West Memphis gaming venue believed to be first in United States with ISO 14001
WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. (July 30, 2009) – Southland Park Gaming & Racing has received international certification that its operations are environmentally friendly.
Southland Park in mid-July received an ISO 14001 certificate of registration from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) after the venue’s environmental management system passed an independent audit conducted in June.
The West Memphis entertainment destination is believed to be the first U.S. gaming venue to achieve the ISO 14001 standard, an internationally accepted specification for environmental management systems. It was created to help organizations minimize how their operations affect the environment and comply with related laws, regulations and requirements.
Southland Park prepared for the ISO 14001 audit for more than a year by implementing the proprietary GreenPath® environmental management system of parent company Delaware North Companies.
John Geelan, Southland Park’s manager of surveillance, serves as the venue’s GreenPath steward. Working with John Huey, Delaware North’s director of environmental affairs, Geelan helped the staff prepare for a thorough audit that included a review of environmental records and interviews of managers and associates working in the gaming, racing and hospitality areas of the facility.
“Southland Park has embraced Delaware North’s strong commitment to making our operations environmentally sustainable,” said Troy Keeping, Southland Park’s president and general manager. “Our associates have worked hard to make GreenPath part of the culture here.”
Southland Park is also the first location in Delaware North’s Gaming & Entertainment division to achieve ISO 14001 certification. Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack in West Virginia, Daytona Beach Kennel Club & Poker Room in Florida and Finger Lakes Gaming and Racetrack and Fairgrounds Gaming and Raceway in New York are among the division’s locations also seeking the certification.
Delaware North also used sustainable construction practices in the $40 million renovation of Southland Park in 2006. The project was built to the U.S. Green Building Council’s silver Leadership in Engineering and Environmental Design (LEED) standards. In May, the company’s newly constructed $30 million Daytona Beach club became the first gaming facility in the United States to achieve gold LEED certification.
GreenPath is an award-winning environmental management system and stewardship program aimed at protecting natural resources and increasing the sustainability of Delaware North’s operations. The company began its environmental stewardship efforts in the mid-1990s at Yosemite National Park, sparking the creation of GreenPath.
In 2001, Delaware North became the first U.S. hospitality company to achieve ISO 14001 registration – at Yosemite and several other Delaware North Parks & Resorts division locations. In recent years the company has worked to implement GreenPath throughout its operations, including gaming, entertainment and sports venues and airport restaurants and retail stores.
ISO is the world’s largest developer and publisher of international standards. The non-governmental organization includes representatives from 160 countries. More information is available at www.ISO.org.