The year is 1967. No one has landed on the moon quite yet. Ronald Reagan became the Governor of California. “The Doors” debuted. The very first “Super Bowl” took place. Elvis and Priscilla got married in Vegas… and just down the street a new, swanky hotel property opened by the name of “Caesars Palace”.
Also in 1967, a man named Benny Figgins was hired at Caesars Palace. He was a part of the original staff that opened the property so many years ago, and on Wednesday he decided to hang it up after over 55 years of service. Benny was the last year-one employee still on the job.
From keeping the casino floor clean, to washing dishes, Benny held a lot of jobs. But the job he held the longest was as a Blackjack dealer for more than 50 years.
We caught up with Benny before his grand send-off! pic.twitter.com/LenfC27loK
— Caesars Palace (@CaesarsPalace) September 1, 2022
His favorite memory over the years? Rubbing elbows with the classic Las Vegas celebrities of yesteryear. “People like Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Diana Ross, Harry Belafonte and Joe Lewis,” says the now retired dealer.
It’s incredible to think of being with an employer that long through that many decades. The average employee stays with their employer for just over 4 years according to Zippia, with the average person holding 12 jobs over their lifetime. Which makes Benny’s accomplishment all the more incredible.
In celebration of his 55+ years of service at the resort, Figgins received a grand sendoff fit for a Caesar 🙌 pic.twitter.com/z9ywbg2nUj
— Caesars Palace (@CaesarsPalace) September 1, 2022
The property did right by him as soon as his shift ended. He was given a string of crystals from the chandelier that hung in the original casino dome and received a commemorative plaque. He was then celebrated by his co-workers with a massive round of applause, given the red carpet treatment as he walked out to a waiting Caesars limo that would soon take him and his wife home.
Oh, and speaking of his wife, he met her at Caesars way back in the early 70’s. Between the two of them, they worked at Caesars for nearly a century.
Today, we applaud Benny for his years of service and hope he has a long and prosperous retirement.
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