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DWP Enters Booking Partnership With Foxwoods Resort Casino (Exclusive)
Foxwoods Resort Casino has announced a formal partnership with festival producer and talent buyer Danny Wimmer Presents to book talent at the Mashantucket, Connecticut, property and its 4,000-seat Premier Theater.
“I needed someone that I could trust and people that I know that are the best at what they do,” said Christian Printup, VP of Entertainment at Foxwoods, a casino entertainment veteran who recently joined the resort. Printup said with Foxwoods’ multiple major venues and overseeing a staff of more than 100 people, he welcomes the booking support to build upon the venue’s already-strong entertainment offerings.
“I’ve worked with other buyers and no one in my career has come close to the level of service and the understanding they possess,” said Printup, whose relationship with DWP Talent Services’ Billy Brill goes back about 20 years. “They understand the casino ecosystem and how to buy for a casino. Sometimes what constitutes a good buy for a PAC or an arena isn’t necessarily good for a casino.”
Foxwoods has historically booked talent in-house, and will continue to internally program the 1,400-capacity Great Cedar showroom. Printup says there are about 140 show dates this year between the Premier Theater and the Great Cedar showroom. Longtime Northeast-area promoter Bill Blumenreich Presents will continue to bring comedy to Foxwoods as well.
The partnership continues DWP Talent Services’ expansion in the casino space, which includes booking deals for Agua Caliente in Southern California, Thunder Valley near Sacramento and others.
“You have to have a strategy and customize your approach, but you also have to work with people that are committed to the same kind of strategy and excellence that you are to be successful,” said Del Williams, head of talent at DWP Talent Services. “We go in with every client that we work with to take them to a higher level, and we have to understand what the priorities are for the casino, what works, what doesn’t work. And we have to apply that to the booking strategy for entertainment. It’s not a cut and paste, cookie cutter approach.”
Financial details of the partnership were not disclosed. Recent shows booked by DWP at the venue include an April 5 performance by Sessanta, which includes members Puscifer, A Perfect Circle and Primus. A Miranda Lambert concert was also confirmed recently.
DWP’s Brill notes the history and stellar reputation of Foxwoods, whose showroom opened with three Frank Sinatra concerts in 1993.
“When you book Foxwoods, it’s an iconic venue and It’s not like anything else,” said Brill, whose Billy Alan Productions became part of DWP in 2021. “You have an audience that’s been served with the best entertainers on the planet. So we were grateful when Christian asked us to be partners to bring that up to another level. The things that you’ll see at Foxwoods, you won’t see anywhere else. That’s because he wants it to be the premier venue on the East Coast, or even the country.”
Foxwoods recently announced updates as part of its 32nd anniversary celebrations, including renovations to The Fox Tower hotel and renovations to the International High Limit Table Games Room and table games area at the Grand Pequot Tower. The property also recently announced opening of Chef Zac Young’s Sprinkletown Donuts & Ice Cream, as well as the debut of Grace by Nia, a modern-day supper club and live music lounge.
“Every account is very different and their approach is different as to what they want for entertainment,” added Joe Moallempour, DWP senior national casino talent buyer. “So we definitely have to customize for each property, and we work very hard together as a team to make sure we satisfy those needs and wants.”