Entertainment Operations Manager

WAGE RANGER: $50k-$90k
OPEN UNTIL FILLED: 1ST PULL DATE, OCTOBER 29, 2026

JOB SUMMARY

The Entertainment Operations Manager is responsible for the strategic development, acquisition, financial planning, ticketing strategy, advancing, coordination, execution, and evaluation of professional ticketed entertainment at Wildhorse Resort & Casino. The position identifies, evaluates, negotiates, secures, and coordinates entertainment talent that supports the Resort's brand, guest demographics, business objectives, financial goals, and continued development as a regional entertainment destination. The Entertainment Operations Manager provides direct supervision and strategic direction to the Special Events Manager and Events & Ticketing Coordinator and serves as the primary internal entertainment liaison among the Marketing Director, talent buyers, booking agencies, artist management, production vendors, ticketing providers, and Wildhorse operational departments.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

1. Develop and execute Wildhorse Resort & Casino's overall entertainment strategy utilizing market research, ticketing history, guest demographics, regional trends, competitive activity, artist routing, market demand, venue capabilities, financial performance, and Resort business objectives.
2. Develop and maintain an annual professional entertainment calendar that supports Wildhorse's goals for revenue generation, guest acquisition, player development, overnight stays, brand awareness, customer retention, and regional market growth.
3. Identify and evaluate professional entertainment opportunities, including nationally touring artists, regional entertainment, comedy, specialty entertainment, cultural programming, and other ticketed entertainment.
4. Work with the Marketing Director to develop annual and event-specific entertainment budgets, financial targets, ticket-sales goals, revenue projections, expense assumptions, and return-on-investment expectations.
5. Review proposed talent offers and provide recommendations concerning artist value, market demand, historical performance, competitive activity, ticket pricing, appropriate venue configuration, sales potential, and overall financial feasibility.
6. Oversee talent acquisition and booking activity, including communication with talent buyers, booking agencies, artist management, promoters, and other entertainment representatives.
7. Review and negotiate artist contracts, offer terms, technical riders, hospitality riders, cancellation provisions, payment schedules, insurance requirements, production obligations, and other entertainment-related contractual terms.
8. Oversee the professional advancing process for headline and ticketed entertainment, ensuring contractual, technical, production, hospitality, transportation, lodging, security, food and beverage, ticketing, and operational requirements are identified and communicated.
9. Serve as the primary entertainment liaison with Wildhorse departments including Marketing, Hotel, Food & Beverage, Security, Facilities, Finance, AV/Production, Players Club, Player Development, Box Office, IT, Accounting, Audit, and other departments necessary for successful entertainment execution.
10. Own and direct Wildhorse's entertainment ticketing strategy, including ticket pricing, ticket fees, seating configurations, manifests, inventory structure, holds, comps, VIP and sponsor allocations, accessible seating, presale strategy, public-onsale strategy, ticket releases, and related inventory controls.
11. Establish ticketing standards and approve event-specific ticketing plans, including on-sale timelines, social-media presales, Tribal presales, Player Development or VIP presales, public onsales, landing-page requirements, event descriptions, customer-facing terms and conditions, and approved promotional codes or access rules.
12. Provide direct supervision, priorities, and approval authority to the Events & Ticketing Coordinator responsible for day-to-day ticketing administration, sales-page implementation, ticketing platform configuration, scanner operations, credential distribution, ticket reporting, and related event-ticketing execution.
13. Oversee ticketing-system performance, data integrity, scanner readiness, event access controls, patron opt-in data handling, and coordination with IT, Accounting, Audit, Finance, Player Development, and other applicable departments.
14. Review ticket-sales pace, gross sales, ticket fees, attendance, comps, holds, geographic sales performance, channel performance, settlement information, and other ticketing analytics to support pricing, marketing, programming, and financial decisions.
15. Develop and maintain entertainment reporting standards, including event pro formas, ticket-sales pace, attendance, revenue, expenses, settlement information, geographic sales performance, artist or agency feedback, guest feedback, and recommendations for future programming.
16. Recommend entertainment-specific advertising and promotional strategies based on the artist, target audience, geographic market, sales pace, event objectives, and historical performance.
17. Work with the Marketing Director and Special Events Manager to ensure entertainment programming is integrated with the overall Resort marketing calendar and does not unnecessarily conflict with other Wildhorse initiatives.
18. Provide direct supervision, direction, prioritization, and performance oversight to the Special Events Manager.
19. Review the annual Cabaret/Sports Bar entertainment programming strategy developed by the Special Events Manager to ensure proposed artists, performance dates, programming concepts, and expenditures align with approved budgets and Wildhorse's broader entertainment strategy.
20. Provide oversight for the booking of approved Cabaret/Sports Bar entertainment while allowing the Special Events Manager primary responsibility for programming concepts, artist recommendations, performance days, performance times, and recurring entertainment strategy.
21. Collaborate with the Special Events Manager on entertainment-related special events and ancillary programming, including artist after-parties, radio-station listener parties, promotional or secret concerts, outdoor summer concert programming, VIP experiences, and other entertainment-driven guest engagement opportunities.
22. Provide primary entertainment leadership for headline concerts and major ticketed events from booking through final settlement.
23. Coordinate with the Special Events Manager regarding VIP meet-and-greets, Player Development activities, guest reception, promotional events, listener events, and other guest-facing components associated with headline entertainment.
24. Conduct pre-event meetings and ensure departments receive clear event schedules, responsibilities, deadlines, production information, guest requirements, ticketing plans, and operational assignments.
25. Ensure entertainment contracts, artist deposits, final payments, purchase orders, vendor agreements, production expenses, settlements, and required financial documentation are processed accurately and timely.
26. Review and approve post-event reporting that includes ticket sales, ticket fees, attendance, geographic sales performance, gross revenue, expenses, event profitability, production observations, settlement notes, guest feedback, agency feedback, operational observations, and recommendations.
27. Maintain professional relationships with talent agencies, artist management firms, promoters, production vendors, ticketing providers, industry organizations, and other entertainment partners.
28. Establish and maintain operating standards and procedures for ticketing, presales, onsales, credentialing, guest access, VIP inventory, event advancement, settlement support, reporting, and patron-data distribution.
29. Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, Wildhorse policies and procedures, gaming requirements, privacy requirements, safety requirements, contractual obligations, and applicable laws.
30. Maintain a flexible schedule and attend load-ins, sound checks, performances, settlements, and other event activities as required.
31. Other duties as assigned.

