Job creation is one argument proponents of casino expansion use in their pitch to add more gambling venues in Delaware. And if the recent Delaware Park job fair is any indication, there's plenty of interest in casino jobs. 130 job seekers lined up at Delaware Park’s administrative offices on Kirkwood Highway this week, answering the racino’s call for new dealers for a planned table game expansion.
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This job fair was dedicated solely to finding poker dealers. “Poker is our primary focus right now because of the additional tables that we’re adding in,” said Nancy Myshko, Delaware Park’s Senior Vice President of Human Resources. Delaware Park plans to add 25 new tournament poker tables this fall, as early as late September. That means hiring about 80 additional part-time and on-call dealers, according to Myshko.
Many applicants are weeded out quickly in the initial interview process. Myshko estimates about 80 percent of those who come to a fair like this one have some level of experience or knowledge, but Delaware Park only seriously considers 20 to 25 percent. Qualified job seekers face two interviews, a math skills test, and a live audition to get hired. Anthony Chester, Delaware Park’s poker room manager admits that’s a lot to do in one shot, but the number of dealers needed for the poker expansion made this the most efficient method. “It’s less time consuming,” said Chester. “With all the expectations of the new room coming along, it’s better to do it in a one day period than to have it broken up over several days or close to a week.”
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The job fair attracted a wide variety of hopefuls, from experienced dealers to those looking to break into the business.
Winston Miller is among the newcomers. He currently works for West Chester Insulation, selling insulation for new homes. With the new housing market struggling, Miller is looking to hedge his career bets.
"With the economy who knows? I always wanted to have a back up, I always said I wanted to have something to do in the gambling industry, either on my way to retirement, or when I retire,” Miller said. "I plan on sticking through this even when I retire just to have something. The way we are heading we are all going to need a job."
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Miller, a poker enthusiast, took a dealer class at Delaware Technical and Community College to gain the necessary skills. That investment paid off with a job offer in what he sees as one of the few growth industries.
“If you look around for expansion, it’s all in the new gambling," said Miller. "That’s the only growth I see in this area.”
Delaware Park also extended a job offer to Justin, a 24 year old who didn’t want to give his last name because he is currently working as a dealer in Atlantic City. "I live about an hour and ten minutes from here and it’s about the same from Atlantic City," he said. "Atlantic City is not going away, but right now, this is the best opportunity for me."
Justin appreciates that casino and gaming expansion have created alternatives to Atlantic City. He’s optimistic that working in Delaware Park’s poker room will be an improvement over his job in New Jersey.
“I don’t want to be in a room that is not run well. It’s not good for business, its not good for dealers, its not good for the players,” said Justin. “Especially avid and casual players who don’t want to sit there with drunks all the time or improper game procedures. You want a tightly run, smooth room. Atlantic City does not have a lot of rooms like that anymore.”
[caption id="attachment_2205" align="alignright" width="180" caption="Delaware Park Senior Vice President for Human Resources Nancy Myshko advises prospective dealers to strongly consider investing in the training classes available. CLICK TO WATCH VIDEO."]https://www.wdde.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/nancymyshko-300x168.jpg[/caption]
Delaware Park’s task now is retaining these hires as more venues with table games sprout up. “Competition is always a concern,” said Myshko.
In July, as Pennsylvania and West Virginia launched table games, Chief Operating Officer Andrew Gentile complained Delaware Park had lost some dealers to venues in those states.
“Table games staffing is in high demand," he said. "They are like mercenaries. They are just going to the highest bidders.”
Pennsylvania was particularly aggressive, according to Gentile. While Delaware Park offered salaries in line with what dealers and supervisors are making in Atlantic City, Gentile says Pennsylvania venues “came out and said we don’t care what the market is paying, we are going to pay 20% over that.”
That didn’t keep Delaware Park from finding 32 applicants worthy of job offers at this job fair. And while these hires are not full-time, Myshko says it could lead there. That’s all Miller wanted to hear. “I got offered a job, I need to come here and practice and see where it goes from there."