In honor of Veterans Day, Plainridge Park Casino representatives introduced local vendor Camelot Enterprises, a veteran-owned business based in Stoughton, during a recent public meeting in Plainville.

Camelot Enterprises was founded by Elliot Kaplan, a veteran who served in the military during the 1960s, both in the United States and in Germany.

“We started the business in 1987, it was a single printing machine,” Kaplan said. “Expanded by moving to Stoughton in 1993 to a large facility with automatic equipment; both screen printing, embroidery, engraving.  We also offer thousands, literally, of promotional products.”

The company learned of the small business opportunities available through the Commonwealth’s new gaming industry when Pamela Glatter, an account executive for Camelot Enterprises, attended a South Shore Chamber of Commerce event. Camelot then submitted an application through the MGC’s casino vendor licensing and registration process and soon landed a vendor contract with Plainridge Park Casino.

The veteran-owned printing supplier later expanded its services to other areas of casino gaming, including projects with Encore Boston Harbor and the MGC’s GameSense program.

“We started off doing small things like water bottles and marketing promos, and we work with the human resource department to do employee incentives, as well,” Glatter said. “Then we worked with dining with chef coats and work with The Loft, and that expanded now to Encore and to other casinos, as well as GameSense.”

“I really enjoyed the GameSense portion,” Glatter continued. “Really understand now the importance of promoting that, so that’s been a nice relationship.”

During the construction of Plainridge Park Casino, veteran-owned (VBE) businesses represented 9% of the project spend, which exceeded the casino’s goal of 3%. The work with VBE’s has continued throughout casino operation, and Plainridge Park Casino’s Vice President of Operations Mike Mueller highlighted how beneficial the partnership with Camelot Enterprises has been for both sides. Veteran-owned vendor spending at Plainridge Park Casino was last reported at 5.5%.

“We’ve been working with [Camelot Enterprises] for almost two years as our local provider for many items,” Mueller said.  “Our team especially loves the work they do with their specialty embroidered items that we often use for employee gifts and incentive giveaways.  They do amazing work for us, and we continue to look forward to a long future with them.”

In recognition of Veterans Day, the presentation from Camelot Enterprises provided the Commission an opportunity to thank all of those who have served, while also highlighting the availability of local vendor opportunities.

“I think that that is an important point, particularly while we are in this facility, to acknowledge how much we, as a Commission and agency, appreciate all those who have served,” MGC Chair Cathy Judd-Stein said during the public meeting that took place at Plainville’s new municipal complex.

“I think you’re a great example of what the statute envisioned,” Commissioner Bruce Stebbins told Kaplan. “Even though a lot of the gaming employee opportunities were going to be closer to where the casino was located, I think you’re a great example of where spending dollars are having an economic impact beyond the region of where a casino might be located, so congratulations.”

To learn more about the casino vendor licensing and registration process and to find registration forms, you can head to the Vendor and Licensing Registration section of the MGC’s website.