Gun Lake Michigan Casino Names Two New Executives Amid Retail Expansion

Recently, Gun Lake Casino has made multiple high-level additions to its management team. The casino, operating out of Wayland, Michigan, appointed Trevor Hayden as its new Vice President of Operations.

The gambling company previously filled another competitive and important position within its hospitality branch. Ronaldo Pascual was appointed as the new Director of Hotel Operations. The new Director has extensive experience spanning two decades including hotel openings at land-based, riverboat, and tribal casinos.

These appointments are coming at a critical time for the operators of Play Gun Lake Michigan as the enterprise embarks on multiple expansion projects.

Trevor Hayden, the new Vice President of Operations has a background that includes serving as Director of Operations at two leading Las Vegas casinos, Treasure Island and Mirage.  Given his expertise, the tribal casino management is convinced that Hayden brings a wealth of experience to the role.

In addition to this, the casino operations expert has an extensive career that spans various management positions across gambling firms and gaming manufacturers in Canada, Latin America, and Las Vegas.

Hayden is also an alumnus of the leadership training program at Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth and holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Nevada.

According to a press release, Hayden is expected to bring his “wealth of experience” and “track record of success” on-board to help reposition Gun Lake Casino, especially as it continues its expansion efforts.

“We are thrilled to announce the addition of Trevor Hayden to our management team here at Gun Lake Casino,” said Jose Flores, Senior Vice President, and General Manager for Gun Lake Casino.

“Trevor’s wealth of experience managing large-scale operations, developing and administering substantial budgets, and leading diverse teams are a great complement to our operations.”

Hayden, as the Vice President of Operations, is tasked with the responsibility of overseeing several departments at Gun Lake Casino, which include operations, facilities, and gambling.

Trevor Hayden is not the only out-of-state appointee at Gun Lake Michigan Casino. While Pascual lacks experience in Michigan’s casino industry, he brings a wealth of knowledge from his work in tribal gaming across California, Alabama, Louisiana, and Pennsylvania. 

Boasting over two decades of experience in hotel operations, Pascual has contributed to the success of numerous Forbes 4-Star, AAA, and 4-Diamond hotel casino resorts.  

His career highlights include overseeing the launch of seven hotels associated with land-based, riverboat, and tribal gaming establishments. 

Throughout his 20-year tenure in the hospitality sector, Pascual has achieved several professional certifications. These include the Certified Hotel Administrator from the American Hotel & Lodging Association and the General Manager Certification from Hilton Hotels.  

Pascual's certifications underscore his expertise and commitment to excellence in hotel management and Gun Lake Casino is happy to have him.  

“We are very excited to welcome Ronaldo Pascual to GLC as our new director of hotel operations,” said Jose Flores, Senior Vice President, and General Manager for Gun Lake Casino, in the release. 

“Ronaldo will be a perfect fit to help us carry on the culture and vision for this soon-to-be world-class casino resort.” 

Interestingly, Ronaldo Pascual’s new role was created to prepare for Gun Lake’s highly anticipated Phase 5 expansion project. Prior to his appointment, Gun Lake Casino announced a separate $10 million undertaking.

The main aim of this smaller project was to renovate its food and beverage, entertainment, and gaming amenities. Gun Lake’s renovation would see the addition of a high-limit table games room, Asian cuisine restaurant, a bar and a lounge. These new additions are set to be delivered by end of the year.

Pascual’s focus would be the exciting Phase 5 expansion. The project is estimated to cost a whopping $300 million and slated to finish in the third month of 2025. This effort will see the West Michigan facility transform into a Four-Diamond hotel resort.

Once the Phase 5 expansion is concluded, the newly upgraded Casino will have the following features:

• A 252-room, 15-story hotel tower with amenities such as a spa and meeting space.
• A 32,000-square-foot entertainment dome boasting 80-degree temperatures year-round.
• An Aquadome with three separate indoor swimming pools.

Gun Lake Casino, owned by the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians, is well on its way to transform its hospitality business.