THEODORE BURGIS
Fort Mill,SC
Summary
Results-driven hospitality executive with 15 years managing large-scale operations and new-build development across casino resorts and premium venues. Spearheaded complex projects from ground-up construction to operational stabilization, demonstrating expertise in P&L management, concept development, and regulatory compliance. Skilled in guiding C-suite strategy and leading high-performing teams to achieve operational excellence.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
Work History
Director of Food & Beverage
Catawba Two Kings Casino Resort
Kings Mountain, NC
02.2026 - Current
- Recruited to build, develop, and lead pre-opening design and construction of Food & Beverage for a $1 billion, 2-million-square-foot casino resort, the property's largest single operating division, encompassing 11-plus restaurants and outlets and 13 bars, including a fine-dining steakhouse, scratch Italian kitchen, and 24-hour three-meal café as anchor concepts.
- Own full pre-opening lifecycle across the entire Food & Beverage portfolio, including concept design, FF&E/OS&E procurement, staffing and organizational design, job description development, wine and beverage programs, and vendor and contractor coordination, targeting an April 2027 grand opening.
- Successfully opened Phase 1 of 2 on schedule, launching the property's first operating restaurant and three bars ahead of the full-scale opening.
- Developed budgets, forecasts, and operational reports to support food and beverage leadership decision-making.
- Created staffing and FTE models, job descriptions, and organizational structures for senior food and beverage leadership positions across front-of-house and back-of-house.
- Collaborated and brought vendors to the table with Group Purchasing Organization agreements with SYSCO FoodBuy, driving procurement savings and supply-chain reliability across the full Food & Beverage portfolio.
- Secured strategic sponsorship partnerships with key Food & Beverage brand partners, generating incremental revenue and enhancing brand positioning.
- Coordinated critical-path project planning for 280-plus task pre-opening timeline with ownership, construction, design, and gaming compliance stakeholders.
Director of Food & Beverage
Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority
Charlotte, NC
07.2019 - 02.2026
- Senior executive overseeing Food & Beverage operations across the Charlotte Convention Center, NASCAR Hall of Fame, Bojangles Coliseum, and Owens Auditorium, one of the most complex contract-managed hospitality portfolios in the Southeast.
- Directed a $30 million to $40 million-plus annual revenue portfolio across concessions, banquets, premium dining, catering sales, and retail concepts, with full P&L accountability.
- Led 350-plus person organization across union and non-union environments, partnering with public-sector clients and stakeholders to enhance operational effectiveness.
- Established portfolio-wide standard operating procedures, KPIs, and accountability frameworks, and introduced enterprise guest-feedback systems, including Qualtrics and Shopmetrics, that produced record B2B and B2C satisfaction scores.
- Established portfolio-wide standard operating procedures, KPIs, and accountability frameworks; introduced guest-feedback systems, including Qualtrics and Shopmetrics, achieving record B2B and B2C satisfaction scores.
- Co-Chaired Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee, influencing enterprise-wide culture and shaping hiring practices.
- Recipient, CRVA Leadership Excellence Award, 2023 and 2024.
Multi-Unit Hospitality General Manager
Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort
Cherokee, NC
06.2010 - 07.2019
- Executive leader for one of the Southeast's most extensive casino-resort hospitality operations, spanning two major property expansions totaling $650 million-plus.
- Oversaw 1,000-plus employees across restaurants, bars, nightlife, catering, conventions, hotel sales and in-room dining, supporting $100 million-plus in annual Food & Beverage revenue tied to a $600 million gaming operation.
- Increased hospitality revenue by $7 million-plus and EBITDA by $3.5 million-plus within two years through pricing strategy, menu engineering, and operational redesign.
- Led hospitality planning, design, and operational readiness for major casino-resort expansions, including the Valley River property opening convention center and hotel, along with new entertainment and nightlife venues.
- Established and governed hospitality internal control procedures with Tribal Gaming Commission, ensuring regulatory compliance in a highly scrutinized environment.
- Developed leadership pipelines that achieved sustained service excellence, reflected in perfect service scores on national planner surveys.
Education
Professional Certificate - Executive Leadership
Cornell University
Certification -
Six Sigma Green Belt Certification
Two-Sport Athletic Scholarship -
Western Carolina University
Certification -
ServSafe Manager Certification
Certified MICROS Property Expert -
InfoGenesis Super User
Gaming Industry Licensure -
Skills
- Pre-opening leadership
- P&L ownership
- Menu engineering
- Revenue optimization
- Operational Excellence
- Multi-unit operations
- Procurement management
- Supply Chain Optimization
- Leadership Development
- Organizational design
- Regulatory and Gaming Compliance
- Client and Ownership Relations
- Performance stabilization
Education and Training
Recipient, CRVA Leadership Excellence Award, 2023 and 2024.
Board And Community Leadership
Catawba Ridge High School, Volunteer Football Coach
Affiliations
- Board Member, Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina
- Co-Chair, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee, Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority
- Member, Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, Emerging Leaders Program
Timeline
Director of Food & Beverage
Catawba Two Kings Casino Resort
02.2026 - Current
Director of Food & Beverage
Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority
07.2019 - 02.2026
Multi-Unit Hospitality General Manager
Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort
06.2010 - 07.2019
Professional Certificate - Executive Leadership
Cornell University
Certification -
Six Sigma Green Belt Certification
Two-Sport Athletic Scholarship -
Western Carolina University
Certification -
ServSafe Manager Certification
Certified MICROS Property Expert -
InfoGenesis Super User