After serving for just eight months, John James has stepped down from his position as CEO and President of Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut. The 59-year-old James was hired just last August after his predecessor Felix Rappaport passed away from a heart attack in 2018.
James’ resignation from his position was effective immediately and senior vice president of the resort operations, Jason Guyot will be acting as interim CEO until a proper replacement is found.
Foxwoods is one of two Connecticut casinos that have been closed since mid-March due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Shortly after the shutdown, Foxwoods furloughed over 5,000 of its employees and has yet to decide a date for its reopening. According to a statement to its employees, James resigned from his position to spend time with his family and focus on his health. The statement said, “left his position to spend more time with family and focus on his overall health and wellness.”
“The Tribal Council believes that together with our talented executive team, Foxwoods will continue to focus on managing through the remainder of the COVID-19 crisis and the re-opening of our facilities at an appropriate time in a way that prioritizes the health and safety of the members of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, our team members, and the public as a whole. We are currently focused on a strategic reopening plan which will take into consideration safe and social distancing guidelines. We will share updates as our plans are solidified,” said the Tribal Council in a statement.