Press of Atlantic City – Wednesday was a long day for Atlantic City resident Michelle Olson. With several hours to go before the Golden Nugget opened the doors for its emergency job fair, Olson claimed the first spot in line at 3 a.m. in the hope of landing a job as a front desk attendant.
As she watched the crowd grow from dozens to hundreds and beyond, she remained hopeful that she would land a position, saying she believed God was on her side.
The job fair kicked off at 10 a.m. Wednesday and drew 1,300 people to the Marina District casino, each seeking one of 50 jobs.
The casino, however, began turning job-seekers away Wednesday afternoon, saying it had been inundated by the overwhelming interest for a “handful” of positions. All applicants were encouraged to apply online.
The job fair scheduled for today will continue as planned, but a representative highlighted 1,500 jobs available at a new property in Lake Charles, La., rather than local positions.
Golden Nugget Executive Vice President and General Manager Tom Pohlman initially reported that the casino was seeking additional employees due to a recent surge in business following the closing of Atlantic Club Casino Hotel in January.
Yet the message abruptly changed Wednesday night when Golden Nugget’s corporate office in Las Vegas issued a different statement, saying the casino had endured a difficult 2013 and had cut back to “bare minimum” staffing. The job fair was was held in anticipation of future staffing needs in the spring and summer season, according to the statement attributed to a Golden Nugget spokesperson.
“While our gaming revenue has been reported as slightly up in Atlantic City, the comparative increase in business is off a low base and not the reason for the job fair,” the statement read.
