Power in partnership — SEMO and Century Casino team up

Many good things begin with conversation.

A thriving partnership has developed between Century Casino Cape Girardeau and Southeast Missouri State University, which started with people talking.

Background

Lyle Randolph, casino general manager, recalls the pre-pandemic closing of the establishment's Farmer's Pick Buffet, leaving a large space sitting idle not far from the gaming floor.

Today, the space has become what Southeast Missouri State University president Carlos Vargas calls a "laboratory," where SEMO students work in the former buffet's commercial kitchen and take on-site classes in subjects such as nutrition, dietetics and hospitality management.

Randolph said the casino charges SEMO what he called a "nominal" rent to use the space to cover expenses.

Randolph, who has been the casino's general manager for 10 years, described the journey.

"Our buffet closed in January 2019. A lot of casinos over the last few years have shuttered their buffets, and here in Cape, we were on the front edge of that," recalled Randolph, a native of Gideon, Missouri, who spoke of the sometimes "wasteful" nature of such operations.

"We had 120 different food items on the buffet menu. At 2 p.m. or at 10 p.m., the expectation of patrons is that the food be fresh, and we saw we were throwing away a fair amount of food. We just felt there's a better way to serve our customers. Most casino food served today is made-to-order. What we were really looking for since 2019 was the right opportunity to utilize the space."

Southeast Missouri State University students inside the former Farmer's Pick Buffet inside Century Casino Cape Girardeau. The buffet has been repurposed into instructional space since its closing in 2019. In the Spring 2023 semester, classes in introduction to food science, foundations of culinary practices and advanced culinary practices were held there.Submitted

Southeast Missouri State University students inside the former Farmer's Pick Buffet inside Century Casino Cape Girardeau. The buffet has been repurposed into instructional space since its closing in 2019. In the Spring 2023 semester, classes in introduction to food science, foundations of culinary practices and advanced culinary practices were held there.Submitted

Conversations

"There are collaborative kitchen concepts we were thinking through. For example, one idea was repurposing what we have into an inexpensive entry point for an entrepreneur looking to start a culinary business.

"I was having conversations with people in the community who I thought they could help the idea develop. One of those people was former Cape Girardeau Mayor Bob Fox, who understood what we were looking for, and he offered to put me in touch with others who could advance the idea. I got a call one day from Mayor Fox who said I needed to go see Dr. Vargas. At the time, SEMO had two culinary-focused programs in nutrition and hospitality management. They were using basement space in an old dormitory and they needed another option," Randolph said.

"(SEMO) knew it needed something, but the investment required didn't make a lot of sense for them. We had a commercial kitchen space we were trying to find a use for and Southeast needed a commercial kitchen for instruction. We talked it through and the city was the facilitator in putting us together."

Adjustments

Randolph said the casino sought and received Missouri Gaming Commission approval to use the space for hands-on teaching.

"We had to do some security-type things to keep students from wandering onto the casino floor if they're not supposed to be there," Randolph said, adding he did make a presentation before SEMO"s Board of Governors.

One adjustment was creating a dedicated entrance into the teaching area of the former buffet for SEMO undergraduates.

Potential

"Going forward, I see this space as the anchor for SEMO's culinary instructional classes, and then taking the next step, whatever that might be," Randolph said, noting the seeming explosion of young people needing instruction in opening and successfully operating mobile food trucks and trailers.

Kudos

Randolph gives credit to Century Casino for being open to the idea of a partnership with a mid-major university.

"The layers we would have had to go with another casino company would have been cumbersome and time-consuming, and SEMO needed a solution pretty quickly," he said. "We've created an instructional space here that makes sense for the university. It makes sense for us, in that part of our space is being utilized. I like to see the bigger picture of how this partnership could evolve. I'm visioning a collaborative, creative culinary space with perhaps arts and retail, too. We desire a public facing collaboration between the casino, SEMO and the people of the area."

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