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***SLOTS ARTICLES*** |
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Casino Companies Promise New Jobs for New Slots
[Tuesday, March 21, 2006]
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Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania hopes to create thousands of new jobs by adding a new casino focused only on slot machines.
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But the three companies vying for the slot machine license are giving wildly different estimates on how many new jobs will come about in this new project, and some experts are telling people not to put too much hope into their claims.
The three competing companies- Isle of Capri Casinos Inc., Cleveland's Forest City Enterprises, PITG Gaming are all looking to cash in on the cities slot machine license, while hoping to create new jobs as well.
According to the Associated Press, Isle of Capri estimates its proposed casino will create almost 1,000 new jobs; Forest City's Harrah's casino could generate almost 4,000 jobs; and PITG Gaming hopes that it's North Shore casino will generate 1,500 new jobs. All companies predict thousands of spin-off jobs stemming from the proposed casinos.
Professor Robert Goodman of Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts remains very skeptical on the proposed jobs.
"There's no additional money coming in," Goodman told the Associated Press. "You're just playing with the same money."
Goodman is referring to the turnover of money in a market like Pittsburgh where the money brought in by the new jobs is money taken from people living and working in the city itself. Unlike cities like Las Vegas and Atlantic City, where the majority of income from casinos involves tourists, those playing the Pittsburgh slots are citizens. For many a night out at the casino could mean less money spent on other leisure activities within city limits.
None of Goodman's skepticism has kept the potential casino operators from promising plenty of new job opportunities to state officials.
Potential new jobs are divided into two categories, direct and indirect jobs. Direct jobs, jobs produced directly by the casino itself, or other parts of the casino complex such as restaurants, bars, stores and entertainment venues. Indirect jobs are created when an employee of the casino spends money at local stores and offices.
Even with wildly varying estimates, there is no doubt that a new casino would bring new work. The American Gaming Association lists a wide range of job numbers from other casinos. In Atlantic City The Borgata employs 4,800 full time workers; Caesars, 4,399; and the Trump Marina, 3,000.
Casinos in other towns also boast high employment rates. Harrah's in St. Louis employs 1,800 people, which is similar to its estimate for a Harrah's in Pittsburgh.
However all these casinos have table games, such as black jack, alongside their many slot machines. Table games create more labor intensive job positions, and require at least two or three trained employees per day, per table.
Casino's that only have slot machines require little human interaction. Most customers just sit at the slots with coins, dreams, and bells whistling in their ears.
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