil to the United States; working as a housekeeper, then rising through the ranks of the hospitality industry; transitioning to gaming; and now serving as the first president of Hard Rock Casino Hotel Bristol, one of Virginia’s new commercial casinos.

“If I can do it, anyone can,” Evangelista says.

As if what she’s accomplished is commonplace. As if Evangelista’s voyage from Caxias do Sol, a city of 500,000 in southeastern Brazil, to a series of relatively small towns across the United States is ordinary. As if making beds and cleaning rooms is the typical training regimen for gaming industry executives.

“I tell the story all the time,” Evangelista says of her transformation from housekeeper to gaming industry executive. “I think people just stumble into an opportunity or job and fall in love with the industry.”

Evangelista was named president of the Bristol property February 22, 2022.

Rare is the person who “stumbles” and finds the type of success that marks Evangelista’s career. She started in the gaming industry with Ameristar Casinos in 2006. When Pinnacle Entertainment acquired Ameristar in 2013, Evangelista was working as a shift manager for the company’s St. Charles property.

She immediately made an impression on Pinnacle CEO and Chairman of the Board Anthony Sanfilippo.

“Allie’s positive attitude, thoughtful insights into the business and her ability to inspire team members, both those that are her peers along with those who reported to her, made it clear she had the capacity and ability to continue to take on additional responsibilities,” says Sanfilippo, currently founding partner of Sorelle Capital. “We had confidence that Allie would continue to grow and contribute at a senior leadership role in the company.”

With Pinnacle, Evangelista moved from St. Charles to Council Bluffs, Iowa and then to the Meadows Racetrack and Casino in Meadowlands, Pennsylvania, about 30 minutes southwest of Pittsburgh. She then worked for Penn National Gaming, serving as vice president and general manager of Hollywood Casino Perrysville in Maryland and Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course in Ohio.

None of the locations Evangelista worked at will be confused with Las Vegas or Atlantic City. But smaller properties suit her approach to the gaming industry.

“I prefer local markets,” she says. “I feel that you have the opportunity to make an impact in the community, not only because you meet people and you immerse yourself in the community, but also because you make a difference financially in the community.”

Bristol certainly fits the profile of the markets Evangelista prefers. Located in southwest Virginia smack dab on the Tennessee border, with a population of about 17,000, Bristol is the home of the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Bristol Motor Speedway, one of the most revered tracks on the NASCAR circuit.

After her first week in Bristol, Evangelista was still learning about the community and its shops, gas stations, coffee shops, and restaurants. One of the reasons she’s excited about being the property’s first president is how the community has embraced the project.

“They want us here and that makes my life a lot easier,” Evangelista says. “The other thing is the southern hospitality here. It’s amazing. It’s in your face. No matter where you go in your neighborhood, everyone’s the same. At the grocery store or at restaurants, the servers are super friendly. And I just look at this and think, these people are either going to be my customers or my team members. And either way, I win.”

Before the brick-and-mortar casino opens, a temporary facility in a shopping mall is scheduled to open later this year. Evangelista will oversee 600 employees for the temporary casino and potentially 2,000 when the brick-and-mortar property opens. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of other tasks she needs to do prior to the first day of operation.

Evangelista is confident she’s prepared for whatever happens. There’s no anxiety on her part and certainly no lack of confidence.

“I’m not feeling pressure, I’m feeling empowered,” she says. “I know I have the potential to change people’s lives, and that is the best part of my job. I don’t feel pressure because I know we’re going to do it.

“The idea is that everything starts with me, what’s important to me and my team. And that’s going to be the culture I’m building here. So to me, there’s excitement about what we’re building here.”

Sanfilippo has no doubt that Evangelista will succeed, noting that she easily absorbs information, is a quick learner, is insightful about important issues and “treats those around her with respect and dignity,” he says.

“Allie creates an environment where her team can thrive and do their best work. And Allie’s bright and cheerful personality is only one part of what makes Allie successful. Allie is a very intelligent and thoughtful leader.”

Evangelista has witnessed a myriad of changes during her gaming career. The technology has improved, gaming revenue has soared, and the gaming industry survived the COVID-19 pandemic. She’s especially heartened that more women are assuming executive roles while acknowledging that there’s more work to be done.

“There are a lot more females feeling that they can do this and that they can balance their personal life with work,” Evangelista says. “I think that’s pretty important. People like me (and other women gaming executives), they are the people who are going to open doors for others. And not just for women, but for also for minorities in general and immigrants.”

Noting that she was an immigrant, Evangelista says there were times during her career when people barely understood what she was saying. Years later, her English is polished and flawless, and her confidence is strong.

But she’s cognizant that being the Hard Rock’s first president entails shouldering enormous responsibilities and that her every move will be scrutinized.

“I have to do well,” Evangelista says. “I have to succeed because by me being successful, others like me will have opportunities. If I don’t, I think there will be a stigma that maybe women can’t do a job like this right. Maybe that’s not the way it is, but that’s how I feel. That’s the pressure that I feel.

“I want to hopefully open doors for other women in executive positions.”

Rege Behe is lead contributor to CDC Gaming. He can be reached at rbehe@cdcgaming.com. Please follow @RegeBehe_exPTR on Twitter.