September 25, 2007

Track to hold job fair at Civic Center

By Rusty Marks

The Charleston Gazette Staff writer

Owners of Tri-State Racetrack and Gaming Center in Nitro will host a job fair to start hiring the hundreds of workers that will be needed when the track expands.

The job fair will be held from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Oct. 10 at the Charleston Civic Center, said racetrack General Manager Cathy Brackbill.

“We’re going to stay late so people who work during the day can come,” Brackbill said Monday.
Last month, Kanawha County voters approved the expansion of gambling at Tri-State to allow casino-style table games like poker and blackjack. Track owners plan a $250 million expansion project at the track that includes a hotel, conference center and entertainment complex.

Track owners say the expansion will create about 1,000 jobs, though Brackbill said Monday it could be more. Those who will eventually be hired include about 300 card dealers for the new games.

Brackbill urged anyone “even remotely interested” in being a card dealer to come to the fair to learn about the jobs. No card dealers will be hired Oct. 10, because all applicants must first pass a six-week training program. The hiring process and training program will be explained at the job far.

Brackbill said Tri-State plans to hire the first batch of 80 card dealers in time for the track to open 42 poker tables by mid-January. “This is the first phase of the hiring that we will do,” she said. “This is the first portion of the 1,000 people we will hire.”

Brackbill said pay rates for new dealers at the track have yet to be negotiated. But she said dealers can expect to make $34,000 to $36,000 a year, including tips.

She said track owners will look to hire some people immediately to fill existing vacancies and vacancies that will be created when some Tri-State staff members decide to become dealers.

Brackbill said Tri-State staff will be looking for interested employees for a dozen job areas at the track, including food and beverage workers, marketing, surveillance, security, racing, human resources, business administration, table gaming, slot machines, auditing and the money room.

Track owners hope to break ground on the expansion project by the end of the year, Brackbill said.
Construction is expected to take about 18 months.

To contact staff writer Rusty Marks, use e-mail or call 348-1215.