By Melissa Trenary
Johnny Flournoy
Johnny Flournoy has a familiar name and face in Cripple Creek. His Texas drawl, sly smile and quick wit have made him one of this town’s most popular casino hosts.
Flournoy began his career in gaming about 10 years ago at Womack’s. From there he moved to the Wild Horse Casino. Shortly after that casino closed in October 2008, he joined the Wildwood team, where he continues to make the guests smile everyday he works.
Although born and raised in Texas, he took a liking to Colorado after several vacations to the Pike’s Peak region. In the late 1990s, Flournoy decided to sell his insurance agency and retire. He and his wife, Valerie packed up and moved to Colorado.
“I love the outdoors and the different seasons,” he said. “I’d visited the Cripple Creek area before and liked it, so that’s where we decided to move.”
Flournoy’s “retirement” was short lived though. He is admittedly a very social person, and the absence of public interaction quickly wore on him.
“Womack’s had a part time opening, so I decided to apply,” he said.
The rest is history. Over the past 10 years, he has developed a following of regulars, but enjoys meeting new people everyday.
He also loves his position at the Wildwood Casino.
“We’ve got a great group of people that work here and the Wildwood is a progressive casino. They’re always trying new things and new promotions. It makes for a fun place to work,” he said.
What makes Flournoy a great casino host is not just his warm personality, but also his big heart. To him, one is not just a player or a card number, but a friend.