PROMOTE WRC QUALITY SERVICE STANDARDS:

SAFETY: Ensuring a safe experience by protecting the welfare of all.

INTEGRITY: Expecting personal accountability at every level.

COURTESY: Creating an exceptional customer service experience for everyone. TEAM: Functioning together to create a cooperative and positive experience.

SHOW: Providing flawless experience –a clean and cared-for resort.

SUPERVISORY AUTHORITY:

1. Direct supervision of the Special Events Manager.
2. Direct supervision of the Events & Ticketing Coordinator.
3. Provides functional direction to internal staff, contractors, vendors, production personnel, ticketing staff, and event personnel assigned to entertainment events as appropriate.

SIGNATORY ABILITY:

1. DEB, Gift Certificates, Wampum, and other authority as assigned by Wildhorse policy.

ACCESS TO SENSITIVE AREAS:

1. Ticketing and Box Office systems, patron opt-in data, Players Club and Marketing controlled storage, backstage or restricted event areas, and other approved areas necessary for assigned responsibilities.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Associate degree or higher from an accredited college or university in Marketing, Business Management, or Arts and Media is required.
2. Five (5) years of progressively responsible professional experience in live entertainment, concert venue operations, event-center management, theater operations, talent buying, entertainment production, or closely comparable professional entertainment work.
3. A minimum of two (2) years of direct responsibility involving entertainment oversight, production liaison, concert or event planning, or venue operations within a concert venue, event center, theater, casino showroom, arena, or comparable professional live-event facility with a seated capacity of 1,500 or greater.
4. Demonstrated professional experience coordinating live entertainment from initial planning through completion, including artist or agency communication, contracting, advancing, production coordination, hospitality, ticketing, performance, settlement, and post-event reporting.
5. Demonstrated experience working with professional production departments or vendors involving audio, lighting, video, staging, backline, rigging, electrical requirements, technical labor, and touring-production requirements.
6. Demonstrated experience developing event budgets, sales projections, ticket-pricing and fee strategies, revenue forecasts, expense projections, and post-event financial analysis.
7. Experience reviewing or administering professional artist agreements, technical riders, hospitality riders, payment provisions, cancellation terms, insurance requirements, and other entertainment contractual obligations.
8. Demonstrated experience directing professional venue ticketing strategy or operations, including seating manifests, ticket scaling, pricing, fees, presales, public onsales, inventory holds, comps, VIP allocations, sponsor inventory, accessible seating, Box Office coordination, reporting, and settlement support.
9. Demonstrated ability to manage multiple professional entertainment projects simultaneously in a deadline-driven and high-pressure environment.
10. Strong written and verbal communication skills and demonstrated ability to communicate professionally with talent agents, artist managers, promoters, tour managers, production personnel, executives, vendors, and internal operational departments.
11. Proficiency with event-management, ticketing, budgeting, scheduling, spreadsheet, presentation, reporting, and standard business software.
12. Ability to work a flexible schedule including nights, weekends, holidays, load-ins, sound checks, performances, and settlements.
13. Requires High-Security Gaming License clearance.
14. Must be at least 21 years of age.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

1. Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business Management, Arts and Media, or a related entertainment discipline.
2. Five (5) or more years of direct experience supporting professional touring concerts, casino entertainment, theaters, performing arts centers, arenas, or major ticketed entertainment.
3. Experience serving as a primary venue liaison with nationally recognized talent agencies, artist management companies, promoters, tour managers, or production managers.
4. Experience opening or programming a new event center, developing venue operating procedures, establishing seating configurations, implementing ticketing systems, or developing an annual professional entertainment program.
5. Experience in casino entertainment, casino marketing, player development, hotel/resort operations, or Tribal gaming.
6. Demonstrated knowledge of regional entertainment markets, artist routing, competitive venue activity, ticket-demand analysis, professional entertainment deal structures, ticketing strategy, and event revenue analytics.

DISCLAIMER

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications. Duties may be modified or assigned at any time based on business needs.