Caesars Palace has Caesar. New York-New York has the Statue of Liberty. And Palace Station has Bernice Boykin (just call her Ms. Bernice). While the iconic statues lord over those two properties on the Strip, you’ll find Boykin is quite the icon herself at Palace Station.
The Louisiana native serves as the property’s guest ambassador and has been a familiar face there for 42 years. “I moved to Las Vegas in 1964 because that’s where the money was,” Boykin says. She started out waitressing at the Desert Inn and The Frontier and left the industry to become a housewife. But by 1979, she was itching to get back to work and applied at Palace Station (known then as Bingo Palace).
“The moment I walked through the door—it felt like home the first day,” Boykin says. She started out on the casino floor and then moved to the change booth. “That’s where I first met the late Mr. Fertitta (the owner),” she says. “He came up to the booth and needed change for a $100 bill and he said, ‘I like the way you count that money.’ I said, ‘Thank you,’ but I didn’t know him from nobody. He was just like a regular guest. He asked me if I wanted to do something different. How about counting some money? And that’s when I went over to the casino cage, and I worked there for 38 years.”
About three years ago, Boykin left the cage and worked in promotions for a few months and then took on her current role of interacting with guests out on the floor of the property.
“I talk to the guests, make sure they are comfortable,” she says. “Once they hit that door, they’re in my hands. … I’m gonna keep working here till they throw me out! I have no reason to leave. I love people. People love me. Everybody knows me. I appreciate all the team members from all Station Casinos for what they’ve brought to the company. We’ve all gone beyond the best to make us No. 1. Stay healthy, and may God bless.”
Libation: Beer and a Shot
All through the month of July, Palace Station and the rest of the Station Casinos properties across the valley celebrate the company’s 45th anniversary. In honor of the occasion, guests can take part in the celebration with drink specials and other promotions across the properties. At select Station Casino bars, guests can get a free commemorative keepsake like a can cooler with a Bud Light beer purchase, pint glass with purchase of a Bud Light draft, and a shot glass with the purchase of a Patron shot.
Benefit: To find out about other 45th anniversary specials in July, visit each property’s rewards center.
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