Lexy Coley ’02, ’06 MS/MBA
General Manager, Omni Dallas Hotel at Park West

Genuine hospitality matters at the Omni Dallas at Park West, where UNLV Hospitality College graduate Lexy Coley has served as general manager since July 2019. Coley developed an interest in the hospitality industry at an early age during family vacations to places like Las Vegas, where she marveled at how every employee—from the front-desk agent to the room attendant—“took care of them.” Coley’s passion for service brought her to UNLV, where she studied hospitality management at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Since then, she’s never looked back.

Pearls of Wisdom

The hotel business is ripe with opportunities.
“One of the things that drew me to the hotel industry is that there are always positions available in the market. Plus, the hospitality industry is everywhere. If you want to move, your career can move with you.”

There’s never a dull moment.
“There’s always something fun about hospitality. And you can always discover something that can improve the guest experience. Finding those little things, whether it be in service or processes, is what motivates me.”

Know your strategy.
“In this business, service is a must because the quality of service really impacts whether or not a guest comes back. But making sure that you have a clear strategy is also important. You need to know who you are targeting and what niche you are going for.”

UNLV professors know the business. 
“I loved my experience at UNLV! It was great that the professors had experience working in the industry. If they read something out of a textbook, they provided real-world examples that made it make sense. I loved that once I started working in the industry, I could apply that knowledge.”

Sharpen your leadership skills and doors will open.
“If you show promise and are a good leader, you will have opportunities in this business. I went from director of housekeeping to director of rooms in a year before being offered the position of director of operations at Omni Frisco. Good companies will hone in on good leadership and advance those individuals.”