Despite the General Assembly's efforts this year to recruit high-tech jobs, Video Gaming Technologies told NashvillePost.com today that the new law remains too ambiguous to allow the company to transfer jobs to Tennessee from Virginia and Oklahoma.In May, House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh on Monday affixed his signature to legislation that would allow Tennesseans to design and produce software for gambling machines, with the caveat that the software may not legally be installed or used in any machines in Tennessee.After an initial failed attempt, legislative leeway was won, based largely on VGT's projections of relocating about 80 software jobs — each worth up to $80,000 per year in payroll — to Tennessee.Today, however, VGT Chief Operating Officer Jay Sevigny said that while the company has transferred two software engineers to Tennessee from other states, he has "raised additional questions about whether [current law] allows us to have additional equipment" inside Tennessee to accomplish testing and quality control.Sevigny joined VGT 18 months ago, after several years with Gaylord Hotels, and has more than 25 years experience in the gaming and hospitality industry, including stints with Harrah's.He explained that in both Virginia and Oklahoma, VGT uses about 100 gaming terminals to development and test its gambling software."It's always been my experience," he said, "that you have to be very careful with the laws," particularly in conservative states where gambling issues are highly sensitive."It's hard for us to separate out programming work that doesn't require frequent interaction" with equipment, he said."We absolutely and completely want to ensure that anything we do is in compliance with state laws," he continued. He said VGT will "continue to seek clarity and support for and to seek acceptance of the type of engineering that is important to our company and our industry."He said that it is likely that VGT will seek further legislative clarification, but noted that he and VGT Found Jon Yarbrough, who is current on extended leave from daily operations, have not yet discussed how best to proceed.Sevigny knows Tennessee. Prior to VGT, Sevigny was Gaylord Hotels' chief operating officer here. He also earned an MBA from Vanderbilt University's Owen School of Management.
