Tom Zitt, Ph.D
Managing Director

Since joining The Innovation Group in 1997, Tom has developed a level of expertise in high-level strategic planning and market feasibility analysis that has earned his reports a reputation for accuracy and perceptiveness throughout the gaming, leisure and hospitality industries. Tom provides a depth of analysis that provides developers and government bodies with the peace of mind of knowing their decisions are being made on sound economic foundations.

Tom has eight years experience in urban planning and market feasibility. Mr. Zitt was the project director for eight elements conducted for the City of New Orleans' Master Plan: Economic Development, Tourism, Historic Preservation, Environmental Quality, Community Facilities and Infrastructure, Natural Hazards, Energy, and Arts & Culture. He was responsible for all administration of the process, coordination among element directors, and content of the plan. In addition to overall project director, he also composed the plans for Economic Development and Energy. Critical to the successful reception of the Plan was the public involvement process designed and implemented by The Innovation Group. A series of public workshops were conducted in the individual planning districts to incorporate citizen input into the plan, and a second series of follow-up meetings ensured that community concerns and vision were faithfully reflected in the document. In a number of districts, additional meetings were held to resolve complex issues.

Tom recently conducted the statewide market study used by Pennsylvania legislators to assist in structuring history-making racino legislation. Consulting for Senator Vincent Fumo's office and the Democratic Appropriations Committee, he provided an assessment of gaming revenue potential under a number of defined and open-market scenarios, with the goal of maximizing state tax revenues within politically defined parameters.

In addition to his work in Pennsylvania, Tom has also completed statewide market assessments for several other states. In California, he completed a market assessment by region for Deutsche Bank. The study included an analysis of a statewide telephone survey, an overview of existing and potential California casino development, a five-year market projection by region, and an assessment of the impact on Nevada gaming revenues.

Tom received his doctorate in American Culture Studies from Bowling Green University. He also holds an M.A. in American Studies from the University of Wyoming and a B.S. Ed. in English from Ohio University. Before joining the Innovation Group, Thomas Zitt worked overseas for five years as a lecturer for the University of Maryland, which has contracts with the U.S. military and foreign universities. He has worked in Micronesia, Siberia, China, Sicily, Germany, Italy, and Korea. Tom is chairman of the Economic Development Committee for the Old Algiers Main Street Program.

As managing director of planning for Innovation Project Development, Thomas Zitt, Ph. D. oversees the analysis of the feasibility of projects, their appropriate sizing for the market and their evaluation as sustainable business units.