10,000 casino employees arrived for a 50th anniversary celebration, unaware they'd soon be millionaires
The employees arrived thinking it was a celebration and walked out hauling stocks worth millions of dollars.
Any wise organization knows that its employees are the heart of its success and doesn’t shy away from giving them the gold stars they deserve. Take Station Casinos, for instance. Station Casinos kicked off its 50th anniversary celebrations on July 1, 2026. More than two months later, on September 9, the company surprised nearly 10,000 full- and part-time employees with more than $70 million in Red Rock Resorts stock. Deep within the lap of Las Vegas Valley, at Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa, fireworks marked the surprise party, and so did games and live entertainment; food and drinks were served generously. The token of appreciation provoked claps and cheers from employees gathered in the ballroom, according to a September 9, 2026, press release.
In awe of the employer
The ballroom was full of smiling faces when Frank Fertitta III, Chairman and CEO of Red Rock Resorts and Vice Chairman, Lorenzo Fertitta announced the reward. All the team members employed as of September 9 were offered $1,000 for every year of service. "Our father founded this company on a few simple principles: serve the local community, deliver great value, and most importantly, take care of our Team Members," Frank said in a statement. Altogether, the stock granted a total of more than $70 million. Employees will receive their shares beginning September 14.
Demonstrating integrity
"This award reflects those values and recognizes the people who have brought them to life every day for the past 50 years,” Frank remarked, and added, “As we celebrate this milestone and look ahead to the next 50 years, we are grateful for everything our team members have done to make Station Casinos the local favorite."
According to Forbes' list of America’s Best Large Employers 2026, Station Casinos was ranked No. 415 out of 700. The company currently operates across 15 properties and traces its roots to "The Casino," which opened in Las Vegas on July 1, 1976. It expanded and became "Bingo Palace" in 1977 before being renamed "Palace Station" in 1984. The latest name was chosen in 1984, per KLAS.
Recognition can make employees stay
Recognition can mean more than a nice moment at work. A 2024 Gallup and Workhuman study that followed more than 3,400 employees for two years found that well-recognized workers were 45% less likely to leave their jobs. At the same time, only 22% said they received the right amount of recognition for their work.
‘We love our management here’
Ida Johnson, who began working for the company in 1977, received $49,000 worth of stock. Palace Station cocktail server Paula Barrett, who had worked for the company for 47 years, received stock based on the same $1,000-per-year formula, per FOX 5 Vegas. The gift of appreciation left Barrett overjoyed, who had chosen to stay with the casino even though she had other opportunities over the years.
“Amazing, thankful, grateful, privileged. Just an honor. Just a complete honor to receive that check,” said Barrett. “We’re all comfortable. This is home for us. We love it here. We love our management here. It’s home here,” she added. Additionally, seven team members from the 1970s, who began their careers with the Bingo Palace and still work here, each received over $45,000 worth of equity in the company.
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