Pictured above from left: Chef Jeremy at Riviera, Janet at Fortune Valley, Jeff at Canyon, Dolores at The Lodge, Steven at Canyon and Mike from Canyon are among the casino employees the Colorado Gambler has featured so far. Look for your favorite employee feature every week, including Steven and Janet’s profiles in this edition. Read them below!Let Canyon Casino’s Smit treat you right
By Suzanne Paulman
Steven Smit
The Canyon Casino in Black Hawk offers plenty of free valet parking for its dining and gaming guests. Canyon valet Steven Smit, along with his fellow co-workers, offers extremely courteous and capable service in caring for your car during your visit to the casino. Five years ago Smit applied for a job at Canyon and became a full-time valet. Smit has been part of the casino’s exemplary customer service team ever since.
It doesn’t matter what the seasonal Colorado weather is doing, whether it’s imitating the freezing temps of Chicago during the winter or getting hotter than the desert during the summer, Smit will be there to help you with your car. He gladly greets casino guests by name and his personal recognition brings smiles to their faces. After a brief chat with them about what’s going on and how they’re doing, Smit wishes his guests a resounding “good luck” as they step indoors to Canyon for a lot of fun gaming.
Smit originally hails from Fort Collins and now resides in Denver with his wife, (who’s studying to be a teacher), a cat and two dogs. He doesn’t mind his short commute to Black Hawk at all. Since he’s a Colorado native, Smit is thoroughly familiar with the rapidly changing Colorado weather and it doesn’t bother him. He truly likes being outdoors in his job. When “summertime is too hot,” he takes shelter in the valet hut at the entrance to the casino’s parking lot. Otherwise, Smit will be outdoors, especially during the mild weather of fall, his favorite season.
Smit and his fellow co-workers have parked up to 300 cars a day. That’s a lot of personal interaction with guests and Smit loves every minute of it. He knows his regulars and easily jokes with them, asking them how good their luck ran at the end of their visit—always good. Steven said “interacting with different people” is what makes his job interesting and enjoyable.
Canyon Casino is open 24 hours on the weekend, Friday through Saturday, and 8 a.m. – 2:30 a.m., Sunday through Thursday. Visit www.canyoncasino.com or call 303-777-1111 for information on their exciting promotions offered this month. Be sure to say hi to Steven when he parks your car and become one of his regulars. He’ll always treat you right.
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Janet brings guests ‘Good Luck and Good Fortune’
By Suzanne Paulman
Janet at Fortune Valley
Fortune Valley Hotel & Casino, located at 321 Gregory Street in Central City, has a local celebrity by the name of Janet working at their front desk. Janet appeared in a televised commercial, essentially playing herself at the front desk, for Fortune Valley about a year ago.
Janet has worked at the front desk for more than 16 years. She laughs good-naturedly in recalling her brush with celebrity that required “lights all around,” non-print clothing, stage directions and three takes. To her amused amazement, Fortune Valley’s newer guests still recognize her from the commercial.
It’s not just the fact that Janet appeared in a commercial that makes her memorable. It’s her impeccable customer service that makes her memorable and an indisputable asset at the front desk. What does Janet like best about her job at the front desk?
“The customers,” she said, and it shows.
Janet is one of the first, if not the first, Fortune Valley employee that guests meet when they enter the hotel and casino. She welcomes guests warmly and knowledgeably with a generous smile. Janet effortlessly establishes an instant rapport with her guests. She asserts that she’s not unique; she remarks that guests receive “great customer service from everyone here.”
Originally from Illinois, Janet moved to Colorado in 1978 “for a change of scenery.” She worked in Denver at Mountain Bell, a regional telephone company. Janet met her husband when the “baby bell” telephone company merged with its parent company, AT&T, where he worked. They later moved to Gilpin County to join friends who already lived here.
Janet has deep roots in the community as she’s now been a Gilpin County resident for more than 26 years.
She said, “I love it up here.”
Her son-in-law, Matt Casarez, and his brother Mike are the co-owners of the Black Hawk restaurant, Crook’s Palace. Over the years her family has grown to include three generations of Gilpin folks. When Janet’s not working or reading she loves to take care of her grandchildren.
Above Fortune Valley’s front desk is a bright neon sign that displays the alternating words, “Good luck and Good Fortune,” to incoming guests. The next time you visit the hotel and casino to stay and play, stop by and receive a warm welcome from Janet. She’ll send you on your way to good fortune with her wishes of “Good luck!”
Fortune Valley’s Flavours Café continues to offer matchless dining with a fabulous Prime Rib lunch or dinner, including a complementary beverage, for $2.99, Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to closing. Call Fortune Valley at 303-327-2200 for hotel reservations and casino information or visit www.fortunevalleycasino.com for more detailed information.
