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Foxwoods Expands Non-Discrimination, Medical Policies To LGBT Employees

08/27/10-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
The Connecticut based Foxwoods Resort Casino and MGM Grand at Foxwoods have announced that they are amending their policies to be more LGBT Inclusive. The resort complex, which is located in Mashantucket, Connecticut has always counted on the LGBT Community as a friendly market, and now they are planning on being far more friendly to the LGBT Community.

In a press conference held on Thursday at the Shrine Asian Kitchen, Lounge and Nightclub, the management of Foxwood as well as the Connecticut Alliance For Business Opportunities, an LGBT Chamber of Commerce, made the annoucement.

According to CABO’s President and Founder Dena Castrcone, “Foxwoods has truly emerged as an LGBT ally.” The new human resources and procurement policies formally recognize and protect the rights of the casino’s LGBT employees. The policy changes will be to provide equal employment opportunities for LGBT workers, and the casino will now be providing same-sex couples with medical benefits. Four couples are now taking advantage of that opportunity.

Foxwoods Procurement Minority Vendor Program has also added LGBT to the list of minorities in order to ensure equal business representation with regards to purchasing resources, and there will be ongoing sensitivity, diversity and sexual harassment training that will include LGBT centered materials.

Debra Gibson, also known as Debbie Gibson, is currently appearing at the casinos in “Cirque Dreams.” She has a long standing following within the gay community especially, and stated “I was so thrilled all of this was happening while I was performing, because I’ve always felt a kinship with the LGBT community. Obviously, it gives people a voice and dignity at a place that is so steeped in history and tradition.”

The casino is owned by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation. According to Lori Potter, a spokeswoman for the Mashantucket Pequot Gaming Enterprises, “Our Pequot culture has endured a lot of discrimination over the centuries so we understand the importance of being able to embrace all the freedoms.”

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