By Howard Koplowitz
After a high-volume opening weekend in which 65,000 people visited Resorts World Casino New York, the company said Tuesday it plans to hire an additional 150 workers, bringing the total number of employees to 1,500 — a 76 percent increase from Resorts World’s original estimates.
“We are overwhelmed by the excitement about Resorts World and are always looking for ways to best serve our guests,” said Resorts World Casino New York President Michael Speller. “We have said from the beginning that we will continue to look for opportunities to create even more jobs and are thrilled to be able to do that so soon after our first phase of opening. With our expanded staff in place, our second phase of opening in December will be a tremendous opportunity for visitors to experience the full extent of what Resorts World has to offer.”
A Resorts World spokesman said most of the new jobs, which were not originally planned, will be in customer service.
Following years of false starts and failed deals, Resorts World opened the casino Oct. 28 with enormous demand as 65,000 visitors tried their luck during the facility’s opening weekend.
The company took less than a year of construction to get the space up and running.
Resorts World, which operates out of Aqueduct Race Track, features video lottery terminals and electronic table games.
State law bars non-Indian casinos from having table games with live dealers, although state Sen. Joseph Addabbo (D-Howard Beach) said he plans to introduce legislation that would bring full gambling to Resorts World.
In announcing the additional jobs Tuesday, Resorts World also said 90 percent of its workforce is comprised of women and minorities — far surpassing its goal of 60 percent.
Resorts World’s second phase of opening will bring additional VLTs and electronic gaming tables and a 130,000-square-foot events center, which the company said will be the largest event space in the borough.
Other additions include a second gaming floor and upscale restaurants RW Prime Steakhouse and the Chinese-themed Genting Palace, named after Resorts World’s Malaysian-based parent company, Genting.
Reach reporter Howard Koplowitz by e-mail at hkoplowitz@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4573.
