Barona Resort & Casino promotes Rafael Alvarez to Senior Vice President of Gaming Operations

Barona Resort & Casino announced last week the promotion of Rafael Alvarez to Senior Vice President of Gaming Operations at the San Diego casino.

In his new role, Rafael is responsible for managing the player experience on the casino floor and overseeing all gaming operations departments including slots, table games, poker, Club Barona, special events and promotions along with the fun-loving Barona Party People. He is also charged with ensuring that Barona is living up to its commitment to being the "Happiest Casino on Earth."

"Rafael has been an important part of Barona's growth from the original Barona Big Top to our current status as Southern California's leading casino," said Rick Salinas, general manager of Barona Resort & Casino. "He is always focused on Barona's most important assets, our amazing players and our 3,200 staff members."

During his nearly 25-year tenure at Barona, he has held a variety of positions. He started as a cashier in the slot department and was quickly promoted after catching management's attention.

"I have grown up in the Barona family and I know why Barona is the busiest casino in San Diego, number one in the industry and consistently winning top casino awards," said Rafael. "We offer the best games, the loosest slots and the friendliest atmosphere but at its core Barona is about people. Being available, polite, nice to our players and becoming their friends is what sets Barona apart from every other casino."