Scott Sibella, MGM Grand

Happy Monday! Let’s get into this. Today we’re talking Scott Sibella from MGM. At the time of filming, he was only a few months into this role. He was another classic example of working his way up the ladder. It also tickles me that they made the “new guy” do the show. I was excited for this episode because I, personally, am an East Coast Atlantic City kind of gal.

Scott and Eddie
Blackjack dealing is probably the most underrated skill of all time. I was over 18 before I learned to shuffle a deck with a bridge and I thought that was cool… I can’t imagine having my livelihood depend on that. What I LOVE about Eddie is that he’s a leader without trying. I personally believe that everything is “figureoutable,” and all that really means is “keep a level head.” It seemed to me like nothing could faze Eddie, even when working with Scott went a little south during one of Scott’s deals.

Scott and Angelina
Working front desk at a Vegas hotel; oh, the stories Angelina must have. She worked so calmly even when the systems froze up. She was the epitome of customer service, right down to having the separate ‘customer service voice’ (IYKYK). She mentioned that “customer service has always been her ‘thing,’” and isn’t that the way it goes? Anyone that fell into, then fell in love with, a service role will both begrudgingly and lovingly tell you they are in customer service for life.

An interesting side note in this section: Angelina took a smoke break during her shift. Smoking aside, there are a few things about this interaction that I appreciate. One is that Angelina specifically says she works half her shift, takes the smoke break, and finishes the other half of her shift. I appreciate this because she was not casual about taking breaks, walking in and out, and doing her own thing. She took a smoke break as by the book as one can, and as a manager, I appreciate that. Second, she wasn’t smoking in the right area…with reason. I absolutely agree that companies have an image to maintain, and you don’t want your clients seeing employees in uniform with name tags smoking, drinking, etc. HOWEVER, the only reason she stayed where she was was so that anyone could come grab her to come in if they needed her. I see both sides of the argument but really appreciate Angelina didn’t make her habit the company’s ‘problem.’ At the end of the show, Scott mentioned that he wasn’t thrilled with where she was smoking but let her know that that was not her problem but something to be addressed with his management team.

Scott and Don
A lot of this segment was focused on the health hazards of working the tables in a casino. It’s crazy to have vivid memories of ‘smoking sections’ at restaurants while also being SO used to not being around any cigarette smokers now in 2025. While most people probably go to the casino and blow their lungs out for one weekend…being on the other end of that weekend after weekend…that is as good as smoking yourself. This made me very curious about workers' comp policies at casinos and how everything is worded in employment contracts. Any casino workers care to chime in? Don was a veteran from the Vietnam War and was still heavily involved in veteran affairs. Scott set up a $5k donation in Don’s name, and Don said the guys in his group are “going to think he's a hero.” While that is amazing, call me crazy, but there should be a lot more support that veterans get.

Scott and Sandy
Sandy was responsible for keeping her slot machine area clean and signing up at least 10 people a day for a new rewards program. This rewards program was free, and somehow Scott was still one of the worst salespeople I have ever seen. Similar to customer support, I think you have to be a specific person to be a salesperson. It is not for everyone, and to be fair, I was about as bad as Scott when it came to signing up clients for credit cards at Lord + Taylor. 

After The Show
This is the first time where the leader I am evaluating did some…not so great things after the show. From 2017 to 2019, he let an illegal bookmaker named Wayne Nix gamble millions at the casino, knowing the money was shady, and never reported it. He gave Nix free rooms, meals, and access to high-end events, including one named after himself. When questioned later, he told investigators, “If we know, we can’t let them gamble,” which really says it all. In 2024, he pled guilty to breaking the Bank Secrecy Act, was fined $9,500, put on probation, and banned from gaming for five years. Resorts World let him go, Nevada revoked his license, and MGM had to pay millions in fines. Sibella claimed compliance wasn’t his department, but when you’re in charge, looking the other way doesn’t cut it. This wasn’t just about bending the rules. It was a total failure to lead with integrity.

If I wasn’t looking at the full picture, I may say Scott was a leader. Unfortunately, his careless moves could have put a lot of people’s livelihoods in jeopardy. Additionally, the amount of money that MGM had to pay (yes, I know they probably have plenty) could still have residual effects impacting the rest of the business and the business's future. Given that by the end it seemed he wasn’t looking out for his people OR his business, I can’t say this is a leader I aspire to be.