The officials from the Mountaineer Racetrack and Gaming Resort plan to employ 700 additional staff members if the casino table games bill is approved in Hancock County.
In Ohio County, officials from the Wheeling Island Racetrack and Gaming are currently looking for 400 employees for casino dealers and security personnel positions now that the residents have approved of the casino table games.
According to Wheeling Island Spokeswoman, Kimberly Florence, they would create additional jobs as the hotel in the Wheeling Racetrack is enlarged. On June 9, 2007, Wheeling Island voted in favor of the casino table games proposal.
The Mountaineer Racetrack currently employs 1,740 workers while about 950 employees work at the Wheeling Island Racing Track. New Casino table games jobs at the racing tracks are expected to contribute a total of $35,000 yearly plus benefits.
Mountaineer officials previously mentioned that they would hire a total of 400 to 500 employees if they will be allowed to offer the casino games.
However, according to Mountaineer Spokeswoman, Tamara Cronin, said this figure was changed to 700 after they decided on what type of employees they would need.
Cronin said that they need about 442 casino dealers, 98 supervisors, 31 management employees, 15 surveillance employees, 30 security personnel, 25 cage cashiers, 20 administrative and finance employees and another 100 jobs for retail, hotel and food and beverage facilities.
According to Florence, Wheeling Island expects to hire around 400 dealers and security spots, but the exact numbers have yet to be decided. Anyone who wants to become a blackjack dealer must enroll in the training that will be conducted at West Virginia Northern Community College.
The Mountaineer Racetrack plans to offer 90 casino table games at the racing track if the Hancock County approves the casino games.
Half of the tables would be used for poker while the remaining tables would be used for roulette and craps, according to Cronin. Kimberly Florence said that they plan to offer 62 gambling tables at the Wheeling Island Racetrack.
20 of the tables will be used for poker, while the remaining 42 tables will be used for craps, roulette and other casino games. Wheeling Island would also expand the present size of their hotel, adding 100 rooms, according to Kimberly Florence.
Cronin mentioned that The Mountaineer Racetrack also has long term plans to add a hotel to their racing track. Cronin further stated that Mountaineer President and CEO Ted Arneault is also hoping to establish some agreements with different business organizations in the area to further develop the 2,200 unused acres of land at Mountaineer.
Some of these could include housing, retail shops and even a golf course. The voters in Hancock County will vote on the casino tables games issue on June 30, 2007.
25 June, 2007
