This is a growth opportunity for the musicians and MGM is going to grow, too. And she's not just speaking metaphorically. Both Mausi and Motor City Casino director of public relations, Jack Barthwell, foresee this relationship becoming even more important when permanent casinos are constructed. They're doing a great job for us, and the new sites will just offer more opportunities. However, the Detroit Federation of Musicians, the musicians' union, is asking the public to boycott the MGM Grand, saying casino musicians are paid less than those at other entertainment complexes like the Fox and Fisher theaters.
Compensation is always a matter of negotiation.
Charles and Gwen Scales, 15-year veterans of the local music scene, seem satisfied with their arrangment. They currently appear in the Brown Derby restaurant at the MGM Grand as well as on the Overdrive Lounge stage at Motor City. This is the contemporary jazz duo's first experience playing for casino audiences, and there is no doubt in their minds that, though the setting may not be as intimate as a club date, there are definite benefits to being in the casinos' roster of talent. It's really artificially low. We've had to gravitate toward private parties, corporate events and other things because the clubs alone couldn't sustain us.