Director, Sales & Business Development

Director, Sales & Business Development

Derby City Gaming & Hotel boasts nearly 1,300 of the latest games, a grab-n-go restaurant, Oliver's Chophouse & Bourbon Bar, a Kentucky Derby-themed hotel, and live music! The newly expanded Derby City Gaming & Hotel was voted one of the "Best Places to Work in Greater Louisville" by Louisville Business First.

Job Summary

The Director of Sales & Business Development is a strategic leader responsible for creating and driving sales initiatives, partnerships, and business development opportunities that maximize revenue for both Derby City Gaming Downtown and Derby City Gaming & Hotel. This individual will work to establish strong relationships with groups, conventions, local businesses, and tourism organizations, converting these partnerships into profitable ventures. Additionally, this role will focus on attracting and converting downtown foot traffic into loyal Derby City Gaming Downtown customers while enhancing group hotel bookings at Derby City Gaming & Hotel.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

Partnership Development : Build and nurture strategic partnerships with local businesses, conventions, and tourism organizations to drive brand visibility and sales opportunities. Collaborate with regional tourism boards, travel agencies, and corporate partners to position the properties as premier destinations for events, group travel, and entertainment. Track leads, customer interactions, and opportunities, ensuring a personalized experience and follow-through on all prospects Create and implement strategies to retain and build loyalty with key clients, groups, and corporate partners Explore and secure sponsorship opportunities for events and activations, adding new revenue streams to support the properties' business development goals Sales Strategy and Execution : Develop and execute cross-property sales strategies that attract group and tourism business, leveraging the unique offerings of both properties. Identify and pursue incremental revenue opportunities through group sales, meetings, and events. Design and implement targeted outbound marketing initiatives in collaboration with group and tourism partners, with a focus on promoting the properties to out-of-town guests. Downtown Foot Traffic Conversion : Create strategies and promotions aimed at converting downtown Louisville foot traffic into Derby City Gaming Downtown patrons. Develop creative campaigns and packages that attract downtown visitors, ensuring a seamless and engaging experience. Build partnerships with local attractions, restaurants, shops, and entertainment venues to create joint promotions and incentives Group & Tourism Marketing : Partner with the Marketing team to create impactful promotional packages tailored for group and tourism markets. Oversee the development of marketing campaigns that promote both properties to conventions, tour operators, and corporate clients. Event Management & Monetization : Collaborate with internal teams to design and execute events and promotions that appeal to target audiences. Establish pricing and packaging strategies to monetize partnerships and group bookings effectively. Develop accurate sales forecasts and manage the budget for group and business development initiatives, ensuring efficient allocation of resources to meet revenue targets. Perform other duties as assigned, adapting to the dynamic needs of both Derby City Gaming & Hotel and Derby City Gaming Downtown.

Required Skills And Abilities

Entrepreneurial mindset with a passion for business development and innovation. Strong leadership skills with the ability to collaborate across multiple departments. Results-oriented, with the ability to meet and exceed ambitious sales goals. Exceptional organizational and project management skills. Valid Racing License

Education And Experience

Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Hospitality, or a related field; advanced degree preferred. 5+ years of experience in sales, business development, or hospitality, preferably in the gaming or entertainment industry. Proven track record of creating partnerships and driving revenue through group and tourism sales. Strong understanding of regional and national tourism markets, with existing industry relationships preferred, particularly within the Louisville market. Exceptional negotiation, communication, and interpersonal skills. Ability to think strategically while executing tactically, ensuring alignment with broader company objectives. Proficiency in lead tracking, sales reporting, and data-driven decision-making.

Physical Requirements & Working Conditions

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a Team Member to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the Team Member is frequently required to sit or stand; walk; use hands to finger reach, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and talk or hear. Reasonable accommodations may he made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud. The Team Member is subjected to circulate throughout the assigned areas, including the smoking area, actively observing players and functioning of machines.